The Science of Happiness 2024

The 2024 Science of Happiness education abroad program includes two groups of students through the Psychology and Nursing departments. The SoH students (psychology, social work, health humanities, exercise physiology, chemistry, and pre-med majors) are studying health and well-being through the lens of positive psychology. (The premise of positive psychology is that well-being can be defined, measured, and taught.) The Nursing students are studying global public health. As a combined group, 36 students are collaborating and learning together while visiting government institutions, social programs, universities, international agencies, and immersing themselves in the culture of three countries that land on top of the world happiness report every year: Denmark (2), The Netherlands (6), and Norway (5). Country rankings are based on the 2024 World Happiness Report.*

Most of the focus is in Denmark where students are meeting with representatives of the United Nations, World Health Organization, UNFPA, UN Women, UNICEF, Kofoeds Skole, Public Health officials, Copenhagen and Roskilde Universities. The goal is for students to develop an understanding of the factors that affect health and well-being in these countries and to experience firsthand how people are affected by governmental practices, policies, culture, and the social climate.

*Helliwell, J. F., Layard, R., Sachs, J. D., De Neve, J.-E., Aknin, L. B., & Wang, S. (Eds.). (2024). World Happiness Report 2024.

The following posts are student reflections from the SoH group.

Below: SoH students at the United Nations Complex (UN City) in Copenhagen. Students met with representatives of the United Nations, World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Population Fund (UNFPA). More on Day 6 below!

Below: Top image - all 41 members (w/friends) in our Science of Happiness Tshirts while on our Bike Ride through Copenhagen. Bottom image - students and faculty at the UNICEF Humanitarian Warehouse (largest in Europe).

The Science of Happiness Student Blog

Alyssa, Emma, and Dia in our Hostel

SoH Students at Stayokay Vondelpark

Day 1 (May 12) Amsterdam

Today was a looonngg travel day. Many of us were unable to sleep on the plane, but we persevered through our fatigue and were still able to enjoy our first day in Amsterdam!

The immediate cultural differences that I noticed were: more accessibility to public transportation, more individuals smoking, LOTS of biking, and the fact that we apologize far more than people here do (e.g., saying "excuse me" while walking past someone).

The architecture of the city was beautiful and unique. The buildings and roads seem far older than many American cities I've been to, which was fascinating to see!

The Stayokay hostel is gorgeous! Dia, Mariah, Emma, and I truly loved exploring and sitting on the green couch on the second floor (see photo attached).

We explored the city by walking through Vondelpark, discovering a hidden bar and playing a pool game, and playing cards at a local bar before heading in for an early night. Throughout this exploration, we were surprised by a few things: almost everyone speaks English, the biking is hazardous (haha), there are more American tourists than we thought, and the streets are very very narrow.

All in all, the city environment seemed safe and welcoming to us!

Alyssa Neveau :)

(themes: first impressions of Amsterdam, its people, train/bussing transportatio, smoking culture, and more)

The Anne Frank House

Day 2 (May 13) Anne Frank House

We started our first full day in Amsterdam with breakfast at the hostel, then loaded into a canal boat for a tour. Equipped with a glass top, an audio guide, and plenty of windows for fresh air, we got to experience the sights of the city from the many canals that weave throughout the busy streets, which was an efficient and effective way to see and learn about a large area of the city in a relatively short amount of time.

Once off the canal boat, we walked down to a local market... it was huge! Individual vendors set up shop selling clothes, food, jewlery, and other momentos. We grabbed a few pastries to enjoy while we shopped-- the chocolate croissant was the best I've ever had.

After the market, we headed to the Anne Frank house for a tour. Anne and her family (as well as a few more Jewish people) spent over 700 days hiding from Nazi officials in the secret annex attached to a warehouse. The tour was extremely emotional, and many of the details about the seemingly impossible regime Anne and her family had to follow in order to prevent being discovered was difficult to fully imagine. Learning more about the dehumanization and brutaility inflicted upon so many people was a very important and worthwhile experience, as education is one of the best defenses against bigotry.

After the Anne Frank House, we ate at the oldest pancake bakery in Amsterdam. The pancakes were HUGE-- around a foot diameter, and had toppings ranging from chicken and cheese to strawberries and bananas.

Filled up on pancakes, a small group of us went down to the red light district to educate ourseleves on the differing regulations regarding prostitution in Amsterdam as compared to the United States. This was a very valuable experience, as an American, I definetly hold implicit biases about people in this profession, largely because of the way sex work is portrayed in the United States.

Overall, a really rewarding day.

