Experiential Blog 9

The information that was most meaningful to me after completing this program would probably be the experience and knowledge of different cultures that I am taking back with me. I'm a huge fan of learning about other cultures and getting to experience cultures that differ from my own first hand for an entire month was an amazing experience. I don't know if this information would of necessarily changed a situation from the past but it definitely could of enhanced some of them. I know have a deeper understanding of other cultures which, I think, allows me to connect with others on a more personal level. This new information has broadened my ability to connect with others and I now know how what seems like slight differences in culture can make the biggest impact.  

Experiential Blog 8

In our class we have been discussing German history and Culture. I've learned a lot since taking this class, to be honest I had never even heard of the Hapsburg family before this. I didn't know too much about Germany's culture and History and now I feel as if I have a good start to understanding it. I like the way that we are learning here more so than how we learn at home. Actually going out and seeing some of the places that we've talked about not only keeps it from being boring but it helps cement the information so I'm more likely to retain what I've learned. I think the most Important knowledge pertaining to the class that I've learned while on this trip would be about the Hapsburg family and Empress Sisi. They had such a huge impact on the Empire and their people that I think it's important to know about what they did. 

Experiential Blog 7

The attitudes have varied from place to place. Vienna was a lot more refined and seemed to get more annoyed by our "American tendencies" when we got too loud or obnoxious. While in Prague I noticed that while it was a lot more laid back they were more inclined to get annoyed with us when we were eating out, they didn't seem to have the patience for us paying separately. I feel like London was the only place that we visited that didn't seem to be bothered by us in the slightest. They seemed to have similar attitudes as us just more polite. My assumptions before coming here were that everyone was going to be polite and but more formal and reserved. For the most part this turned out to be true. This critique has shown me that while in new areas I need to be more aware of what the normal do's and dont's are and how we are expected to act.

Kafka

The Kafka museum was one of the best museums that I've been to. Not only does it portray his work but it tries to create an ambiance to help you connect with Kafka on a personal level. Kafka was a tortured soul who despised the Empire. This was reflected strongly in his writing. In his writing the Judgement we see a great amount of metaphors for the Empire and how you have no choice to be loyal to it, no matter the cost. Kafka did his best to rebel against the Empire in his writing and his everyday life. He hated nothing more than the feeling of powerlessness and uselessness.

Ossuary

The Ossuary in Kutna Hora was intriguing yet slightly disturbing. The place was filled with bones which had come from a mass grave that had been dug up because it was becoming too full. An artist decided to create an Momento Moiry, a tribute to death, out of these bones. He created chandeliers, walls, and other decor all out of human bones. This serves as a reminder that we too will succumb to death one day. While there I couldn't help but to think about how they would feel about where their bones ended up. Personally I think it would be kind of cool to be part of something like that. It's a form of art and it speaks to people, so in a way you are preserved in history.

Konopiste

I hated this palace, it was extremely unsettling and disturbing. It was a hunting getaway for Franz Ferdinand and there were literally thousands of dead animals, each mount included the date, location, and it's number. This gives the impression that he was seriously mentally disturbed. He most likely suffered from OCD and hoarding. The palace was a show of masculinity and power hungriness, all of which were totally overly done. Franz Ferdinand bought these animals and had them shipped to this palace for the sole purpose of hunting which he did purely for entertainment. I think that this is a great representation of the empire. It's obsession for control and to exude its power over everything and everyone.

Sisi

Sisi is an Empire heroine in many ways. Many looked up to her for her compassion, charisma, and beauty. She worked to be connect not only with her own people but with those from else where. Despite being caged and having her freedom stripped from her she continued to love her people. Sisi suffered much loss, her freedom, her son, etc and has gained a cult following not only because of her gothic attributes but because of her demeanor and how she treated others.

