Experiential Blog 9

After completing this study abroad I found that information about the history of the lives of royal family members is the most meaningful to me.  This is because before I studied abroad I viewed the empire as a machine instead of a tight knit family.  Learning about how each person lived within the empire was extremely interesting because I felt as though they became humanized rather than viewed as political figureheads.  This new information could have changed a situation I experienced in the past because I was very close minded about government and politics prior to this trip.  I believe the new information I have learned is extremely beneficial especially with the presidential election approaching.  I will use the knowledge I learned to analyze the candidates more in depth in order to help me make an informed decision.  This new information can change my perceptions, interpretations, judgements, reactions, and behaviors in the future because I will be more patient and understanding towards people.  Everyone comes from different backgrounds and has experienced different events throughout their lives and I plan on taking these facts into consideration while approaching a conflict with someone and while getting to know a new person.

Experiential Blog 8

During this study abroad I was enrolled in both the German Culture and History class as well as the Gothic Literature class.  Having taken both of these courses while in Europe I have been exposed to a plethera of new knowledge.  Some of the new knowledge I have gained during the empire class revolves around the inner workings of the empire itself and who was involved within the monarchy.  I learned that Franz Joseph was a very systematic and routine oriented person who truly cared about his empire and he ruled with a great deal of respect for his people.  I also learned about the tragic life of Sisi and how the empire was in complete control of her life as well as other noble women.  Some knowledge I gained in the gothic class is that the gothic was a genre written in response to oppression.  The gothic was a revolt hidden inside the pages of books and it allowed people to feel and recognize their true emotions.  What I learned in class relates to my daily life because I will recognize buildings and their architecture by what style (gothic or victorian) they were built in.  I will also be able to go to art museums and not only see a painting but a story.  I have learned in a drastically different way during study abroad compared to in a classroom at UC because the classes I am taking require a lot of interpretation and analysis.  Typically I would not take either of these classes with my curriculum because I am an engineering major so I had to drastically adjust my learning style from memorizing repetitive processes to learning how to read and analyze excerpts as well as paying close attention to places and monuments that we visited. 

Experiential Blog 7

During my time abroad I have been exposed to a variety of interactions with people of different cultures.  People's attitudes about time, personal space, foreigners, and moral are notably different in Europe and change in different countries as well.  A large and general difference throughout Europe from the United States is that most European countries use military time.  Whenever I would look at a clock in a bus, on a plane, or in public I would see the time reading 20:17 for example and I would have to do math in my head to realize what time that actually meant (8:17 pm for those of you who were wondering).  In regards to how people spend their time I have noticed that a lot of Europeans do not waste their time.  In Vienna, Prague, and London it seemed as though everyone had somewhere to go or some task to complete.  Although everyone was busy no one came off as stressed out which surprised me.  Perhaps this is because America is a lot lazier than European countries, and in America people look forward to and plan for leisure time while in Europe people find leisure while completing their daily tasks.  Personal space has changed from city to city.  In Vienna most of the locals kept to themselves and did not appreciate loud voices or crammed spaces.  I mostly noticed this trend in the subways because no one spoke to each other while on the train and everyone had a personal space bubble around them.  In Prague people were very vocal and personal space was not a big issue because the streets were very narrow and crowded.  In London I felt a happy medium between Vienna and Prague because people were polite but charismatic, and personal space was respected but if a subway was crowded I did not receive weird looks from locals if I accidentally bumped into them.  I felt as though foreigners were treated with lower regards in Vienna because the imperial city had a great deal of pride surrounding its history and as a foreigner I have not grown up with or truly experienced this history.  In Prague foreigners seemed to be treated as gullible and vulnerable because Prague is a new capitalistic city and most of their money comes from tourists.  In London foreigners were treated with little difference.  I feel this is because London is a hub for international relations between people so foreigners were not anything new or special there.  My assumptions before traveling to Europe were that most people would have the same views as myself in regards to 'universal law', I was expecting the tone of voice and personal space to not be as different as it was and I was not expecting to be viewed as a blatant tourist.  This critique taught me to be more open minded and accepting of other cultures because I did not grow up with the same morals, history, and manners as others.

