How are you feeling?

Right now I feel energized, happy, fresh, inspired, and like I'm beginning an adventure that will never really end.

So how are YOU feeling, right now?  This kind of self-reflection was a common theme throughout my lessons in Western Denmark.  I just returned from a three day study trip with my Positive Psychology class and had an unforgettable time.  Each day we had an academic activity, a cultural activity, yummy food, free time, and at least four hours on a bus. I loved every minute of it.  It was a great time to learn more about positive psychology, see more of the country I'm quickly falling in love with, and meet new friends, all of whom I'll be spending an entire week with in Scotland!

Our first stop was the most inspiring, interesting, and emotional one for me.  It was at a business school in a town called Esbjerg.  This school has a very unique program called "The Skills Project" that many of the students in the school don't even know about.  Each student enrolled in the program comes from a very difficult background, which for many means abuse, neglect, bullied childhoods, drug and alcohol use, suicide attempts, and low self esteem, respect, and confidence.  They have all been let down by either mothers, fathers, or teachers.  When chosen for this program they begin an 8 week program that literally turns their lives around.  83% of the students completing this program go on to start an education or get a job.  My class had the opportunity to hear from the man who started and runs the program, the psychologist, and students who have completed the program.  Hearing the student's stories, and then hearing their success and positive views on life is truly inspirational and moving.  It is through positive psychology techniques that they learn that there lives are valuable, that they are smart, have potential to grow, and can love and be loved.  The students were very open to talking about their lives in the past and how it has changed.  It amazes me how in only eight weeks a person can change so drastically, and that all of it is done through changing their frame of mind.  The positivity, potential, and hope that lies within human nature will never cease to amaze and inspire me.

On further visits, to an elementary school where we learned how positive psychology can be implemented in children and education, and to a university level business school called kaospilots where we did more personal self-reflection, I learned that asking yourself and others "how are you?" is not only important for people coming from backgrounds like the students in "The Skills Project," it is important for everyone.  In Denmark "How are you?" is not a greeting used like it is in the US.  Here, it is an honest question that is not asked unless you really do have time to hear the answer.  We learned through each visit that no answer is wrong, and that everyone needs to be heard.  Through self-reflection and understanding of ourselves and others work can be done to change problems or to enhance a happy life you already lead.

So that wraps it up for the academic, reflective, and emotionally charged parts of the trip - but I'll let you know it does not wrap up all of it!

Thursday night, after visiting "The Skills Project" we drove to a town called Ribe.  It's the oldest city in Denmark, and it shows!  It is the cutest and quaintest town I have seen in all of Europe.  I felt like I was in a museum and the families I saw eating dinner through candle lit windows were just cardboard silhouettes in a fake room, and that the tall slanting roofs were made of cheap plastic, and the cobblestone paths were mounted on a concrete museum floor.  It was too cute to be true!

After my positive psychology class and another one joining us on this leg of the trip (about 60 students total) took over the restaurants in the town of Ribe, some of us went on the Night Watchman Walk.  A long, long time ago the night watchman would walk around the streets of Ribe, singing songs, and looking out for the town.  Today it is a free tourist attraction, and you can follow the "night watchman" on his walk through the town, listen to him sing, and stop for information at certain landmarks, such as the oldest cathedral in Scandinavia or the oldest house in the town.  It was a little rainy, but I think that added to the ambiance.

DIS picked out some very nice hostels for us!  So nice that I think I should show you some pictures.  Here's my "hostel" on the first night. 

I started the second day very early with a morning meditation lead by my psychology professor.  One of the joys of studying with a psychology group :)  We moved on to the elementary school and then to a fun hands on science park!  Best parts of that was a giant blue cube with a waterfall running down the outside and fun attractions inside,

Riding segways around an obstacle course,

and a fun, unconventional teeter-totter.

The coolest room was a...can you guess? Yes, a science of the brain room!  There was one activity that measured your brain waves.  Two people sat on opposite sides of a table with a tiny ball in the middle of it, and but a headband with prongs on it on.  The goal was to be calm.  Brain waves were measured and whoever is the calmest pushes the ball to the other side of the table.  Some of you may think I am calm, but I went against my positive psychology practicum teacher, who was also the leader of my tour and the woman who began this program at DIS.  She went into immediate meditation and completely kicked my butt!

That evening we drove to a town called Hadersleve.  It was a very "hyggelige" evening.  That is a word that is best translated to mean cozy, and is something the Danes have perfected and made a major part of their culture.  DIS arranged a wonderful dinner for us that evening which was already paid for!  We had a yummy Danish dinner...

...and desert! Yum - banana split!

Afterwards the "hostel dad" made us a big bonfire and we made snobrød (twisty bread) around the campfire.  We all thought we would go into town to see a live band at one of the bars, but the fire was so hyggelige we all enjoyed a view of the stars, cabins and lake, good company and conversation, and some beer and wine instead.  What a great evening!

Our fire and everyone cooking their snobrød.

A few pictures of yet another "hostel" we stayed in.

That was five cities, thirty new friends, and million great memories in three days.  I'm happy to be back in yet another home I've found for myself and can't wait to tell you about my next adventures!