Reflections on my time in Budapest

I'm home as of about 6 pm. I definitely have mixed feelings about it. I'm very glad to be home for Christmas, but I already miss Budapest and Hungs08 Calvin friends.
In my last weekend after my finals, I went to the Synagogue, a performance of the Nutcracker at the opera house, the baths, the Budapest National Art Gallery, Gellert hill, ice skating at the city park, the chain bridge, and the Christmas market multiple times. Those were the main things, anyway.

Over the course of this semester, I have learned a lot about myself and about this huge world we live in. One specific thing I have learned on this semester has been a little bit about the difference between European and American cultures. Hungarians’ diets include a lot of bread and meat. The way people dress here is different, depending on the generation. I have also encountered so many hospitable and polite people. I find it strange to live in a country where English is not spoken primarily. In fact, Hungarian is spoken by very few people and is completely different from most other languages. The language barrier furthers my understanding of how big this world is and how many languages exist. I have also grown accustom to using public transportation which is more of a contrast between size of cities I have lived in. Living in a big city has made me a more confident person and proficient navigator. A few negatives of Hungarian culture include all of the smoking and over-drinking that occurs.

Another lesson I have learned is that my life has been much easier than most Hungarians’ lives just because of where I live. Hungary has endured a lot through World War I and World War II. Not that long ago, Hungary became democratic after fascism and communism took their toll on the country. It’s weird to think that when I was born, Hungary was still under communism. Before this trip, I knew very little about the Holocaust, which has been interesting to learn about for me. To go to Auschwitz after reading different pieces of Holocaust Literature was shocking and tragic. Because of the past, I am not surprised that I see less smiling faces or eye contact than I am used to in the States. Also, to think of what Croatia went through even more recently is shocking. We could see signs from a war that had happened only thirteen years ago with newly built houses and destroyed houses mixed together. Another appalling sign of war was the many fields with landmines between different villages. When I see gypsies, orphans, or beggars who have even less then the poor in the US, I want to help them. It’s especially difficult to see children who have very little control over their situation. There are so many places I have not been with equal or greater levels of poverty, but they still exist. I can understand that a little bit better now. All of our group trips to villages of Hungarian minorities were enjoyable and educational for understanding the aforementioned problems.

One more thing I have discovered on this trip is that I stepped outside my box, had courage, and am glad I did so when I came on this trip. I have spent a semester in another country with students who all have Calvin in common. I did not know anyone coming into the program. Luckily, I was able to push myself to get to know this great group of people. I wish I could have been more intentional on getting to know people outside our group as well. I did not have the opportunity to connect with many Hungarians or other international students in my classes. Also, because of not much interaction with Hungarians, I am not able to practice my minimal Hungarian, so I remember even less. Still, this experience has shown me that I am capable of living in another country or a big city and that sometimes pushing my comfort zone can lead to wonderful experiences I would not want to miss out on.

Although my classes and workload have been light academically this semester, I have made up for that in experiential learning. We always joke that the pressures we face are not academic but in planning trips. What I learn in my classes about Hungary and central Europe are better understood now that I am experiencing Hungary and seeing the effects of its past. Living in a different culture for a semester has been a priceless happening. It has made me realize that the world is bigger than me and has given me knowledge completely different but just as important as what I receive at Dordt. Academics are important for gaining knowledge, but the way one uses that knowledge in the real world is ultimately the most important part of learning. This largely relates to the “Kuyperian worldview.” We must practice what we learn, both academically and spiritually, throughout our daily lives. I pray that I can continue to have a heart for the east and central European countries and that I will find a way to help out this region even from back in the States.

The Hills were ALIVE, and we weren't in them..

This afternoon, Kristin Kurtz and I got back from a whirlwind trip to Salzburg, Austria!! Salzburg is SO beautiful! The only downside of our trip was that two out of three of the major things we wanted to see were closed. We were not able to go up Mt. Untersburg by cablecar or see the Sound of Music Marionette show. The cable car was under maintenance from October 24 to December 6. Yeah, it opened this morning, but we had to catch our train. The Marionette show was on tour in Paris.BUT we did get to take the Sound of Music tour! So much fun!! We enjoyed seeing the Austrian countryside, for sure. So the moral of that story is that Salzburg did not like us even if we liked it. The wax museum was even under repair. Bummer.
We spent a lot of time at the Christmas market. We also saw Mozart's birthhouse, Holhensalzburg fortress, the Nunnburg convent, Mirabell gardens, and other random things.
In other news, we saw some festivities relating to St. Nicholas day. St. Nicholas was walking around with some little (and not so little) devils/monsters. Turns out that you should avoid eye contact with these guys. Seriously, part of this celebration is whipping the bad children. I was whipped on the legs four times from three different monsters. AND I'm the GOOD one!!
Yeah, that was pretty hilarious...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

