Final Blog Entry

The new information that was the most meaningful to me was the knowledge about how to navigate train stations and airports while traveling as well as how to properly plan out future trips. I also have found the information about how to blend in with locals in other cultures fairly helpful. I think this information could have helped me with past experiences involving things from a different culture. This knowledge could have encouraged me to look at travel more earlier on in my college career and also could have changed the way I handled cultural differences in the past. It would have allowed me to handle cultural differences in the past with a more understanding and open perspective. This knowledge could have also given me the courage to try to understand the other cultures better in the past rather than just ignore them. In the future I hope to use this information to change how I interpret/react to cultural differences by having more of a curiousity and open mind. I also hope to use the new found knowledge to gain more of an understanding of the cultural norms in America.

Experiential blog 8: New perspctive

Studying abroad is a different experience compared to normal studying at your home college. The course that I decided to take is Gothic literature. The focus of the course is on the reason why the genre was so popular during it's time and also what it meant to the people reading it. While studying abroad I have learned about Gothic literature in the sense of it's rebellious nature. I took a literature course but have looked at the topic with a psychological perspective. I have learned that people will resist things that cause them displeasure in very subtle was such as through metaphorical writing. I have also learned that oppression is something can come from many different sources such as society, mental awareness and bureaucracy. Lastly I have learned that signs of oppression can be seen even through small details such as wording and tone. My method of learning these things while abroad has been alot more hands on than at home. The lessons are taught less through a book and more with real life examples. At home one would read a book about Gothic architecture but here one just goes see Notre Dame. Also here abroad material is presented alongside with a group discussion while at home I would just work to learn it individually without much discussion.

Experiential Blog:7

While in Europe I have noticed tha people expect a different level of quietness and privacy while eating in a restaurant. If someone is quite loud while in a restaurant then people around them will shoot quick glances their way and get irritated. This behavior leads into one of the main attitudes in Europe which is that people should have a high level of respectability while in public. Another attitude involves personal space in which it is ok to be more accessable into anothers personal space than compared to the US. In the US we have a wide range of personal space that we do not like having to compromise but in Europe it is different. Also in Europe the attitude towards the elderly and women that are pregnant is that they should be given special considerations while on public transportation. This attitude is not really present in the US because we do not have a large focus on systems of public transportation. If someone does not coincide with these attitudes they are not loudly criticized but more so shamed and looked down upon by others around them. Before coming to Europe I assumed that there was some differences in expectations while in public but did not foresee just how large the difference would be. I also did not foresee that people in Europe would be more quiet and respectable in their criticisms. This critique has led me to realize just what the presence of public transportation can do for the mannerisms in a culture. By having a large emphasis on public transportation people start to focus more on their appearance while in public and what they can do to accomidate to others. In general it makes a society that is overall more sensitive and aware of others.

Experiental Blog 6: London Gestures

While in London I saw people use greetings like Cheerio and Cheers. I also observed people being very sincere with apologies and always saying good bye when a conversation ends. People shook hands with each other often and smiled just as much. There was also more of a comfortness with people sitting close to you and more light conversation with strangers. These elements can be quite from American culture where people are very consciousness about personal space and privacy. We also do not shake hands nearly as much nor do we always say good bye. We use words like Hey or What's up more often than a simple Hello or other versions. The conclusions that I have came up with are that in America we are less concerned about the everyday life of others and have some air of expectation about them being able to take care of themselves. Also I have concluded that in the UK there is more concern for the person rather than the job due to people being more comfortable with being close to one another. Lastly I have found that while it's good to be friendly in the Europe, you do not want to over do it and end up just being a nuisance.

Experiental 5: My Emotional Well Being

Throughout the study abroad I have felt confusion and shock but also insightful. At some points I was frustrated by the difference in a cultural belief, as was everyone else. These moments I overcame through actually openning my eyes and experiencing the difference myself. I would express my frustration through whispering a profanity under my breath or putting my hand over my face but once I tryed using patience things got much better. In America we show our emotions quite blatantly by looking annoyed or saying something but that is not the case in the UK. In the UK people feel like showing disgruntlement with something is rude. In Vienna people rarely even communicate with one another unless if their friends. I think some of my feelings of uncomfortableness and confusion are quite common within the study group.  We all are experiencing new places and atmospheres outside of what were used to. Some conclusions I have come to are that people's behaviors and attitudes are heavily affected by the environment they find normal. Speaking up and making your voice heard is quite common in the States but not in the UK. Also I have found that senses of fashion and style can mean very different things depending on the culture it originated. Lastly I found a personal insight while dealing with culture shock and confusion which is that I like to try to understand why a particular norm is around in a culture. I found that working through the confusion to find the purpose was exciting and fun because you can look and say that the norm could possibly work in America.

Experiental Blog 4: Precarious Prague

Just like Vienna, Prague had a good amount of historical buildings as well. The city was broken up between several different eras such as Old Town and New Town. The landscape of Prague was very open with narrow streets that lead people around like a maze. Also in Prague there was small individual parks near the main river that were used for boat rides and cafes. While the buildings are old the amenities inside them are still very modern.When I frist arrived in Prague I almost expected a rundown city with alot of modern structures like skyscrapers but ended up getting a historical museum. I also expected it to be a city that had no real parks and nature but found out that I was wrong. The atmosphere and the landscape of Prague really shows off that it is a louder town that has pride in it's history. Also the presence of so much nature shows that they value environmental friendly locations and want to keep the city in a fresh light. In the critique I learned that there are alot of places in Europe that value clean air and the environment. Also from this critique I learned that Europe in general cares for the vast history it has and hopes to maintain it's history.

Experiental Blog 3: Vicarious Vienna

The buildings of Vienna were uniformal as well as grand. The buildings stood huge enough to cast a complete shadow over the streets and were almost perfectly sized to one another. Landscape wise Vienna felt restricted and well organized.When I first thought of Vienna I did not expect the city to be so luxurious and fell like royalty. I expected the city to be large and not to have as many historical buildings as it had. I think these elements influenced my learning of the culture because it gives you the quiet feeling that comes with royalty and luxury. The landscape reflects the conclusion that I came up with which is that the city is restricted and highly organized because most of the landscape is full of historical buildings that can't be torned down. From this critique I learned that people of different tend to have various acceptable levels of quietness and reservedness.