Experiential Blog 6

In London I noticed that although the people spoke the same language as myself that their English was very different from mine.  The British use different terms such as 'cheers' which means many different things.  The people in London also spoke with medium tones and shouting was rarely heard.  Everyone seemed to be very mindful of their surroundings and they were friendly as well as polite.  England's communication is different from America's because in the states people are very loud and outward with their emotions.  What I learned from these differences in language are that you should not assume that although people in different countries speak the same language as you, that they have the same mannerisms and morals as you.

Experiential Blog 5

Travelling with this study abroad is easily one of the best decisions I have made.  I have been euphoric during our travels outside of Grantham and I have made Harlaxton like a second home.  I find time to reflect on myself and the history of the cities and cultures I'm learning about.  The adjustments to different cities were fairly easy but strange.  In Vienna my voice had to be lowered and I had to be very cautious of my manners.  In Prague I felt more laid back and as though most of the people there were also just visitors touring the ancient city.  In London I felt very welcomed because the city seemed to be very friendly to young adults and people my age.  Although there have been some conflicts within our American group I believe that they are resolved in mature ways.  Cultural insights that I have gained are that you must be respectful of other people when you are visiting their countries and cities because you are the minority.  I also learned to appreciate rather than question others' cultures.

Experiential Blog 4

The buildings of Prague were very old and uneven but they were never very tall.  Old Town consisted of much older buildings and the streets were narrow and winding.  New Town had wider streets with the palace being at the top of the hill.  The palace was difficult to recognize because you would not realize that you were in the palace unless someone told you.  New Town was built into the hills and all of the buildings looked different to display the styles of different rulers.  The main city of Prague had a mix of old and modern buildings because Czech Republic is a new country that is jumping into the capitalist system.  There are also many statues and displays of artwork and graffitti throughout Prague.  I was surprised with the buildings and landscape of Prague because when we exited the train station I thought Prague was dirty, old, and crowded but once we walked to the river I was in awe of the beautiful historical districts and the hills surrounding it.  The buildings and landscape influenced my knowledge about the culture because Prague is a very busy and energetic city.  The confusing, winding streets also were symbolic of the confusing bureaucracy of their previous governments.  The cultural insights I gained are that the people are proud to live there because of the new founding of the Czech Republic.  The city is also very proud of its history but some of it remains hidden, such as Konopiste.

Experiential Blog 3

The buildings of Vienna were not tall and had little space between them.  The city was split into different districts and there were many green spaces throughout the city.  The landscape was very organized and orderly with simple streets and buildings grouped together by purpose.  An example of this is the palace being the center of the city with all the museums grouped together in the museums quarter.  My expectations of Vienna were very different from what I experienced because I expected a smaller and more spread out city while Vienna was very large and compact.  The buildings and landscape directly reflect the simplicity, organization, and vastness of the Empire.  Many of the buildings were historical and served as mementos of previous rulers.  Cultural insights that I have learned and gained are that Vienna is very proud of its history and heritage.  Many of the shops I walked past and visited were all local and not chain stores, and the buildings were all historical.

Content Blog - Kafka

While in Prague I visited the famous Kafka museum.  This museum was one of the best ones I have visited because it truly engulfed me in the life and mind of Kafka.  Kafka's writing contributed to my understanding of the gothic and Empire.  Kafka was gothic because he always felt trapped and hopeless, even on his walk to school through the windy, narrow streets of Prague.  He was lost within a world of tedious familiarities.  He also was very dark and lacked confidence due to his relationship with his father.  Kafka's response to Empire is that it was a mindless prison.  A portion of the museum showed a picture of a man's back with words written in blood spelling "Honor thy Superiors".  This display really caught my eye because I believe it shows how Kafka felt about the empire.  The empire was a controlling force that unrightfully governed over him.  In Kafka's mind, no one had free will or imagination because you always had to do as you were told.  Kafka viewed the empire as selfish and manipulative and he believed that the people who lived under the empire were brain washed into their rulings.

