The weekend after our last class, Alexis, Ronnie and I went to Bergen, Norway. Thanks to our new habits learned from Positive Psychology, we learned a bit about Norwegian wellbeing. The amazingly beautiful scenery and delicious seafood certainly seems to keep them content, but one Norwegian I spoke to at our B&B had an interesting perspective. He mentioned that Norwegians must be able to find ways to be intrinsically happy. Through most the year, it is cold and dark, making it difficult to find happiness in the world around you. Those that can't find a way to maintain their intrinsic wellbeing through these extreme circumstances end up leaving. So only those who are intrinsically happy stay to pass on genes or knowledge that helps those after them to maintain their wellbeing. Maybe someday, I'll have time to investigate why this may be, but for now it's an intriguing idea.
Also, we were sure to make a stop at McDonald's. Their decor was much more similar to that in the US, implying a need for cheap(Or not so much in Norway), quickly made food. If the customer's aren't meant to spend much time there, there is no need to spruce up the dining area. Additionally, the waitstaff had very nice uniforms, potentially implying a certain pride in their work.
Definitely a lot of interesting observations for a great trip!
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