Last week was my last week of classes. As in, ever.

I mean, I could very well go back to school, but as I’m not currently planning on it I do feel a kind of finality that I didn’t when I finished undergrad. Unfortunately, that sense of sentimentality didn’t really make the week any less stressful or make me want to savor my paper writing. Now that my last paper is done and I’m moving full speed ahead into thesis writing, now I can start to appreciate the fact that going to class is a thing of the past. 

It’s kind of a relief, but also kind of sad. Part of me wants to be a student forever, but the kind of student that goes to classes and absorbs knowledge, not the kind that researches endlessly. I don’t think I’m a Ph.D. kind of person…yet. 

This semester flew by. It was really great, academically and socially. I got to know the city better, especially when my cousins were here. I finally got the hang of grad school (just in time to start my thesis, yay!) I was less homesick and did more traveling. For the most part I lived in the moment, rather than in the past or future.

One of the best things about this experience is that it’s really taught me that (for me anyway) there is no place like home. For the past several years I have thrived on traveling and moving around, but being away for so long has made me excited to get back to Albuquerque. I mean, I’ve got several months left and I plan on enjoying them to the fullest! But then I will be returning to Albuquerque with open arms, ready to start my life there. Budapest is a fantastic city and I am so grateful for this opportunity, but I’ll be ready to go in June. 

This summer I will be working in Italy with ACLE again and I can’t wait! Hopefully I’ll also be able to do some traveling before heading home in August or September. This will be the first time I’m leaving Europe with no foreseeable plans to live here again and I plan on making the most of it.

So… hello April. 

*The title of this blog comes from a Finnish pop song that I heard courtesy of Emily. Check it out. 

My cousins Melanie and Michaela left Budapest one week ago. We stuffed our eight days so full that it feels like we never stopped to catch our breath. I’m sure no one else will read this extremely long narration, but we did so much that I feel like this post is a condensed version of many of the things I’ve done in Budapest so far. And since Michaela and Melanie are the only ones who ever read this blog anyway, I figured it would be worth it.

Leading up to their arrival I was like a kid on Christmas Eve. For days before I was cleaning, grocery shopping, and scrambling to get ahead with schoolwork. The metro and bus rides to the airport seemed to last forever. This is straight out of Love Actually, but airport arrival gates are just the best! M&M were almost the last ones out, giving my excitement plenty of time to build as I watched others partake in joyful and tearful reunions. So of course I cried like a baby when I saw them.

That night (and every night!) we had a delicious and leisurely dinner.  One of the best parts of the week was the food. Long meals are a normal occurrence here (especially when you order a bottle of wine and at least one after dinner cocktail), which was a new and fun experience for them. After dinner (and after stopping to do my favorite thing: visit the Danube at night), we went to Ötkert, a popular club/bar nearby, where they got a firsthand taste of the worst kind of Hungarian men: the kind who cut in line, talk about you because they know you don’t understand, and are not afraid to get handsy. They aren’t all like that, but they do all seem to be at this particular bar.

Our second day got off to a relaxing start with brunch and mimosas at my apartment. Then we walked down Vaci utca, one of the big shopping streets. One of the first things we saw was this sign at LUSH: 

The saleswoman (by the way, I love going to LUSH because they are one of the only places where the salespeople are always friendly. I always end up leaving with more than I came for. That is the purpose of good customer service!) tried to explain what the sign meant and told us they were raising money for “fertilization of animals.” What she meant was that they were raising money for stray animals to be spayed/neutered. Of course I bought the promotional soap, for the animals. I also bought this:

From there we headed to the big Central Market Hall, which has stands and booths selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat. The upstairs is full of Hungarian souvenirs like lace, ceramics, leather, and “secret boxes.” It’s a fun and interesting place, and I should go there more.

After we left, we stumbled upon a mini street market (in honor of spring, I suppose. There are always street markets here and I love it!) and had a special snack: mulled wine and Kürtőskalács. It was the first of many cups of mulled wine for us.

For dinner we went to Café Kor, a favorite restaurant of mine despite the fact that all I can order is a salad with cheese and a side of croquettes. The non-vegetarians all enjoyed their delicious-looking, meat-filled meals. Seriously, if I go there one more time my fragile vegetarianism will be in jeopardy. Just kidding. Maybe.

