Budapest, Hungary

Budapest was one of my favorite cities on the trip, right behind Krakow! An aspect of the city’s geography I found interesting was regarding the Westend City Centre we went to. A group presented and this and I found all the information they shared with us interesting. We learned that the mall is very different than with everything was like under communism (Hungary was once controlled by the Nazis and then the Communists). It was built in 1999 and was different than anything Hungarians were used to. The mall is very “Westernized.” The stores are department stores, just like the ones we have in the United States. They have no Hungarian culture to them. We learned about the geography term “placelessness,” which means a person cannot tell where you are based on your surroundings. So if I did not know I was in Budapest ahead of time when I was in the mall, I would not have been able to know I was in Budapest from being in the mall.

 

My favorite academic experience was the Terror Museum. The museum gave such great information! I love going to the history museums in the cities we go to—it gives a good background to understand what the city has been through. I did not know much about the history of Budapest and I was intrigued by all it has been through! The building the museum was held in was once the headquarters of the Hungarian Nazis. Then, the communist terror organizations took over the building and it because the house of terror and dread. Hungary had a double occupation—first the Nazis, then the Communists. During this time, the parties were trying to go about with “ethnic cleansing.” This was what the Holocaust was about. It is so, so sad.

Another academic experience I enjoyed was going to a synagogue and the your we had! We learned that 300,000 Jews used to live in Budapest. Now, only 100,000 do. The same goes with the synagogues—there are much fewer than there used to be. Jews were forced to live in the ghetto of Budapest in inhumane conditions. Eventually many Jewish people were sent to Auschwitz. Of the few that survived, it took them 2-3 years to return to Budapest because they got no help getting there. When they returned, their properties had been taken over.

 

I also really enjoyed going to the Hungarian Folk concert! I didn’t think I would like this, but I ended up loving it! I enjoyed watching it so much better than watching an opera or orchestra play. It just seemed more REAL! The performers were having so much fun on stage, which made us enjoy it all that much more! I felt like this was a true cultural experience! I hope CETS does this again next year—it wasn’t originally on our schedule. I would definitely recommend it!

My favorite extra-curricular experience was going to the Budapest Baths! The time we spend in Budapest was HOT! The baths were a perfect way to cool down after a long hot day. We went to the same bath two different days and stayed in the outdoor one. They were so nice!

If the group stays in the same hostel again next year, I would recommend eating around the corner at The Turning Point Café. It was close and had good service and food!



The hostel room Jordan and I shared...it was hot!