Experiential blog: #9

I think the information that is most meaningful to me is the new understanding of the different culture of the UK and of Central Europe. Before we went on this trip I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I had this pre-disposition that Europeans didn't like Americans, and while I did encounter some people that did seem to live up to this expectations, for the majority of people I met they were all very nice. Being American too we think that everyone cares what we're doing and who we are, but I think truthfully the reason everyone I met seemed nice was because people in Central Europe just don't care as much about Americans as we think they do. Anyways, this better understanding of cultures different from my own will be useful in the future as I plan to continue traveling internationally I hope to build upon the knowledge I have gained from this month abroad. I think studying abroad and seeing all of these different people from different cultures and backgrounds all together in one place, it makes Cincinnati seem extremely small and while it makes myself and my life seem very insignificant, it puts my part in the world into perspective.

Experiential blog: #8

Studying abroad is very different from just taking the same class at UC because when you're studying abroad you are visiting all these different places that pertain to the curriculum; for me since I'm a visual learner it's easier for me to comprehend and really understand the Habsburg empire and the effects of empire when I'm able to visit the places that I'm reading about. The class has given me a greater understanding of what empire really was and to what lengths the empire went to to keep control over the people. It taught me the complicated relationship between the church and the empire, and how the empire was able to use this relationship to control the common people. It also taught me how the people responded to oppression by the empire through gothic literature.

Not only has studying abroad taught me about empire, its influence on the people, and how they kept control, it has also taught me about the people and the different cultures of Austria, the Czech Republic and the U.K. It was interesting to visit each place and see how the empire effected each differently. For example in Austria, since it was centered around Hofburg, the people of Austria still act and present themselves as if the empire was still around. In contrast, in Prague, since it was a branch of the empire it was much more relaxed and became a place where people who felt oppressed by the empire could express themselves.

Experiential blog: #7

The attitudes that I noticed in Austria and even the Czech seemed a lot for negative than what I observed in England and in Scotland. This isn't to say anyone was openly rude to me personally but I did notice how if anyone in our group accidentally ran into another person they would apologize and the majority of the time the person would scoff at them, not say anything, and continue walking. Personal space is almost not existent in Europe I felt. In the United States we have one of the furthest 'personal spaces' while Europe has one of the lowest, so for people that I didn't know to get really close to me when we had a conversation was very uncomfortable to me. However overall Vienna was a lot more strict than Prague, I still noticed some of the same behaviors in Prague.

The attitudes I noticed in Europe were pretty close to my assumptions before we came, I knew that the majority of Europe was generally more rude than the United States. But I did find that in the United Kingdom I didn't notice any of the same 'rude' behaviors that I witnessed in Europe, everyone I met in the UK were always very nice to me.

I think because of these insights it definitely gives me a better understanding of the culture of Europe and how one should act and present themselves.