Surprises

         Thankfully, these first few days have had many more pleasant experiences than negative. It was not necessarily a surprise, per say; however, it was very pleasant hearing the locals speak. They have such a polite way of saying just about anything, which is refreshing. The overall size of the manor was bigger than I had expected. It makes for more adventure, which I almost always consider positive. As for the negative, I do not believe there has been anything negative regarding the culture or the manor itself (I will note: the horror movie I was forced to watch last night would be considered unpleasant to me; though, I do not think that fits in this blog post).
          Dealing with the culture and differences has been simple so far. I feel as though, since we have not ventured out from Harlaxton that much, we have not dealt with many culturally shocking things. I do feel like I am being more careful as to how I act, only in fear that I may say or do something that is offensive in this culture. At home, everything is familiar so dealing with certain things is just second nature.
           It is my understanding that whatever I have been or will be surprised by shows my ignorance and disconnection from the culture or place. I do not take this in a bad light; rather, something that is a new experience and will eventually be learned throughout the journey of this trip.