I'm loving Budapest! I've been here for little over a week now and I feel very much at home already. I've got public transport down to a tee and amid the early cold, rainy weather, the gypsies and the odd streetbum smelling of alcohol there's a really nice big-city-cosmopolitan vibe. Although Budapestians seem unable to smile or take on any kind of facial expression (which to us comes accross so rude and uninterested!) I am really enjoying the place. In all honesty, the Hungarian language is extremely difficult! It's not just that you don't know any of the words or their meaning, they're simply impossible to pronounce! I'm heavily relying on the willingness of those people in the cue behind me that understand half a word of English to help me with anything from ordering drinks to getting credit for my phone.
Last week, a friend and I spent a few days exploring Budapest by hop-on-hop-off bus&boat, tram, metro, the late night taxi to get home, but mostly by foot (I've actually had thoughts about my bike at home and how handy it really is!). We've been real tourists and went to see a Hungarian State Folk Theatre performance, visited the world famous thermal baths and a park full of old communist statues, attempted to see a movie but failed miserably, explored the sziget island by duo-bike, tried Langos, drank Hungarian wine and took in the view of the city in the pooring rain. I now know that I will definitely go back to the thermal baths, don't really like the Langos but will (and have) drink more Hungarian wine and must take another look at that view.
When Kel went home on Saturday it was time for me to start sorting out an apartment. By then I'd met other exchange students and heard stories about their flathunting experiences, not necessarily very positive ones. Just as I'm about to start the search I get a text from a German girl saying she's found the most amazing flat and I must come check it out. Huge living room, spacious kitchen with dishwasher, 3 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms (!), double beds, extra beds, enough tables and chairs to host dinnerparties... In short: I live there now together with a Belgium and German girl. The only thing: next to walking 500 miles I now climb 500 stairs as well as we're on the top floor and there is no elevator!
The girls I live with are cool (Lilly, Leentje & Lauren
) and I've met some really nice people with whom we've had a few dinnerparties at our place. Also, ESN here organises lots of activities for exchange students coming to Budapest so we've explored the nightlife and played silly get-to-know-each-other games. On Monday, we had the introduction at the university (lots of talking, some useful information and drinks & party afterwards). There are 340 exchange students at Corvinus this semester, most of them studying business I think. Today is the first chill-out-in-my-apartment-day, followed by a pub crawl tonight, thermal baths tomorrow, a visit to the castle from which you have the great view of Budapest on Friday and then the Freshcamp to Lake Balaton on the weekend...!!! I have signed up for courses, really nice ones as well, and classes start on Monday (probably a good thing too!). The best part is that I have Fridays off every week and Mondays off every other week as well, which means nice long weekends with plenty of time to explore Budapest, Hungary and the surroundings! After all, it's important to get my priorities in order!
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