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.