The True Spirit of Scandinavia Elderhostel Tour

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Day 7 -June 7, 2009
After eating breakfast on the ferry and then struggling to get our luggage down the narrow passageways, and in and out of the elevator and off the ship we found our bus and driver, Lars. We then set off with our Group Leader, Carl for the 3 hour ride to the Askov Højskole, the first folkschool in Denmark. It was built in 1865. Gene and I actually have a small three room flat a few minutes walk from the main campus.
This folk school is different than the one in Norway because it is actually 3 schools on the one campus. It has the typical folk school for the 18 year old or older to attend for one year to find themselves. Then there is a boarding school for teenagers in the 9th or 10th grade which can be expensive. The third type of schooling offered are short term classes for adults in various subjects. Our site coordinator Ulla Henningsen is also a teacher here and is teaching part time now. But she had Garrison Keeler who does Prarie Home Companion on NPR as a student in her Danish language class!
After dinner the first night we adjourned to a smaller meeting room and over coffee/tea and danish pastries we were warmly welcomed by the principal of the folk school and the music teacher. The principal told us a little about the school. We were quite impressed that the principal came out on a Sunday evening to meet us and make us feel welcome!

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