Palace Comparison

The Schonbrunn palace in Vienna was a summer palace that gave the impression that it was supposed to be a get away but in all reality it was just another cage for Sisi and another meeting place for Franz Joseph. Sisi only had three small rooms in this palace all of which were small. The Hofburg palace which sat in Viennas center was much more geared towards Sisi. She had multiple large rooms all of which held things that she enjoyed. In this palace Sisi had much more privacy and she had total control over her domain, in fact for her husband to see her he had to ring a doorbell. The Kew garden in London had a totally different feel. It was much more informal and geared towards family life than the other two palaces in Vienna. You could tell that its sole purpose was to get away and enjoy time with family.

Cathedrals

St. Stephens in Vienna and St. Vitas in Prague share many similarities. They are both regal and towering that exude imperialism. They both were exquisite and grand, dripping with gothic elements. such as large stained glass windows, dark colors, and towering, pointed architecture. On the opposite hand St.George was much more welcoming and toned down. It was much smaller and was much less gothic. It seemed to be less of a power symbol than the other two churches due to its size and build.

Freud's Contribution to Understanding Empire

Freud worked as a psychologist who treated upper-class women in his home office. With the oppression of women came a lot of stress and disregard, this led to mental distress, depression, and loneliness thus leading them to seek out Dr, Freud. Freud called this hysteria and treated many women for this. Freud was obsessed with sex, almost all of his work somehow tied back to sex. Freud helped upper-class women resolve their problems. This ties back to the Empire because he only treated the wealthy women whom he knew he could get money from.

Experiential Blog 6

The people in London were nothing like I expected them to be. (I should learn to stop going into things with preconceived judgments). I expected them to be the British New Yorkers. Loud, rude, and self-centered, fortunately I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone single person that I came into contact with while in London was extremely polite. Some common phrases that I heard often would include "That's alright"and "Cheers" as a way to say you're welcome or bye. Compared to our native language they obviously have differing slang words and phrases. The people in London seem to be more toned down than Americans. They aren't as boisterous and seem to be more mindful of their surroundings. These differences have showed me how living in different places can effect how one acts   

Experiential Blog 5

I'm feeling a million different emotions as I travel abroad, the majority of them being positive. Initially it was all a bit overwhelming, being so far from home without any family near by was a new experience for me. I'm an extremely anxious person who literally stresses out about everything imaginable. So as you can imagine the days leading up to our departure date I was a mess, worrying about every small thing. "Do I have enough money", "what if something goes wrong", "what if I don't get along with everyone" and so on. Since then my emotions have changed completely. I'm in love with all of Europe and I can't wait for the day that I get to return. I was and still am so eager to soak up every experience possible while here. The only time that I got truly frustrated was when dining in restaurants, only because the staff seemed annoyed with paying our bills separately and some were blatantly rude about, in those situations I had to remind myself to just let it roll off my shoulders and go on with my day. I feel like, in general, everyone handled their emotions relatively well. Obviously there were times when things boiled over but that's to be expected. To be honest, this trip went a lot smoother than I expected it to. Some were more upfront about it while others were more timid about it but overall emotions are universal so I think that people were experiencing the same emotions. I'm a pretty empathetic person so I feel as though I'm pretty understanding of others and their feelings. As far as observations go everyone is different and everyone has had different experiences that has shaped them into who they are today so in turn people are going to react differently in situations. I've experienced emotions being dealt with in a number of ways, most of them effective for that person. It's fascinating to me to see how each individual deals with their emotions differently.

Experiential Blog 4

I fell in love with Prague. It was welcoming, open-minded, and much more laid back than Vienna was. While grand architecture was still present it didn't suffocate you due to the large amounts of open space present in Prague. Prague was split in two "Old Town" and "New Town" both with differing architecture styles. These two styles are separated by a river that flows down the middle. Art is present where ever you turn in Prague. Without its art Prague would be a totally different, less enchanting city. My expectations of Prague couldn't have been more wrong. I was expecting it to be a louder Vienna. I didn't expect all the green space, the beautiful river, or the plethora of modern and classic art. Prague's architecture and landscape align perfectly with its culture. It's smaller scale and toned down architecture reflect its laid back attitude perfectly. The abundance of green and nature make it more welcoming than Vienna, it doesn't have the imperial rigid feel.