Content Blog - Ossuary

The Ossuary of Kutna Hora was a memento mori, or reminder of mortality and death.  The church was decorated by a monk who dug up mass graves of soldiers and victims of plagues and used the bones he found to construct a sublime decoration of death.  This church is so bizarre because I cannot fathom what would possess someone to disgrace the graves of others to create a memorial.  I thought the church was beautiful and intriguing because it made me wonder how one person produced such an intricate display.  The coat of arms was a shocking display that stood out to me because of how delicate and precise it was.

Content Blog - Konopiste

Konopiste was the hunting lodge of Franz Ferdinand located in the hills of Czech Republic.  Franz Ferdinand lived at the castle during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.  The outside of the castle is beautiful because it is a simple cream color home surrounded by forests, hills, and lakes.  However the inside of the castle is extremely gothic.  The walkway is adorned with Franz Ferdinand's hunting trophies.  He had a collection of 4,000 dead animals decorating this hallway and I felt extremely uncomfortable, overwhelmed, and terrified while walking through the hallway.  The rooms in the castle were decorated with baroque style furniture and many paintings of family members.  The presence of the Empire was inside this castle because they had the same dishes and silverware as the Hofburg Palace.  Konopiste was extremely gothic because it was filled with trophies of death and the amount of dead animals was sublime because the hallway seemed to be endlessly decorated with them.  This castle is important because it shows the true nature of Franz Ferdinand.  He was a psychopath and he suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder.  This truth of Franz Ferdinand is rarely seen but this castle proves that his dark nature did exist.

Content Blog - Sissi

Sissi was an empress quite like no other.  She was a gothic and empire heroine for many reasons.  Her marriage to Franz Joseph was arranged when she was very young, and she felt as though her freedom and youth were stripped away from her immediately after she entered the Empire.  She was forced to live a life of solitude and privacy.  The palaces in which she lived were prisons to her because she had few places to call her own.  Sissi was a symbol of Empire because of her beauty, politeness, and royalty.  She had no voice in the empire and she constantly felt lost within these walls of power.  Sissi also dealt with the tragic suicide of her son, Rudolf.  After his death she exclusively wore black and wasted her time traveling to different cities and wandering through gardens.  Sissi suffered a tragic death when she was murdered by an Italian anarchist.  Her life was one filled with restraint, hopelessness, and darkness.  She was a prisoner to the Empire and a gothic heroine.

Content Blog - Palaces

During my time in Europe I have toured three palaces in two different cities.  In Vienna I toured the Schonbrunn Palace and the Hofburg Palace.  Schonbrunn was the summer palace for the Empire and its purpose was to serve as an escape from the heat and stress of the city.  However, a great deal of political work happened at this palace.  Franz Joseph had meetings often with political figures and a great dining room was used for entertainment and official dinners.  The palace was very different for Sissi than it was for Franz Joseph.  She lived in a handful of rooms in which she lived far away from the city.  She was hidden away from public eye and had no privacy in the palace because people had to walk through her rooms in the palace to get around.  Schonbrunn was a prison disguised as a palace because of its winding hallways and structured gardens.  Hofburg was the heart of the Empire, being located in the center of Vienna and serving as a political powerhouse.  The structure of the palace was strategic and organized.  Franz Joseph's meeting rooms were more elegant and larger than at Schonbrunn and the palace was extremely compact and easily recognizable.  Hofburg was created to be efficient and easy to follow.  In Hofburg, Sissi had more rooms and separation from Franz Joseph.  She was able to be entertained by the city and the riding school in order to keep herself from being bored.

In London I toured the Kew Gardens and Palace.  The Kew was hidden far away from the city and no politics took place at this palace.  The palace was not recognizable because it was the size of a home with minimal rooms and symmetrical hallways.  King George was extremely family oriented so this home was used as a place where he could only focus on his family.  Kew and Schonbrunn were both summer palaces but they were completely different.  Schonbrunn had a grand, large entrance while Kew was hidden in the gardens.  Kew was an enjoyable and relaxing escape from the hectic life within the Empire.  The gardens at Kew were also the emphasis of the palace and they were simple and less constricted than the gardens at Schonbrunn.  The absence of empire was evident at Kew.  Kew was not a gothic building, but the fireplace on the third floor was gothic because it was imported from a different older palace.

