The Year of the Christmas Market

Vaci Utca (the main shopping street) in Budapest

Budapest is all dressed up in lights and Christmas markets are everywhere!  I LOVE Christmas season, and Europe sure knows how to do Christmas right. Yesterday I even saw one of the trams that runs along the Danube completely covered in lights!  I felt compelled to chase after it, but figured that would become tiring and potentially dangerous, so I refrained.

For the past three years Bill and I have made sure to fit in a trip to the German Christkindlmarkt in Chicago. This year though, there is no need to put 'visit Christmas market' on the calendar, because you inevitably run into them and are immediately sucked in by the sparkling lights and smell of Christmas.  So far we have been to four different Christmas markets in Budapest, and all except the main one were merely because we couldn't help but stumbling upon them when going from point A to point B.  We have been to six other Christmas markets outside of Budapest (three in Vienna and three in Berlin), and once again, only two of those were really 'planned.'  Thanks to the many markets we have come across in the past few weeks, we have been able to cover nearly our entire (small) tree with unique handmade ornaments!

Christmas Market at Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna

Main Christmas Market in Vienna

Christmas Market in Berlin

Christmas Market at St. Istvan Cathedral in Budapest

Drinking forralt wine at the main Christmas Market in Budapest

The main Christmas market at Vorosmarty Ter in Budapest has been my favorite so far. There are many stalls with crafts, and plenty of food and forralt bor (mulled wine).  The quality of what is sold at this particular market is the best I've seen so far. You can tell everything is handmade and individually unique (which I cannot say is true of the main Vienna Christmas Market).  And the prices are actually really reasonable.  We have been able to get handmade ceramic ornaments for as little as 300 forint, which comes out to about $1.50.

Grades In, Semester Over

My office where I spent much of the semester meeting w/ students and grading papers

Yesterday and today were my last two classes of the semester.  Last night I finished reading and grading 15, 5-page papers (which took place over a 36 hour period), entered all of my final grades into the online system, and even had enough time to bake some delicious cookies to share with my students.  I can't believe how fast the semester went, and to be honest, how accomplished I feel at the end of it.  Before this semester I had never taught a full course; only guest lectured, conducted workshops, and guided discussions.  I almost surprised myself with how comfortable, confident and prepared I felt each week.  I never thought I was very good at improvising and deviating from the 'plan' (because we all know I love to plan), but to be honest, 'improvising' was probably what I did best this semester, and I didn't really have to think about it, it just kinda happened (I guess that's how you improvise....less thinking, more doing).

The two classes I taught were very different.  For my Language Development class I would spend about 1-2 hours per week to prepare, while my academic writing class I would spend about 1-2 hours to prepare, and then about 5-7 hours in addition, giving feedback on writing assignments. In Academic Writing I required 11 writing assignments (including a final research paper), one test, and then participation points. In Language Development I had no writing assignments (except writing a cover letter and resume), three tests which were an in-class 'meeting,' mock-interview, and a 'quick-preparation' presentation, and then participation points.  There was a higher percentage of top grades in the Language Development course than in Academic Writing, and to be honest, I'm pretty sure I was more liked in my Language Development course (surprise, surprise).

I think both groups of students learned and improved a lot though; but the rate at which they realize the value in what they learned I think will come at a very different pace.  The Language Development students are one semester away from graduation; many of them looking for jobs where they will be required to speak English, so the focus of the class was very useful to them, and they felt the practice will directly benefit them in the near future (the class focused on communication in professional environments).  The Academic Writing students are just finishing their first semester of their second year at university.  I know some appreciate now that I made them write every week and gave a lot of feedback and comments on their papers, while on the other hand I know some found this too be too much or thought I pointed out too many flaws in their writing.  I saw them all struggle, and from that struggle I saw continual improvement. This steady, incremental improvement that I saw not only in their writing, but in their research and ability to think and write critically, is what makes me confident that at some point, whether it be next semester, or next year, that they will see the value in this class, and be happy that I pushed them.

ELTE, the university I teach at

Wonderful Weekend in Berlin

We took a short trip to Berlin this past weekend with the main motivation of visiting our friends Mark and Anna who we met over a year ago in Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica.  About when I found out we would be moving to Hungary last spring, Mark let me know that he would be living in Berlin, Germany and Nitra, Slovakia for a year on an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship.  It was so fun getting to stay with Anna and Mark and explore their new city with them.  They were such amazing hosts, and just overall wonderful people.  Both Bill and I had been to Berlin before (separately though), so we saw a few things we had seen before and then ventured out and saw some new parts of the city.  

