Welcome to Budapest - (Blog #13)

To the next student who gets to experience the incredible city of Budapest,

The hidden gem of Europe is exactly the case. Budapest, Hungary is a beautiful city with so many beautiful and rich sites to see. When you arrive the language can feel very intimidating as it is nothing like any other European language. I promise over 75% of the city speaks English. Hungarian class is so much fun and take chances with speaking Hungarian and learning the language. 

The Danube River splits the city into two; the Buda side and the Pest side. Make sure to check out both sides because they both offer different things. The culture of the sides is different and the Buda side is more quiet with a lot of history. The Pest side is very lively and this is where you will most likely spend your time. The metro may seem intimidating at first but I promise it is super easy to use. You can get to anywhere in the city using the metro. With saying this, you can also walk anywhere. I recommend walking on the weekends to familiarize yourself with the city and then the metro station makes a lot more sense.

Dean's College Hotel is where you will stay. It truly is the nicest living situation. Everybody that works at Dean's is so helpful and they are there to help 24/7. The rooms are spotless and everything is very up to date. It is surrounded by grocery stores and cafes which makes it super easy to get food whenever you want. The building itself is located in a great area in relation to where you go to school at Corvinus University. 

Since it is a large city there are so many options for food. Whether you are a picky eater or not, you can find something that you will like. There is such a mix of cultures here that you can have all of your favorite foods. While I say this, make sure to try Hungarian food. The Drum Cafe has all kinds of traditional Hungarian food. The service is great and it is so fun to go with a group of friends when you first arrive here. The prices are also super reasonable for a large portion. 

Goulash is a Hungarian staple that is delicious and super comforting. It is similar to a beef stew in a way but every restaurant serves it differently so make sure it tries it at a couple of different places. Coming from someone who doesn't have a huge sweet tooth you must try chimney cakes. They are so delicious and so filling but such a good treat after a long day in class. All of the cafes are awesome, you can't go wrong with any of them. They all have so many types of pastries and little sandwiches. 

Obviously, I recommend all the touristy sites to see to learn about the history of the city. The Parliament building, the fisherman's bastion, and the thermal baths are all locations where you will learn something different about the country. The thermal baths are a super cool experience and there are multiple baths that you can choose from that each having its own culture to them. The Parliament Building is truly incredible and you must do a river cruise at night to see how incredible the building is when it is lit up. 

However, my two favorite places are not because they are tourist traps. When you are abroad, you are going to feel like you are constantly with people and it is common to feel overstimulated by learning about a new city. There are so many places to see, people to meet, and things to experience. I highly recommend taking a trip to Margaret Island which is located in the middle of the Danube River. This was my escape from the busy days and social interactions. The island is 3 miles around with numerous playgrounds, a walking/running path around the perimeter, and many open grassy areas with beautiful flowers.

I go every single weekend to walk at Margaret Island and it is like a reset. Take time to do things that you enjoy and the beautiful island is so relaxing whether you go with friends or go walk alone. I think that taking time to do things for yourself is as important here as surrounding yourself with nature. The second location I recommend that involves a slight hike is Gellert Hill. This hill has in my opinion, the best few in the city. You can read about the Liberty Statue at the top and the view from the top is truly unlike anything you will ever see. 

You are going to feel a lot of emotions when you arrive and it is so good to take time to do things for yourself. My biggest piece of advice is that you are here for three months and just experience it all. Take risks and try all new things. There are so many opportunities here and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. While it can seem overwhelming at times it is important to know everything you feel is okay.