Content Blog - Cathedrals

During my time in Europe I have toured three cathedrals in two cities.  In Vienna I toured Stephan's Dom which was a cathedral constructed by the Empire to display their power.  The Cathedral was expanded over time and built to be bigger by the Hapsburg Empire because they wanted a Bishop to politically influence the Church in Vienna.  Stephan's Dom had the largest steeple in order to show their power throughout the Empire.  Stephan's Dom was an extremely gothic cathedral because the ceilings were very tall and there were harshly pointed arches throughout the building.  The inside of the cathedral was dark and filled with extreme detail in the structures and statues.  The representation of power and the gothic structures prove this cathedral to be a gothic symbol of Empire.

In Prague I toured St. Vitus cathedral and St. George basilica.  These two buildings were very different in structure and design because St. George is much older than St. Vitus.  St. George was constructed in 900 AD while St. Vitus was built in the twelfth to fifteenth centuries.  St. George was very Romanesque and simple with minimal decorations besides the simple pictures on the ceilings.  St. Vitus was extremely gothic because of its intricate design.  St. Vitus was adorned with flying buttresses which are a trademark of gothic structures.  St. Vitus was similar to Stephan's Dom because of their extreme detail inside the cathedral and the gothic design of the building.

Content Blog - Freud

Freud was a doctor in Vienna who treated wealthy women for anxiety, hysteria, and depression.  His work greatly contributed to the understanding of the Gothic and Empire.  He focused his work on the neglect of women in their lives, and at the time, these women's emotions were seen as simply illnesses that must be treated.  The women during this time were expected to be polite, simple minded, and quiet.  These expectations caused them to live their lives with great restrictions which then in turn caused them to go insane.  Freud's methods of treatment included hosing down women and asking them to explain how they felt and what made them feel the way they did.  Ultimately these women were diagnosed with hysteria which can be defined as the "expression of existential desperation or revolt against social constraint".

These patients, their stories, and Freud's methods of treatments truly expose the gothic effect of Empire on a person, exclusively females.  The Empire restrained women from expressing their interests and desires because women had to follow a strict set of rules and regulations.  This grip that the Empire had on women caused them to read Gothic romance novels, which were extremely taboo at the time.  The women were prisoners to the Empire and they lived lives filled with depression and a longing to escape the shackles that bound them to the Imperial City.  Freud helped discover and treat their hysteria while exposing the tragic grip that the Empire had on these women.

"Madness of Angels" and "Sandman"

The most recent readings I had to complete for class were "Madness of Angels" and "Sandman".  "Madness of Angels" is an example of a modernized gothic story because the author creating a crumbling universe set in London.  The setting was dirty, dark, and rainy which created a feeling of decay.  The author also used the supernatural in terms of the blue angels that made the main character a zombie-esque person.  Also, the story was uncanny because the main character lived in London before his resurrection and he recognized his home but no longer lived there.  In "Sandman" the author, Hoffman, writes with a traditional gothic style.  The setting is at night and Nathaniel is imprisoned by this idea of the Sandman.  He also falls in love with a robot who deceives him because she looks as if she is human.  "Sandman" also includes the uncanny because Nathaniel is horrified by the familiarity of the Sandman throughout the story.

Crown Prince Analysis

Today in class we analyzed and discussed the Morton and Shaw readings.  These described the life of Franz Joseph, Rudolf (The Crown Prince), Elisabeth, and Mary.  After having completed this readings I learned that Rudolf and his father, Franz Joseph, had an extremely sour relationship.  Franz Joseph viewed his son as a threat to his rule although he was the true heir.  The Emperor therefore gave the Crown Prince titles and responsibilities that were either useless or did not suit him.  An example is that Rudolf was put in charge of the infantry and Rudolf did not enjoy this position of power.  He had extremely differing political views from his father.  Rudolf was more liberal while Franz Joseph was conservative.  The only way that Rudolf was able to express his views to the public was by anonymously submitting political letters to the editor the newspaper, however his father was aware of these happenings.

