vesterdanmark

Okay, so I know that the date says it is the 21st, but let us rewind back to the 12th of September, when I wrote most of this entry, after a 3-day excursion to western Denmark.

Before I start, let me explain to you real quick the concept of the core course and the study tours. At my program, the only academic requirement (apart from number of hours) is that you enroll in a core course, determining your academic program – my core course is Psychology of Happiness and therefore, I am in the psychology program. Each program goes on a short study tour of 3 days and a longer study tour of 7 days, exploring sites that relate to our class, using Europe as our playground. From September 10-12, everyone had a short study tour to attend! If these three days could be broken down to a theme of one or a few words, “exploring happiness” would do, but in practice, it was more like “embrace your inner child.” I LOVED it.

Don’t think that I spent my whole trip exploring and bonding with fellow classmates, because we did attend a couple of lectures to supplement the fun. It was fine, of course, and arguably essential in tying everything together. So what was little kid activity number one? Painting with acrylic, something I haven’t done in years. We were asked to paint what happiness means to us, and then our whole class put their paintings together to create a mural (see previous entry on happiness for photo documentation). Accounts of the rest of the weekend’s childlike experiences are sprinkled throughout my entry.

Danish countryside
Reflecting on happiness
Be simple, be free

I would now like to outline the 3 main sites we visited, and share with you my thoughts:

1) “Kaos Pilots” – focusing on character strengths to run a business school

Our first day at KaosPilots, an innovative business school, was incredibly neat. It made me think a lot about my future and whether or not I can see myself living here. A certain part of me will always live in this area of the world, and it is so delightful when those deep childhood moments rush to me; sometimes the homey feelings are evoked by nature, picnics and summertime, or something totally out of the blue. (This trip falls into the rando category.) All I know is that I certainly want to have some connections and/or excuses to come up to Sweden/Scandinavia for the rest of my life. (Husband maybe? ;) At the very least I will have my extended family!)

What I appreciated about the school were all the things that, at least on the surface, go against what American schools and culture push – rushing through, making money, climbing to the top, and putting work first. The school really focused on their students as individual persons who need to explore themselves, go with the flow, take risks, be creative, and make significant change (significant not only to others, but also to themselves). In the US, KaosPilots would be seen as very liberal, hippy, and even hokey. Not that there aren’t skeptics who live here as well.

I liked their holistic take on leadership, too – not only are there many types of leaders, but a person is a leader on many different levels – first and foremost, for themselves, at their work, and on higher levels – for their country or for the rest of the world. The idea is that you start small and simply, recognizing what it is inside you that makes you tick, makes you glow, makes you angry, and makes you alive. That energy lives inside everyone and can be channeled to create social changes in a community, a government, or anywhere in the world. The students, for either six months or a year, are required to spend time in another country working on projects in another cultural context. Other things the school stress from the beginning are experiential learning and hands-on, real-world projects. Not saying that this school would be for me or right now, but I certainly agree with a lot of the philosophies. I could see some people I know and love really flourishing there, and it will be interesting if the school arrives again in my future. (It’s taught in English, btw.)

If you are interested in reading more about the school: www.kaospilots.dk

Here are a couple of pictures that I feel really captured my visit there:



The colorful faces of all students, past and present



“I love error” written on the graffitied building of the school

2) Danfoss Universe – where learning is fun!

The visit to Danfoss Universe, an “experience” park, was also fantastic. I rode a Segway for the first time! It reminded me very much of a larger, mostly outdoor Science Spectrum…Lubbock, anyone? There was a building that allowed people to explore their different intelligences or strengths, based on Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences – the psychological tie. Some categories include musical, visuo-spatial, intrapersonal, logical, etc. Loved it.

I found it interesting to learn that the park had been founded by the owner of a science and technology company in hopes of evoking math and science interest in young Danes. Without the opportunity to take apart a clock, for example, and put it back together, children growing up today can figure out how things work and get excited about science at said venue. At least this is the idea; it’s only been open since 2005.

There were also trampolines, centers teaching physics principles, bikes that are powered by a water motor to life you off of the ground, a real life glacier you could walk through, a life-sized geyser, Bob-the-Builder trucks and machines, and more. The target audience was probably ten years old, but naturally there was something for everyone.

http://uk.danfossuniverse.com/


Danfoss from the outside!


Cool science contraptions

Playing "mind games" in the room of intelligences

3) HCA-town (yo)

Thirdly, and least psychologically related, my class visited the town of Odense, where Hans Christian Anderson was born. We visited an art museum first, which had some lovely photography, mass media, and painting displays. Of course we had to visit the house where HCA was born, the accompanying museum about his life, and the Fyrtøjet, whose target audience was probably 7 years old.

