The Adventures Of A University Student

Budapest, Hungary: The Adventures of a University Student

by Melanie- Student at Corvinus, University of Budapest, Hungary

Part I

Starting on August 28^th, 2012, I left Sacramento, California and headed towards Budapest, Hungary where I will be studying for a school year. I flew from Sacramento to Washington D.C. and that was a very interesting flight because it is a four hour flight over the United States and I had a window seat…which was nice and the girl I was sitting next to was super nice but the guy at the end (sitting next to her) was kind of creepy and if I remember right, smelled. But besides that, I got an hour of sleep or so, so that was definitely a nice touch. Haha

And let’s see, oh! I arrived at Washington D.C. airport and waited for a couple hours but then learned that United was having issues with their computer system so had to wait another hour. And then finally, got onto the plane and was on my way to Budapest. The flight took about 8 hours and loved the people who were sitting next to me. I was sitting in one of the middle chairs as there were four people there. And on either side of us were two people (by the windows I mean). The person to my left was a girl who is teaching English in Turkey. She was a lot of fun to talk to and I definitely learned a lot about wanting to teach English. I have been thinking about going to a country to teach English but I’m not sure yet. Depends on how I feel after being abroad for a year without being able to be home and physically being around family and friends.

The guy to my immediate right was going to Florence (if I remember right) to study there for a year for his Masters in Architecture (or historical architecture or something like that). He was fun to talk with as well because I learned about what he wanted to do, where he wanted to work and what he was planning to do while being in Florence, France. And then the guy sitting next to him was going to Poland for three weeks…why? Working for the Department of Defense to dig up historical remains during WWII and there was something else as well but I can’t remember what all it was. It was really interesting to talk to him and made me want to work for the Department of Defense just to be able to travel…seriously. And everything is paid for.

So, after a long 8 hour flight, which I think I got like 3 or 4 hours of sleep, arrived in Munich, Germany with about two hours to wait until my flight to Budapest. It was really interesting because I didn’t have to fill any paperwork out or anything; just had to go through passport control and I was on my way to boarding the airplane. And that flight was only about an hour or so…hour and a half maybe? I don’t remember. It was a really long day. So I arrived in Budapest, Hungary August 29^th, 2012 at around 12:30pm. And then I had to wait for my luggage (one big ass bag), get a shuttle to my hostel and then go up two flights of stairs to the third floor (they call it the 2^nd floor since US 1^st floor is their ground floor. Yes confusing I know). So finally got settled in the hostel Casa de la Musica in an all 10 girls dorm…which sucked. I hated the hostel that first day because I was so new to the country and I really wanted to go home. That night I met up with the other student from my University and we talked about our fears and doubts which really did help me. We also had our first pizzas here which were alright. They weren’t bad or anything but definitely not the best that I’ve had here too.  After that, went back to my hostel and was able to go to sleep (even if it was freaking hot). The next day I was able to move into a four, coed person’s dorm which made me happy as it was a lot better than living in a room with nine other women (who I seriously think were all younger than me). That morning, as I was eating breakfast (ate oatmeal that I had brought with me as I didn’t know where to go to get food yet), I met a guy from Germany and learned he was there on vacation with a friend. I also met three girls from France, one girl from Germany and another from Portugal that I hung out with a couple times and even went to my first club with (yes, I’m 23 and first time ever been to a club and since there was a bar there, second time ever been to a bar. Sad? Not for me haha).

Anyways on Thursday Aug. 30^th, the other person from my University and I went out exploring and I can’t for the life of me remember what we did. Ahaha And I think Friday night (can’t remember what I did during the day), I went out with the two German guys to a place where they wanted to eat something and I was able to get to know them better. They definitely were fun people to talk to and the younger one of the two was very entertaining and kept telling me all these random facts about Germany. Like the political situation and the red light district. Haha!

And then Saturday I was checking out an apartment to see if I wanted to rent that place but I didn’t like it. It was too small and there were some other things about it I also didn’t like. I was also going to go on a bike tour with the two German guys I befriended and one of the bar tenders from the hostel as she is a registered tour guide but then it started raining. So the three of them moved it until Monday which I was totally ok with. After that decision, the guys wanted to go to a mall so we walked to the mall and hung out there during the afternoon. It was a lot of fun even if it was muggy and sticky (damn humidity!). Then during that night, I went to dinner with the four girls and met a guy from Holland (who spoke English without any accent; weird!) and it was definitely an interesting adventure to say the least. Haha! After dinner, they wanted to go to a club (yes, the first one I ever been too) and so I just went with them as I have never been to one before and wondered. It was…definitely an interesting experience to say the least. I found out I like dancing to music where no one gives a shit that you can’t dance worth shit. Haha! Because there are other people just like you; sober and drunk. Didn’t so much like it because of the company but it wasn’t too bad. There were two other times after this that I liked better *nods head* Yup. Definitely a lot better. Had a couple hot guys to be around *waggles brows*

Any ways, that next Monday, September 3, I went on the bike tour to the Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthius church and Buda Castle which was a lot of fun, even if it was super warm and my back was sweating like crazy because I was carrying my back pack. But hey! A 1.5 liter of water is important! Oh..and I got to carry a bike up quite a few stair cases. Yes, that was loads of fun. And my butt hurt after sitting on the bike seat because I’m used to bikes with more cushion. But in the end, the tour guide was awesome (became friends with her and she’s helping me learn Hungarian and what not) and told us about a lot of history of the different places that we saw. Then…that night I had my first shot. Ever. It was of Palinka, famous Hungarian liquor that anyone coming to any part of Hungary has to try. Really. It’s awesome stuff. The next day though the two German guys left for home. I was kind of bummed but I met two French guys later that night who were staying in the same hostel room as me *waggles brows*

And let’s see, Tuesday I can’t remember what I did. I think I went out and bought a phone with the guy who came with me from my home university. And the two French guys left Wednesday morning but came back Thursday. And then Wednesday I got the SIM card that I can use here in Hungary and be able to call/text people here since the international rate for my phone from the states would be really, really expensive. And Wednesday afternoon, there was a tour of the Buda side that was put on by my school so it was kind of nice being able to meet other students from my school considering I had already heard about the information of the castle. Then Thursday night, I met a Spanish guy and a Canadian boy (I’ll call him a boy because he was only 21 haha) and along with the two French guys we went to a bar. And there I talked with the two French guys at the bar, Szimpla and then they wanted to move onto a club called Instant Club (the Spanish and Canadian guy went back to the hostel)…which I got to say was a lot more fun than the time I spent with the girls at the other club. I really did enjoy myself though as the night/morning wore on, the more tired I got and I wanted to come back to my apartment and sleep…And yes, I got an apartment Thursday and was I happy!

I am now living in my apartment and loving it.