well, kind of.
This past Thursday, we had a large Thanksgiving meal with part of our group, our professor and his wife, my Dordt friend Rachel, and three Hungarian friends of ours. The food was delicious! Leftovers disappeared pretty quickly.
On Friday morning, I saw a movie called "Boy in the Striped Pajamas." This film takes place during the Holocaust and involves the family of a Nazi commander. I highly recommend it, despite its tragic ending.
Post-Thanksgiving, preparation for Christmas can finally begin! Unfortunately, it rained for a good chunk of yesterday and is currently raining as well. I'd prefer snow. That would look like Christmas. However, on our way to church this morning, we saw multiple people putting Christmas lights in the trees! We also saw people preparing for another Christmas market to be set up at Blaha Lujza ter. I have a good feeling about tomorrow, the first of December. I can finally start my Milka Advent calender. I'm also hoping that Budapest decides to turn on all those Christmas decorations finally...
In other news, I finished all written assignments for the semester. Now all I have is a little bit more reading and final exams. Good.
p.s. Look at Marilyn Smidt's blog for more info on the Christmas market!! :)

This weekend has been filled with homework and many episodes of "Freaks and Geeks." We've been avoiding outdoors since it's grown significantly colder.
BUT yesterday, I ventured to the Christmas market, and it's pretty amazing! On my way there, I listened to some Christmas music to get myself in the Christmas spirit. ALSO, it started to snow! I was happy. It snowed again today. Winter is here, and Christmas is coming. I'm good with that.
I guess we still have Thanksgiving though. It's hard to remember when in Budapest.
For Thanksgiving, I'll be thankful for Christmas. :) Things are starting to wrap up here.

This weekend, I'm in Budapest! Only six of us are here.
Nice and quiet for focusing on the two papers I need to write... Not fun.
In other news, the Christmas market opens today, and I'm SO excited!
Also, I pulled out the winter coat for the first time yesterday and felt overheated. Ha.

Croatia

On my final Calvin-planned trip, I learned a lot about historical events I did not even know existed. The journey was well worthwhile and piqued further interest in the recent past of the country. I enjoyed being able to serve the foundation Janos and Robi work for by replanting trees. I enjoyed seeing the small community we worked in where everyone knew everyone. The hospitality once again astounded me as we were served delicious, warm pogacsa (biscuits) by a local woman. Although I liked the first two days in Hungary, I wish we could have gotten to Croatia sooner.

When we actually arrived in Croatia on Saturday, Robi told us a little bit about Croatian history. We learned that, before the Reformation, only Catholic churches could be built by the side of the road, so Reformed churches could sometimes be found behind houses for that reason. The ethnographic museum being in a state of disrepair because no one had been given ownership was interesting to me as well. The church wanted the property but couldn’t keep away thieves or do anything with it because they have not been given ownership by the state. As a result, the “museum” is full of dust, cobwebs, and broken glass as many items had been stolen.

The Yugoslav Wars happened from 1991 to 1995. In 1990, the free elections were held. The country wanted independence, but Serbs in the region had contrary wishes leading to the great tension between Croatia and Serbia. The Serbs rebelled in the summer of 1990 and formed the Autonomous Region of the Serb Krajina which was not acknowledged by a single country. At this time, many Croatian civilians moved away from Bosnian and Serbian borders and Serbs moved toward the borders either by choice of by force. Vukovar, a border city, experienced a three month siege through which Serbian forces gained control over on November 18, 1991. Much of the city was left in ruins and most of the population had no choice but to flee the area. Cease-fires sponsored by the UN occurred intermittently, and armed conflict happened minimally until 1995 when Croatia began Operation Storm with the United States’ support. During Operation Storm, Croatians regained most territories lost to Serbians. 90,000 to 350,000 Serbs fled the country as a result of this operation. The Dayton Agreement led to the end of this war but tension still exists between the Serbian and Croatian people.

