Experiential Blog 9: Final blog!

After completing this study abroad program there are a few pieces of information that really stick out to me; culturally I feel like I have gained knowledge in recognizing different social conventions in other cultures and I have gained some skill in adapting to these conventions. I think this is an important skill because it increases my ability to interact with people from other cultures. If I had this skill in the past I feel like the cultural barrier that I occasionally experience in my work would be minuscule, or at least less troubling when I encounter it. This knowledge will help me in the future to reserve my judgments and frustrations, and instead I will keep patient and do my best to understand and break down a cultural barrier. Education wise, I have gained so much knowledge in the Gothic genre. I have learned how to identify and analyze the themes and different meanings in stories and I think that this makes the genre more enjoyable.

My Education of the Gothic

I have really enjoyed learning about the Gothic on this study abroad course and I have been especially interested in how it influences our modern culture. I was surprised at how much I learned throughout this course; I thought I had a fairly solid background in Gothic literature, but I am now surprised to see how much this class has built upon my original foundation. I feel like I have learned so much because I have experienced the Gothic firsthand. There is only so much that a person can gain through a book or picture, but to actually be there, seeing and feeling what may have been in that book, is an entirely different experience. For instance, when we visited the Ossuary in Kutna Hora I was overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions; wonder, disturb, and the feeling of the sublime all flooded me at once while I viewed the vast amounts of bones. I saw pictures of the Ossuary before actually visiting, and I had never felt the tidal wave of emotions until I saw it for myself. I think that that is the most important separation of learning back home and learning abroad. Here, in our travels throughout Europe I have not only read the Gothic, but I have felt the Gothic. In the past month I have gained more than I ever possibly could through a book alone. This trip has left an impression on me that will last forever; I have gained knowledge about cultures that were once totally foreign to me, I have a stronger background in not only identifying, but analyzing the Gothic in literature and in modern culture, and last but certainly not least, I have gained a new found appreciation for my own culture and homeland.

Experiential Blog 7

To my surprise I feel that I have had minimal culture shock for the majority of the trip; for the most part the people that I have encountered were fairly similar to people back home in the United States. I feel that the main difference that I have noticed is that nearly everyone is polite and courteous; at home this is not always the case. I have had several pleasant conversations with locals that seem genuinely interested in where I am from and what brings me to wherever I may be at that time, and this is always a good experience because it seems like people like to know what my life is like as well. Something that I have noticed that is a pretty big contrast to back home is the hours of businesses. Most stores close fairly early in the evening with exceptions to pubs and some restaurants; I think this is a big indicator of the lifestyle not only in London, but also Vienna. Prague seemed to me like it was an all-hours of the night kind of city; I thought it was interesting how at any given time of the day, whether it be 4 in the afternoon or 4 in the morning, there were people dressed casually walking around the streets. My experience with Prague has lead me to believe that there is a minuscule concept of time; time was less of a number and more like a color of the sky. Prague was my favorite city because there was always something to see or do, and the people there were extremely friendly. I think that the place that I had the most difficulty with adjusting to was Vienna. The quietness of Vienna did not surprise me, because we had been forewarned. Because of this quiet nature I expected the people of Vienna to be polite and friendly; instead I often felt like I was being frowned upon in a disgusted manor. In one incident a bicyclist literally spit at my feet, and I suddenly felt like the smallest most unwelcome visitor in such a large city. Vienna was beautiful, but for me it was the low of my trip. From my experiences in foreign countries I feel more strongly than ever that a reserved nature and attitude is probably the best possible way of behaving in foreign environments or situations. In addition to this, I think it is prudent to avoid making assumptions about other cultures. From my time abroad I can say that you will never truly know a culture until you experience it firsthand.

Experiential Blog 6

While we were in Vienna I noticed that people speak very softly; the railway system was at times totally silent. I tend to be a fairly quiet person as is, so this was not a big adjustment for me. However I did notice that some of my fellow students stuck out on the train. I feel like Prague was a lot like things are at home. London was also like this, except I feel like locals have many different phrases, such as "cheers". This phrase seems to be suitable for many situations, such as when you say goodbye, or excuse me, or even thank you. I feel that all cultures have their own phrases and to pick up on them fully you would have to be a local as well.

