Prince Daniel's Background (Family, Education etc.)

[Yennie]

Daniel Westling was born and raised in Ockelbo, a small town in Gästrikland.
His mother works at the local post office and his father is somekind of countyworker(not sure how to translate that ). Daniel has two sisters and lived in a red house... very idyllic =)
Daniel W has a more "normal" life and uppbringing than the rich and poshy Daniel Collert

 

[hrhcp]

But Yennie,

every-one in Sweden (in the country-side) lives in a red house !!!!!!

for the convenience of everybody reading this post, where in Sweden is

Ockelbo, a small town in Gästrikland

?
Like, in relation to Stockholm
- its not to the east, because that's ocean.
- but how many kilometres (approximately) north, northwest, west, southwest, or south of Stockolm (or Malmo)?

And no Swedish miles here, please !

OK, his mother is a clerk working for the government and therefore has a permanent job with a good salary and good retirement benefits, right?

His dad works on a farm?
or has a job with a local community?

Glad to hear that

Daniel W has a more "normal" life

... and from the sounds of it, mixes in easily.

ps: sounds like you didn't like Daniel I ?

 

[Lena]

Daniel´s parents. I don´t see much of Daniel in them (or at least not in the mother).

 

[hrhcp]

Hélène  Posted: Oct 11th, 2003 - 2:09 pm

Daniels dad works as some kind of boss in local authorites. In swedish we say "social boss".

Thanks for the clarification Helene.

(And we don't use miles in Sweden...)

In that Helene, perhaps you are sadly mis-informed?
... I have been reliably informed from a number of swedish sources, that one swedish mile is 10 km.

 

[Hélène]

Originally posted by King Christian@Oct 11th, 2003 - 1:32 pm
In that Helene, perhaps you are sadly mis-informed?
... I have been reliably informed from a number of swedish sources, that one swedish mile is 10 km. 

I thought you meant American miles... Or... I don't know what I thought. Just got confused I guess.

 

[Yennie]

I have been reliably informed from a number of swedish sources, that one swedish mile is 10 km

True, one swedish mile is 10 km, but its not the same as the US/Uk mile and the measures are not the same in Sweden as in UK and US f.e.


btw, I see some of Daniel in his father. They kinda have the same face and body shape... and "hållning" as we say in swedish, I have no idea what its called in english =)

 

[hrhcp]

Yennie  Posted on Oct 12th, 2003 - 7:51 am

I imagine, Yennie
what you wanted to clarify, is that one swedish mile is local slang
since with

one swedish mile is 10 km, and
one US/Uk mile is 1.6 km

there are approximately 6 Us/uk miles per swedish mile.
BUT that is besides the point,

since in everything else with weights and measures, Sweden is metric ?

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by Yennie@Oct 12th, 2003 - 6:51 am
and "hållning" as we say in swedish, I have no idea what its called in english =)

It would be "posture" or maybe "poise"

 

[hrhcp]

Lena  Posted: Oct 12th, 2003 - 10:56 am

(Yennie @ Oct 12th, 2003 - 6:51 am)
and "hållning" as we say in swedish, I have no idea what its called in english =)

It would be "posture" or maybe "poise"

One electronic translation dictionary that I have stumbled across, is at:

http://lexikon.nada.kth.se/cgi-bin/swe-eng

when I enter "hållning"
out comes: carriage, posture; conduct; attitude

I imagine the right word? is somewhere between: carriage, posture, poise and conduct.

 

[moosey60]

Well, it is just be the way they conduct/hold themselves- poise, posture, etc.

A kilometre is 1.6 American miles. (It's the same for conversion to metric in Canada- Americans and their imperial system )

The metric system is scads more accurate than the imperial system.

 

[Yennie]

I think Jen meant the body-posture of Daniel and his father.

yeap, she did =)
True, in swedish the word hållning has different meanings. But its not very common to use the word "hållning" to describe an attiude. Its more common to use the word "attityd" or maybe "åsikt"...

and at last: I must say I agree with you Lena. We cannot judge Svante, or anyone else for that matter!, based on a picture. I´m sure he´s a nice guy but my guess is that he, and many others in Victorias "circle" are quite snobbish.
But hey, who wouldn´t be...?!

