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.