So, last week, our group ventured to Romania for 4 days to explore the countryside and to visit churches of different denominations. We went with a guide from a reformed demonination church group, I can't remember the organization's name, but our guide's name was Janos. (He will be leading 2 more of our trips, to Ukraine and Croatia.) We headed out at 7 in the morning in 3 really cool old fashion vans, 2 were Volkswagen vans from the 70s and the other was some van from the 80s or 90s, not nearly as cool in body style, but it was a bright mustard yellow, so that made up for it. The two VW vans were driven by Janos and Robert,who is another member of the organization. The yellow van was driven by Jordan, a Calvin student! Talk about an experience! haha. I made sure to sit myself in one of the VW vans, not because I didn't trust the Calvin student's driving, I just really wanted to ride in a VW van. : )
So we headed out through the crowded city of Budapest and onto the green and mountainous lands of Romania. We went through the border and all got a Hungary stamp and Romania stamp in our passports. After a while we stopped for lunch in a nice restaurant and then continued in our journey to visit our first church. The church was located in a very small village, and was up on a hill that felt very nice to climb after sitting in a van for a few hours. The church was basically a fortress created to prevent invaders from overtaking it. It had a brick wall which encircled it for protection and the interior of the church was quite quaint. Many embroidered textiles covered the front of the pulpit, the balcony, and some of the pews. It was very beautiful. (As we continued to visit other churches throughout our trip, we came to realize that many of the Hungarian reformed churches bear similar decorations. ) The pastor of the church told us about the church in Hungarian and our guide Janos translated for us. He said many of the embrodieries were from the communion classes.
After that, we headed off to another church and to meet our host families for the night. After a long day of travel, it was nice to be headed to an actual bed. I was placed with 3 other senior girls, whom I also travelled with in the van. Our host's name was Piri, I believe, and her husband was Yosef. As for the spelling of these names, I am really not sure. She was a cake decorator and had prepared us a large dinner including a goulash soup, a breaded chicken, pasta salad, stuffed cabbage rolls, and a cherry coffee cake. To drink, we even got to sample some of her and her husband's homemade cherry palinka. Palinka is usually taken as a shot, but our host family just sipped it with us was we cheered, "Egeszsegere!", Hungarian for "to your health". Unfortuanlely, one of the students in our group didn't watch to see how our hosts drank the palinka, so she just threw it back. We all thought it was so funny that we burst out laughing and our hosts had to leave to room to get their laughs out with out making the girl feel awkward. haha. It was pretty funny. Not to mention, palinka is around 40% alcohol and burns as it goes down your throat.
So after dinner, we were pretty tired and headed to bed around 9:30pm only to wake up around 6:45am for breakfast before heading out again. We walked back to the church to meet up with the rest of our group, took a picture with out host, thanked her, and were off again. We headed to another village to see more churches and then to a hostel near a castle. That night, after our group had dinner together, we played some games with our guides and our professor and his wife, who also came along on the trip. (Our prof. and his wife rode in the same van as me and talked to Robert a lot, so I got to hear some interesting stories and facts about Romania, particularly the Transylvania area where we were traveling.)
The next day we explored the castle a bit and a Saxon church inside the church walls, but this didn't last long because a celebration was occuring there. It was a celebration to bring the Saxons of Romania together with the Saxons of Germany, so I got to hear some people speaking German, which was a nice change, since I can understand bits and pieces. Then we headed of to yet another church and then on to a bigger city in Romania, that is the birthplace of Vlad "the Impaler" Dracul, a.k.a. Dracula! We got to explore the city a little and see the building that claims to be Dracula's birthplace, which is now a restaurant. (Not a bad way to make use of the tourism!) The bummer about our trip to Romania was, we didn't stop to see Dracula's Castle, which I hear is also a restaurant.
After our exploration and more sight seeing , we headed to the place where would bunk down for the night and had dinner in a really cool but really cold refurbished barn, dining room. Again it was a meal much like our host family's only the palinka was much stronger and supposedly plum flavor. Not a fan! The only upside to Palinka is the warm feeling it gives you after you drink it. And boy, can it burn. After this meal it was off to bed again and the next day we were to return to Budapest.
This tip was filled with many churches, about 9 or 10, many of different denominations. We saw Reformed churches, Catholic Churches, Saxon churches, an Armenian church, and we drove by some various Orthodox churches as well. The main purpose of our trip was to visit the land of Transylvania, which used to be a part of Hungary until after WWII, in order to learn about the various minorities that live there, such as the Roma (gypsies), the Armenians, the Saxons, and even the Hungarians, and to learn about the various types of religion that are in the Transylvania area. We learned about Transylvania's history and its connection to Hungary while getting to experience the land and the people first hand.
Overall, the weather in Transylvania was overcast and cool, and at times rainy or foggy, but the scenery was beautiful. It reminded me of West Virginia with its mountains and valleys and its trees. I really enjoyed every minute of the trip and it just so happened that we got to ride in one of the coolest vans ever made, even though I would have preferred it to be a VW van from the late 60s. Minor details! haha So I hope that gives you some more idea of what Transylvania was like!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Getting Aquainted
In this post I thought I would describe the dorm I am living in a little, and some other helpful information.