 

[Lena]

Thank you GrandDuchess for the informations on the test and the test itself. I´ve to say, that it doesn´t seem to difficult too me...IMO the time for the maths-part is a little bit short (but maybe it´s just, because I´m not a real pro in maths )
At least Daniel (as prince) would have the chance to "learn by doing/counting", which this example shows :
4.En grupp bestående av 24 turister får en guidad tur på Drottningholms slott. Hur många nationaliteter finns representerade i gruppen? (1)I den ena halvan av gruppen finns 12 nationaliteter representerade.(2)En fjärdedel av den totala gruppen är svenskar och en fjärdedel är norrmän.

A group out of 24 tourists get a guided tour through Drottningholm castle. How many nationalities can be found in this group?
(1) In the one half of the group are 12 nationalities represented

(2) A quarter of the whole group is swedish and one quarter is norwegian.

 

[hrhcp]

Högskoleprovet is a test that aims to test the ability to manage higher studies (college and university). The test consists of 122 tasks ....

GrandDuchess
... does this exam establish who can go to university or not ?
... does everybody at school have to take this exam, regardless of whether they want to go to university or not ?

.... did Daniel really want to go to university, or did he "throw it - the exam" ?

 

[Reina]

How can a Scandinavian not know English. Aren't all kids taught it in elementary school?

 

[Larzen]

I dont think Daniel doesent understand english I haven`t met one young person from sweden that doesent speak english, however often they have an accent or is not 100% fluent.

So when there are complaints on Daniels english (I wonder, has anyone ever heared him say a singel word in english?) I suspect that the problem is that he is not as fluent as say Victoria is and as it would be recquired of a prince consort.

All kids ofcourse have it in school, personally I had english for nine years.

However Daniel would not be the first person with languagetrouble in royal circles:
Prince Henrik is constantly beeing critesized for his danish with a very strong french accent.
I have read that Maximas dutch is not perfect.
Mary only spoke ONE language before she married Frederik, and Daniel speaks Swedish and an unknown amount of English.
Letizia has been working on improving her English
MM spoke very good English to begin with, but it has gotten more british.
Silvia still has an accent when speaking swedish, and a small accent when speaking english

 

[hrhcp]

How can a Scandinavian not know English. Aren't all kids taught it in elementary school?

Like a canadian not knowing French or English !
- like, its not taught in school, or its forgotten.

 

[Lena]

Daniel surely knows english. I´m also sure he can read simple books in english, maybe he don´t understand every word, but at least the sense. Probably he can communicate with people, who ask him for the way or whatever. But I guess, when they talk about Daniel´s poor english, they mean, that he´s not fluent, doesn´t know too many words, makes grammar mistakes, and that he can´t express himself in english the way he does in swedish.
Daniel had only a "2" after his last year on high school (compareable to a "D" or maybe "D+") on his report card. So it seems he isn´t a person, who can learn a language(s) easily...or maybe he was really lazy at school (he has hinted that)...or maybe he had the wrong teacher. Anyway I´m quite sure, that it´s true, that his english isn´t the best...but there´s always the chance to improve, isn´t it? (should maybe do the same ...maybe I would get the title "princess" for that)

 

[Yennie]

... does this exam establish who can go to university or not ?
... does everybody at school have to take this exam, regardless of whether they want to go to university or not ?

no. Its nothing like that. everyone who finished Gymnasiet can go on to the university. This test just makes it easier to get in to the most popular courses.
Because if a course is very popular only the ones with very good grades or result at this test gets a place.
F.ex I didn´t take this test, and I´ve stuied two terms at the university. The only thing you have to, is to have graduated from gymnasiet

 

[GrandDuchess]

GrandDuchess
... does this exam establish who can go to university or not ?
... does everybody at school have to take this exam, regardless of whether they want to go to university or not ?

.... did Daniel really want to go to university, or did he "throw it - the exam" ?

Högskoleprovet is voluntary! As I said in my post, when you apply to college or university - you do it on the basis of your final grades in high school, points from college or university or högskoleprovet. The test will increase your chances of getting into a specific programme or course if you get a good result on it. Admissions to college and university have different groups where they take people from - there are procentages on how many people they accept from every group. So you apply in the group "high school grades" "college or university points" and "högskoleprovet".

 

[Lena]

That Daniel has done this test "unsolicited" (not in school) worries me a little bit

 

[hrhcp]

That Daniel has done this test "unsolicited" (not in school) worries me a little bit

what do you mean ... and what "worries you" ?

 

[Lena]

what do you mean ... and what "worries you" ?