At Fyrtøjet, my class saw a puppet show of the fairytale “Clumsy Hans”, a Cinderella-esque story about a princess who wants to find her husband. She invites all the young men in the land to meet her, and only Hans, with his less than classy appearance and lighthearted spirit, can win the princess’s heart through his creativity and wit. The most epic part though, was when we had the opportunity to dress up as HCA characters and to act out or create stories in life-sized houses. No boys chose to participate (way to cool for that), but they wouldn’t have been welcome anyway. Haha, just keeding.

A joyful HCA character

Elegant costumes from the museum

Joanna and I at Fyrtøjet

All decked out in our costumes - so awkward but so fun

In addition to visiting these main attractions, we had free time out in the towns, meals, and on one night, a campfire to enjoy. Both of the hostels we stayed in were incredibly clean and friendly, which was an added bonus. Summary – I had a good time!

Loves,
Kristina

The Happy Danes

So in two of my classes today (coincidentally), Psychology of Happiness and Danish Language and Culture, we watched a clip of a 60 Minutes episode on why Denmark has been rated over and over again the happiest country in the world. From a psychological and anthropological perspective, it is interesting to think about all of the cultural norms we were raised with that seem so natural to us, and how they contrast with those of citizens in other countries, and with the Danes. It also raises interesting points about diversity, competition, the American dream, and what our priorities are. Of course, individuals can actively make the choice to reprioritize what is important in their lives, even if that list happens to be different from the one their culture teaches them, and I think this research presents to the world many things that can be learned from the Danes. Studying the topic of positive psychology also raises more general questions such as, what is happiness, really? and what is success?

Something the video also highlights that I really appreciate and can relate to is the idea of setting low expectations. Expectations too often lead to anxiety and disappointment, and while it has been a habit of mine to expect things to go a certain way or for people to behave like I want them to, I find that it is best to just let go of them. (Thank you, Soltura!) While I am living in another country, too, I want to be able to learn as much about its citizens as possible so that I can gain a better appreciation of who they are and figure out more of what goes on inside their heads.

I really recommend watching the clip, which you can find here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shepBx2ogJo

Everyone is certainly entitled to their own definition, but after reflecting on the topic, I have come up with my own.

hap·pi·ness: a state free from major anxiety and worries; fully feeling and appreciating life's events, which can be initially good or bad; allowing yourself to express your emotions and be who you are - laughing, crying, loving, sharing, moving.

Everyone's definition is certainly shaped by their life experiences and it will be interesting to see how mine changes over the course of the semester and throughout my life. It has been really cool to go to a class where we self-reflect and learn at the same time. I rather like it.

And to end my first short blog entry, I leave you with a visual interpretation and mosaic of what happiness means to fifty-two Americans studying abroad. Our paintings were so much fun to make! I will write more about the trip that I took to Western Denmark last weekend soon.



Loves,
Kristina

Først uge i København!

So I can’t believe it but it’s Wednesday, which means I have been in this crazy place for about a week and a half! It has certainly flown by, but at the same time, it feels like I have been here forever. YOW.

If you just want to know how I am doing generally, the answer is FINT, or fine/well in Danish. (Let’s multiply this answer times ten actually.) I am having a blast getting to know the city, its people, my host family, other chicas in the program, etc! The weather has been insanely perfect as well. Don’t you guys worry about me.

The Danes are so cool

Love Scandinavia love

Marry me someone?

I’m really loving the list thing, because it helps me to organize my thoughts, and hopefully it makes these entries easier to read for you. Sooo, here are some of my current reflections slash updates, organized by topic:

1) General bits of wisdom/insights I have come across during the first week

• Two very famous Danes are Hans Christian Andersen and the band Aqua (who I have now seen in concert, feel free to ask me about this :) )
• Danish and Swedish are written pretty similarly but pronounced VERY differently, giving me an advantage in reading, and greatly hindering my speaking.
• Danes are beautiful. Just see my family for proof.
• Copenhagen is freakin’ expensive! I bought a slice of chocolate cake yesterday for roughly $8, and I am thrilled to come across a glass of beer or a cup of coffee for $5.
• My program, DIS, has at the very least, 3 girls for every boy. Whoaa
• In the words of Jens Lekman, "It's like someone spilled a beer, all over the atmosphere." Beer is very popular, is drunk regularly and in public, and is preferred over cocktails due to the exorbitant taxes on hard liquor.
  

2) My birthday! (Mig fødselsdag!)

