Features
Where in the world is Ilana Schwartz ’17
By Ilana Schwartz ’17
April 14, 2016
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Last summer I had what I like to call a “mid-college crisis.” I realized that everything I was doing was wrong. All throughout my time at Hamilton, I tried to take the practical route by doing what I thought would be best for my future. Becoming an Economics major, preparing to study abroad in Spain to improve my Spanish skills and even getting an internship in a field that I was not super interested in; all lead me to where I am now—Budapest, Hungary. On July 13, 2015, I realized that I needed to start doing things that I actually cared about, rather than the things that seemed right! It was on that day that I opened up Hamilton’s list of pre-approved study abroad programs for the first time. Scrolling through, I could not believe my eyes. I felt like the entire world was my oyster—there were so many options that I had never even known about! The city that struck me at first glance was Budapest. I honestly don’t even know why I was so immediately interested, but without even doing any research, I started my application for the spring semester. This was the first time I had done something so spontaneous, and it really felt incredible.
When I arrived in Budapest, I had no idea what to expect, given the limited amount of research I had done prior to my departure. I did not even know a single Hungarian word! I won’t lie, the first few days were a struggle. I live in an apartment with three other girls who are from all around America. On the first night, only hours after arrival, we had been told to meet for the first orientation session. Unfortunately, the program director did not give us very specific directions and of course we did not yet know our way around the city. We found ourselves lost on “Vag Street,” which was an hour out of the way from where we were supposed to be! We could not even ask for directions, because finding people who speak English in Budapest can sometimes be hard.
Taking showers is also interesting because our apartment does not have a shower curtain. Our water is heated by a “space heater” that has an open flame, so a shower curtain is considered a “fire hazard.” But it only took several days to get used to small differences like these and realize that Budapest is without a doubt my favorite city that I have ever been to.
I am a student at Corvinus University of Budapest, which was actually called Karl Marx University during the communist regime. It is a Hungarian school for business and economics. No, my classes are not in Hungarian (there’s no way I’d pass), since I am enrolled in the international students program, but I am taking a Hungarian language course. It is a very difficult language to learn, coming from an English background, because it is in the Uralic language family so even the alphabet is new and different. However, I have learned a lot of practical sayings, like how to ask for directions or buy things in a grocery store. In case you are curious, the longest word in the Hungarian language is “megszentségtelenithetetlenségeitekét,” pronounced meg-cent-sheg-teleneeth-ehteht-lensheg-eeteket, and it does not really have a clear English translation. Try saying it in one breath … it is impossible!
I am taking four other classes, all of which are about Hungarian and European Union politics and economics. One of my professors is named Péter Ákos Bod, and he is a very well established economist who was the governor of the Hungarian National Bank right after the communist regime ended. His signature used to be on one of the Forint bills. It is as if he is Hungary’s Alexander Hamilton.
You probably do not know much about Budapest, so let me explain why it is truly amazing. First of all, Hungary is a food melting pot, which works perfectly for me because I am always hungry. Being the foodie that I am, I have made eating my way through Europe a priority. I can find literally anything, from sushi to pizza to burgers and of course plenty of traditional Hungarian food. My favorite Hungarian dish is goulash, a beef and vegetable soup that is heavily seasoned with paprika. Another common food in Hungarian restaurants is fried cheese, which is obviously delicious and right up my alley. Luckily, prices are very cheap. The currency is the Hungarian forint (HUF) and 280 HUF is equal to approximately $1, so going out for meals does not burn a huge hole in my wallet, giving me the chance to try so many new things!
Following the horror of the Holocaust, Budapest’s Jewish District became a slum with abandoned buildings lining the streets. Entrepreneurs in the area decided to turn these buildings into bars as a means of making a living, and it turned out to be a very successful business venture! This is how Budapest’s “ruin pubs” formed throughout the Jewish District, helping the neighborhood develop into a vibrant scene at night. Ruin pubs are very Hungarian; I do not think you can find anything like them anywhere else in the world. Nowadays, the ruin pubs vary in style. Some are like bars and others are more like clubs, but either way they are all very eclectic, as if someone went digging through a junkyard to find art for the walls. The vibes in each one are amazing and they are truly unique to Budapest.
Hungary has so much rich history. As a member of the losing side of nearly every war that it participated in, Hungary’s history is certainly tragic, but is quite fascinating to learn about, especially from tour guides and professors who have lived through some of the country’s darkest times. I do not want to go into a history lesson here, but I will say that the communist regime ended only 27 years ago and there are still remains of this history that can be seen throughout the city. As a member of the Soviet Union’s eastern bloc until 1989, there was a lot of social, economic, and political unrest in Hungary. Whether you look at the architecture and poor conditions of some buildings scattered around the city, the hammer and sickle symbol engraved in bricks used to construct these buildings, or the many monuments commemorating the failed 1956 revolution against the Soviets, it is evident that living conditions were less than ideal during the regime. Although the country has a fairly long way to go to fully grow out of the residual impact of communism, it has definitely progressed very far towards a market economy and more modern society.
Hungary is located in Central Europe, which makes traveling by both plane and train very easy. I have had the opportunity to go to many places, and I have many more trips planned, but I miss Budapest more and more each time I leave. I could not be more thankful that I ended up here, and I think I have to give some credit to fate, since I did not put much thought into my decision in the first place!