Budapest: Hidden Gem of Europe Past Review
By Noah V (Theatre/Economics, Trinity University) - abroad from 01/29/2012 to 05/23/2012 with
CIEE: Budapest - Business + European Studies
Absolutely worthwhile. I learned quite a bit about Hungary itself, the history and current state of the EU, and a bit of Hungarian language. From the experience, I learned a lot about myself and what I desire out my life experiences. I gained so much from all the people I met, every week I would end up meeting and speaking with someone from a different country.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes were enjoyable and instructive. The rigor was far less than what I am used to at Trinity. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location of the dorm we stayed in was prime; very close to the 24hr tram and other elements of the public transport system. The primary drawback was that the rooms were quite small and it became difficult to share that space with two other roommates. If I had a second chance of the program, I would take the dorm again simply because of the location value. |
| * Food: |
Hungarian food is great! While it is very rich and heavy on the red meats I never got tired of it. It also helped that food costs (for me, as an American) were considerably lower. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very much so. Part of that was due to the program and part was due to my own active involvement in local activities (such as the volunteer works I secured for myself at the Trafo House of Contemporary Arts). |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never got terribly ill so it is hard to say. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe walking around Budapest, day or night. I did have my camera stolen from my coat one night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Going from the American Dollar to the Hungarian Forint had its benefits. Food was very much cheaper. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Stay out of the Euro zone |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Everyone was required to take the Hungarian language course, which was basically 'survival Hungarian'. Some students chose to utilize the course work outside of the class, but many did not. I took pride in each time I was able to use my limited Hungarian with a local. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Really depends on the country. For Budapest, a little bit of study of basic phrases might help. The fact is, English is very prevalent in the city, especially among the youth. While this is not an excuse to ignore the language portion of the program, it is a significant advantage to us Americans. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Should of brought more clothes |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