-Dia Ross

(themes: Anne Frank, holocaust, oppression, bigotry, freedom, and more)

Students at Lunch near Amsterdam Canal

Dinner at Pancake Bakery

Students, Faculty and Friends near Canal

Amsterdam windows

Van Gogh Museum (Sunflowers)

Day 3 (May 14) Van Gogh

We again began our day with a lovely breakfast at the hostel (the bread there was simply phenomenal), from which we proceeded to the Van Gogh museum (my personal favorite activity in Amsterdam). The temporary exhibit located at the beginning of the museum drew parallels between the work and worldviews of Alexander Wong and Van Gogh, both of whom struggled with experiences of loneliness, despair, isolation, etc., and subsequently found an expressional outlet in art. I personally found this exhibit and the remainder of the museum to be highly impactful and engaging, and thoroughly appreciated the personal reflection on matters of mental illness, social stigma, artistic expression, and general vulnerability that the museum's activities promoted. It was additionally beneficial to consider the various avenues by and outlets in which one can work to navigate challenging personal circumstances (e.g. mental illness).

Following the museum, a group of us briefly ventured into the Rijks museum, which offered a rich and expansive outline of the history and evolution of the Dutch people via its exhibits on art, furniture, china, etc. This particular museum was characterized by grandiosity, and the contrast between the multitude of magnificent and detailed artifacts that defined Dutch history and those of the modern day was an interesting one to consider.

Our group engaged in a brief interlude to have lunch in Vondelpark (the largest greenspace in Amsterdam), where we gorged on a picnic of goods obtained at a nearby convenience store (meat, cheese, and stroopwaffels never tasted so good)---it was immensely enjoyable and rejuvenating to lounge in the sun and people watch (especially in the lovely company of my peers). It's refreshing to witness hoards of Europeans lazily spend their afternoons (usually characterized by the pressure of productivity in America) in beautiful weather and nature.

Many people spent their afternoons at the Heineken Experience, which (dare I say) was by far the highlight of many individuals' time in Amsterdam. The museum included an interactive tour of the Heineken brewery, complete with beverages, prizes, music, dancing, photo ops, karaoke, and educational material relative to the development and evolution of the Heineken Beer corporation.

We concluded the day eating dinner at the hostel in mild sorrow, as it was our last evening in Amsterdam. This city was one filled with enriching activities, beautiful architecture, delicious food, sunshine, and contendeness, and could not have treated us better. Hopefully the already-beneficial trajectory of our trip thus far continues throughout the remainder of our journey (stay tuned)!

-Emma Mischke :)

(themes: history told through art, Van Gogh's mental health, reflections as we prepare to leave Amsterdam (food, culture, health, lifestyle, and more)

The Potato Eaters

Skull of a skeleton with a burning cigarette

Almond Blossoms

Wheatfield with Crows

Top - Harbor in Copenhagen

Middle - Students jumping!

Bottom - Arriving in Copenhagen

Day 4 (May 15) Copenhagen

Our day started before the sun rose. Transportation to the airport was a bit complicated as our bus was waiting in the wrong pickup spot at 4:30 am! It was stressful because we didn't have much time to spare. Fortunately, we made it to the airport on time for our flight to Copenhagen, Denmark! As we waited for our gate to open, we watched the sunrise as we said goodbye to Amsterdam.

The flight was very short; only around an hour and a half. A long early morning of travel with a few mishaps may have rose tensions a bit, but we all made it to our new hostel on the harbor, Danhostel! After dropping our bags off, we went to an authentic Denmark food hall with a wide variety of options. In between the large pop up halls were beautiful flowers and fruit glistening in the sun.

After the food market we went on a canal boat tour. The tour was a unique experience that was informational and enjoyable. It was a bit hot in the sun, but once the wind hit our faces all was okay.

After the food market we returned to the hostel and headed over to the water and green space for a dip in the canal. While some of us were a bit hesitant at first, everyone in our group jumped from the ledge into the water (photo attached).

Compared to Amsterdam, Copenhagen seems wider, less crowded, and a bit calmer. More helments are worn and English is a tad less common (such as in the food hall when no translations were available).

A perfect first day in Copenhagen.

Mariah Julsrud

(Themes: Introduction to Copenhagen, facing travel imperfections and your fears)

Reggie taking in the view from the hostel.

Some lovely flowers.

The little mermaid.

One of the many royal palaces.