Experiential Blog 5: Emotions While Abroad

This trip has been amazing. While I immensely enjoyed traveling between Vienna, Prague and London, I was beginning to feel overwhelmed. The constant moving from place to place was beginning to take its toll on me and I was feeling stressed. When I feel stressed I have a habit of shutting down and wanting to stay inside; thankfully I had Zach there to motivate me to get up and do things. I have noticed that other people in the group seem agitated or stressed, and I feel like some people may be shutting down the same way I do. I think we're all beginning to feel a bit homesick. I noticed that everyone seemed relieved to return to Harlaxton. Even though all over the world emotions are felt differently I think they are expressed similarly when you get down to it.

Experiential Blog 4: Prague

The streets in Prague remind me somewhat of a hedge maze. The streets twist and turn like a never ending labyrinth. Prague reminded me a little bit of Cincinnati; the way that people act and enjoy the city that they live in reminds me of back home. Prague was so much more than I expected it to be. I expected a big party city; I imagined that many of the buildings would look similar. I also expected a loud, hectic city. What I found was totally different. I was surprised to find that absolutely every single building was unique and different. I was also surprised at how relaxing and peaceful I found the city to be; I found several parks throughout the city where people could be seen relaxing and enjoying the nice weather. In the evenings many people tended to relax by the water and have a drink or two, much like back in Cincinnati. After walking the streets of Prague I remembered Kafka's "The Castle" and thought about it; I understand now how K.'s character wandered around the city, never reaching the palace that he was searching for. I really loved Prague; I could definitely see myself going back someday.

Vienna Experiential Blog 3

Vienna is a tough city to describe-- the best that I can come up with is a European San Francisco. The buildings are so geometric, like building blocks; they hug each other against the street. Things seem orderly and clean, like everything is kept on a tight leash. I see and feel this order everywhere-- I've experience New York, and I feel that the order in Vienna is totally unique to this city. I also know the subway system of New York, and I can confidently say that the transportation in Vienna is worlds better. I get the impression that the people of Vienna are held up to high expectations for behavior and conduct. While I see this order, I feel that there is a darker, less controlled world lingering under the surface. Unfortunately some of my experiences with locals was not the best, such as when a bicyclist rode by and spit at our feet. For the most part the people that we encountered were nice and even directed us to a few spots that were good to eat. I think one of my favorite parts of Vienna was experiencing the farmer's market and seeing what some of the locals were buying there. I feel that Vienna was a very historically-rich area; I noticed that the locals tended to avoid any tourist area, so I feel like I don't have a clear idea of what daily life is like in Vienna. Overall I enjoyed my visit here and I enjoyed learning about the history that was everywhere in the city.

The Influence of Kafka on the Gothic

Kafka's writing seems to have reflected the darkness of his mind and the hopelessness that he felt. The museum's definition of Kafkaesque struck me in a way that seemed a bit Gothic-- that there is in fact a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is your job to reach for it. Part of this idea is that no one is going to simply hand you this, or even help you for that matter. Instead it is your job to go after the light. In Kafka's "The Castle", the endless winding street is the tunnel, and the castle is the light. K. spends the entirety of the story reaching for this light, and no one seems to be able to help him. The museum was incredibly disorientating. Everything was sensory overload, right down to the shape of the rooms and pathways. I feel like this was in an effort to show how Kafka's mind operated.

The Ossuary of Kutna Hora

I was amazed by the Ossuary at Kutna Hora. From the outside the church looked like any normal, small church. Inside was another story however. I was immediately overwhelmed by the interior "decorations"; the Ossuary does not hold the nickname "the bone church" for no reason. Mounds of bones sat in every corner of the church, forming some sort of dome-shaped structure. Human bones of all sorts were arranged to form neat walls. In the center of the church there were pillar-like structures that held human skulls from the bottom to the top. I was overwhelmed by feelings of the sublime; even now it is still difficult to comprehend the feelings I received form the church. It was here that I learned the term "memento mori" which is a reminder that death is inevitable. The entire church stands as a memento mori, and I feel that everyone has different reactions to it. Something that I found interesting while observing the Ossuary was the amount of coins that people had thrown at the bone mounds. I was at first assuming that people had done this in an idea of making a wish, like people often do with fountains; I then thought more about the idea and realized that it is most likely not a wish at all. Though I'm not certain, I feel like people may throw the coins as a way of either warding off, or honoring death. I think that it is possibly a way of respecting the deceased. The sublime nature of Kutna Hora's Ossuary was amazing, and an experience that I will never forget.

