Dinner in the House is a boarding event we all look forward to.  Last night the girls were even happier when they saw that we had lasagne for dinner! They all came quickly downstairs to finish setting up the table and start eating one of their preferred dishes.  We ended up discovering Sofiya’s mom and Bruna’s sister are pregnant and expecting next month!!

We talked about our families, our brothers and sisters, and how many cousins we have (just for reference, Bruna couldn’t say the number of cousins… bear in mind she had 11 uncles from her dad’s side!!!).

We had a lovely dinner where we continued to get to know each other. We can’t wait for the month’s dinner!

This year, many East Asian countries will celebrate the Lunar New Year on the 10th of February. This day marks the beginning of a new year based on the cycles of the moon. The festival is a time for family gatherings, feasting, and paying respect to ancestors. Each year is symbolized by one of the twelve zodiac animals, with this year being the Year of the Dragon. Festivities typically include dragon dances, fireworks, red lanterns, and the giving of red envelopes filled with money for good luck. It is a time for reflection, renewal, and wishing for prosperity in the year ahead. The Lunar New Year is a vibrant and joyous occasion that brings people together to celebrate traditions and customs that have been passed down through generations.

Tonight, for our International Dinner, we had the pleasure of celebrating this day with all our East Asian students celebrating the Lunar New Year.

Birthdays are always special occasions, and what better way to celebrate than with a homemade cake?

Join us in spreading some birthday joy as we gather around to bake and decorate a special cake for our fabulous house parent: Miss Maria!

We want to thank you for your investment, your kindness, and for being an extraordinary House Parent (and colleague).

🎁🎊 Let’s make her 26th birthday unforgettable! 🥳🎉

A special thank you to Bruna for preparing this delicious vanilla cake, and to Akmaral for sublimating it in such an incredible way!! 😍

🌍🎶 And because birthdays are a global celebration, let’s wish Miss Maria a Happy Birthday in different languages!

In CDL, we stand up for diversity, and this magical video we sent to Miss Maria is a wonderful example.

In this video, you will hear: Bruna in Portuguese, Haruka in Japanese, Kseniia in Russian, Akmaral in Kazakh, Sofiya in Armenian, and Miss Lina in French. Unfortunately, we are missing Fields for English, so we have decided to finish with English all together. 🩷

We wish all the best to Miss Maria, and again:

BON ANNIVERSAIRE from Switzerland! 

Miss Lina 🐿️

Today’s wellbeing session evolved on how to identify if we are good or bad friends/partners. We all think we are well aware of how to identify when someone is treating us wrongly but sometimes we can be so mesmerized with that person that we can not see the signs of them treating us badly.

For this, we presented the girls with an interesting Kahoot with different scenarios and they had to identify if each scenario was a green, a yellow, or a red flag.

This interactive activity allowed us to identify different scenarios and listen to everyone’s opinions. The girls expressed their feelings and allowed us to have a very interesting discussion about boundaries and healthy relationships. They didn’t identify any of the scenarios as yellow flags, which led us to think they are more aware of what they want in their life as a friend or a partner than what they thought.

This weekend the girls were spread out on two different campuses.

Akmaral joined the second ski weekend, this time in Crans-Montana. After attending an exam on Friday, she made her way up to the mountains to enjoy the lovely sunny (but also cold) weather the canton of Valais mountains had prepared for them. While our priority during the weekend is assuring students have fun and make the best of their time in Switzerland, we also pass on to students the importance of academics, and that’s why Akmaral decided to focus her Sunday morning on University applications and homework.

Back at CDL, and talking about University applications… we got the fantastic news: Bruna got accepted into a second university of her choice!!! We couldn’t be happier for her and the achievements she is accomplishing. We are very proud of her. We are sure we will receive many more good news regarding University applications…

As you can imagine, it was a very quiet and calm weekend here on campus. Most of the students went to the mountains, and the ones who decided to stay in Geneva spent their time studying and going to Geneva to get a break from homework.

Kindest regards,

Maria and Lina

In this third week of building positive friendships, we discussed about international friendships and microaggressions. In our boarding community, we have more than 100 different nationalities, which allows our students to connect with people from all around the world.

International friendships enrich our lives by exposing us to diverse perspectives, cultures, traditions, and ways of thinking. These connections foster mutual understanding, breaking down barriers and promoting global harmony.

However, international friendships can lead to unintended microaggressions due to cultural differences and misunderstandings. It’s crucial to approach these relationships with open-mindedness, cultural sensitivity, and a willingness to learn to avoid unintentional microaggressions and foster genuine understanding.

But, what are microaggressions? These are subtle insults, or problematic statements, typically directed at marginalized groups. They are typically based on race, ethnicity, or gender. And the statements or actions are often ambiguous enough to elicit plausible deniability. Sometimes when we try to call someone out on it, it can lead to a denial that there was any ill intent.

Last night we enjoyed a lovely Portuguese dinner where we were delighted with chicken, pork ribs, calamari, spicy potatoes, bolinhos de bacalhau, and, of course, pastéis de nata.

Best,

Maria and Lina

Nestled in the Swiss Alps, Leysin offers not only breathtaking views but also a myriad of winter activities that make it an ideal destination for a memorable getaway. Girls enjoyed a journey filled with school camaraderie, snowy escapades, and the thrill of speeding down the slopes.

Our adventure began as we arrived in Leysin, greeted by the crisp mountain air and a landscape transformed into a winter wonderland. Leysin boasts a range of ski trails suitable for all levels, from beginners to seasoned enthusiasts.

For a change of pace, Sofiya headed to Leysin’s tobogganing park, where the fun knows no bounds. With the snow-covered landscape as our backdrop, Sofiya and other students embarked on a tobogganing adventure, racing down the hills, and creating memories that will be cherished for a lifetime.

Enjoy these wonderful photos. 🩷

  
Villa Ecureuil 🐿️

Last week we focused on what qualities we look for in a friend when we meet new people.

Positive friendships are an important part of the journey to adulthood. They help children and teenagers learn important social and emotional skills, like being sensitive to other people’s thoughts, feelings, and well-being.​

Healthy friendships and relationships occur when both people:

• Care about each other.
• Understand and respect each other and are responsible for each other.
• Solve problems together and communicate with honesty.
• Share at least some of the same goals and values.

In this second week, we want to focus on the type of friends we are. What do our friends think of us? Is there anything we can do better or improve to be a better friend to our friends?

We asked our girls to ask their friends these questions and reflect on the answers they got.

We can’t wait to share the videos with you in the next couple of days!

Best,

María and Lina.

As you might already know, last week we had a huge snowstorm and the girls didn’t want to miss the opportunity to play in the snow, making snow angels and snowmen.

Ana Sofia and Mia, two of our lovely Ecureuil Annexe neighbors, came to the house and asked us to go and play with them (we couldn’t resist, who doesn’t like to play with the snow?).

As you can imagine, we ran to put on our ski clothes and head out of the house.

   
Best,

Maria and Lina.