Day 5 (May 16) Bike Tour

Our day started off by sleeping in a little bit. We ate breakfast for the first time in our hostel in Copenhagen. We get to enjoy open faced sandwiches for breakfast which is a normal here in Europe. Some of the most freshest bread with fresh ham and cheese. We all had a free morning and had planned things in smaller groups. Some of us started on our laundry, some went to explore the city, and some went to find the best coffee around Copenhagen. Also, some of us went to visit Rosenborg Castle. Today was a good day for us to navigate public transportation on our own in small groups.

Rosenborg Castle was built in the early 17th century by Christian IV and became one of the favorite castles by the king. From the 1700s, Rosenborg no longer used as the royal residence. Now it stores all their oldest, finest and rarest objects. The Rosenborg Castle opened up to the public in 1838.

In Denmark they use a variety of trains, buses, and bikes. The bike lanes are similar to the car lanes back in the US; complete with stop lights and turn lanes. Unfortunately, we did not master using hand turn signals when traveling as a group today. However, we had a lovely and informative bike tour with the Nursing group. Our tour guide Lars took us to many popular tourist sites around Copenhagen which included Danish Parliament, the horse stables (with no horses), the Little Mermaid, Kogens Nytorv (the Kings New Square), and Amalienborg. Finally the group stopped at Reffen street market for dinner, which has almost any type of food that you can think of.

Overall it was a lovely day and it felt like we were in Duluth with the wind we faced on our ride.

Grace Dushkin & Marisa Thibodeau Feist

Reggie trying out public transport.

Nyhavn

Throne room at Rosenborg castle.

Rosenberg Castle

Hotdogs!!!

Bike tour with Lars

Ducks!

Bike tour stop at parliament

Day 6 (May 17) Parliament & UN

Hello from Denmark! This morning we left the hostel at about 9:30 for our walk to tour the Danish Parliament. The building itself is located in one of the castles around Copenhagen called Christianborg. It originally burnt down and upon being rebuilt was repurposed to house parliament. In the United States we have a democracy with a president and two major parties that have control. Previously, they were an absolute monarchy where the ruling monarch was the only decisionmaker in the government. There were protests when Frederick VII was king and he decided to listen to the people and facilitated the peaceful transfer to democracy.

Now Denmark is commonly referred to as a social democracy where the major party is socialism. They have a prime minister and a royal family. The prime minister serves as the head of government and the royal family acts as the head of state or the diplomats that represent Denmark. For comparison, our president serves both of these roles. There are 176 members of parliament and one thing that our group found interesting was that the last several prime ministers have been women!

Finally, the biggest difference that I noticed was that the people have the right to directly propose laws, sit in on sessions, and also can overrule parliaments decisions when the majority disagrees with it. This was a great learning experience and a perfect precursor that helped us understand some context for the UN tour that happened later that day.

The UN has 17 sustainability goals that they work to spread throughout the world, particularly to individuals in need (refugees, marginalize communities, etc.). The representative from the UN, specifically the UNFPA, that spoke to us, Mette, spoke about how autonomy and choice are crucial for happiness. She stressed that motherhood and marriage can be a great source of happiness for women, only if those women are an active participant in those decisions for themselves. The representative from the WHO, Amelia, spoke about how they work to educate the public to help prevent misinformation, this was especially beneficial during the pandemic. They use their social skills to help countries make policies with regard to their religious and social climates.

Additionally, after the tour at the UN, we had a wonderful meal at Bronx Burger. After that some of us attended an improv comedy show at the theatre next door, it was so funny!

Alora Valento & Maddie Campbell

(Themes: institutional (govt) practices, democracy, Danish election terms, UN role, UNFPA, WHO policy making)

Parliament victory staircase

Danish Parliament

Parliament left wing art work.

UN City piano staircase.

Danish government at work

A great spot to snack and socialize before the United Nations tour

Reggie made a friend in the park

UN Auditorium

Artwork!

Choripan!

Artwork on the ceiling

Dinner table!

Day 7 (May 18) Hamlet Castle

Hello from Denmark! We started the morning with breakfast at our hostel. I still find it fascinating the difference in breakfast items in Denmark in comparison to the U.S. You won’t find any eggs, sausages, or any fried foods for that matter. I have enjoyed the fresh bread and making my early morning sandwiches and I am even considering keeping the trend going when I get back!

After breakfast, we departed and started to head to the train. We cut it close and had to run to make sure we got on in time! The train ride to Helsingør was around an hour long. We went past a lot of farmland which was the first time I’d seen wooded areas on our trip and it was very pretty!