Tiergarten

Victory Column

Hyper-Masculine Prussian Art (as Bill has referred to it for years)

             

Inside the Reichstag

Brandenburg Gate

Berliner Dome and TV Tower

Pergamon

Ishtar Gate at Pergamon Museum

Part of the Wall

             

               Sony Center

  

            Christmas Market

Best Kebabs Ever....Maybe Best Food Ever!

Currywurst/heart attack

              

Prost to our hosts and friends Anna and Mark.  And hopefully we'll be seeing them soon for more good times in Europe.  And if we really want to get crazy, maybe one day we'll actually meet on American soil.

Thanksgiving in Hungary

Bill and I hosted our first Thanksgiving last Friday and it was a smashing success. Finding the needed ingredients ended up being somewhat of a scavenger hunt, but we found almost everything from either the great market or our grocery store across the street.  Bill and I were a bit nervous to host our first Thanksgiving since we would be working on both Thursday and Friday, and had seldom used our tiny oven.  I'm glad we went ahead and hosted Thanksgiving though, because everything turned out great, and our guests seemed to really enjoy themselves.

We had 15 Hungarian friends and colleagues over to join in the celebration. They were all so gracious and polite, and I will never forget many of their looks of surprise when we unveiled the 8.5 kilo turkey.  Bill had quite the audience while he was carving his first turkey....but he came through like a champ.  We couldn't have asked for better guests.  It didn't hurt that most of them had never had a Thanksgiving dinner before, so there was no worry of being compared to past Thanksgivings.

Bill carving the turkey

stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce

serving up the food

We have felt so welcomed by our Hungarian friends and colleagues over the past three months, and have appreciated all they have done to introduce us to Hungarian food, culture and history.  It was nice being able to give back and finally share something that is quintessentially American with them.

I am thankful for...

...friends & acquaintances, near and far, who have taught me so much about life & happiness

...my wonderful parents and sister who show me unconditional love and support

...being able to call so many different places home, and for so many different reasons

...having two sets of healthy grandparents who inspire me with their upbeat attitude

...past and present colleagues who make work not actually feel like work

...the little things in life that make each and every day better

...living in Hungary where I learn something new everyday

...my mistakes and failures that have enhanced my character and led me to the life I have today

...the wonders and beauty of the world in which we live that keep me inspired and curious

...my incredible husband who I love more than anything and makes me so unbelievably happy just by being him

Advising is the life for me

On Thursday evening I walked through my door after a day at work and couldn't help but yell out "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job!"
This is what my day at the EducationUSA advising center looked like:
1) Met for an hour with a high school student who applied to NYU Abu Dhabi and needed help completing their financial aid form (that was due by that evening).  Completed Successfully!
2) Worked with a student for two hours who is targeting US undergraduate programs that offer financial aid for international students.  I looked over his essays for his common application, and we together made the decision that he would apply Early Decision to Amherst College (where if he is accepted, they will cover his full need, even though he is an international student).  It was fun seeing his excitement as he signed the 'early decision' agreement, which marked the fist big decision he made this year in regards to his applications.
3) Met for one hour with a student who began university in Budapest, but wants to start over and apply to undergraduate programs in the US, specifically Cal Tech and MIT.
4) Met with a student who finished her bachelor's in Hungary, and is a dual Hungarian-American citizen. She thought that since she has lived in Hungary her whole life she would not be eligible for federal financial aid when applying to master's programs in International Relations at GWU and Tuft's.  I did some investigating and contacted the prospective schools, and she is in fact eligible for federal aid as an American citizen!!  Seeing the look of excitement and relief on her face made my day.
5) Conducted a writing workshop for seven students/scholars (ranging from high school to full professor) and then after met with four of them individually to look over personal statements and resumes.
6) Met with an Iranian student who is taking a few classes in Budapest right now, and wants to apply to undergraduate aerospace engineering programs in the United States.

Instead of being tired after a non-stop day at work, I felt completely energized.  I absolutely love meeting with students who all have such different goals and life experiences.  I am constantly learning from them, and I'd like to think they learn a thing or two from me as well.

Best Zoo Trip Ever

I am always very interested in going to zoos in other countries.  A lot of people might think that this is silly, because zoos usually house animals from all over the world, so how do they really represent and reflect the country they are in?  Well, the zoo in Budapest does a wonderful job in supporting my hobby of visiting foreign zoos: what we take for granted as proper zoo care and behavior is not the same everywhere.