I am living in a college dormitory with the 19 other students on the semester abroad, 3 of which are guys and the rest are girls. All of the students are from Calvin college except for one, a girl, who is from Dordt College in Iowa. We are all in one hall specifically for Calvin students located on the ground level of the dorm. There are 2 rooms that hold 4 girls each and these grils share a community kitchen, shower area, and restroom. Then there is a room for the 3 guys that has a kitchen, and bathroom inside it. At the end of the hall is an apartment type dorm that holds the remainding 8 girls, it is also where I live. This room has a kitchen, eating area, 3 bedrooms, a shower area, 2 separate toilets, and a living room area that is commonly used as the computer room because it is one of the only 2 places to get internet in our hall. I am in a 2 person room just off of the living room area, but unfortunatly my room doesn't have a door, so my roomie and i rigged up some sheets as a way to give us some privacy. While it doesn't cut out much light or sound, it helps in privacy. Our hall has 2 washing machines, for us all to share, but one wasn't working for a while, in fact, I don't know if it even works now. We don't have any dryers, so we have to let things air dry, which is pretty interesting. Many of my clothes are stiff or wrinkled and my towels are scratchy, but it is a small price to pay for an experience like this.
Our dorm also houses many Hungarian college students on the upper levels, but we usually do not have much contact with them, as we are pretty secluded from them, and they are not allowed in our hall unless invited. We do share our hall with a little old Hungarian woman, though. She doesn't speak any english, but overall seems to be pretty friendly.
Now for a little about my classes. I am taking 5 classes while I am in Budapest. Two classes are taught by my Calvin professor, professor Corwin Smidt. The classes are Politics of Hungary, and Culture of Central and Eastern Europe. I am taking an art history class with a hungarian professor, but it is not through a university. This class focuses on the Italian Renaissance. I am only taking one class through a Hungarian University at Karoli Gaspar. It is a literature class focusing on the Holocaust and people's reactions to it through literature. My final class was Survival Hungarian, but it has recently ended. That class was taught by a Hungarian professor too, but like the art history class, it was not taught through a university. All of my classes fall on Monday or Tuesday, which is so nice!
For my culture class, we are required to visit specific places as a group. These places include not only museums, and/or performances, but also different countries! We recently went to Romania (my next post will focus on this trip), and we are traveling to Poland, Ukraine, and Croatia. We can also travel to places of our own choosing too while we are here. Some girls and I have already booked a trip to Stockholm, Sweden!
Well that's it for now, let me know if you want more info on other things here. Missing you all!
I am living in a college dormitory with the 19 other students on the semester abroad, 3 of which are guys and the rest are girls. All of the students are from Calvin college except for one, a girl, who is from Dordt College in Iowa. We are all in one hall specifically for Calvin students located on the ground level of the dorm. There are 2 rooms that hold 4 girls each and these grils share a community kitchen, shower area, and restroom. Then there is a room for the 3 guys that has a kitchen, and bathroom inside it. At the end of the hall is an apartment type dorm that holds the remainding 8 girls, it is also where I live. This room has a kitchen, eating area, 3 bedrooms, a shower area, 2 separate toilets, and a living room area that is commonly used as the computer room because it is one of the only 2 places to get internet in our hall. I am in a 2 person room just off of the living room area, but unfortunatly my room doesn't have a door, so my roomie and i rigged up some sheets as a way to give us some privacy. While it doesn't cut out much light or sound, it helps in privacy. Our hall has 2 washing machines, for us all to share, but one wasn't working for a while, in fact, I don't know if it even works now. We don't have any dryers, so we have to let things air dry, which is pretty interesting. Many of my clothes are stiff or wrinkled and my towels are scratchy, but it is a small price to pay for an experience like this.
Our dorm also houses many Hungarian college students on the upper levels, but we usually do not have much contact with them, as we are pretty secluded from them, and they are not allowed in our hall unless invited. We do share our hall with a little old Hungarian woman, though. She doesn't speak any english, but overall seems to be pretty friendly.
Now for a little about my classes. I am taking 5 classes while I am in Budapest. Two classes are taught by my Calvin professor, professor Corwin Smidt. The classes are Politics of Hungary, and Culture of Central and Eastern Europe. I am taking an art history class with a hungarian professor, but it is not through a university. This class focuses on the Italian Renaissance. I am only taking one class through a Hungarian University at Karoli Gaspar. It is a literature class focusing on the Holocaust and people's reactions to it through literature. My final class was Survival Hungarian, but it has recently ended. That class was taught by a Hungarian professor too, but like the art history class, it was not taught through a university. All of my classes fall on Monday or Tuesday, which is so nice!
For my culture class, we are required to visit specific places as a group. These places include not only museums, and/or performances, but also different countries! We recently went to Romania (my next post will focus on this trip), and we are traveling to Poland, Ukraine, and Croatia. We can also travel to places of our own choosing too while we are here. Some girls and I have already booked a trip to Stockholm, Sweden!
