#11: last day

For our last day of class we went to a nature preserve. It was a beautiful place and a perfect way to end the class. There were sheep, cows and birds and lots of different kinds of plants. We learned about how nature influences our wellbeing and the requirements that nature must have. For example some of the requirements were that it has to have a variety of species, be open and allows opportunities for socializing. I noticed my own wellbeing, I felt very relaxed and happy. It was fun roasting marshmallows and hanging out with everyone. I'm sad the class is over but I've learned a lot and will apply what I've learned to my life.

#10: meeting the danes

Today, we had four Danes come to our class. We got into groups and did an activity called Castaways. It's where we were given different dilemmas centered around being stranded on an island. Our group had to discuss different scenarios and had to decide what we would do or what we would keep. The Dane ended up just wanted to escape the island and his answers were more focused on getting off the island compared to our answers that were more long-term based. After the Castaway activity we met with another Dane for a discussion. It was a great class and it was really interesting to get a Danes perspective. When we asked him if he thought Denmark was rightfully one of the happiest places he said that it depended on how one defined happiness. He said he felt it was safety and security. He feels happy because he knows that he is safe here in Denmark. Because the healthcare system is so great, he knows that if anything were to happen to him or his friends or family they would all be ok. He also talked about the stereotypes of Americans, and was really understanding and knew that they were just stereotypes. He talked about biking, the dating scene in Denmark and education. I'm glad we had this opportunity to sit down and have a good conversation.

#9: the theory of situated learning & using situated learning to describe a culture:

Situated learning is learning how to act in a group, learning from the experience and the situation not just knowing facts.
We learned that there are three topics in the theory:
1) Social construction: the truth is what people together decide is the truth.
2) Communities of practice: where learning happens, learning happens all the time and everywhere. meaning, practice, community & identity//share a common goal, shared repertoire & mutual engagement.
3) Competent and peripheral legitimate participants.
We applied this theory to our own experiences in DIS. We noticed that we were on the outside/legitimate peripheral participation at the beginning of the session and have worked our way to the center/full participation. With each new experience and uncertainty one can drift to the outside and once they get comfortable they earn the role in the middle.

#8: happy

We started watching the film called Happy. It's a documentary that shows the different perspectives and outlooks that people have on their lives from all over the world, with the goal aiming to find out what makes people happy. It showed that having a lot of things and being beautiful isn't everything, and it won't guarantee happiness.

One of the stories is about a woman who was in a car accident. She had been known for her beauty, but after the accident her face was severely injured. She went through many surgeries but still didn't end up looking like her old self. Even though the accident changed her life drastically, she believes it changed her for the better. She said that she now feels happier and more in touch with her life than before the accident. Her values were reevaluated after her accident and after she redefined them she found wellbeing. She showed strength and courage. Eudamonic wellbeing plays a role in her life as she found a new meaning and purpose for life. Her family and friends also provide her with positive relationships by giving her constant support and love. She's learned that hedonic pleasures with appearance aren't as important anymore.

#7: connect positive psychology to culture

Cultural Understanding Perspectives:
Hofsteede's theory: 
- get an understanding of what kind of values are related to wellbeing
- culture is learned, adapted and shown in behavior

Geertz's theory: 
- get an understanding of what kind of meaning that lies behind
- go out and see/experience culture
- to really understand culture & traditions one needs "to make thick descriptions"

Today, we went to see the celebration for constitution day and the 100 year anniversary of women's suffrage. There were many differences of this event compared to the ones we have in the United States. If Obama were to give a public speech, the security would be more strict, more barriers and restrictions and you would probably have to pay to be there. At this event, the Queen (and her family) and Prime Minister were there giving a speech. The security was similar to airport screening. They scanned my body for metal and let me through. However, there were plenty of body guards and police in the area. Even though I couldn't understand the speeches I got a strong sense of pride and unity. The audience laughed at the jokes the Queen made, there wasn't any struggling or fighting to get the best view and when the national anthem was sung it seemed full of enthusiasm.

#6: nudging & how wellbeing is reflected in products:

Nudging is positive reinforcement directed in gaining a desired outcome. It can influence behavior and thoughts with indirect suggestions. Our daily decisions are influenced constantly by the environment around us. Today our class went out and visited specific brand fast food restaurants and stores that are also in the United States. Our class noticed that health and aesthetic are valued more in the Danish culture. The fast food restaurants that we visited were very different to the same brand stores in the US. In the 7Eleven we noticed that the food was fresh, healthy and more expensive than most of the stores back home. The store was also very clean and organized. The store nudges consumers to eat better by placing those products in the front of the store and are the majority within the store. This then affects ones wellbeing by knowing they are eating right for themselves and for the environment.

#5: what we would change/continue/add in the presentations & our groups

Presentations:
Change: more content on slides, organized, concise talking topics, more visuals on slides, more enthusiasm while presenting
Continue: using Prezie, liked the half presentation/half group discussion aspect, breaking class up into discussion groups
Add: play a game, make activity more interactive, include a video

Group:
Change: start working earlier, meet up more often
Continue: being supportive, delegating responsibilities equally, collaborating, meeting in good locations, working on Google docs, living near each other, working efficiently, spending time wisely
Add: better methods of communication (not just facebook), class time devoted to group work, use each other to understand content learned in class