When we arrived in Helsingør we walked to Kronborg Castle, also known as Hamlet Castle. The scenery outside was amazing! You could’ve spent an hour just walking around the castle! Our group took many pictures and also saw a great view of the ocean right next to Hamlet Castle. Hamlet Castle was amazing! It housed King Fredrick II of Denmark and it was HUGE. It was filled with beautiful art, furniture, and a few artifacts from the time. It was interesting to see how the king and queen lived back then. A little fun fact we learned is that due to the dirty drinking water, the people in the castle would drink beer throughout the day! Even the children! Crazy right? After that, we went back down to the square and walked on stilts! Beth needed to coach some of us, but we eventually figured it out… kind of. Hamlet also had an underground cellar that kind of looked like a dungeon. It was a large series of underground tunnels that housed some of the troops back in the 1500s. It was so dark in there that without the arrows telling us where to go, we definitely would’ve gotten lost! It makes me think of the amount of wealth the royal family had to live in such a massive structure. Overall it was a great experience!

After the castle, a group of us went to a food market named Elsinore Street Food. It was so amazing! That had a lot of different types of cuisine from Indian food, Mexican food, Argentinian food, American food, etc. Anything you wanted they had! I ended up getting an Argentinian sandwich called a choripan with Parmesan fries. A choripan is basically a chorizo sandwich with some aioli sauce. It was delicious! This place also had a beautiful seating area with a bunch of different kinds of furniture! What I’ve noticed is that there seems to be a street food market everywhere we have been so far. I’ve appreciated it because it provides the opportunity to try not only Danish cuisine but cuisine from other cultures as well!

After the food market, we had some time to spare so a group of us went to a mall close by and looked around at the different stores for a bit. We were starting to feel the effects of all the walking and the sun, so we went back to the train station and waited for the rest of the group to meet us there. The walk through the town was interesting as it was much different than what we have been seeing. There was no really big buildings and it was a lot less chaotic. It was very tranquil!

We then got to the train and made our way to Lars and Holly’s house for dinner! They were both so kind and welcoming! They set up their porch so we all had tables to sit at, it looked a bit like a restaurant! For dinner, we had a Danish dish called Smørrebrød which translates to “buttered bread”. However, these were more than just butter and bread as there were so many different types of flavors from chicken salad, pork meatball, and even pork and liver (see pics below). We had mixed opinions of it in our group, but personally I liked it! The importance of bread and how it is part of almost every meal is fascinating! Holly and Lars then made us a Danish dessert which was a sort of yogurt milkshake with cookies in it. It was delicious! After filling our stomach with great food and engaging in great conversation, we went back to our Hostel. Thank you Lars and Holly for inviting us to your beautiful home!

Today was very busy but it was so fun as well! We learned so much about the history of Hamlet from the way they lived, the history of the artworks, and what each hall was used for. We also got to experience great Danish food and experience what a neighborhood in Copenhagen is like (It is much more quiet there than in the city). Another great day!

-Treygan Adams

May 18 - Helsingor and the Hamlet Castle (themes: quaint harborside town, historic castle, relationship to Sweden)

The different kinds of Smørrebrød

Anderson Bakery

Day 8 (May 19) Ferry to Oslo

Today was a chill morning! We all had to move everything from our hostel into storage rooms and pack small bags for the ferry to Oslo. Some of us walked to Andersen Bakery to enjoy a croissant and coffee. Some of us also walked to a thrift store and did a little shopping before meeting for the ferry.

Andersen Bakery was founded by Shunsuke Takaki who moved to Copenhagen in 1959. He fell in love with the Danish baking art. In 1962, he opened the first Andersen bakery in Japan in the original Danish recipes. They have introduced a lot of healthy bread options using, wholemeal bread and rye bread.

We then walked to the train station for the trip to the ferry. DFDS was founded in 1866, building a infrastructure of many ferry routes connecting many of the European countries. On their routes, they transport usually freight units plus around five million passengers a year.

On the ferry there are three restaurants, one coffee bar, three bars, one tax free shop, and a bubble zone or kid zone for the little kids on board. Students had a fun time exploring the ship. Our dinner was everyone's favorite! We all loved exploring the huge buffet on board; there was a huge variety of food from salads, pastas, fish, different kinds of pork, a fan favorite of fried meatballs, and many others. Of course we hit up the dessert bar after with many options from salted caramel pudding, rhubarb crisp, brownies, and a self serve ice cream machine. After dinner, we got to enjoy the hot tub and pool outside on the top deck. We had to assign one person to running to the switch for the bubbles so we could enjoy the pretty views otherwise we had to move to the other side of the deck to the other hot tub. After a bit we were able to enjoy the beautiful sunset from the top deck, before we all tore up the dance floor in the Columbus Club to some live music followed by a DJ.