Many places to which we drove had signs warning people of land mines in fields by the road left over from the war. Many land mines were placed between towns because Serbian, Hungarian, and Croatian villages were mixed together in the region. I found the existence of land mines to be shocking. I cannot imagine living in a place where bullets are being fired, bomb are being released, and land mines are being planted. I have never personally had to live that close to a war, and for that, I am thankful. I am glad we had the opportunity to see Kopacs, which was merely occupied by the Serbians and then to see regions like Vukovar that were annihilated by the Serbians as displayed by destroyed structures (houses, the water tower, etc.) interspersed with houses newly built. To think that this war had ended only 13 years ago is unfathomable to me since I have never had to experience anything like it.

The friendliness and hospitality of the Szentlaszlo Reformed church also astounded me as they showered us with delicious treats. To sing with them in their language was quite an experience. The interaction with Hungarian people in Croatia made me want world peace. I am very much an idealist and would love if everyone could just get along…

Wien

This past weekend, I went to Wien (or Vienna) with my parents! I've had a really nice time with them both in Austria and Hungary.
I few things we did together include...

• Eating high quality continental breakfasts at hotels
  
• Riding the Children's railway in Budapest
• Shopping in the Central Market and Vaci Utca in Budapest
• Seeing the Lipizzaner horses in Vienna
• Eating many delicious pastries in Vienna
• Seeing the Imperial Treasury in Hofburg palace
  
• Taking a walking tour of Vienna
• Seeing a great concert of Mozart and Strauss music
• Keeping dry
  
• Witnessing parts of a funeral for a former Mayor of Vienna at St. Stephen's Cathedral
• Going on a tour of Schonnbrunn palace -- Amazing.
• Seeing Mozarthaus and the Hauz der Musik
• "Conducting" the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
• Eating Mozart chocolate balls
  

I think that's about all we did... We packed a lot in, and it was a great time!
Vienna is a beautiful city. Now my parents are headed back home.
Part of me thinks it would be great to go back home now, but I still have so much to do here. Less than 5 weeks to go. Wow.
I'm excited for Christmas already. :)

A Group Trip to Ukraine

Ukraine’s Hungarian and Gypsy minorities visually appeared and acted very similar to those in Transylvania. On our trip, increased diversity in activities was greatly appreciated; however, parts of this trip were emotionally draining for me. I enjoyed finding out more about the Gypsy people. According to the documentary we watched, a Christian school exists to provide Christian education but also to help Gypsy children who fall behind up until fourth grade to reintegrate into state schools. At school, many may receive their only hot meal of the day at school.

Upon visiting a Gypsy church on Reformation day, I was touched by their singing of worship songs. I find it neat to hear people singing praise songs in other languages but still recognizing certain familiar words such as “Hallelujah.” When the little kids began to swarm our group as we walked through the village, I was greatly saddened and felt empathy for their living conditions. The village was full of dilapidated one- or two-room houses and mounds of garbage on the dirt paths. After a few children latched onto Liz, the rest began to do the same. Their clothes were so colorful but also dirty. They were so excited to be playing with us, receiving piggy back rides, and posing for pictures. Our presence seemed to be a special treat for these seemingly needy children. I was encouraged by the fact that they have increased the amount of water pumps from two to seven. This village was the poorest in appearance I had ever seen.

When we went to the market the following day, beggars approached us and were very persistent. I never know how to respond in such situations. I wish I could help them, but once you give money or food to one beggar, they will want more or others will want something also. I did not like ignoring these beggars, but I didn’t see myself as having any other choice. In the United States, I don’t know if a beggar would be quite as relentless as what we encountered.

On our visit to the children’s hospital, we went to the abandoned Gypsy children sector. Apparently, these were children who had been left at the hospital. If they were not reclaimed soon, they would be moved to an orphanage. They were younger than I was expecting. I had the opportunity to hold Victor who was less than a year old. He seemed rigid and unresponsive – most likely a result of minimal love and attention given to him. Another child was three years old and the size of a one or two year old. She had been beaten by her father and had visible bruises. None of us could believe that someone could abuse such a precious child. She had a beautiful smile. Another child seemed to have many issues, specifically labored breathing. In the hospital, the nurses don’t have much time to give these babies attention so they could use all the attention they could get.

On our last day, we visited another Gypsy church. More children swarmed us and were posing for pictures again. These kids seemed a little bit better off than those we saw the second day. They seemed less clingy and more able to entertain themselves when we left.

Although poverty may not be something most people want to see, I think it’s necessary so that we are aware of what goes on outside of our cozy, affluent American lives. We can feel sorry for these kids but the real question is, what action will we take in response to this need?

