Settling into Buda

I've been in Budapest now for a week. So far I'm loving it here. I miss Russia a lot, especially all the wonderful people I met there. It's been hard having to leave them behind. But, I'm moving onto greener plains here in Budapest and I've already made great friends here! Once more into the breach dear friends, the breach being those awkward few weeks when you meet new people, can't remember their names and all ask the same questions - "where are you from?", "what do you study?" and others. It's all amusing. 

First night in the hostel with biscuits & yogurt for dinner! 

My hostel experience was perfectly fine and unlike all the movies I've watched about European hostels.  Though I set about finding a flat immediately. Luckily there's a group on Facebook for all of the Exchange students and there are a bunch of people advertising for new flatmates or people to share with. I messaged a bunch of people and the first flat that I went to view I took. It is such a nice place and perfect for me. I'm living with 3 other people, 2 boys & 1 girl. It's basically like the G8/Nato/EU in terms of nationalities though - France, Holland, Belgium & the UK/US - but I'm skeptical about whether Belgium are in the G8....!

St Stephen's Cathedral located in Pest right near the river.

We live in District VII, on the Pest side of the Danube, which is the Jewish Quarter of the city too, hence the 3 or 4 synagogues dotted around me! Apparently my District is the coolest district of the whole Budapest! Kudos to me for picking it. We have 4 bedrooms, a large kitchen/lounge with a balcony and a bathroom. All the flats here have super high ceilings & doors for giants. They're usually all built around a courtyard and so the middle of the building is hollow in that sense. This means that once you're inside the building, you're technically still outside so it's just as cold! We have a big gate on our door & then our front door - it's special security because all the doors here are easy to open. The only slight faux pas is that we live in the 3rd floor....with no elevator. However, I have decided that this will be good for me in the end! 

I've spent the past week partaking in various meetings & social activities organized by our University & the Erasmus network. Safe to say that the level of pastoral care here in Budapest far out weighs that of Russia, but they do get funding from the EU so there is a certain level of motivation. I've been given so many pamphlets, magazines, maps and other information about Hungary, Budapest - I haven't even had a chance to read them all! We've had tours of the Parliament, of Buda and of Pest, orientation sessions with name games & other such fun, a Welcome Party, a pub crawl. Safe to say my kidneys & liver are very unhappy with me at the moment. 

Hungarian Parliament & their House of Lords (but they have a uni-cameral system so it's just for show)

The one most memorable moment of the week has to be ordering Pizza at 4.30am and not speaking a word of Hungarian, bar PIZZA? Then not being able to open the bolts on the door to actually receive our pizza, whilst the quiet Hungarian delivery man waited outside for us. His face was a picture, but he said "very good safeties" and handed over the pizza. Once you master how to order takeout in a foreign country you can pretty much master anything you set your heart to! Hungarian is still like Vulcan to me at the moment, but I know how to say thank you, and certain subway & tram stops. I'm picking it up, but it's difficult given my brain wants to speak Russian. 


So far. I LOVE Budapest and I definitely won't be living in London once I've finished university.