Exploring Buda!

Sziastzok! (yes, that is hello in Hungarian)

This week has certainly been full of adventures! I'm going to let the video do most of the work for this blog post because the scenery here is just absolutely beautiful! I really love being here, and my anxiety about not finding anyone or being prepared for courses has dissipated more with each day.

I started my Hungarian language course this week, and let me just say 3.5 hours of language class is a lot to go through, but it's really encouraging to understand the culture around me. One of my favorite phrases I learned was "Egészségére!" which means cheers, which can be heard in one of the videos I took. Another personal favorite is "köszönöm" which means thank you and that surely comes in handy. We are also learning about the Hungarian culture alongside the language which is extremely informative. Like for example, smiling isn't seen as a welcoming gesture like it is in America, it is often seen as creepy and rude here so I've had to drastically alter my temperament!

Speaking of cultural experiences, I was lucky enough to be in town for St. Stephen's Day - or Szent István nap - on August 20th, which is known as the independence day of Hungary! The day started with a walking tour in the Pest side of the city and we got to see landmarks such as St. Stephen's Basilica and the Parliament building. The rain could't keep us away! A few friends and I then decided to ride the train over to the Buda side to go to the craft market by St. Matthias church... but the day ended up going a very different direction. Public transportation was extremely slow and crowded, so we didn't end up making it to the market BUT we did go to the food festival and got to walk around the grounds of Buda Castle which was AMAZING and really made me feel like a princess. Sam, Troy, and I then decided to grab some food and go back to the Pest side to visit one of the most famous ruin bars in the city: Szimpla Kert. This place was super cool and was different than any bar I've been to in the States, and the three of us decided this was going to be our staple place to go out. Oh, and if you haven't heard of or tried Pálinka you are missing out and I get way too excited to see it on the menu. Troy just got out of quarantine Friday night so we had to show him what he's been missing out on!

The next day, Alejandro, Troy, myself, and a few other people decided to head back over to the Buda side to finally see the craft market and OMG it did not disappoint! The vendors were absolutely amazing and the goods they were selling were beautiful, and seeing so much of the culture was fantastic. We managed to go to another castle with beautiful views of the Pest side and I couldn't stop admiring the sheer beauty of the city. We decided to get Lángos - which is now my favorite Hungarian food - and it was incredibly delicious. Fried flatbread with garlic, sour cream, and cheese is just a delightful combination.

Over the weekend I walked about 18 miles but it was worth the soreness that ensued because I'm in Hungary like when is this ever going to happen again?! And when will I have the opportunity to experience these things again? My brief time in Budapest has already showed me that spontaneity is a good thing, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be here right now with these amazing people! I've included some links to points I talked about down below, and until next blog post.....

xoxo, Mackenzie

St. Stephen's Day

Buda Castle

Szimpla Kert

St. Matthias Church