The Unconventional Gothic of Konopiste

Konopiste was unlike any Gothic location that we viewed on this trip; it was the hunting lodge of Franz Ferdinand, and from the outside it appeared to be an Italian style structure. In fact, there was little to no Gothic architecture in the building. Instead, the Gothic character was visible through the entry hall decorations. Upon entering the hall I found myself surrounded by hundreds of dead animals; buck antlers of all shapes and sizes jutted out from the walls. In between the antlers were smaller mounts of birds, foxes and various small creatures. The hallway was overwhelming and unlike anything I have ever seen before. We didn't have the opportunity to tour all of Franz's lodge or to see his hunting rooms, but I can only imagine that they looked similar to the main hallway. We were told on our tour that Franz Ferdinand killed nearly 300,00 animals over the course of his lifetime; I'm not sure what this says about his personality, but I find myself thinking back on a story I read several years ago, called "The Most Dangerous Game". To be clear, I am not saying that Franz Ferdinand was hunting humans, but I was reminded of this story because the main character had hunted every creature he could imagine and wanted more of a challenge. I couldn't help but be reminded of that story as I toured the lodge.

Sisi: The Gothic Heroine Pt. II

In a previous blog positing I discussed Empress Sisi and her Gothic traits. She seems to fit the Gothic aesthetic because she is in a way, a trapped damsel in distress. She is imprisoned and unhappy, forced into social conventions. She also has some of the Romantic, Gothic traits; she was emotional, head strong, and she attempted to resist the oppression that she felt. When we toured the Sisi museum we learned that many of Sisi's servants adored her for her kindness, but at the same time she could be a hard ruler. Franz also worshiped her; throughout his offices and apartments were portraits, at times even scandalous for the period, of Sisi. She had many characteristics that made her out to be a Gothic heroine.

A Comparison of Many Great Palaces

Visiting the royal palaces has been one of my favorite parts of this trip. Each palace was unique and its own character; I really enjoyed learning the history behind each location. In Vienna the Habsburg family had two palaces: The Schoenbrunn palace and the Hofburg palace. The Schoenbrunn was the family's summer palace; after our tour and lecture I can conclude that Schoenbrunn was where the family's parties were held. The other palace, the Hofburg, was clearly more business oriented and much less grand. As we toured both palaces I thought that the most interesting difference was the way that Empress Sisi lived in both homes. Schoenbrunn was beautiful, but it was a cage for Sisi. She had little to no privacy; the few rooms that she did have were very small and were directly connected to other rooms of the building. I believe that the gardens at this palace were made according to Sisi's desires; the way that the hedges and different bushes were arranged allowed for privacy outside of the palace. I feel like Sisi most likely enjoyed time at the Hofburg more than the Shoenbrunn; at the Hofburg Sisi's apartments were much larger and she had several more rooms to herself which allowed for more privacy. The most notable difference in privacy was the doorbell that Franz had to ring in order to see his wife. After ringing the bell, one of Sisi's maids would answer the door and either allow Franz in or dismiss him according to what Sisi desired at the time. After viewing the two palaces owned by the Habsburgs we toured we saw the palace at the Kew gardens owned by King George III and Queen Charlotte. The palace at the Kew gardens was not what I expected at all; rather than a grand palace it seemed more like a southern-styled mansion than a palace. After our tour I had the feeling that the Kew Palace was fairly comfortable home for the family. I did however read that the daughters of George and Charlotte felt like they were trapped; they felt over protected and even described the family home as "a nunnery". Even though all of the palaces were different they all held sadness; Schoenbrunn was Sisi's cage, Hofburg was repressive as Sisi had to meet the social requirements and conduct herself for the courts. Like both of the Habsburgs' palaces, the Kew palace held sadness as well; it was there that George was treated for his madness. I really enjoyed touring all of the palaces and learning about their histories.

