This past week, I traveled outside of Copenhagen to visit western Denmark. It was core course week, which refers to five days during the beginning of the semester when classes are cancelled and students are able to spend a full week dedicated to studying their core topic in an immersive, real world context. My core course is Positive Psychology, which meant all the field studies and activities my class did were dedicated to considering well-being and happiness in all areas of life. In a nutshell, this week consisted of tons of free food, dancing through a rainbow, and becoming best friends with baby cows. How could you not be happy with a schedule like that?! In addition to all the fun, this week offered a really cool opportunity to consider all the areas of life that impact a person's well-being. Ranging from interactions with the built environment to autonomy in the Danish school system, we got to explore the psychological impact of various elements of our lifestyles. "Where am I going? I don't know. I'm trying to qualify for a certain nursing home. Life is not about qualifying." MONDAY: Our first few days of the week were spent doing various activities within Copenhagen. We spent Monday morning practicing critical reading of psychological studies, and afterwards we had a Guest Lecture by Chris MacDonald. The topic of this lecture was well-being and happiness, and touched on topics such as meditation, the importance of sleep and exercise, value-based living, and more. It was incredibly interesting to consider our culture's impact on our well-being. In the United States especially, the idea of improvement is constantly driving our lives in a particular direction. One element of the lecture that was especially relevant for my life as a college student was the discussion of personal values and goals. The idea that leads American Society seems to be that good grades lead to a good college which leads to a good career which leads to lots of money which leads to a big house and a nice car which can get you to your job where you can work towards a promotion which leads to more money and at the end of it all, it leads us to qualifying for a specific nursing home... but life is not about qualifying. It is important for both physical and psychological health to pay attention to personal values, close relationships, and taking care of the body. TUESDAY: Tuesday morning our class went on a walking tour of the city, led by an architect living in Copenhagen. We were able to discuss the impact of the built environment on its citizens' lifestyles and well-being. She stressed the importance of natural environments, ease of transportation, spaces that facilitate social interaction, and designs of public spaces that allow a feeling of comfort and safety. I had never before considered the way the design of buildings and bus stops could influence my feeling of comfort or motivation to engage with the people and places I passed, so this idea of urban design leading to well-being was especially interesting to me. Unfortunately, the tour had to be cut a little short because of the cold, but it was probably best because it allowed us to have some time for our fingers and toes to thaw out...In the afternoon, we had a viewing of the documentary called Happy - this was actually my fourth time seeing it, but it's fun to watch, and is a good reminder every time to evaluate what makes me happy. The movie is on Netflix for those of you who would like to see it, and I highly recommend it! THURSDAY: After a day off on Wednesday, we set off early Thursday morning to visit a Danish Elementary school. We had an introduction to the way the school system worked in Denmark, as well as a tour of the school from some of the students. It was interesting to be able to see the way that schools in Denmark differ from those in America - there is a much more casual relationship between teachers and students, which seems to be a part of the larger cultural emphasis of equality, and a huge focus on the autonomy and individuality of the students. The teachers and staff at the school seemed to have a much more "hands off" approach to allowing the students to roam freely through and around the school and explore their individual abilities, limits, and talents. There were kids literally climbing on rooftops on the playground, and sliding down steep, icy inclines - no adults in sight! We were told that this so that students can explore their limits on their own, without interference of adults, and it appears that Danish kids like living on the edge. In the afternoon, we got to Aarhus, Denmark, where we practiced Random Acts of Kindness. It was surprisingly difficult, as my group spent time considering how different actions would be interpreted in Denmark compared to in the U.S. We ended up spending our allotted funds paying for the pastries and coffees people were buying at a little bakery - it turned into a bit of a fiasco as the little old lady we were trying to pay for spent quite a while browsing the pastry selection (I can relate) and then went to the wrong cashier, but in the end it was a success. We didn't actually get a chance to see how they reacted, but it felt good doing things for other people. The day ended with a group dinner and a class outing to explore nightlife. FRIDAY: Friday morning we went to an interactive workshop where we played a game called "Stories of Strength." The game had small cards describing 24 strengths that humans possess - from zest to forgiveness and all that's in between. In addition, there are cards that prompt players to tell different stories about their life and experiences - along with a timer to make sure the stories are kept within three minutes. At the end of each story, other players use their cards to identify the strengths that each person displayed in the story they chose to tell. It was a really nice experience that enabled us all to recognize our strengths in areas that may not be commonly considered. In addition, it was a great opportunity to get to know each other! Telling fun stories and receiving compliments, who can complain?! After a lunch break, we went to the ARoS Art museum, in order to consider the way art work - both the production and the appreciation - are linked to our well-being. I loved observing the pieces offering political commentary, exploring the interactive exhibits, and of course frolicking through the well-known rainbow panoramic tunnel. To finish off the day, we went bowling (I'm just as awful as I remember!), were treated to a buffet dinner (and dessert, I know you were wondering), and got to know each other better through a game of charades ("Pink and Purple Ponies" was a game changer). SATURDAY: Saturday was the last day of core course week, and one of my favorites! We went to a Danish co-housing community, where we were taken on a tour by one of the residents who has lived there for 25 years. The community is all about sustainability - they have their own farm where they produce their own vegetables, dairy products, meat, and more. In addition, they have a room where members of the community can donate old clothes, and their own kindergarten on-site, which is the smallest in all of Denmark and allows for an excellent adult/child ratio. Multiple families and individuals live in this community; they do various jobs for upkeep and management, take turns cooking meals for all the residents, have various celebrations, and more. After our visit, we discussed the ways in which this community enhanced well-being through community and relationships, working towards a meaningful goal, engagement in activity, and many other areas of life. The highlight of the day was getting to play with the calves, ponies, goats, and rabbits - nothing like adorable animals to boost the morale. Most commonly used phrase of most of my classmates: "I don't care about lunch, can we spend all day with the cows?" Overall, core course week was a blast and a half, and not only was I happy as a clam by the end of it, but I was able to critically think about exactly why I was happy as a clam, and what elements of my surroundings, culture, and lifestyle impacted that. What more could you ask for, really? This coming weekend will be full of birthday celebrations, an LLC retreat, and a Danish Field Study to a big soccer game! (Be on the lookout for future posts about my experience living in the LLC, field studies, and how I spend my Wednesdays off...) Happy reading, Lydia
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Hi Everyone!I'm Lydia, a 21 year old college student studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark for the spring 2017 semester. I'm excited to spend the next few months adventuring around Europe, and it'll all be documented here! Feel free to look around. Archives
June 2017
Categories
All
|