Other things we did:

• Visited a cemetary -- Because of All Saints Day, (11/1) all graves were decorated with flowers and candles.
• Taste tested wine from the Tokay region of Hungary
• Visited a Reformed high school and a few Reformed churches
• Attended the largest Reformed church in Ukraine on Sunday
• Visited a 86 year old woman who weaves rugs and other embroidered things... I purchased an embroidered cloth for an end table of some sort.
  

Hung's Hidden Treasure: Kecskemet

Yesterday, I took a day trip with Rachel, Elizabeth, Liz, and Stephanie to Kecskemet, Hungary. The town name sounded really familiar. Once we arrived, I realized that I had definitely spent two nights there over band tour. This was the town in which we had our outdoor concert. It's really bizarre seeing towns for a second time and experiencing familiarity in Hungary.

The whole day trip cost about $20. The train ticket amounted to about $10. I spent $3 on lunch, and $4 on four little museums. We ventured to the toy museum, folk art museum, photography museum, and the Reformed ecclesiastical art/clock/mineral collection exhibitions. I really enjoyed the affordability of not having to worry about overnight accommodations or Western European prices.

Using the train was a lot easier this time compared to when we went to Eger. We did not have to switch trains, and the station was well marked. To get to the center was also really straightforward. They had a tourism office, but I was wondering whether many people come from outside of Hungary. The town was very quiet. I think this had to do with the fact that it was the Saturday after their major holiday, October 23. Many shops were closed down. I found it interesting to go to a town that was less of a tourist hotspot.

We were able to communicate that we were students (diak) to the cashiers at all of the museums. The museums were really interesting. At the toy museums, a collection from rubix cubes to political board games were on display. The folk art museum was composed of ceramics, tapestries, and much more. The photography museum was confusing because none of us could figure out what the pictures were of. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed the collection of cameras from different decades. We found the disposable underwater camera to be humorous and somewhat out of place. My favorite museum was probably the combination of the Reformed art and clock exhibitions. We were able to see a wide variety of items and had a very hospitable Hungarian lady showing us around, turning lights on, and demonstrating different clocks to us even though she did not know any English.

Although the town was much smaller than Budapest, I had the feeling that a university was located in the town. For lunch, I’m ashamed to say that we went to the California Coffee Company. The food was pretty delicious, and the menu was in English. Because it is a university town, more people spoke English than I expected. After spending over two months on Hungary, sometimes I appreciate something that reminds me of home.

In addition to the museums, we saw many beautiful churches. One of my favorite parts of Europe is the historic, ornate churches in each city. Although we were in the town for a total of about seven hours, we saw everything we wanted to see.

A few other things:

• Today, my parents leave for Europe, and arrive in Budapest on Wednesday!
  
• I've been here for over two months and am already halfway done. (craz-o)
  
• I am having my first exam this coming Tuesday. (not excited)
• I'll post pictures from Kecskemet soon-ish
  

Czech-ing out Praha

This past weekend, I went to Prague (Praha) with six other girls. I'd recommend visiting. Prague is so beautiful! We were in very touristy areas and enjoyed hearing plenty of English. We had one day of rain and a lot of cold, but it didn't slow us down too much. The highlights of Prague for me were the Charles Bridge, walking by the river, Old Town Square, and exploring around the castle.
You could tell it was a more touristy areas with places to exchange money on every street corner and long streets of just souvenir shops. My biggest purchase was a Ron Weasley marionette.. :) Good investment, I think.
I've already put up pictures from Prague (FYI).
I'm glad to be back in Budapest now though. The floors in our 14-person hostel room did not allow for quiet entering and exiting of the room. I enjoy my bed in Budapest quite a bit. Also, we've had such great weather here recently... It's a high of 63 and sunny today. Perfect for a fall day.
I might be going to Salzburg this next weekend. The following weekends, I'll be on a group trip to Ukraine and a trip to Vienna with my parents! A lot of travel, but I have to take advantage of being in Europe, yeah?
Anyway, I have reading to do for my classes, but I thought I'd give a quick update.
I miss family and friends, by the way. Hope you all are doing well!

Yet another weekend in Budapest...

This weekend, we decided to stay in Budapest again. Fall is definitely here, and I'm loving it!
Rachel and I decided to go to the Labyrinth on Thursday. We had a great time getting creeped out by all the stone figures, wall paintings, and small, dark spaces. I had David Bowie running through my head pretty much the entire time. :)
We ended up going bike riding on Margarit Island as well. We rented bikes for 1/2 hour for less than $3 (450 Forint). This weekend has been beautiful with the high temp being in upper 60s lower 70s. Soo good.