We bounced around after that, ending up at a “ruin bar” called Instant. Ruin bars are multi-roomed (often themed) bars in old buildings with large courtyards in the middle. I really like them because whether you just want to sit and chat or dance like crazy, you can generally find a room to suit you. The decor of Instant is particularly unique, and the bartenders are particularly unhelpful. Here are some flying rabbits:

On Sunday, we went into Szent István-bazilika (St. Stephen’s Basilica), which was absolutely stunning! We walked in during mass, so it was quiet and solemn despite the tourists. And of course, being the good Catholic schoolgirls that we are, we immediately recognized which part of the mass they were at even though it was in Hungarian.

After that we toured Parliament. While we waited, we perfected our photo-bombing skills:

We are seriously endlessly entertaining, at least to each other. The Parliament building was gorgeous inside, and thanks to the clear case holding the crown jewels, Michaela got to use some of the aforementioned photo-bombing skills on strangers.

That night we ate German food and drank (extremely strong) German beer. We ran into these characters, 

who serenaded us in Spanish. Just like home! After that we…went straight to bed.

Monday was Vienna day! On account of the strong German beer, we failed to plan extensively (or at all) for our trip. We literally got off the bus not even sure which part of the city we were in. Luckily, I’m pretty scrappy, and we soon ended up in the center. We got to see a lot, all of the big things, considering we were only there for six hours. Still, this photo might be the best part of the day (at least for me):

I think Vienna is the kind of place you really want to be when its sunny and green, which it most definitely was not when we were there. There are tons of huge gardens, which are just not as pretty when everything is dead and it’s raining. Still, we were all really glad we went and got to experience a new city.

On Tuesday, I accidentally didn’t go to any classes, preferring instead to sleep in. It was not the nicest day, but we decided to go to Margitsziget (a huge park island, for those who don’t keep up with my blog) as planned. And there, this happened:

Melanie was reluctant at first, but she soon realized that riding > walking alone. And those haters who laughed at us? Well, they got one too. All of our practice photo bombing paid off big time with this (unplanned) beauty:

Wednesday was a big day. First, I introduced them to strudel, which we ate in the park near my apartment. While we were eating, this Hungarian guy who looked about seventeen came over to tell us “I bring you a message from my friend. He says ‘Bon Appetit!’” And then he sped back to the others watching him. It was adorable.

We went to the Buda side for the rest of the day and explored Buda Castle, St. Mathias Church, and the ever-beautiful Fisherman’s Bastion. I forgot I had an assignment to turn in (I’m an awesome student, by the way), so while I sprinted back across the river, they took a tour of an old nuclear bunker/hospital located inside the hill. The man there was so great (I almost never say that here). Wednesday night was our “booze cruise.” To be fair, it was really a dinner cruise with the cheaper option being two drinks. It was a ninety-minute cruise up and down the mighty mighty Danube by night, with breathtaking views. My fondness for that river grows deeper every day.

On Thursday, which was a national holiday commemorating the Revolution of 1848, we took a local train to Szentendre, a town nineteen kilometers from Budapest. It’s a small but touristy town and it was packed because of the holiday. It was similar to many small European towns in that the center was largely pedestrian only, situated around a main square, with shops and restaurants everywhere. We had a fantastically fresh Hungarian meal for lunch, followed by some mulled wine (duh). It was a beautiful day, one of the first real days of spring (as evidenced by so many people eating ice cream!).

When we got back to BP we encountered masses of people wearing patriotic ribbons. We learned later that many of them were Polish people who had traveled to Hungary for the holiday to demonstrate in support of the current government. Oh, by the way, there is an enormous amount of political unrest here. There are protests and demonstrations bi-weekly, at least. Soon afer, we walked into a Jobbik (far right extremist party) march headed straight for my block. We followed behind for a while, at a safe and respectable distance so as not to be mistaken for them, until we noticed the fifty or so riot police and armoured tank following the demonstrators. That was our cue to take a different route home!

That night, at one of my favorite restaurants, we had some of the best food of our trip and also the worst experience. Imagine the best service you’ve ever had. Now think of the exact opposite. That was our waiter. He wasn’t indifferent or incompetent, he was arrogant and mean! He even tried to tell us that we didn’t really want the cocktails we ordered for dessert and that we should have some mango Aperol thing instead. Please sir, I know the difference between an aperitif and a digestif. Afterwards, we made our way to a bar and had the best cocktails of our lives!