Grace Dushkin :)

(themes: Fun Ferry experience! Nobel Peace Center, Life in Oslo: the people, the environment, and more.)

Day 9 (May 20) Day in Oslo

Hello from Norway! At 10 AM our ferry docked in Oslo, Norway! Norway finally gave us some relief from the heat we've experienced in Amsterdam and Copenhagen. My group took advantage of the beautiful weather and did a lot of walking through different parts of town. We hit up many souvenir shops as well as some local boutiques. My group met up with Laurie at The Nobel Peace Center. Honestly, this might be the most impactful part of the trip for me. It was so interesting to learn more about the background of the award and who has received it. One thing that surprised me was how many organizations had received a Nobel Peace Award. My understanding was that the award was given to individuals for their work in bettering society. My favorite part of this experience was the Yoko Ono exhibit. Before walking through this exhibit, I had only known Yoko Ono as John Lennon's wife, but she is so much cooler than that. Yoko, having experienced the effects of WW2 in her home country of Japan, became well known for her anti-war protests and movements. She challenged the idea of censorship, conducted protests against the involvement in Vietnam, and encouraged a deeper understanding of our role in society. One part of her exhibit that we found particularly powerful was the chess board. These chess boards were completely white in color with matching white pieces. While playing, we realized how difficult it was to figure out who the pieces belonged to. I believe this chess board is making a statement on war and the ways in which you can lose sight of who you are fighting and why. All in all, The Nobel Peace Center was incredibly moving, and I would recommend visiting if you ever get the chance.

Sending good energy from Europe,

Ella and Kortnee

Sunset on the ferry

The scream (one of them)

Reggie visiting Vigeland statue park

Nobel Peace Center

Day 10 (May 21) UNICEF Warehouse

Andrew and Hailu were our guides for about 2 hours. Many of the workers from UNICEF come from all over the world and have a variety of work backgrounds. For example, our guides were from the UK and Ethiopia. UNICEF (and other UN organizations) are non-political, so they all make sure to put their own political views aside for the betterment of every child. This aspect was really interesting to learn about because two coworkers from conflicting countries work side by side in harmony. Just because UNICEF is nonpolitical does not mean there are no tears shed when those from countries going through horrible situations read the news. The guides gave an example of two workers from Russia and Ukraine working next to each other. Additionally, someone from Palestine is often in tears from what is happening back home. It goes to show that anyone can still make a difference with UNICEF and learn to make a positive impact on children's lives despite adversity.

Furthermore, UNICEF stands for The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund. According to the tour, UNICEF was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children and mothers in countries that had been devastated by World War II. UNICEF Copenhagen packages, ships, and stores thousands of kits for various purposes. UNICEF provides about $7.383 billion in goods and services in 162 countries and areas. They have a first-response wash and dignity kit that helps family safeguard their health in the face of natural disasters and conflicts. The kit lasts one month for a family of five. Next, UNICEF has education kits for children in various languages in order for children to keep up with education during these horrible situations. They also have art-type kits in the education kits. Topics range from books to science charts and math exercises. Many of the metal containers turn into chalk or white boards as learning stands that also hold the supplies. Beyond hygiene and education, they also supply recreation kits with games and balls such as a football (soccer) and a basketball.

They have various vaccines ready to be shipped as well, and they get a discount on many of the products so that when they are needed, they can be shipped as efficiently as possible. UNICEF is the world's largest vaccine buyer and is the lead UN agency for vaccine supply. They purchase vaccines for 100 countries annually for natives to eliminate certain diseases through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Vaccines include whopping cough, rubella, pneumococcus, DTP, polio, measles, Covid-19, various strains of the flu, hepatitis B, or yellow fever. They have cool bins and solar panels for vaccine refrigerators and water pack freezers to comply with the recommended ranges set by the WHO for what temperatures medications need to be set at. Additionally, they have a kit that can be used on about 5,000 people for labor and delivery to decrease birth complications for mothers and babies. The kit includes almost anything you could think of for a birth with the assistance of various midwives, doulas, or medical professionals. Mosquito nets are another important item they hand out to help stop the spread of disease.

Everything is done in a system where it can be traced by a specific barcode number and is backed by hand before being wrapped up by robots. If possible the video of the packing robots will be added because they are not just efficient in their job, but fascinating to watch. Even the pallets are excellently built for the special robots, lines, and shelves for UNICEF. This system makes it easier when the kits need to be shipped out fast to those who have an urgent need. The need never stops, so they like to stay on top of potential solutions by keeping a stock of the various kits discussed above.