On Friday, a group of us toured the Holocaust museum as part of an excursion through our Holocaust Literature class. Here are a few things I learned:

• Ten percent of the Jews murdered were Hungarian.
  
• Deportation of Hungarians did not happen until 1944.
  
• Many Jews were put into ghettos first but were moved to concentration camps only one to three weeks afterward.
  
• Budapest Jews were not deported but many were still killed here by various means, many in the Danube.
  
• Hungary was unique because it was politically independent but still enforced antisemitic laws. Laws included a limit as to how many Jews could be accepted at universities and forbade marriage between Jews and non-Jews.
  

Most of the images and footage shown at the museum were overwhelming, seeing people starved, deprived of freedom and dignity. Another eye opening experience.

On Saturday, I went to Hero's Square with the roomies. We were looking for the Budapest Crafts Exhibition and Fair. We found it. I thought it was really neat! Many booths were set up for anyone to participate by weaving baskets or painting jewelry. It would have been a lot of fun if I had been in the U.S. and had been with someone who was interested in making crafts with me. :)
In the evening, I went on a sightseeing cruise on the Danube with Rachel, Stephanie, and Elizabeth. We had a lot of fun!
Next week, we're planning on going to Prague. I'm pretty excited.
Oh, and I do homework every once in a while...
This is the life. Now if only everyone from home could come join me.

p.s. I think I just fixed my blog so anyone can post comments to an entry. FYI. I didn't know I had control over who comments on my blog...

Polska!

When told we were traveling as a group to Poland, I had very few preconceived notions about the country. I hadn’t heard or learned much about it before this semester, but I was really glad we made the trip. Each excursion was good in a different way.
I enjoyed learning about the history of Krakow. Seeing the University where Copernicus and Pope John Paul II attended was very neat. I enjoyed seeing where Pope John Paul served as a bishop as well. The buildings and the main square were beautiful. Until this semester, I didn’t realize how affected Poland was by Communism. Before the Holocaust, one-fourth of Poland’s population was Jewish. During our bus ride to Poland, I listened to an audio version of Elie Wiesel’s Night. I found it beneficial to hear one person’s account of what being Jewish during World War II was like before seeing Auschwitz for myself.
On Saturday, our visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau made the Holocaust a little more real to me. I did not realize that many people didn’t even make it to the concentration camp because they were sent to the gas chambers immediately. Hearing about the different ways and planning that the Nazis put into murdering innocent Jews was disturbing. The crematorium burned many, and over 1500 people could be gassed at a time. We were standing in barracks and on grounds at which so many people were murdered.
One thing that particularly got to me was seeing two tons of human hair from the heads of concentration camp victims. To think that hair was used in carpets and blankets seems so inhumane. Also, all items belonging to children added extra emphasis to the fact that these were innocent people who did absolutely nothing to deserve death. Twenty percent of those who were murdered were children.
Overall, the attitude of our group while on the tour was somber. Because of all of the other tourists, the whole place seemed less real to me. I almost feel like I should have been impacted to a greater extent. And although we need to remember the innocent victims of the Holocaust, I believe that it’s also important to move on to the present and future by preventing similar occurrences from happening. The memorial in Birkenau read, “For ever let this place be a cry of despair and a warning to humanity, where the Nazis murdered about one and a half million men, women, and children.” It saddens me to think that events like this are happening still. I am glad we could end on less of an emotionally draining note by visiting the salt mines, a tour I found very enjoyable. Poland was a beautiful country with a rich and fascinating history.
This weekend, we're sticking around Budapest. We might take a day trip, but we haven't thought about it too much... Hopefully, the following weekend, we'll go to Prague. Yay! I'm excited.
Have a good week!

I think it's time for an update.

I keep putting off updating my blog, and I'm not exactly sure why.
I've done a LOT since Slovenia..

• I've done all I need to do for my residency permit (the process was really stressful, however).
• I've figured out all the classes I'll be taking (no business classes at all!!!) and think that, academically, this semester might be a breeze.
  
• I've spent time with Rachel Roozeboom, fellow Dordt student, twice now.
  
• I've traveled to Transylvania, Romania, and stopped at about a dozen churches over the course of three days.
• I stayed with the same host family I stayed with on band tour in 2006!
• I found a pole to lick and took a picture for Ashley.
• I admired the beauty of the Carpathian mountains.
• I learned more history of a variety of churches as well as of the Roma people.
  