Our final day we went to the Szechenyi baths. The sun was out and it was a beautiful spring day. We had massages (no chocolate this time!) and lounged about all day in the warm sun (finally!) and warm water. We met two Irish guys who entertained us with their accents and wit, and took us to dinner and an Irish bar to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Eve. It was some good craic, that’s for sure! 

All good things must come to an end. If arrival gates are the best, airport security is one of the worst.

Even now, I can’t stop reliving our time together. I must have looked at our pictures dozens of times already. My room feels too big without two extra people squeezed into it, my apartment far too quiet. Luckily, I know this is only the beginning of our adventures together!

tomyhusband:

Our kids will speak multiple languages. They will have passports before they have driver’s licenses. They will be cooler than us.

Two weeks ago I went to Berlin for the first time. To be honest, I hadn’t thought much about Berlin when making my wish list of places to visit, but Emily and I were due for a Frenaissance and Airberlin offers extremely affordable flights from Budapest. My expectations were nonexistent, but even if they had been sky high I don’t think this city could have disappointed. I was really sad to leave after just three short days. 

First of all, Airberlin is maybe my favorite airline after Icelandair. Not that the bar is very high for airlines these days, but they are so nice, they let you check bags for free, and when you get off the plane they give you big chocolate hearts. Also they have three different kinds of champagne! (And they look at you like you’re crazy if you try to pay in Hungarian Forints.) Side note- I got completely frisked at airport security both to and from Berlin. It was…intimate.  

I loved pretty much everything in Berlin and there are so many things I didn’t get to. Here is my top 5 list:

5. The Food

I would fly back to Berlin right now just for the food. Being a vegetarian in Berlin is significantly more delicious than in Budapest, where baked cheese is sometimes the only meatless thing on the menu. German food is like comfort food, super carby and rich. We mostly ate in pubs, including one that had beer taps built into the table (Win!). The soft pretzels were far superior to the mall pretzels I’m used to and we had some delicious beer flights. Also they had skim milk there, which does not exist in Hungary, so I had at least one latte per day. 

4. Reichstag

We took a tour of the German parliament (Bundestag) building on our last night in Berlin. The building itself is really interesting because the inside is very modern, having been recently remodeled. Still, it is an old building with a rich history (at least 1,000 babies were born there during WWII!), which you can literally see written on the walls (graffiti from when the Red Army took Berlin in May, 1945):

The most interesting part of the tour is the dome, which is super energy efficient and also completely transparent. As we climbed circularly up the transparent dome an audio guide told us about the various buildings we could see. From the inside of the dome you can also look down directly into the chamber of parliament and see what they’re up to! 

3. The Hamburger Bahnhof Museum

To be honest, when I have such a short time in a city I don’t usually want to spend a lot that time in art museums. Not that I don’t enjoy them, but they take up a lot of time and  it’s easy for me to get burnt out. And Berlin has A LOT of museums. We chose this one because Emily had heard about a temporary exhibit called “Cloud Cities,” where you can roam around in these suspended cloud type bubble things. Unfortunately it closed one week before we got there, which was devastating. We could even see them dismantling the exhibit, what a tease. But we stayed and explored the museum anyway and I’m really glad we did! 

The museum is a converted old train station (always a good idea for a museum) with an impeccable layout and fantastic lighting. The huge entryway is where the “Cloud Cities” exhibit would have been. I highly recommend this museum. The exhibits are diverse and interesting, and it only takes an hour or two to see everything. 

For some reason, one of the exhibits was a 17 minute clip of this film:

To be honest I don’t have a very clear idea of what the film is about (love), but it features at least one fantastic song, awkward scene transitions, and bright, patterned wallpaper in every room. I can’t wait to watch the whole thing. 

2. East Side Gallery

So being in Berlin, one sees pieces of the Berlin wall pretty frequently. Now, I don’t know how many of you know this but Chapman University boasts the biggest piece of the Berlin Wall in the Western Hemisphere. So I walked past a pretty sizable slab of the Wall almost daily for four years. Consequently I was less impressed by the scattered individual pieces than I should have been. 