August 24^th, the glorious day of my birth, always falls around the beginning of school for me. Freshman year at Rice, it was the Friday of O-Week (thank you Excaliber for the wonderful memories), a very exciting time for me. There is something magical about the beginning of school in general, when everything is new – school supplies, goals, professors – and your outlook on the future is likely to be optimistic and fresh. At least this is my experience. Concerning my birthday, though, I was not expecting anything spectacular for 2009, as it happened to fall one day after arrival day for my program, in a country where I do not know 99% of the people. The age of 20 isn’t particularly epic, either. Besides, I had celebrated with my family in Sweden a little early.

But I was wrong. My low expectations were greatly exceeded, starting at 6:30 am when the five members of my new family woke me up singing in Danish. They had presents for me and everything! See below.

Decorations for my room, clothing, and other practical things!

It was really a surprise. I guess my host sisters, who friended me on Facebook in advance, had seen that my birthday was on the 24^th. Apparently in the host family orientation, they were told to celebrate their exchange student’s birthday properly and in accordance with the Danish culture, if it so happened to be in the fall semester. Which mine obviously did.

After a full day of orientation activities and exploring central Copenhagen (which included getting lost and seeking directions from beautiful Danish men), my family organized part dos of my birthday celebration, which involved a trip to Tivoli, one of Copenhagen’s most prized attractions. It is an amusement park, concert venue, outdoor park, historical site and restaurant hub all in one. I rode a few rides with my sisters, one of which focused on Hans Christian Andersen, a native of Denmark. We had fantastic Japanese food and Coldstone ice cream afterwards! Who knew!

A building at Tivoli with Danish flags flying.

A lake in the middle of Tivoli with restaurants and historical looking houses on the outside.

The outside of Tivoli at night!

In summary, I had a wonderful birthday :)

3) My new family… :D

My sisters and I at Tivoli! What beautiful posture I have.

Here is my family and I being goofy at Tivoli... haha! It is a picture of a picture, btw, so sorry if it is not so clear!

There are three girls – Rikke (which is pronounced more like “Reggae”), Pernille, and Nanna, who are 19, 15, and 10, respectively. Mom and Dad are Jens and Marianne. Rikke has graduated high school and is working at a hotel, while Pernille and Nanna are still in school and do gymnastics three times a week after school. To sum up my family, I would say that they are all very active, talkative, beautiful, and easygoing. Pernille is especially eager to practice her English, because next year she will be spending a year as an exchange student in the US.

My family lives in a house in the town of Solrød Strand, which is about 40 km (23 miles) south of Copenhagen, and involves a commute of about 1 hour, door to door. Students in my program with other living arrangements, though, have a similar commute, ranging from half an hour (that’s about the shortest I’ve heard) to 1 ½ hours. I first bike 5-7 minutes to the train station, take the train into the city for about 30 minutes, and walk to school for about 10 minutes. It’s not so bad, and I find the train system to be very reliable and peaceful to ride. You wouldn’t believe how SILENT the train is in the morning until you rode it yourself.

Here is the strand part of the town I live in!

4) My first school field trip for Danish… to see fudbol!

FC Copenhagen vs. Brondby - apparently the biggest club rivals in Copenhagen!

Megan and I eating fabulous French hot dogs

YUM!

5) Wonderful Copenhagen (this adjective precedes the city name on many brochures, maps, and signs… although I’m not exactly sure why yet)

Dear Copenhagen,

Please eat my money

Fill me with Danish goodness

Already in love

Check out the number of bikes that have passed this sign - 12,824 by around 6 in the evening!

Enough said. There are a ridiculous amount of people who bike here.

Nyhavn! One of the most famous streets in Copenhagen.

We bought purses at 70% off... what now

Beer!! Completely acceptable to drink at 2 in the afternoon.

6) My classes/the studying component of study abroad

Here are the classes I am taking and my thoughts on the first couple of classes:

Psychology of Happiness – love the teacher, love the reading. I’m excited to be taking a class on positive psychology, and to be critical about this newly developing field. I’m also pumped to be heading to Scotland with my class the first week of October!

Danish Language and Culture I – yay! Already learning a lot. We have some other cool field trips coming up in and around Copenhagen.

Holocaust and Genocide – the reading has been interesting thus far, and we will be heading to Hamburg, Germany in a couple of weeks. My teacher has a really thick Scandinavian accent, smokes a lot, and isn’t afraid to express his cynicism. Love it.

Developmental Neuropsychology – I can already tell that I will learn a lot in this class, and hopefully it will help me narrow down my desired area of specialty in psychology, which could very well be neuropsych. There is a total of 1 boy in this class, haha.

My first day of school in front of the DIS building!

Ok... I'm out. I apologize if this was super general - more stories next time, I promise. <3>