The current warehouse can hold 36,000 crates, as seen in the pictures below. It takes about 56 seconds for the robots to go from the front of the shelf to the top of the furthest one away. Looking at it in person made it seem like the warehouse went on forever. We even learned that the building was built around the shelves and looked like something out of Star Wars when it was first built. A new building is being built on the other side, which should hold even more crates. The land was given to them to be used by the Danish government, and the current location will be torn down and turned into a spot for apartment buildings in about 2 years.

After UNICEF, we went back to the hostel, and then some of us went to Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli is an amusement park with many beautiful plants and flowers. Walt Disney wanted the Disney parks to reflect its juxtaposition of fun amusement park atmosphere and beautiful gardens. We had dinner at the vast food hall, which has many different options from several cultures around the world. We enjoyed relaxing in the gardens and watching the many water fountains throughout the park. There were many influences from Asia in the building designs and a few of the rides. There was a vast array of beautiful flowers throughout the park, even near the large rides. Additionally, there was a food festival happening when we attended the park, which is intended to "celebrate exquisite culinary craftmanship and the season's freshest ingredients" (www.tivoli.dk).

Marisa Thibodeau Feist and Maddie Campbell

(themes: UNICEF, non-political organizations, international support, real world, grand scale production and organization, Tivoli (Danish pride)

Standard size shipping boxes

There are 36,000 spots for supply crates are at UNICEF

Vaccine kits at UNICEF that vary by need

Packaging room at UNICEF

Sample kits at UNICEF

UNICEF warehouse

Tivoli

Tivoli Garden

Duck!

Reggie enjoying the gardens

Chicken on a cow

Birdhouses

Stage

Day 11 (May 22) Free Day

Today the whole Science of Happiness class had a free day and funny enough we all had planned a trip to Sweden in our individual groups. Some of the groups stayed the whole day while others like mine only stayed for a few hours. We hit a few of the main highlights of Malmo with the first one being the castle. While we did not actually go inside we took pictures of the outside of the castle and spent most of our time walking around the beautiful garden and enjoying the different types of flowers. There was even an old windmill at the back of the garden that was all decorated for the upcoming garden festival that we will miss by only a few days. After the castle we wanted to just walk around the town because we had heard some of the buildings were extremely old but what we weren't expecting was the huge Lutheran church we found. It was so tall that I could barely fit it into one picture. Upon finding out we could go inside we discovered that the building actually was from around the 1300's! That's crazy! It was extremely ornate and had a lot of original art in it. It was so beautiful it looked like it belonged to a castle. Once we got back we went to the national museum just up from our hostel and saw some of the exhibits which included mummies! We got dinner at Tivoli Food Hall and then are going to bed early. That's how we spent our free day!

When my group and I arrived in Sweden we spent a lot of time looking at the different stores the plaza had to offer. We visited a lot of souvenir shops along with thrift stores and even an H&M! The plaza was stunning. City Hall was right there on full display when you entered and was accompanied by a beautiful fountain! A few of us went and found an old cemetery which was a part of a beautiful park. Some of the graves date back all the way to the early 1700’s! It was super cool to see the different types of tombstones. Some of them had huge gravestones while others had beautiful flowers and plants accompanying the grave sites. We found a nice bench that overlooked the canal and saw a few folks paddle boating! We then got some delicious tacos and nachos from a place called The Dirty Taco before heading back to the train station to head back to our hostel. Overall, it was a great day!

