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.