The other week ago Bill and I had the afternoon free, so we went to City Park in Budapest (which is a big public park that also houses a zoo) and decided to visit the zoo.  Within minutes of sitting down to enjoy our picnic by the bird and turtle pond, I was shit on by a bird, TWICE!  Rather than getting upset, we laughed it off and shoved my head into a fountain to clean up and moved on to other parts of the zoo.

Now we get to the good stuff.  There is an exhibit that is supposed to represent the central/south American rainforest, and in it they have iguanas and sloths.  The animals aren't exactly enclosed, so they walk onto the path that the visitors use. One of the sloths was extremely active and moved his way to the visitor path, and plopped down.  We took quite a liking to him, and named him Ignatz.  Right as we were leaving the exhibit, we see Hungarians petting and rubbing the sloth (as if he were a dog).  At first I was horrified, and then I realized Ignatz actually liked it!!  So clearly we went back and took our chance at petting a sloth.

Ignatz loves Bill

Just hanging out and loving life

 Later in the day we go to see the prairie dogs. In most cases I would walk right past the prairie dogs, but I was startled when I saw there was red all around the mouth of one of the prairie dogs.  At first I thought it was blood, and then I looked into the habitat and saw a huge, half-eaten beet!  I literally looked at this little prairie dog and couldn't stop laughing for a good 10 minutes.  Whenever I want a good laugh, I just think Beet Mouth!



Our last stop for the day was the indoor primate house.  Before walking into the house we saw movement behind the glass door, but couldn't tell what it was.  Then as I am just about to walk in, I see a lemur standing on top of a glass display case, and the first thing I think was, oh no, the lemurs got out, what if we aren't allowed to go in?  We go in anyways, and notice that the lemur exhibit is in the middle of the room, and it is completely open.  The lemurs were intended to walk freely.  At one point we actually saw a lemur looking through a glass wall and into one of the monkey habitats (unfortunately we were so enamored we didn't think to take a picture). The concept of the zoo really has been revolutionized in Budapest.

Who says a test can't be fun?

One of the classes I am teaching at Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE) is for American Studies and English majors during their final year.  The purpose of the class is to prepare students to feel more comfortable speaking within formal and professional environments (oral thesis defense, workplace meetings, workplace presentations, interviews, etc.).  The last few weeks I focused on resume writing, cover letters and interviewing.  This is something I REALLY enjoy teaching.  Most people dread searching for jobs, but I actually find it to be quite enjoyable, which explains why I am constantly sending people jobs I stumble across that I feel suit them well.

The test for this class ended up being the most enjoyable class to date....yet it wasn't really a class.  For their test I required them to find a real job posting that they would be interested in applying to, and to write a resume and cover letter for that particular job and have it sent to me three days before their test date.  I took the time to take notes on each student's job description, resume and cover letter.  Each student signed up for a different 10 minute time slot and came for a mock interview with me, which served as their test.

I doubt the students had as much fun as I did since they had a grade to be concerned with, but I was so impressed with all of them.  Some students were initially caught off guard when I opened my office door and said "Hello, I'm Jamie Hoversen, it's very nice to meet you." They caught on quickly though and switched from deer in headlights to professional mode almost instantly.  It was fun getting to come up with interview questions on the fly and make up answers to the well thought out questions the students asked about the position or company they were applying to.  There were particular students I would have absolutely hired for the job they were 'applying to' if I had that opportunity.

This test ended up being an interesting way for me to get to know my students better; to understand what their goals are, what experiences they have had and what they are passionate about.  Although they are all American Studies and English majors at ELTE, they have such a range of interests and experiences that go far beyond what they are studying.  I am proud of these students and have a good feeling that most of them will be able to find a good  job soon upon graduation.  And I do think that what they learned from me in relation to interviewing, resume writing and cover letters will actually be something they use again...and that makes me feel good.

No time machine needed for these students!

Election Day Abroad

Tonight, Bill and I have plans to go to an election party hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Budapest.  We figure this is probably the only fancy-schmancy election party we will ever be able to afford, so we have to seize the opportunity while it's here.  The funny thing is, that since we are nine hours ahead of the west coast, the polls will be closing in California right when the party here is ending at 4:00am.

Since it is election day, I got thinking about what I was doing this day, four years ago.  Four years ago at this time I had been living in Chicago for just two months, just as I now have been living in Budapest for two months.  During the 2008 election I was working at EF International Language School, literally across from Grant Park where I brought a group of students to see Barack Obama's acceptance speech.  Today I am working at a Hungarian university, and will be at an election party that is nearly 5,000 miles away from Chicago.  And four years ago, I didn't even know Bill existed, and now I get to share every election day with the love of my life.  Oh how life can change in just four years.

