Dream Journey on Jutland, Short Study Tour
Trip Start
Aug 21, 2010
1
5
15
Trip End
Dec 18, 2010
Aalborg, North Jutland, Denmark
Thursday, September 9, 2010
I realize I havent put a blog in for 2 weeks so now Im catching up so please be prepared, but as always I promise that there will be no boredom while reading about my experiences as something funny or entertaining follows me.
On the 9th-11th we had short study tours for classes, it is like a field trip that we go around denmark or other places to listen to lectures, visit places and do activities that bring the classroom to the outside world. It is payed for in our tuition(with the UofR tuition it better darn be freee), ´We left on Thursday from Downtown Copenhagen, we met at 7:45am which meant for me I had to catch the first bus from Hillerød which was 5:53am :( , 25 of my classmates and I loaded into a charter bus with our Swedish\Polish professor and Swedish driver. We then rode on the bus for what seems like forever but was like 3 hours then we finally stopped at the famous Jelling Stones (Yelling), they are some of the oldest forms of Nordic writings and paintings about one of the most powerful Nordic Kings, King Gorm who was a large viking that ruled the kingdom and conquered many waters of the time with the massive ships he and his people built. There are two large hills in which ships were built and King Gorm and his wife are burried as well as their son that took the thrown after.
Then we traveled another 2ish hours on the lovely bus and made it to the University of Aalborg which is one of the biggest psychology research facilities in all of Denmark, we were greeted by FOOD (which all college students appreciate anytime of Day). There were two professors that were giving a lecture on quantitative research and criticisms of positive psychology, which at one point became more about existentialist philosophy and quantitative research but it was still very intrigueing. Then afterwards we had a short half hour ride to a Brewhouse, which was part of the cultural immersion of the trip, the brewary was very nice and we recieved more...food and of course beer. We had beautiful half racks of ribs and cole slaw and 3 different beers a laeger, dark brew, and my favorite was the last which was top fermented which gave it a light but nice taste. Then we got a tour of the fermentors and the workings of how they brew the different types of beers.
Then the next day we drove back south on Jutland to Arhus where we went to KaosPilots, which is a 3 year program that uses positive psychology to elevate people and give them the tools to use their strengths and passions and turn it into a reality or an entreprunership. For an hour we were walked through a dream journey to figure out where we are now and how we want the rest of our semester to go and how we want the future to look and how to get from point A to point B. We then woke and listed 7 things we were passionate about, 7 things that anger us, and 7 things that we are great at, then we found themes within each of those categories. For my passions I found that the theme is growth in many different forms, for my anger I found the theme was fear, and for what I am great at the theme was connecting. I think overall it was spot on so then I made a mission statement of how to use my talents. Then we stayed in a hostel which was actually pretty nice and a very new experience for me but was somewhat similar to dorm living.
' Who knows what the happiest workplace in Denmark is? I Do! it is a bank(something danish that i cant spell) the facilities and concept of the bank was a very interesting way to see how Positive Psychology works on a institutional level. The bank does not have a formal form of management instead they believe in self management which puts more freedom and responsibility in the workers to the make the best experience for both themselves and their customers. For them it isnt about the interest rates on accounts they focus more on customer needs and close relationships with the customers.
The next morning we went to what we were told was the highest point in Denmark(which isnt very high as Denmark is very flat especially compared to CA) however the hike was lovely and misty and took all of 3 minutes to the top lol and then we found out it was actually the 7th highest point in Denmark. Then we made our way for 2 hours on a bus to the AroS Art Museum, there was a very beautiful and different exhibit called "I Love You" and it was art about the different things in love and forms it takes, the anxiety, the beauty, the fragility and the heart break that can be inevitant. It was very beautiful and so many different takes on love which made me come out as emotionally charged and love on my mind, how much I love the people in my life. Then we made our final bus ride of the Journey 5 hours into Copenhagen and then I had another 2 hour commute back to home!
The Journey is the learning and the beauty, things are a journey not a destination.
Pictures to come later
Comments
wonderful entry Dakota! :) i think everyone is learning to appreciate journeys- because theyre always so long! love you!
Dakota this sounds so cool and I would love to see the "I love you" exhibit!! I love and miss you!