Alora & Treygan

Reggie finding another chicken at Glyptoteket

St Petri Chruch Built 1300-1380

Malmö castle

Malmö gardens

Day 12 (May 23) Kofoeds Skole

Today, Lauren and I started off the morning by walking to some thrift and antique stores within Copenhagen. We ended up getting a couple of small accessories, and enjoyed looking at all of the clothes! After this, we visited Kofoeds Skole in Copenhagen with the rest of the class. The school was founded in 1928 by Hans Christian Kofoed who aimed to help people affected by the employment crisis in Denmark. It also works to help marginalized and vulnerable populations within Copenhagen, and brings counseling and education to individuals. A population that is treated in specific for this location is Greenlandian women. This school uniquely offers around 200 different courses ranging from an array of topics, as well as workshops for people to use. Some workshops include woodworking, media design, gardening, cleaning staff, and kitchen staff. All of these programs give back to the greater institution. For example, the transportation workshop teaches students how to drive trucks or other bigger vehicles which allows them to go and receive supplies from donors that can be utilized by other workshops. It was great to hear that these workshops used recycled and donated materials for students! We thought this was very interesting as everything intersected which helped support the sustainability and longevity of the program. Kofoeds allows people to take these classes to hone a skill, or receive various resources to get back on their feet within society. Things that students could earn include meals, hair salon, and laundry vouchers. Students can utilize the resources for as long as they like while they fit the school’s admittance criteria. Overall the school has around 3,600 people involved in the programs - wow! The school is designed with the motto “Help to self-help” which means everyone benefits from having something to do, or a place within the community. We think this is such a rewarding way of looking at society. They also have stores that are open to the public where they sell student’s work and students can benefit positively - we got some great things while we were there such as a dress and scarf! Aside from the stores, the programming also was sustained through government funding and donations. This program is constantly evolving as they are assessing the needs of the community. A new program was recently put into place to help the 65+ age population as they transition into this new stage of life. Kofoeds Skole focused on self-determination and meeting individuals' needs. One thing that the tour guide said that stuck with me [Lauren] was that success is different for everyone. Getting a job may be a success for some but simply coming out of the building happier than they came in could be another person's success.

After this, I [Megan] went to the Glyptoteket and looked at the artwork in the museum. There were so many beautiful sculptures and paintings there. The museum even had some mummies located within the lower level - so interesting to look at! For dinner, we all went to a buffet called Dalle Valle and socialized for a while. We then finished up the night by walking about the town, and a little bike ride in the rain! Emmie and I [Lauren] took a little detour while on the bus leading us in the wrong direction of the hostel. Luckily, we knew the area well enough to get ourselves back to the hostel and got to walk through the royal garden near parliament. We saw a few slugs and snails that came out to enjoy the rainy day with us! Overall we had a fun and rewarding day, and learned a lot about a program that provides support to the Copenhagen community!

Megan & Lauren

(themes: effective social programming, benevolence, individual responsibility, help to self-help)

Day 13 (May 24) Roskilde University & Cathedral

Today we were graced with the opportunity to tour Roskilde University and speak with current students there. These students varied in their backgrounds, academic and occupational interests, and academic year, but nonetheless provided valuable insight as to the structure of the Danish educational system as a whole, the unique nature of Roskilde University and its educational offerings, and the differences present between traditional American educational paths and those in Denmark. Roskilde University found its roots in political activism and opposition to the traditional and rigid educational structure present in Denmark at the time of Roskilde's inception---graduates of top universities in Copenhagen collaborated to create an institution that aimed to empower students to take charge of their own education as a means of bettering both themselves and the community around them in an effective manner.

The university therefore continues to offer students a holistic, student-centered, and solution-oriented approach to higher education. All students at Roskilde divide into groups of anywhere between two to seven students each, and collaborate to devise and complete a project at the end of each semester (their undergraduate education consists of six semesters or three years, after which they have the option to pursue a two-year Master's degree); these projects vary in discipline (the projects of the students we specifically talked to touched on topics of utopia and the means by which societies can strive to achieve betterment, the potentially adverse impacts of carbon capture, and the differences in and social impacts of media portrayals of Russia throughout history) but nonetheless yield practical results that contribute to the knowledge base of broader society. I personally found the projects these students complete each semester to resemble the capstone projects and presentations most individuals complete once in their undergraduate career, and was thoroughly impressed when learning about them. It was fulfilling to witness the passion present in the students as they discussed their work.

Throughout our time and interactions at Roskilde, I couldn't help but be struck by the university's emphasis on the creative process of learning (i.e. idea formation, specification, practical application, revision, etc.) as opposed to strictly its outcome (i.e. test scores and grades); the curriculum offered there seems as though it promotes critical thinking, informed intervention, and generally creative problem-solving as opposed to the memorization and rigid measures of academic achievement offered at some other institutions. The university's group-based and (specifically, the projects discussed above) further seemed to promote individual autonomy and empowerment. It was an immensely beneficial and insightful visit!

---Emma Mischke

The Cathedral's art and architecture displayed the countries culture over time. The ornate, richly detailed sarcophagi showed how influential and powerful the nobility were, even in death. We also noticed how many powerful and influential women there were that helped shape Danish culture over time. The art and history of the beautiful cathedral was astonishing and worth the visit.