Grant Park during the night of the 2008 Elections

Feels good to be 'home'

Home can mean a many different things depending on who you ask, and when you ask them.  Home can be where you grew up, or maybe where your current residence is.  For some, home is not a physical place or an address, but a feeling of comfort, safety and happiness.  Over the past 17 days, Bill and I have spent only two days in Budapest.  We were in Poland for five days over a long weekend, were back for barely 48 hours, and then off to the airport before the sun was up to go to Spain for ten days during our fall break.  Both Poland and Spain were absolutely amazing, but by the last few days of our trip I was ready to go home.  When I had this feeling, I had to pause and ask myself what I meant by home.  I thought of family, friends, workplaces, new and old; San Francisco, Chicago; my favorite restaurants, parks and streets.  On early Monday morning at 2am, when I walked through my doors at Ferenc Korut 14, I opened my dresser drawer, pulled out a clean pair of of pajamas and laid my head down on my pillow....I knew I was home.

Warsaw, Poland

Granada, Spain

View out our window in Budapest, Hungary

First Impressions: Part IV

The Language
Hungarian (or magyarul as it is known here) is a challenging, yet beautiful language.  It is known to be one of the most difficult languages to learn, and shares very distant characteristics with only two other languages: Finnish and Estonian.  Part of its beauty to me is that it doesn't sound like any other language I've heard. They also use vowel harmony in their language (unlike Czech or Slovak),  which makes everything sound a lot more melodic.

I have been enjoying the challenge of a new language.  I am able to use basic phrases and greetings, and find that I can do all my shopping at the market and grocery store and ordering in bakeries and restaurants with very few problems.  I actually enjoy the chance to go into a store so I can practice my Hungarian.  I find myself becoming more comfortable and confident with what I know, and have noticed that my pronunciation has improved significantly. Now when I greet someone they begin speaking Hungarian without a moments pause and only when they see my flustered look do they sometimes realize that I have little idea what they are actually saying.  Each day I feel like I learn at least 3-5 new words, and then forget all but one of them, but it's a start, I guess.  I've appreciated all the help and patience from my Hungarian colleagues, and Bill has been a big help too.  He always picks up languages faster than I do, so I make him teach me what he has learned.  Hopefully my progress with this beautiful language continues.

Statue at Heroes Square representing the 9 different chiefs of the Magyar tribe

First Impressions: Part III

The Food
For those of you whose hearts sank six years ago when I stopped eating meat, you can rejoice because there is no escaping it here.  I wouldn't say that I enjoy eating meat now (because I don't), but I'm getting more used to it, and feel that I would be missing out on part of the culture if I didn't eat it while here because Hungarian meals are very meat-centric(chicken and pork are the most common) and they usually begin with soup. Sour cream and paprika are very characteristic of  Hungarian dishes as well.  Most Hungarian food in my opinion is quite salty.  The first two weeks Bill and I were here we couldn't figure out why we were so incredibly thirsty, and then realized later it's because of the food!

I'm definitely enjoying the amount of bakeries that are here.  I often pop into one in the morning on my way to work and get some type of croissant or grab a loaf of bread on my way home from work. The more traditional Hungarian pastries that involve poppyseed paste, apples or sour cherries are not so much to my liking.  I still have much to try in the way of their beer and wine, but from first impressions their beer is fairly nondescript; definitely on the lighter side, and the wine here is pretty good. Palinka, is a traditional liquor in Hungary that is extremely strong and usually has different flavors such as plum, apricot, sour cherry.  I've tried it, but boy is that stuff strong!!

First Impressions: Part II

The People
I have really come to love the people of Hungary.  They are an extremely sincere and genuine people. When they say they are going to do something, they actually do it.  If you show interest in their culture, they will do what they can to share it with you.  For example, I was speaking with one of my colleagues at the advising center I work at and she was telling me about Palacsinta (a traditional pancake/crepe), and I mentioned I hadn't tried it yet.  The next day, she brings me a tupperware full of homemade Palacsinta and a jar of homemade jam to fill the pancakes with.  I find that in the United States we do a lot of talking, but there is not always follow up.  Hungarians have inspired me to be better about not just talking about something I would like to do, or making a hollow offer to meet up with someone, but to actually follow through and do it.