A Comparison of Many Great Cathedrals

Throughout the duration of my journey I have had the opportunity to view many great Cathedrals. I thought it was interesting to see the similarities and differences between the churches throughout Europe. The very first cathedral that we viewed was the St. Stephen's cathedral in Vienna; I was amazed at the Gothic architecture both inside and outside. The church was filled with ornate details wherever the eye could see. Our guide explained to us that St. Stephan's was more about power than religion; having such a large, grand church was a way of showing a powerful status. I thought that this was very interesting, and after touring the interior of the church we climbed 343 steps to the top of one of the spires. From there we had an incredible view of Vienna, and I was once again overwhelmed by St. Stephen's.

It was difficult to capture a great picture of St. Stephen's due to its enormous size, however this picture displays some of the ornate Gothic details of the church.

These are the tall spires of St. Stephen's; we climbed 343 steps of one of the spires to see a fantastic view.

This was just one of the views from the top of the spire.

Next on our trip was Prague, where we saw St. Vitus and St. George. I think that St. Vitus was my favorite church that we toured on our trip, primarily because of the beautiful stained glass windows that lined the walls. St. Vitus was similar in size to St. Stephens with an exception to the size of its spires. St. Vitus had a very interesting architectural detail however: the flying buttress. These were a method of supporting the spires of the church and keeping its structure. I thought that they were a very unique, and definitely Gothic, detail. Directly across from St. Vitus was St. George; the two churches were a night and day difference. St. George was not a cathedral, instead it was a Roman style basilica. St. George was a low, partially underground structure which is a sharp contrast to the tall, reaching structure of St. Vitus. The feelings that I received while in each church was notably different; in St. Vitus I felt like the interior was open and large. It gave me the feeling that I was small in the face of this building. St. George on the other hand was small and close to the ground. It seemed like a comfortable, safe place. 

Here is a view of the front of St. Vitus

I absolutely loved the stained glass windows inside of St. Vitus

To the right of the picture there are structures that appear to be bridges, these are the flying buttresses.

The last of the Cathedrals in this post will be St. Wulfrum's in Grantham, our home away from home. I really enjoyed my visit to St. Wulfrum's; the outside of the cathedral shares many of the Gothic architectural themes with many of the other churches in this post. While it was not nearly as large as St. Stephen's or St. Vitus, it still had the impressive spires. The inside of St. Vitus was not as grand as some of the previous churches discussed, but it was still very open inside and I would consider it to be Gothic. I thought that the most interesting part of St. Wulfrum's was the chained book library; the oldest book that we viewed was from the mid 1400s (1452 I believe). It was an amazing experience to see such an important piece of history. Though all of the churches had similar Gothic aspects they were each unique in their own ways. 

Freud's Contribution to Understanding the Gothic

In my previous blog posting I mentioned Frued's idea of the Uncanny and how it relates to the Gothic genre. After visiting the Frued museum in Vienna I developed a stronger understanding of not only this, but also the phenomenon of Hysteria. During the late 19th century this was a common diagnoses of upper class women; he described it as an internal conflict between a wish and its oppression. Some of the "symptoms" of hysteria were anxiety, depression and convulsions. I feel like many of these symptoms could describe some of the hardships that Gothic characters experience; I think it may be possible that hysteria and the madness that often shows up in Gothic novels could go hand in hand. While visiting the museum I also learned that it was primarily wealthier women who were diagnosed with hysteria, but they were not the only people to suffer from it. The less wealthy class also dealt with hysteria, however they could not afford to see a doctor to have a label put on their ailments. Instead they fulfilled their internal wish by reading Gothic literature; through these novels women could experience emotion and the scandalous actions that they may have been repressing.

Das Unheimliche

I had not previously heard of Freud's idea of the Uncanny; it can be described as something that is strangely familiar, like the feeling of deja vu. When imagining this idea I often think about The Twilight Zone, and the unsettling idea of a place being so familiar, but slightly off. I believe that Freud's idea of the Uncanny can be considered a Gothic trope because it has that mild unsettling, creepy factor that so many traditional Gothic works share. As I think about the Uncanny I imagine "uncanny look alikes" as doppelgangers, or a hall of mirrors where there are multiple reflections and they all seem just barely different than the original. To me, the Uncanny is an illusion that can just barely be seen through, and in my opinion that is a Gothic theme.