• I got to hang out with some pretty awesome people; however, I was happy to be back in Budapest where alone time was an option.
• I've spent more time admiring the beautiful city I live in.
• I went to see the "Little Princess" statue and the Budapest Synagogue.
  
• I visited statue park.
• I saw a football game between Bd. Honved and Ujpest FC.
• I was blocked from entering the metro station by what seemed to be the entire Budapest SWAT team.

I've had a really good last couple of weeks! I wasn't forced to drink a large quantity of palinka. I've had time to relax, and I just realized that every single sentence typed begins with I.
Disgusting.
So let me tell you something about the Roma people...
Of Hungary's ten million people, 600,000 are Roma (Gypsies). According to the Budapest Times, about half of the Roma children between ages 15 and 19 have not completed their elementary education. Therefore, many Gypsies are underqualified for jobs and are forced to live on unemployment benefits. Apparently, Antiziganism (anti-Gypsy sentiment) is on the rise in Europe. Apparently the first EU Roma Summit happened on 9/16 to try to improve the situation.
When we drove through Gypsy areas in Romania, Janos mentioned that the Gypsies always live on the edge of towns and have their own churches because it isn't socially acceptable for them to attend other churches. In 2006, we visited an orphanage and were told that most kids had Gypsy parents who couldn't afford to raise them. I'm sad for them.
Something to know/think about...
Claire

Slovenia!!

This weekend, I traveled with others to Lake Bled in Slovenia. We thought that getting to Slovenia would be relatively simple as it looked like no train changes would be necessary. However, our trip to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, involved a train followed by a bus followed by another train due to construction. Transportation in a foreign country, especially in Hungary, is complicated because communicating can be a challenge. On the train, the Hungarian ticket collector was very helpful by telling us when we needed to transfer. I have observed similar instances in Budapest since I’ve been here. For example, the nose pad of my glasses broke off last weekend. I brought them to my Hungarian language instructor, Kati, so I could figure out where I’d get them fixed. Instead of just telling me where I might go, she offered to bring me there. I appreciate Hungarian kindness very much!

Continuing my account of this weekend’s trip, the bus was not air conditioned, and the ride was very rough as we sped down Hungary’s curved country roads. In general, Hungarians seem to drive faster and more abruptly. Also, one of the speakers was making a crackling noise the whole time. The man who’s head was under the speaker was getting so irritated that he ended up jabbing it with a pair of small scissors and pulling out the insides. The crackling noise definitely stopped. The whole situation was pretty hilarious.

We arrived in Ljubljana around 21:45 on Thursday evening and didn’t locate where we could buy tickets until after it had closed at 22:00. So, we decided to eat Bureks, traditional Slovenian street food. We were all very hungry after the nine hour train ride. We ended up buying tickets on the train. Two Slovenian guys spoke great English and helped us figure out how to get tickets and at which stop we’d need to get off. Once we arrived in Bled at 1:30 in the morning, we finally got hold of a taxi driver (the last number we could find). The taxi driver asked us what we would have done had he not been available to drive us. Our answer? We would have had to sleep in the train station because our hostel was a good distance from the train station.

We arrived at the hostel around 1:43 and were very ready for bed. Damien, the owner of the hostel greeted us warmly even so late at night. The hospitality of Central Europeans was apparent once more.

The next morning, we enjoyed a good breakfast and were driven by Damien into Bled. We walked around the lake on the perfect, sunny, seventy-degree day. The walk took a good couple hours. We all took multiple pictures of the same sights (i.e. the castle and church) from slightly different angles.

We later walked up to the castle and rowed a boat to the church. While rowing back, we spotted what we believed to be the Slovenian crew team practicing on Lake Bled.

Everywhere we went, people were very helpful and spoke English, for the most part. I had to fight back the urge to respond with “thank you” or “yes” in Hungarian. Although it started to pour after we rowed back in, our day in Bled was a success. In the evening, we went back to the hostel and took advantage of the six euro three-course meal we were offered by our hostel. The food was delicious!

The next morning, Stephanie and I tried to ride bikes through the streets of the cute town our hostel was in, but it began to rain. We ended up at a local coffee shop called Bistro Noc. It was good to experience a little local culture at local prices. Around noon, four of us went horseback riding through the mountains. The ride was a little more advanced than I expected. We trotted quite a few times, went through streams, and rode up and down plenty of steep inclines.