The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining segment of the Wall and the world’s largest open air art gallery. Artists from all over the world have contributed to this 1.3 km stretch of the Wall, also called the International Memorial for Freedom. There is nothing unimpressive about this. Here is one of the most famous images, called “My God, help me to survive this deadly love.” 

1. The Free Walking Tour

I’ve taken several Free Walking Tours in various cities and I highly recommend them. The guides are working for tips so they tend to be very charismatic, knowledgeable, and high-energy. This tour began at the Brandenburg Gate (above) and ended on Museum Island, stopping at various locations along the way. Some of the things we saw were the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the carpark that is located above Hitler’s destroyed bunker, Checkpoint Charlie, Babelplatz (where the books were burned in 1933), and so much more! Our guide was so in love with the city and it really showed. 

Oh gosh. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Berlin.

It hit me today that I’ve been in Budapest for over five months. It was a strange realization. I stopped feeling like a visitor months ago, but I don’t yet feel completely at home either. Even more striking, I realized that five months from right now I will almost certainly be gone from here. Last summer feels like both ages and minutes ago. Time is a funny thing. Now that the end is in sight, I finally feel like I’m exactly where I belong. 

It’s kind of unfortunate that so many experiences require an adjustment period. I’m finally living in the moment this semester, but I can honestly say that that was rarely the case two months ago. My first semester here will, in my mind, always be a time of unforeseen and necessary growth, but also one of surprising loneliness. I wouldn’t call it a happy time, but I’m also extremely thankful for it.

Going home for Christmas gave me time to heal, to reflect, and to catch a glimpse of the safety net that makes this adventure possible. I love my home, my family, my friends. And the Lobos.

I came back ready to take on this semester and my thesis, and to really really love it. And I do! I’m YESwoman-ing like crazy (like in that Jim Carrey movie where he says yes to everything and his life becomes so much better), school is going so well, and Budapest is lovelier than ever! There is so much left to do here, so many things I haven’t seen yet. 

I have great friends here. I don’t think I fully embraced that last semester. I’m surrounded by smart, powerful people (most of them women) who challenge and inspire me every day. And we have a lot of fun together! 

Also, it SNOWED this week for a whole day and then some! I was in heaven. This is the first snow of my life that has stayed on the ground for more than 48 hours. Of course, in the desert you don’t learn that three day old snow is kind of gross. Stepping gingerly through sludge is not as fun as crunching satisfactorily through fresh snow. Still…

(I did not take this picture)

Speaking of the Danube, one of my absolute favorite moments of this semester so far happened on its banks. Wonderful Emily was visiting me days after I got back from the States, and I got to see the city through fresh eyes again. We wandered, went to the opera, and Frenaissanced. Late one night, walking along the mighty, mighty Danube, all ablaze with the reflection of Parliament, the Buda Castle, and Fishermen’s Bastion, we marveled at how far we’ve come since leaving New York City together in August. 

And then we decided to move to London. I’ll let you know how that goes.

The weekend before I was due home, I decided meet my Boo Emily and my Little Ass* Daniel for 48 hours of fun in London. It was a quick trip, but it was everything I needed and more, the perfect end to a stressful and challenging month. We basically wandered by day and hung out in pubs by night. It’s a wonderful city and I definitely plan on spending much more time there in the future! 

*You know how in Greek life they have Bigs/Lils? It’s like that, but in College Democrats. 

The most exciting (not in a good way) part of the trip occurred right before I was due to leave. I had to take a bus from Victoria Station to London Luton airport, which is a little more than an hour from the city. The bus driver attempted to ruin Christmas for me (literally, as I was flying home from Budapest early the next morning and COULD NOT miss my flight from London) by saying that my reservation wasn’t valid because all his Easybus seats were taken, despite the fact that the bus was COMPLETELY EMPTY. So I was in tears, like actually crying, asking what I should do and he told me (with plenty of “Sorry darling”s and “I don’t know what to tell you love”s which he obviously DID NOT MEAN) to buy a new ticket. I did not have 16 pounds in cash, so I ran to a cash machine and it only took Visa cards, which I don’t have. So finally I found somewhere to buy tickets with a card and got a ticket for the 5:40 bus.