A Madness of Angels

Catherine Webb's A Madness of Angels is a successful 21st century Gothic; the story holds all of the elements of traditional Gothic, but with a twist. The main character of The Madness of Angels delivers Kafkaesque feelings as he wanders endlessly through the decaying city of London; the crumbling London is similar to the decaying mansion in traditional Gothic works. Perhaps the biggest twist that Webb takes on traditional Gothic elements is the paranormal aspect. The main character, Matthew, does not face a ghost or a paranormal creature-- Webb successfully introduces the Golem as the villainous creature in the story. By doing so the Gothic earns somewhat of a science fiction twist, and gives it a modern take on a traditional style. I personally really enjoyed reading A Madness of Angels; I think that the modern science fiction take on the paranormal is incredibly interesting and entertaining.

My Experiences with Harlaxton so Far

With one week gone by I can definitely say that I love it here. I had seen pictures of the manor, but since seeing it in person I will forever know that there are times when pictures do no justice. The manor is so incredibly beautiful, more so than I had imagined. I have been caught off guard and surprised by so many things: the beauty of the grounds, the blue bell walk, the rolling fields of green and yellow. I can understand why so many people have been inspired by the beauty of the English countryside. I was also pleasantly surprised at the overall feel of Grantham; I wasn't sure what to expect from the town, but I really enjoy spending time there. I have tried every single day to experience something new, and so far I have been off to a great start. I think that by taking this sort of approach I will have a wonderful overall experience; the best way to sum it all up so far is simply sublime. I am overwhelmed (in a good way) by the adventures and possibilities of Harlaxton and Grantham. I feel that back home pales in comparison to what I've done on this trip so far, but perhaps that is because I am not reaching for the available opportunities in the way that I should. In an odd way, my experiences at Harlaxton thus far have inspired me to challenge Cincinnati, where I thought that I had already experienced all there is to offer.

The Nightmare That is Kafkaesque

I must say that I am not the biggest Kafka fan; I don't recall ever having read his work before, but now that I have I'm not so sure that I liked it. By that I mean that I did not like it. I found his work to be...almost empty. I suppose that that is an element of "kafkaesque", or when a story feels like it will go somewhere, but it never does. It's like the event that the reader is waiting for and building up to never happens. It's frustrating, but that is the intended purpose for Kafka's work. This brings us to analyzing the Gothic themes of "the Castle" and "the Judgement"; we will start with the latter. I personally feel that "the Judgement" is a metaphor of religious persecution, a common theme Gothic work. This differs from the traditional religious figure because it is represented by Georg's father, who delivers the death sentence of drowning. I don't consider there to be a paranormal element in this story, but this is instead represented by his Godly-figure of a father. There is also no maiden in distress in this story, but we do have a self absorbed character who seems to consider himself as a higher class than that of his friend. Overall, "the Judgement" is a Gothic representation of religious persecution. In Kafka's other piece, "the Castle", the elements are slightly less clear. The most predominant characteristic of this story is the disorientation and seemingly endless path that K. walks on towards the palace; however, no matter how far the path is followed it never seems to end at the castle. In addition to this Kafkaesque theme is the confusion of the reader and of the characters isolation is also tied in here as K. seeks companionship, but can't seem to find it. Kafka really seems to modernize his stories with these new takes on classic Gothic themes.

This info-graphic contains information comparing and contrasting some of the classic Gothic literature stories. Several of the stories contain similar or even some of the same themes and this can be seen when using a venn diagram.

Gothic traits of Empress Sisi

Empress Sisi showed many traits of a real life Gothic character. Sisi found herself in an accidental arranged marriage with her first cousin at the age of 15, an unwanted arranged marriage such as this one is a common element of Gothic works of literature. Another Gothic aspect of Sisi's life is the isolation she felt after her marriage to Franz; following their marriage she was trapped by customs of the court and she was unable to do the majority of the hobbies and activities that she once enjoyed. Since her older sister was supposed to be married to Franz Sisi was left unattended for much of her life pre-marriage, because of this the sudden strict control on her life after her engagement was tough on Sisi. She was in mourning for the majority of it after the death of both of her children and her husband as well. Sisi's life was tragic and she truly was a Gothic character.

Barbara of the House of Grebe

Upon reading Barbara of the House of Grebe I discovered many Gothic elements; one that particularly struck me was the isolation that Barbara often faced. The tutoring of her husband left her isolated in her marriage, the cottage that she was to share with Edmond left her isolated from her family, and her eventual marriage to Lord Uplandtowers left her emotionally isolated. I believe that this isolation is partially what lead her to her eventual madness, which is another strong Gothic theme that is found in this story. There is terror in this story as Barbara faces the disfigurement of her once handsome husband, showing not only the theme of terror but also that of vanity. In addition to to these elements is the Gothic scenery that the author sets to show the decay, sadness and mystery that surrounds Barbara of the House of Grebe.

