Final Reflections
General Reflection
5 most valuable skills.
Adaptability- I was put in a couple situations where my plans had been changed or where my ways of doing things were different than those around me, this made me have to take a step back and adapt to the situation/person.
Independence- I got lost on the London tube and had to try and figure out how to get to the location I needed to alone. Even though it took me an hour to get there I still did it without anyone else's help.
Problem Solving- I had to problem solve every time there was an issue with the tube or train we were going on. We had to figure out where we were going next and the best way to get there.
Confidence- I was given more confidence every time I had to communicate with someone I didn't know how to talk to, it was scary at first but I had no other choice than to put myself out there and talk to others.
Self awareness- I had to rely on myself for a lot of things while on this trip. I also had to take a step back and look at myself and how I did things. I had to be aware of my cations for than I normally would and I had to think about how my actions were being perceived by those around me. I became particularly self aware everytime I was on a train or tube.
How does it feel to be back?
Genuinely it feels weird to be back. I was fuzzy for the first couple days of being back, time felt like it moved differently than it did in Europe. It also was weird adjusting back into my everyday role, I jumped right back into work and trying to keep a schedule. It also feels good to be back, I missed my people and working. I also really missed to food. It is still a really big adjustment. I got use to doing something all day everyday while in Europe and when I got a break I slept. So now when I am home ding nothing it feels like I'm in limbo, I just don't know what to do with myself. Overall I think it feels good to be back. I have been having fun telling stories to people and getting to reconnect with my loved ones.
Name three things that you miss most about your England and/or Germany. What can you do to stay connected to the things you listed?
The newness of it. Everyday I got to see and experience something new or differently than I had before.
The German food and the cookies from both England and Germany.
The independence and trying to figure out things for myself.
I can keep trying new things while I am back home. I can go out on mini adventure to places I haven't been or try and find new things to do. I can try and make some of the German food I tried, or I can go to restaurants that serve it. I can also look at Jungle Jim's for the cookies (because I already looked on amazon and they are $16 here). I can try and get some independence and do things on my own, put myself into situations that I have to problem solve to get out of.
Environmental History Reflection
How did the excursions in London and Munich connect to or expand on our core class work from Harlaxton? Discuss 2-3 examples, using specifics from class material as well as from the excursions.
Looking at the docklands museum and comparing that back to what we learned in class about the great stink, why the docklands were built, then furthering it to learning about trade in England. In class we learns about what London was like in the 1800s as well as the development of London as a whole. The Embankment was a big part of London being an industrial city and also it currently plays a big role in how London is a tourist city now. The museum helped show the progression of how the docklands came to be what they are now, and we also got to experience how they are used now. The Thames river is now used as a way for tourists ot see the city and th occasional person uses it for real transportations. Previously the Thames was used for industrial purposes, goods would be taken from warehouses on the banks to where they needed to be sent.
Reading about cycling cities as well as the evolution of cycling then experiencing cycling in Munich. The reading discusses the relationship between cycling and the cities as well as with other forms of transit. It discussed the growing pains when cycling first started becoming big in city areas and how there was tension between the cyclists and the streets that were made for other forms of transit. Comparing this back to our own experiences in Munich we were able to learn more about velonomy and a person's individual relationship with their bike as well as how biking cities have changed and are continuing to change in order to be safer for the cyclists.
Both of these experiences connected to the overall theme of the class. We looked at modes of transportation and how/why people use them. We looked at the development of these forms of transportation and how they have evolved based on how people used them.