The constant disagreements between Rudolf and Franz Joseph along with Rudolf feeling useless eventually reached its boiling point with Rudolf's suicide.  His body was discovered along with Mary's body in a room in Rudolf's hunting lodge.  This discovery caused the Empire to go into a frenzy because it was apparent that Rudolf had murdered Mary and then consequently killed himself.  Their deaths were extremely controversial because the son of the Emperor could not be seen as a killer, and if his death was officially ruled as a suicide he would not be able to be buried in the Catholic Church.  Franz Joseph solved these problems within the Empire by having the Pope sign off that Rudolf was in a wrong mental state in order for him to be buried in the Catholic Church.  Franz Joseph then took care of Mary's body by transporting her to holy ground for her burial by propping her up in a coach instead of her travelling in a hearse in order to erase her body from public view.  The Empire truly shocks me with how they cheat around all things taboo or disgraceful, even if they must cheat around family relationships and death.

Kafka Modernizing the Traditional Gothic

In class today we analyzed two of Kafka's greatest works, "The Judgement" and "The Castle".  Kafka takes the traditional gothic themes of imprisonment and rebellion and modernizes them.  In "The Judgement" Kafka writes about a father and son in distress, and then son represents a rebel while his father represents the empire.  The son wishes to get married and leave home, which is comparable to leaving the empire, and his father becomes upset and causes an argument to begin.  The father ultimately condemns his son to death by drowning because his son desired to abandon the 'empire'.  The theme of gothic rebellion is present in "The Judgement".  In "The Castle" Kafka writes about a man arriving at a castle in order to find a place to sleep.  This man encounters many officials within the castle and is unsuccessful in acquiring a permit which would enable him to sleep there.  His inability to do this is representative of the empire's control over one's actions.  The man is also imprisoned by the empire because he is not only incapable of getting a permit, he is also not able to enter into the castle himself.  The empire has made him its prisoner because of these things.

Experiential Blog 2

After having been in Harlaxton and Grantham for a few days I have been surprised on multiple occasions by the landscape, history, and qualities of the town.  Harlaxton surprised me with its beauty which I found in the gardens and different rooms throughout the mansion.  I was also surprised by the amount of history on the property.  Grantham is smaller than I had expected, however I have used the railway to my advantage and I have visited local charming pubs.  Dealing with novelty here is very different than how I would deal with novelty at home.  I feel as though I am more polite here because I do not truly know the customary reactions to new and or unusual circumstances, food, or policies that I have come to notice while abroad.  I also am more interested in truly focusing on and appreciating the changes in scenery that I have experienced here.

Gothic Heroine - Empress Sisi

Empress Sisi embodied the characteristics of a gothic heroine throughout her life in many different ways.  She lived a life of imprisonment within the nobility and this prevented her from expressing her heritage, interests, and desires.  Empress Sisi was bound by the empire to act according to their standards and she was not able to enjoy the pleasures in life such as taking care of her animals, walking, and being a mother.  Her daughter died as an infant and her son grew up to be a man but committed suicide with his lover.  The deaths of her children destroyed her life and were one of the causes of her spiral into a deep depression.  Empress Sisi dealt with extreme nostalgia as well as mental instability and a constant fear of the empire and her royal life.  She constantly yearned for an imagined better quality of life which she was destined to never receive.  Empress Sisi was a gothic heroine due to her reluctant way of complying to the empire's formalities.

Experiential Blog 1

The goals I wish to achieve during this study abroad include going outside of my comfort zone and completely immersing myself in many different cultures.  I wish to not only accept another's culture but I also desire to truly understand their way of life and appreciate their values.  In order to accomplish these goals I must be very mindful of my words and actions in order to respect others.  I must also be open to conversation and new ideas.  By doing this I will be able to learn more about others' ways of life and values.  Immersing myself in different cultures will be a challenge but by achieving these goals I will have learned more about not only others, but myself as well.