Well that's it for now, let me know if you want more info on other things here. Missing you all!
Magyarorszag
So, I recently decided to start up a blog to keep my friends and family members better informed as to what I have been doing while away for the semester. I hope that by blogging I can update everyone at the same time to reduce forgetting what I have and haven't told people. Feel free to keep sending me e-mails to ask me questions about things, though. For starters, I will just set the mood of Budapest, so here it goes...
At first glance, Budapest is a largely populated city filled with many down trodden buildings, relatively melancholy people, and tons of dogs, both on and off leashes, walking the city with their owners. Having been here for a few weeks now, I am beginning to see more of the beauty of Budapest. Many of the buildings, though covered in graffiti, have eloquent decorative touches above the ground level, such as stone reliefs or interesting balconies of stone or colored glass. The view of the Chain bridge is spectacular in day or night, along with the view of the Danube River with Buda on one side and Pest on the other. There are quaint areas located within the crowded city, such as parks or monuments, where one can sit and forget about the dirty streets of the city by looking at the beautiful flowers or statues and enjoy a grassy area. Much of Hungary reminds me of Cleveland. And there is actually a large Hungarian population located there, which we briefly discussed in one of my classes.
The people here are much different than in America. Many people on the streets and in transit through public transportation do not smile and usually ignore one another. There is a different view on personal space here, especially noted when riding public transportation. Many people cram into trams, buses, and metros in order to get where they are going quickly, and as a result, they tend to ignore other people’s personal bubbles and work their way into every available fraction of space. On a good note, Hungarians are quick to give up their seats to the elderly, pregnant women, and mothers. On the other hand, there are not many people willing to speak English in order to assist a tourist; they prefer to speak Hungarian, a language which they pride themselves on. Hungarians are not very helpful in assisting foreigners. I have frequently been stared at, mocked, and laughed at. This is not true for all Hungarians, but a generalization. I have met nice natives in my stay here.
We haven’t had many group excursions at this point, just a few to college orientations, museums, and a place to get residency permits. At the college orientations, we have become aware that we are guests studying in Hungary. Our group, along with many other students of the world, is here for an experience, to learn about a country that most other countries do not pay much attention. At museums we have learned some background history of Hungary from its beginning, through the world wars, and its communist rule. We have begun to grasp why the people here are so somber and why Hungary has the highest suicide rate in Europe. The trip to get residency permits was an experience I would sooner forget. It was a trip full of paperwork, back and forth translating, extra fees, aggravation, and finally/most importantly, approval to reside in Hungary!
Overall, my first few weeks in Hungary have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I have had many ups and many downs as I have begun to adjust to my new surroundings. While I miss my native America, I am thrilled to be able to experience a new country and eagerly wait to see what will unfold before me.
At first glance, Budapest is a largely populated city filled with many down trodden buildings, relatively melancholy people, and tons of dogs, both on and off leashes, walking the city with their owners. Having been here for a few weeks now, I am beginning to see more of the beauty of Budapest. Many of the buildings, though covered in graffiti, have eloquent decorative touches above the ground level, such as stone reliefs or interesting balconies of stone or colored glass. The view of the Chain bridge is spectacular in day or night, along with the view of the Danube River with Buda on one side and Pest on the other. There are quaint areas located within the crowded city, such as parks or monuments, where one can sit and forget about the dirty streets of the city by looking at the beautiful flowers or statues and enjoy a grassy area. Much of Hungary reminds me of Cleveland. And there is actually a large Hungarian population located there, which we briefly discussed in one of my classes.
The people here are much different than in America. Many people on the streets and in transit through public transportation do not smile and usually ignore one another. There is a different view on personal space here, especially noted when riding public transportation. Many people cram into trams, buses, and metros in order to get where they are going quickly, and as a result, they tend to ignore other people’s personal bubbles and work their way into every available fraction of space. On a good note, Hungarians are quick to give up their seats to the elderly, pregnant women, and mothers. On the other hand, there are not many people willing to speak English in order to assist a tourist; they prefer to speak Hungarian, a language which they pride themselves on. Hungarians are not very helpful in assisting foreigners. I have frequently been stared at, mocked, and laughed at. This is not true for all Hungarians, but a generalization. I have met nice natives in my stay here.
We haven’t had many group excursions at this point, just a few to college orientations, museums, and a place to get residency permits. At the college orientations, we have become aware that we are guests studying in Hungary. Our group, along with many other students of the world, is here for an experience, to learn about a country that most other countries do not pay much attention. At museums we have learned some background history of Hungary from its beginning, through the world wars, and its communist rule. We have begun to grasp why the people here are so somber and why Hungary has the highest suicide rate in Europe. The trip to get residency permits was an experience I would sooner forget. It was a trip full of paperwork, back and forth translating, extra fees, aggravation, and finally/most importantly, approval to reside in Hungary!
Overall, my first few weeks in Hungary have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I have had many ups and many downs as I have begun to adjust to my new surroundings. While I miss my native America, I am thrilled to be able to experience a new country and eagerly wait to see what will unfold before me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)