--Mariah Julsrud

Roskilde Cathedral

Reggie looking at a model viking ship

Vikingeskibs

Reconstructed viking ship

Day 14 (May 25) Last Day

Today was the final day of the Science of Happiness trip. For my group, we wanted to enjoy a slow and relaxing last day. We walked across the bridge to Anderson Bakery where we all got some delicious pastries. After our pastries and some casual conversations, we headed to Rosenborg Castle and the botanical gardens. I had already been to both of these places, but they happened to be my favorite sites of the trip so I was happy to go again. The gardens were filled with gorgeous flowers of every color. It was very serene to walk through the gardens again before we left Copenhagen. In the greenhouse, we saw tons of massive tropical plants and strange flowers. We tried to practice savoring our time in the garden by taking in as much detail as possible using all of our senses. We went into the butterfly house and saw some incredible and unique butterflies. One had bright red wings and another had completely clear wings! It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day all day today. After the botanical gardens, we headed back to the Rosenborg castle for our set tour time. We went through each floor and used the guidebook to learn about many different objects and rooms in the castle. It was so much fun to see all of the beautiful silver and gold items and precious gems. We also had fun trying to understand and connect the royal family tree. My favorite part was the treasury, where we saw the intricate and immaculately decorated crowns and crown jewels.

The whole group met at Spigad'oro Italiano Due Pizzeria. They had 50 different types of pizza to choose from. Each person at my table got a completely different pizza, and we all really enjoyed them. Once we finished, my group walked a few blocks away and found a bridge with a nice spot to sit. We talked about our experiences on this trip: our highs, lows, and the biggest thing we learned. Even though we all did mostly the same things, we all had very different experiences and it was fun to hear what others had to say.

Later on, our entire group met in the lobby and walked down to a spot by the harbor. We had pastries and discussed our experiences with the nursing group. They told us about the safe injection site they toured and learned about, and we told them about our experience at Kofoeds Skole. We also ogled at the locals because there appeared to be some type of celebration with food, drinks, music, and lots of people. When we asked someone what the occasion was, she told us that this happens every other Saturday in the summer and couldn't give any explanation other than "hygge". Hygge is a Danish term that has no English equivalent. It has many different loose translations, one of which is "creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people". Witnessing these people gathering as a community in the name of hygge was a great way to end our trip studying the science of happiness. Tomorrow will be an early day of travel either back to the U.S. or to the next location!

-Marissa McClurg

Happy last day in Copenhagen!!!! After two weeks of programming, it was perfect to spend our last day as a free day. Starting the day off right, my roommates (Lauren and Megan) and I decided to sleep in. After an easy morning, we walked into town in hopes of finding a quick breakfast. We planned on going to Buka for their famous pistachio croissants, but when we got there, the line was out the door and down the street. We decided to save some time and visit a neighboring bakery and snag some chocolate scones and some matcha. Following breakfast, Lauren and I were set on obtaining some permanent souvenirs (aka tattoos)! What better way to celebrate time abroad than with something that will never leave you? We set our appointments at a local parlor and had some free time to shop around town before it was time for our tattoos. Megan started her journey throughout countless vintage stores to find gifts for her family. One thing I've noticed about the vintage stores here in Copenhagen is the crazy amount of American collegiate apparel! Is it vintage or is it just American? Regardless, it was fun to see items of clothing that reminded me of home, especially seeing apparel from my brother's alma mater, Creighton University. During our little shopping spree, I was able to pick up some final postcards from Denmark, some Danish candies, and a book of HCA fairy tales! I absolutely love gift giving and the amount of money I spent on souvenirs definitely reflects that.

Then, it was finally time for me and Lauren to get our tattoos! It was a lot of fun to chat with our artists and get to know their stories. Lauren's artist is from Chile and has been tattooing in Copenhagen for the last six years. My artist is from Argentina and has been tattooing in Copenhagen for the last year. After only about half an hour of time and a little bit more pain than I was anticipating, my tattoo was done! I decided to get a daisy, both the national flower of Denmark and to symbolize the daisy farm that the College of St. Scholastica was founded on. Lauren got a bow and arrow as a connection to one of her favorite books, The Song of Achilles. Fun fact: this is my second tattoo that I've gotten while studying abroad!

For dinner, the psychology group banded together one last time to get pizza from a cute little shop near our hostel. It was a great time to debrief as a small group before going back to the hostel to pack. Later that evening, our entire program went down by the harbor to eat some pastries and exchange our learning from the last couple of days. I was able to share with some nursing students about the Kofoeds Skole and learn about safe injection sites in return! The harbor was pumping with tons of people drinking and dancing on the pier. The energy of the city was perfectly encapsulated by this "party" and was a complete way to close out our trip. After some chats and drinks with my roommates and our new Danish friend, Naja, I think we are all ready to go home :)

Vi ses senere, København!

-Emmie Hinnenkamp