At 17:00, we took a train back to Ljubljana. Stephanie, Sarah, and I decided to explore Ljubljana a little. Here, I decided that Slovenia was definitely one of the most beautiful countries I had ever been to. On our train ride back to Budapest, I could not get enough of the beautiful countryside. The wealth of the country could also be seen by the shops in the city’s center, the way people dressed, and in the prices of everything.

In Professor Smidt’s class this past week, we were told to write down countries we viewed as part of Central Europe and as part of Eastern Europe. Geographically and culturally, I have decided that Slovenia should be classified as Central Europe for aforementioned reasons. After finishing assigned reading for this next weekend, it seems like Slovenia, being on the western edge of formerly communist countries, was less affected by the devastation wars had on many other ex-communist countries. Slovenia has a high-income developed economy and has the second highest GDP per capita of new EU countries. Perhaps, being less affected by wars is why their economy is fairly strong.

Well despite my wonderful trip to Slovenia, I am happy to be back to the fo

rint and beautiful Budapest!

OOH!! And I finally got peanut butter!!!! Hungary just hasn't gotten that memo yet.

p.s. I hope to put more pictures on Picasa soon!!

Slovenia?!

So, I just purchased a train ticket to Slovenia. Six of us will be headed to Lake Bled. Did I mention that we'll also be right by the Julian ALPS?! Holy cow, I'm excited. We'll actually be spending two days in Bled, and long train rides are involved. BUT I really think it will be worth it! We're looking at hostels now...

These past few days have been pretty uneventful because of the oppressive heat. Last night it rained and everything really cooled down! Huzzah!

Tonight, our first class with Prof Smidt happens. This week, I need to figure out all of my other classes also... Oh boy.

End of week two?!

Meet my roommates... Stephanie, me, Leah, and Elizabeth. They are all pretty awesome!
The group has a whole half of a floor so we tend to commingle. I have been here for almost two weeks and am still very excited about the fact. Everyone gets along despite the fact that we have many different types of people. However, I am a little disappointed about all I'm missing out on at Dordt this coming semester. I keep getting e-mails for choir, band, etc.
Hey, don't forget to keep checking my photos (under links) because I put more up about every other day! I think I will begin to create albums by date instead of having one big one. It should be easier that way, eh? Yeah, I think so...
So, yesterday, a group of us walked up St. Gellert hill after dinner at Prof Smidt's apartment. Afterward, I went with Elizabeth and Liz to these really awesome slides! It was pretty dark but definitely a worthwhile adventure! For class today, we went on scavenger hunts (with instructions in Hungarian, of course) on castle hill. My group finished first. :) I was pretty proud of the fact..
Later, we went to Corvinus University (where I plan on taking two electives). The facilities are very nice, and I'm super excited about that! We were also shown where many cheaper restaurants around Corvinus can be found. The university happens to be by one of the nagy (large), olcso (cheap) markets as well!
Afterward, I went to the market with Stephanie and Liz for some alma (apples) and paprika (peppers).
p.s. The next three days have high temps from 88 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit. Fun.

My mom made a request for a picture of my roommates and I. This is the closest thing I have to it as two out of three of my roommates are in this picture. Yep. Just me and my friends sitting in front of the Danube.
I also have a few comments on Budapest:
1. Our internet connection is very slow, especially when everyone decides to use it at the same time.
2. I love this city, but still feel like a tourist.
3. I am getting excited for potential weekend trips we've been talking about. I'm going on a day trip to Eger, Hungary tomorrow.
4. I can and did buy things from a market in Hungarian, specifically peaches, onions, and banana chips. (Huzzah!)
5. Peaches in Hungarian is oszibarack and reminds everyone of Barack Obama.
6. My allergies are bugging me a LOT (and I'm not the only one).
7. It's hard not to snack when you have European chocolate, delicious bread, and nutella at your fingertips.

Seven is a good number to stop at. It's our room number. To request the key, we say "Kerem a hetes kulcsot."
Ok, that's enough for tonight