Experiential Blog 3

The buildings and landscape in Vienna were breathtaking. Everything was towering, elegant, and refined. Old, imperial buildings filled almost every inch of the city. Walking around Vienna I felt dwarfed, in a way I thought that everything was a bit over the top and sort of overwhelming. It all seemed so grandiose. There are many statues placed throughout the city and the architecture screams old money. In a way Vienna is similar to how I expected it to be. I knew in advance that it was a refined city filled with huge, extravagant buildings but the vibe was different from what I expected. It's a hushed city that values quiet and good manners, they're a lot more reserved than the other cities we have visited. As far as what I've learned about their culture, obviously like I stated earlier Vienna is a quiet and reserved city. They've been this way for hundreds of years. If one were to get too loud or get too obnoxious you could definitely expect dirty looks. Vienna was a huge deal in the Empire and by understanding this you can understand why there are they way they are. Being a major player in the empire you're going to be more reserved and hushed.

Content Blog 1

In class today we discussed the life of the Crowned Prince Rudolf. Rudolf's relationship with his father was a strained one and seemed to be more about business rather than love. Rudolf had many titles but very little power and responsibilities which is something that didn't sit well with him. Rudolf's father, Franz Joseph, viewed his son as unstable and a threat. They also had opposing views, Franz Joseph was conservative while Rudolf was liberal, which caused many problems between the two. Between the lack of power and the strained relationship with his father Rudolph resorted to suicide along with Mary. Upon finding the body it was immediately decided that his suicide must be covered up since those who commit suicide aren't permitted to be buried in the Catholic cemetery. In turn they told the public that he killed himself in a state of mental distress.

Experiential Blog 2

What probably surprised me the most so far in the trip is how much countryside there is and just how friendly everyone seems to be. Both of which are pleasant surprises. I haven't really experienced any unpleasant surprises other than just how much jet lag affected me which I have finally been able to get over. As far as how I deal with novelties here versus how I deal with them at home I would say that I appreciate them more since my time here is so limited. I want to take in and enjoy as much as possible while I am here, I'm determined to take nothing for granted while I am here.

Experiential Blog #1

I have many goals for this trip some of which are obvious, learning more about German history, experiencing different cultures and experiencing somewhere that is completely new to me. Some other not so obvious goals that I have for myself is to force myself out of my comfort zone. I'm someone who isn't too fond of change and new/unknown things make me anxious. The ways in which I will meet these goals is by paying attention in class and to the readings in order to gain an understanding of German history. I will also pay attention to my surroundings and the locals to see how their culture differs from our own.  

Empire

I don't have a clear or exact understanding of what an empire is. I believe that an Empire is a large group of places under one rule. The understanding that I have is that an Empire is under harsh rule and that there is a strong hierarchy in place.

Standing Out

Some clothing that may cause someone to standout would obviously be clothing that represent America like shirts with the american flag and such. Other things that could make us stick out would be athletic shoes, sweatpants and college/sports shirts and other stereotypical clothing that Americans are known for. Behaviors that may make someone stand out would be arguing about american politics and arguing about culture.

The Challenge of Packing Light

During my study abroad trip I will be taking the German Cultural History class. Learning about other countries history has always been something that has peaked my interest. I'm anxious to learn all about Germany's history and how that effected their relationships with other countries. I'm excited to learn about the important families that had a significant impact on Germany. My knowledge on Germany is honestly pretty limited, I only know what I learned in world history classes and my German class. I'm can't wait to not only expand my knowledge of Germany but also explore Europe.

Getting Ready

With the trip only 3 short months away I find myself more and more anxious to leave. I've went over what I want to pack and what I want to see a million times in my head. When it comes to preparations I have been saving up and looking into hostels for when I go to Copenhagen for the free weekend. I've also looked into different places in Copenhagen that spark my interest.