Course Content Blog One - Reading Analysis

For the first day of class at Harlaxton Manor I was required to read "Barbara of the House of Grebe" in order to prepare myself for lecture.  The class then spent our time together discussing the definition and applications of gothic themes throughout the world and within this short story.  "Barbara of the House of Grebe" is written about a woman who disobeys her parents by running away and marrying her lover instead of going through with her parents planned wedding for her to a different man.  Barbara's decision to elope is a gothic part of this story because she relies only on her emotions in order to make this impromptu, spontaneous, and impromptu decision.  The decision is also gothic because it is contrasts her parents rational plan for her to marry another man.  While the story begins with the theme of love conquering all reason and ration, their lives become more dark and gothic as time in their marriage goes on.  Barbara's husband must leave for a year to study and she begins to lose feelings for him and becomes more selfish.  As the story continues Barbara finds out that her husband was in a fire that destroys his facial features, and she is so consumed with vanity that she refuses to look at him.  The goth is presented here because an unexpected tragedy continues to weaken her commitment to her husband, and her emotions cause her to destroy order within her marriage.  A gothic topic that was also introduced in class today was that of the sublime, which means vast or inconceivable and overwhelming.  The sublime is present in this story because Barbara's parents as well as any rational person would not be able to comprehend why she would spontaneously decide to elope without reflecting on her decision.

My Belief on Gothic and Empire

My current belief on goths is mostly derived from movies such as the Silence of the Lambs or television shows such as Game of Thrones, however the true roots of goth come from Europe rather than Hollywood.  In my own words, goth can be defined as mysterious, dark, twisted, and fantastical.  Goth is also not only applicable to stories and movies as there are goth structures and buildings throughout the world.  There are Gothic Cathedrals and buildings throughout the world, and when I imagine what these look like I picture flying butreses and gargoyles.  Goth is a term that originated in ancient Europe and has now transposed into modern television, books, movies, and architecture.

My current belief on the Empire is not much.  Many ruling families and organizations overcame others and those revolutions are what shaped Europe into what it is today.  The history of these past rulers define cultural beliefs throughout Europe.  They also are the cause for certain traditions in Europe.  I am excited to learn more about both Goth and the Empire during my time abroad.

What Do I Wear?

While visiting another country one must be especially aware of their actions and behaviors.  One aspect of this self consciousness that is often overlooked is how you dress.  In America there is a very broad range of what people wear in order to express themselves, and most styles are acceptable or common.  However, while abroad this range decreases significantly.  Some outfits might be considered offensive or out of the 'norm' in another country.  Clothing choices that our group should look out for while abroad are political shirts, offensive shirts (for example, shirts that reference drugs or alcohol), and inappropriate outfits (extremely short shirts/skirts/dresses, etc.).  These clothing options may be cause for a negative reflection of our group as we travel.  As long as our group dresses appropriately and modestly, we should have little to no problems while traveling abroad.

Course Questions

While I am abroad I will be enrolled in two courses, German Cultural History and Civilization and Study Abroad English.  German Cultural History and Civilization will teach me about the empires that have ruled over Germany while Study Abroad English focuses on Gothic literature.  I have previously taken European History in high school where I learned about the Hapsburgs as well as conflicts within ancient empires in Europe so German Cultural History will be extremely interesting to me as I have a background of knowledge about those topics.  Study Abroad English is a new course for me and I am excited to learn more about Gothic literature, horror, and surrealism.

Getting Ready

Three months from today I will be embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure overseas to Europe.  Although this trip will not be my first time "over the pond", it will be my inaugural visit to the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Austria, and Denmark.  My agenda allows me to stay in four beautiful cities: London, Prague, Vienna, and Copenhagen.  I will be taking two classes that cover dual subjects.  One class will teach me about English Gothic Literature and the second will cover topics about German History.  This experience will be amazing and enlightening and in order for me to gain the maximum amount of knowledge that I desire I will prepare ahead of my departure, while counting down the days as I go.

My first step towards being ready to travel abroad was to get my finances in check.  I am very lucky to be surrounded by family members that wholeheartedly support my expedition, so they are financing my trip.  I also have to take knowledge of the areas I am visiting into consideration, so I will read travel guides about London, Vienna, Prague, and Copenhagen.  I often find that educating myself prior to my trip will provide a great sense of appreciation, knowledge, and expertise planning as I travel from city to city in Europe.  Finally the most important step of my trip preparation is shopping, shopping, and more shopping!  Over the next three months I look forward to splurging on new travel necessities such as travel bags, clothing, shoes, and accessories almost as much as I look forward to the trip itself.  

I cannot wait to embark on this wonderful adventure and to update my experiences as I go.  Europe, I will see you in fifteen weeks!