Another Update: A lot has happened, so I'll try to give a brief summary since I have to study my Hungarian words. On Sunday, we attended an English-speaking Church of Scotland. They fed us a meal afterwards! Nice people. We had a little interaction with Hungarians. We then went to the supermarket, Auchan. On Sunday evening, I went an adventure with friends Liz, Liz, and Stephanie. We ended up wandering up Castle Hill and to the Fisherman's Bastion. As we were leaving, a choir started singing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" in a language different than Hungarian and English. They then sang "How Great Thou Art." That was a pretty awesome experience.
On Monday, the group went to register at BME, our host university. Later, I ended up going with friends to a pretty sweet restaurant called Szimple. The food was good and cheap. It only took us 90 minutes to find. Yeah, we seem to be pretty good at not finding where we want to go. Hey, at least we're seeing/walking around more of Budapest.
This morning, Stephanie, Sarah, and I found a excellent coffeehouse (Central) with no problems! It involved riding Train 18, transferring to Tram 4 and then transferring again to the blue metro line. We were pretty impressed with ourselves. At two today, we started our Hungarian classes. I'm pretty excited, but we'll have a quiz everyday which I'm not as excited about. I have a lot of work to do...
After class, I went with Liz to Auchan. Unfortunately, we got on the wrong train by accident. The mistake cost us probably at least an hour of our time, but we did find a pretty awesome park. :) We did some walking, more train riding, and more walking...
Although I haven't been eating too much food, I've been eating SO much chocolate. We've all been enjoying our Boci and Kinder chocolates a little too much.
Tonight, we aren't really doing anything. I'm excited for that since I wanted to catch up on my blog as well as study some specific words we learned today.
It was interesting to learn some additions they have to their alphabet. I've been having fun reading Hungarian words around town.
Another thing I did today was try to get some allergy medicine! I went to the patika (pharmacy), but they didn't speak Hungarian. Therefore, I'm not sure if all they gave me will work.
I'm getting along with everyone which is excellent! We're already talking about a day trip for Saturday to Eger which is in the Northeastern part of Hungary. I am super excited.
Ok, I'm done for now. Time to start studying!!!

I'll leave you with four pictures - one from the last four days (and people pictures to come!!).

Fun and exciting

Ok. It is currently 12:27 a.m., and I'm apparently not adapted to the time change yet. Actually seven of us are sitting in the "living area" of the apartment using the wireless we've got connected.
Here's more of an update now that I'm back on my own computer.
We left from Grand Rapids at 7 p.m. on Thursday but arrived around 4:45 to meet the whole group. It was pretty frightening, but I survived. After we arrived in Detroit, we had about an hour before our 8 hour flight to Amsterdam where we waited two more hours for our flight to Budapest. We finally arrived around 2:00 p.m. (Hungarian time) on Friday. p.s. I decided that the Calvin students I'm with are really nice which makes this whole going-without-knowing-anyone thing a bit easier. Ok, for rooming, we all just picked out beds which I was pretty nervous about (since I didn't know anyone really well), but I ended with Leah, Elizabeth, and Stephanie who are all pretty awesome. For dinner on Friday, almost all of us walked over to a restaurant a block down the street. Since they were serving 16 of us who spoke little to no Hungarian, it took us at least 2 hours to get fed. Bummer.
We were all pretty tired after less than four hours of sleep on the plane so we went to sleep and woke up 11 hours later.
Today, we used public transportation, got groceries, and met with some Hungarian students from one of the universities. In the evening, we decided to go into Pest (we're living in the Buda side). We finally got to see more of the city!! Very exciting. I took pictures (as did everyone else) and will be sure to put some up once they're on my computer.
Anyway, I'm having a good time so far!! It still doesn't feel like I'll be spending a semester here, and it's weird to not know any of my roommates or friends at the beginning. In time, though, it will become more familiar and comfortable to me. Honestly, it kind of feels like summer camp. Weird. Once I get into a routine, it will feel more like a semester.
I can't believe I'm living in a big city!
FYI - Don't worry... I don't plan to write about every single day in the future, but for the first couple, I thought it'd be alright. :)
I think I'm finished for tonight. Hope all is well with everyone!!

i am here!!

I made it to Budapest yesterday!
I am using a public computer so I should not be on for too long. I havent figured out the Hungarian keyboard completely either. I also have to still figure out if I can get wireless.
I will say more about the trip later...
here are a few things:
1. The trip was really long
2. I´ve met new friends
3. I am currently drinking carbonated water
Again, more to come.

If anyone happens to be interested in sending me mail while I'm in Hungary, one could do so with the following address:

Claire McWilliams
Bethlen Gábor Kollegium
1116 Budapest
Temesvár utca 18
HUNGARY

Yep. :)

Adventures, please!

TWO weeks until Hungary!
FYI -- Pictures will be posted to my Picassa web album.
http://picasaweb.google.com/clrmcwll
To tide you over, I've put up pictures from my first trip to Eastern Europe!
Enjoy!

In 36 days, I will be flying to Hungary for 4 months. Woohoo!