Experiential Blog 5

When abroad there are a mix of emotions that you experience which range from excitement to frustration. I have travelled to Grantham, Vienna, Prague, London, and soon Paris. Before leaving this trip I was nervous and excited. I wasn't sure what to expect. I feel as a whole group we all feel the same way. When we left Grantham we didn't realize how much we would miss it. On our way back home from London we were so excited to be back at "home"(Harlaxton). I feel we are an open group when it comes to our emotions. It is nothing like Vienna and Prague. They tend to keep to themselves while we pour our emotions out for everyone to hear. It is interesting to see the differences in how other countries are more reserved.

Experiential Blog 4

   While in Prague, I visited Hradkny Castle tour, Konopiste/Kutna Hora, and the Kafka Museum. These included the Castle in Prague, Saint Vitus and Saint George, Kafka house, and the bone church. Before coming to Prague I was told how beautiful it is, and everyone was right. I wasn't expecting Prague to be as big as it was. Prague consists of the old town and new town, which is connected by the Charles Bridge. The landscape was not smooth. There were cobblestonesevery step of the way. The buildings were close together and a mixture of Roman and Gothic architecture. Similar to Vienna, they don't speak English. Czech was harder to follow, while in Vienna I could pick up on some German.
   It was interesting to see the Castle and see where the people I read about once lived. Visiting the various cathedrals and comparing them on whether they are gothic or Roman architecture was interesting. It is important to be aware of your surroundings in a new area. You take in a lot of information and learn something new. It is different being here than learning about a culture elsewhere. I learned to adjust with the language differences, and I take in the beautiful buildings around me.

Experiential Blog 3

While in Vienna, I didn't have any set expectations. When I arrived people spoke German, and the majority of signs and restaurant menus were not in English. We went to different excursions which were the Freud Museum, Saint Stephan's Cathedral, Schonbrunn castle tour, and the Hofburg palace tour. I became very familiar with Vienna from riding the Ubon. Each area I went to was very pretty. The gardens for example at the palace was designed in a certain way. It had to grow a specific way and the paths were interesting. The buildings were gothic and very historical. The way the architecture of the buildings deteriorates over time affects people. The buildings and statues have great detail. I enjoyed the town feel and seeing thes older buildings in good condition.

Morton and shaw reading

     In both stories I found a common point that was prevalent. There were father and son conflicts and major deaths.

     The two father son conflicts were between George II and his eldest son, and Franz Josef and Rudolf. During George II's reign, he had a bitter and long running feud between father and eldest son. The text mentioned they squabbled about money. Similar in a way, Franz Josef and his son Rudolf didn't have a good relationship. They had different political views which caused problems. Rudolf had little power, he wasn't given anything to do. 

     There was a common theme in the covering up of suicide. In the shaw reading, Cumberland claimed that the valet had attempted to murder him in his sleep. According to Duke, he had fought off his assailant, who then fled and decided to take his own life rather than submit to arrest. A verdict of suicide was brought against Sellis. The Duke got away with murder. Similar to the Morton story, Rudolf murdered mary and then committed suicide. There were various news headlines trying to cover up what happened. They had to say it was a suicide with a mental illness that way he could be buried in the church. Both stories covered up a murder.

What is Empire?

When I think of empire, I think of a a group of countries that is held under a form of government. An empire is considered to be powerful. I believe they fight for land, or if they have more power they can  conquer it. I don't have a great answer, but I will learn what empire is in the course.

Experiential blog 2

     Coming to Harlaxton has been a continuing experience that I didn't have any expectations before I came. Going to a country I've never been before is s whole new experience. When I first saw the Harlaxton manor I thought it looked giant and beautiful, but now that I'm here I see how small of a community we are here. Even in the town of Grantham.
     The locals here are very nice. It's amazing how they know we are American. What I found most surprising was that a way for them to know we are Americans is because we usually don't say please and thank you. It is crazy how just a few people can not say please and thank you and it sets a standard for the rest of us. I feel like we stick out like sore thumbs. While walking in town everyone has an accent to us, but to them it is normal. So when they hear us talking it stands out.
     Because I am in a new environment I had to adjust to the time difference which was hard at first. There are things I'm not used to here such as not tipping, driving on other side of the road, and food. With the food I always try something even if it is new to me. That also goes for when I'm at home. I may be a little more hesitant while here because I'm in a different culture.
     What I have learned about myself thus far when approached with something new such as the no tipping I have accepted it and tried to adapt to the differences.

Experiential blog 1

It is the third day being at the Harlaxton manor. When I first arrived I was tired from traveling, but I didn't want to sleep when arrived because it is such a beautiful place. We got lucky with the weather because it was a beautiful day! The manor is giant and I explored inside and around it. This place has a lot of history and it is neat to find random passageways. Quite a few of us went to the town in Grantham. We shopped and grabbed a drink at The Goose. The locals are very nice, but they are a lot more quite than we are. So far I have been having a great experience, and I look forward to going to the other countries.

I have three goals for myself on this trip...
1. Get a better understanding of empire and learn more of the history in the countries I visit
2. Learn about myself and try to grow as an individual
3. Learn about the different cultures and try different things