I mean that it isn´t really an "evidence" for his intelligence, that he went there, has registered for the test and has failed. It would have been different if it would have been compareable to the SAT, which most students try at high school. Because then we could say, he only wanted to do this education to become gym trainer and so he sat there and made little crosses on the test anywhere, because he had no other plans this day.

 

[Robbert]

Being bad in English has nothing/not much to do with being lazy. You either have the talent or you don't have it. A friend of mine is VERY bad in English, he reads very slow and doesn't always understand the words, even if they're simple, and he isn't good in pronouncing words either. In the end he had a 4 on his diploma (we work with a scale from 1(an F) to 10(A+), and 6 being average) even though he worked real hard for his English for 6 years. Me on the other hand, I'm not perfect but I got a 7 on my diploma and I didn't even had to work for it even though I'm lazy (my friends say I'm the definition of the word lazy ). It's about talent and I think you must not burn someone down because he's not good at one thing.

 

[hrhcp]

I mean that it isn´t really an "evidence" for his intelligence, that he went there, has registered for the test and has failed.

... hence my earlier comment of him deliberately "throwing" the exam. That is, perhaps he had no desire to take the exam, and out came the result as revenge because some-one else wanted (demande) it of him.

Just curious ... how long after school - ie: how many years - did he write this exam ?

SAT, which most students try at high school.

... you mean, you took this test ?

 

[Lena]

... hence my earlier comment of him deliberately "throwing" the exam. That is, perhaps he had no desire to take the exam, and out came the result as revenge because some-one else wanted (demande) it of him.

Just curious ... how long after school - ie: how many years - did he write this exam ?

... you mean, you took this test ?

It was in spring 1994...and he was born in September 1973. So he was 20 and a half years old. And he has left school after 11 years (started at 7). So he was then almost 18.

Sorry, should have written "most US-american students"

 

[hrhcp]

It was in spring 1994...and he was born in September 1973. So he was 20 and a half years old. And he has left school after 11 years (started at 7). So he was then almost 18.

I don't know about you .... I was sort of undecided about my career after completing school.

When did Daniel start up his gym business ?
What activities was Daniel involved with before he got into the gym business ?

 

[Lena]

I don't know about you .... I was sort of undecided about my career after completing school.

When did Daniel start up his gym business ?
What activities was Daniel involved with before he got into the gym business ?

I´ve started my studies directly after school...but maybe I should have tried other things...esp. since we don´t have this year at college, where you can try out things.

As much as I know Daniel did his military service (again as fast as possible), was then 2 years at this school for gym trainers and has then worked as trainer in several gyms in Stockholm.

 

[hrhcp]

Daniel did his military service .... was then 2 years at this school for gym trainers and has then worked as trainer in several gyms in Stockholm.

ah, thanks Lena .... seems he had his career path pretty well established or thought out by the time he left his service.
interesting !
.... I wonder who and what influenced him to get into the fitness business ?

 

[Lena]

Being bad in English has nothing/not much to do with being lazy. You either have the talent or you don't have it. A friend of mine is VERY bad in English, he reads very slow and doesn't always understand the words, even if they're simple, and he isn't good in pronouncing words either. In the end he had a 4 on his diploma (we work with a scale from 1(an F) to 10(A+), and 6 being average) even though he worked real hard for his English for 6 years. Me on the other hand, I'm not perfect but I got a 7 on my diploma and I didn't even had to work for it even though I'm lazy (my friends say I'm the definition of the word lazy ). It's about talent and I think you must not burn someone down because he's not good at one thing.

I wouldn´t agree completely...even though I know what you mean...it´s for sure for some people easier and for some not. But when you for example don´t care a bit for the lessons in the very beginning it´s hard to be good. Especially in the beginning it´s important to learn the language with the other students, otherwise you can´t catch up anymore.
So far we still don´t know, how it was for Daniel Westling. But actually I hope, he was only really lazy at school...then it would be easier for him to follow the english lessons now-after he has started to become motivated.

 

[hrhcp]

So far we still don´t know, how it was for Daniel Westling...then it would be easier for him to follow the english lessons now

It should also be remember that the skills of people fall into one of seven (?) primary groups, them being:
1. eye-hand coordination : machine operators, surgeons ..
2. music : musicians.
3. languages : translators, interpretors.
4. scientific : engineers, chemists, physicists
5. brawn : labourers, Daniel ?
6. creative : sculptors, artists, painters
7. arts/memory types : historians, biologists

after he has started to become motivated.

good point !