1. My step project was a Global May study abroad program in Budapest, Hungary. We attended classes in the morning at Budapest Metropolitan University and explored famous monuments and landmarks in Budapest in the afternoon. During the weekends, we also travelled to other countries including Slovakia, Poland, and Austria.
2. Before this trip, I had never travelled to Central or Eastern Europe before. I assumed that the area would be less developed and poorer than Western Europe. My viewpoint on this totally changed during my time in Budapest. Although Budapest may not be as well known as cities like London or Paris, it is definitely just as beautiful. There are also so, so many things to do and activities to enjoy – much more than I ever would have expected. To name just a few: the Parliament building, the view by the Danube River, Hero’s Square, the thermal baths…the list goes on and on. I had severely underestimated everything Central/Eastern Europe had to offer I’m glad my time in Budapest showed me just how wrong I was.
3. One event that helped me change my world view regarding Central/Eastern Europe was trying traditional Hungarian foods. I was now eating traditional Hungarian dishes rather than the typical American food I was used to and I discovered I really loved Hungarian food. The two meals I enjoyed the most in Hungary were goulash and langos. Of the two, I think langos really changed my perspective on Hungarian food. Before trying it, I was definitely a little nervous. Deep-fried dough with only sour cream and cheese didn’t sound the most appetizing to me, but I kept an open mind and ended up thoroughly enjoying it. This experience definitely showed me that just because I’ve never tried a food before, or even though it may sound peculiar, in no way means it’s bad! After that experience, I started actively trying more traditional Hungarian foods I wasn’t familiar with before. Another example of this is when I tried different Hungarian snacks, like ketchup Cheetos. Every time I told my friends of this back home, their reactions were all pretty much the same. “Ketchup Cheetos??? That sounds disgusting!!” Initially, I thought so too but I have to admit I ended up really enjoying them. And I also plan on buying more and bringing them back to the states for my friends and family to at least taste them!
Another event that changed my perspective on Hungary was walking around Budapest and learning about the history of the statues, memorials, and parks located all around the city. Although I knew Hungary had a much longer and older history than the US, I was still unprepared for the sheer number of statues, memorials, and monuments erected everywhere. One of the main things I learned was how to analyze and interpret statues and their placements. After going on all the tours with Dr. Pratt, I realized that there was a purpose to almost every aspect of statues, down to the placement of the statue, the direction it’s pointing at, even if the statue has words on it or not. I learned to look at statues in a much more critical way. This skill is something I know I will carry for the rest of my life and is applicable in virtually any environment, even the monuments located on our very own Ohio State campus. I also learned that monuments could be constructed in a top down way (initiated by either the government or higher powers) or bottom up (constructed by individual civilians and citizens).
Lastly, both the inside and outside of buildings and residential areas in Budapest have drastically changed the way I think of space and how people interact with the space around them. Before this trip, I definitely thought that the bigger a room or building was, the better. After adventuring around various cafes and teahouses in Budapest, however, I realized that so much more could be done with smaller spaces as well. Most cafes and coffee shops typically had 2 floors connected with a very narrow stairwell. The space on the second level was still organized pretty effectively, however, either with the placement of a single bar type seating or tables clustered together.It was pretty different from how buildings are structured in the US. This experience continued to shape my transformative experience in Budapest.
4. This trip completely changed who I am as a person. I have had the time of my life throughout this trip. It opened my eyes to a new lifestyle and culture, one that I was extremely unfamiliar with before. My personal and professional goals have always revolved around becoming more open to diverse experiences and challenging myself in new ways. I learned to test my comfort zones by trying new foods, traveling to other countries on the weekends, and learning a little bit of the Hungarian language. I met the most incredible people (both from Ohio State and also Hungarian locals), tasted amazing food, and saw some breathtaking places. Leaving Budapest was definitely hard, but I know I returned to the US a changed person, with greater worldwide experience and knowledge and I am thankful for every single one of my experiences that I made in Budapest. Until next time!
Finally, if you’re interested, I also kept a blog throughout the trip: feeling-hungary.weebly.com