My Goals for This Trip

I think that my primary goal on this trip is to experience as much as I possibly can; this is probably a common goal among students in our group, but I feel like it may be difficult for me because I can be shy at times and hesitant to go out and do things. My goal is to totally ignore my hesitations towards adventuring into things that I might not normally do. Another goal of mine is to figure out what my impression of the Gothic truly is; I have an idea, but I would really like to take this more in depth and know why and make my own theories about the genre.

What Not to Wear

I will start by saying that I have never been outside of the U.S. That being said, I have little to no idea of what is worn in Europe. I have heard and read opinions all over, but these are at times conflicting. I think that my best bet as of right now is to chalk it up to common sense. If I imagine that I'm packing my suitcase to stay with my grandparents or relatives then I feel like I am able to really narrow things down. After taking the somewhat unpredictable weather into account everything becomes much clearer.

• The Do-Not's:
•  Political shirts probably are not the best idea
•  American flag shirts can be left out of the suitcase
•  Any sort of crude humor, "funny" shirts may be a bit offensive.
• The Do's:
• Neutral colored clothing
• Layers for the unpredictable weather
• Weather-resistant jacket and shoes
• Comfortable clothing is the priority 

Looking like a tourist in inevitable. I (we) can try as hard as possible, but such a large group not to mention the endless picture taking, will clearly mark us as tourists. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; this may lead to interesting conversations with locals, or perhaps recommendations on things we should see or do that may be less known. It also may make us targets for theft or danger. I think this is a risk anywhere that people may travel to, even in their own country. I don't think that it should hold anyone back, it should just call for extra precaution. Our group is like a little "travel family", so it's our job to keep an eye out for one another and stick together; if we do this I think we'll be just fine.

What is the Gothic?

When approaching the task of defining the Gothic I believe that it is easiest to consider themes; terror, mystery, paranormal, resistance. Giving an exact definition of the Gothic genre is difficult due to its large, complex nature, but the themes listed give a sense of the ideas and topics found within these works. I believe that our modern culture has had somewhat of an obsession with the Gothic for decades; there are several instances in which these elements of books and movies go unnoticed. The science-fiction/fantasy genre has largely dominated entertainment and media in recent years; one prominent example is the Batman series. The city of Gotham, emphasis on the Goth is filled with crime, decay, villains of strange origins. A mysterious hero makes a stand against these villains and encourages the citizens of Gotham to resist; everything about the series seems to declare that it is in fact, Gothic media. Several other notable works hold roots in the Gothic genre; The Hunger Games, the Divergent series, the entire Harry Potter series, and such a large number of Stephen King books that I cannot possibly list all of them.. Our culture's obsession with the Gothic does not seem to be ending any time in the distant future, and I believe that it will never truly disappear.

What I'm Looking Forward to Learning is...

For the study abroad trip I am taking the Gothic literature course. I have a small amount of background in this topic already; I have learned some of the recurring themes and ideas in Gothic work and I have studied these in pieces by Edgar Allan Poe. It was during this study that I discovered a passion for Gothic literature and an appreciation of the genre. In this course I am hoping to learn more in-depth information and background about the Gothic literature movement. I have heard the question many times of whether or not we are still in this movement today, and as of right now considering what I know of the subject I would say that we are. I am curious to know whether or not my opinion will change after participating in this class. I am looking forward to learning more about the origins of Gothic literature and what exactly fueled this movement.

Getting Ready

I feel like this trip is approaching faster than I imagined it would. It seems like I was applying for study abroad just a few days ago. Now with barely over three months before departure I am putting together the final details. The past few weeks have been extremely busy for me. In the midst of preparing to move I have also applied and received my passport, which was an adventure in itself. In addition to this I have been preparing my free weekend plans and getting an idea of what I'll be packing. Packing is slightly overwhelming; this is the longest trip I will have ever been on, and to think that I have to keep it as minimal as possible is difficult for me. I have always had a habit of packing for every scenario, and this time around I will have to rethink my usual packing methods.