Five Ways to Become Happier Today

Five Ways to Become Happier Today
Tal Ben-Shahar
Psychology Lecturer, Harvard University

" The first thing to do to become happier, paradoxically, is to accept painful emotions, to accept them as a part of being alive. ..." --Tal Ben-Shahar

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Northern Europe, 2008_3

Friday, June 20, 2008

I decided to explore the city of Copenhagen and Denmark for two days. I walked around in Vesterbro area and found Carlberg Group brewery with its enormous and elegant entrance. By tracking down to its visitor center, I took the self-guided tour. This tour assists me to realize the prosperous history in Denmark and the rest of the world. In the end of the tour, I got two glasses of beer for testing. They were good, though I need some rest after all of these goodies. On the way back to the hostel, I bought a piece of pita kabob for 20 kroners. The afternoon storm came when I was about walking out of the shop. I had to have the pita in the store because of the rain outside. Fortunately, the storm shower stopped as I finished the pita. Everything seems perfectly organized.

I went to Design Zoo on Vesterbro Road on the way back to the hostel. There are a lot of great stuff in the shop. However, it’s not easy to purchase stuffs like pottery and glasses which Design Zoo carries while you are travelling in difference locations. I could only save those inspirations in my mind and, practically, saved money from my longings for materialization.

I went out to walk again after couple hours rest and ran into Joe on the street. Joe is a roommate at the hostel who is a great talker in this group. The night in Copenhagen is windy and chilly. I stayed at the front square at City Hall on Anderson Blvd., took several pictures, and walked back. While staying at the lobby in the hostel, Joe came next to me and we chatted a little bit more while she was trying to get access the public computer for organizing her travel to Oslo.

Northern Europe, 2008_1&2

Wednesday – Thursday, June 18-19, 2008

After three and half hours, I arrived at Bangkok where I have visited eight years ago. I couldn’t notice BKK airport is also an enormous place from last visit since the arrival and departure process were simple and short. Maybe it’s also because my attention drew upon Piano’s pick-up and lifting at that time so that I didn’t really pay much attention to the airport.

However, the only memory I had about BKK airport was the immigration officer who was very interested in viewing my passport picture and he looked at it for quite a while. That surprised me because I totally didn’t know what would happened when an officer looked and flipped your passport for several minutes and asked one of his colleague to see it. They smile, fortunately. “Is there any problem with that?” I asked. The officer smile again and said, “it is beautiful!” “Gosh!” I was much relief and, at the same time, it was funny, I felt. I couldn’t believe that I have been once a beautiful woman in Thailand. It was the summer of 2000. Yeah, I usually darker and healthier look in summer… and, more exotic look overseas. That might help to add some scores to the appearance, I guess.

I don’t really know how many hours it took me from Bangkok to Stockholm until I seriously counted including various time zones. With the perfect landing by Thai Air, I arrived Arlanda Airport, Stockholm, Sweden around 7am. I spent some time to figure out how to validate the EuroPasses (through Eurail) which I bought before my arrival. It is a suggestion by Ya-ling who just traveled Paris area two weeks ahead of me. For being a real backpacker and a money saver in Europe, I had done the assignment of planning the routes, purchasing the train tickets, and reserving hotels and hostels… etc. It was a little challenge for me since I have to avoid preparing this trip from an US-view and experience. On the other hand, it is the other great experience to have besides Granada trip in Europe.

The next day of my arrival (Friday, June 20, 2008) is mid-summer holiday, a national holiday in Sweden. A gentleman in airport told me that everyone is out of work and stores and shops closed in that special day. Even though there would be some celebration going on, I supposed, but I decide to go out of Sweden before the conference…

I spent some time to decide my 6-days travel plan before going back to Stockholm, Sweden. The lady at SJ station is very nice and she helped me to book the seat to Copenhagen on this busy day (a holiday eve) and the return trip from Berlin to Stockholm and then Eskilstuna for my conference. She is very helpful because she would give great suggestions to save your time and money by using your EuroPass effectively. It is very important for a traveler and it brings the traveler an incredible impression about the company, even about the city, of course.

It was quite an experience to take trains from Stockholm to Copenhagen on this busy day. Lots of people were traveling on the holiday eve. It’s crowded like during the war time. Everyone squeezed into this double-level train. Not to mention that all seats were taken, even the aisles and stairs are full of people. The train delayed for it’s crowded. The staff broadcast some information in Swedish which I had to ask the gentleman next to me. He explained to me that in this special time, the staff asked people who hadn’t bought the ticket not to take this train. People usually can pay on the train but not today….

This train finally moved 20 minutes later than the schedule, and of course I would miss the next train from Linkroping to Copenhagen.

I waited for about 30 minutes to get on next X2000 train which the SJ lady at Stockholm booked for me. The first class seat is indeed spacious and comfortable. I saw the dinning cabinet on the way to my seat and found that it’s very interesting to have coffee or to chat with friends down there. I didn’t really go there for dinner since I deserve a pack of dinner on my section, and I enjoyed it very much.

I must be tired from the flights and the train-taking and fell asleep after dinner—just like what we usually so on the plane. In order to go to Copenhagen, I need to switch to another train at Malmo.

My brain didn’t work fine after the tiredness of long trip. I got off at Copenhagen Airport which is 3 stops earlier to where Central Station is. The interesting thing is A Chinese guy asked my help when I just got to the information center. Gosh, I was so calm to assist him instead of running away! I must be a super nice person because it’s 9pm already and I haven’t booked my hotel yet. Well, I thought it’s okay if I go to a nicer hotel instead of hostel since I am so tired today... and it’s okay to treat myself better once in a while.

So the guy said his car window was broken in in the lot and he lost several things like cash, GPS, and a piece of handbag. Interesting thing is that he doesn’t speak English but he owns a company in Denmark. Super him, I think. I don’t really know he is good or bad guy but it’s okay to help him to translate since he needed to file a crime to the police. Then he asked me to go to the police station in the airport with him…. I didn’t really help since the police said they were going to close in one minutes after we walked in. I need to go in order to look for the hostel that I had in mind before departure, and I refuse the guy’s offer to stay at his for safety reason.

Street girls and the childish streetman on Integade street....

I finally arrived to Copenhagen Central Station and found City Public Hostel around 11pm. Now I can lay down and get a sleep!

Return. We often don’t notice but time flies.

We had an early supper after Phoebe’s speech at CS’s course at NTU. I kind of like this triangular working relationship in geographical locations and in professional fields of studies. This situation allows us to share experiences, to figure things out, and to encourage one another. Not to mention that the fruitful days in Madison was, in retrospect, the greatest memory we talked about. Old colleagues’ career development, romance, or any difficult circumstances they have conquered were also stories we shared.

We often don’t notice but time flies.

Moving, Rolling, and Sailing…

I moved most boxes from the old office to the new one. I am fortunate to have a student’s help to load those heavy stuffs on a mini van. We left Kaohsing around 11am and arrive NTUST around 4pm. The moving job was quickly done because of another student’s hand from NTUST. From the tiny things here and there, I do feel the new work environment is definitely much better than the previous one. Not to mention the benefits, but they respect me more!

I am carrying lovely wishes from friends all over the world to take this new position. I appreciate them, and cherish the blessings I have. Also, I wish those people in the previous department will open their mind one day. Good bye, and good luck!