Bill with Edit and Robert

I have enjoyed getting to know Hungarians and their culture. They are very open to speaking about their history and traditions, and quite frankly are very knowledgeable about it.  I have come to realize that there are certain topics that you could mention to almost any Hungarian and they could talk for hours about it: the Treaty of Trianon (when Hungary lost more than two-thirds of their land after WWI), and Lake Balaton, the most popular summer vacation spot in Hungary.  I do feel lucky to be living in a place where the people don't just tell you about their history and culture, but give you their own perspectives and experiences related to it as well.

First Impressions: Part I

I meant to write a post about my first impressions of Budapest/Hungary within the first two weeks of being here, but alas, life got so busy and that just didn't end up happening.  So without further adieu, here is the first installment of my four part series on first impressions.

The City Itself
Budapest is an absolutely stunning city.  I love how the two sides of the city, the Buda and the Pest side, have a completely different look and feel.  At one point they were in fact two different cities.  The Buda side is quiet, lush, and full of rolling hills.  My legs thank me every time I am on that side of the city.  From there you have a beautiful view of the Parliament, St. Istvan's Basilica  the various bridges that span the Danube, and you can essentially see Pest disappear into the distance.  The Pest side is completely flat, full of beautiful architecture and thriving with life.

The Danube splitting the Buda (right) and Pest (left) side of the city.

Budapest has a happy balance between busy and relaxed. There are always people out and about, but never to a point where you feel you are swimming through a sea of people. Crowds of people will pile out of a tram or metro car, but then they dissipate and you suddenly have your own space on the sidewalk.  The city is also extremely walkable and well connected by public transportation, which makes it so easy to get to all of the wonderful things the city offers: parks, museums, different neighborhoods, bars,restaurants and coffee shops.

House Hunters International

Bill being interviewed and filmed after viewing one of the apartments

How did this happen, you might ask?  Well, it all stemmed from morbid curiosity and complete naiveté.  In April, after finding out that I received the Fulbright grant to Hungary, I began thinking about what the best approach to finding an apartment would be.  I started looking at listings online and then quickly thought, why don't we have HGTV find us an apartment?  Bill and I both enjoyed watching House Hunters International, so I thought I would just throw an email out explaining our story and upcoming move, and assumed we would get nothing back.

About two months later, after forgetting I had ever emailed HHI and having just secured an apartment, I got an email back saying they wanted us on the show.  I thought we blew our chance since we had just put down a deposit on an apartment, but it turns out that I didn't really know how the show worked. HHI actually won't really consider you for the show unless you already have your apartment or home lined up. So in the midst of our craze of packing and saying goodbye, we filmed the one-day Chicago 'backstory' just three days before we flew to Budapest.

This past weekend we finished off our filming with four long days in Budapest.  I'll be honest in saying that going into this weekend we both had a little more dread than we did excitement; but coming out of the experience we only have great things to say.  We could not have asked for a better crew.  Our director, camera guy, and sound guy were all from the UK and had the best sense of humor.  I'm pretty sure over 50% of our footage and sound is unusable for the mere fact that it was practically all witty jokes and inappropriate humor.  During the four days of filming, we viewed three different apartments (including the one we have been living in the past month) and we were filmed exploring various parts of Budapest.  After the show actually airs in the United States I'll give some more of the behind the scenes secrets of the show.

With everything said and done (well the filming at least, my mind might change after I see it air), I'm very glad we did this.  I really knew nothing about the film industry prior to filming and I feel like I've learned so much from the crew and have such a new perspective on film and television.  I think the show itself will serve as a nice tribute to our time here and Budapest and will be something fun to share with friends and family at home.  And best of all I feel like we made some friends during the process as well.

Out for drinks after a long weekend of filming

One Month

Greetings from Budapest, Hungary! 

Bill and I left for Hungary exactly a month ago today.  I'm surprised how comfortable and at home I feel in a foreign country where I've only lived for a month so far. The first couple of days we were here, Bill and I must have asked each other what we thought of Budapest at least ten times.  We were hesitant to be overly optimistic about our first impressions, keeping our comments to "so far I'm really liking it."  Now that I've been here for a month, been working for three weeks, been working on my Hungarian, and becoming more and more familiar with the city, I can safely say that I really love Budapest, and furthermore, I love living here. 

For those of you who don't know why we moved to Budapest, I'll give the abridged version here.  Bill and I had been talking about moving abroad for quite some time.  When I was half way through my master's program, I decided to investigate applying for a Fulbright grant.  Hungary offered the type of grant that fit exactly what I wanted to be doing, and neither Bill or I had ever been to Budapest, but we had always heard good things, so we thought it could be a fun adventure.  After an extremely long application process, and an even longer period of waiting, I found out in April 2012 that I got the grant and would have the opportunity to move to Budapest in August 2012.  I'll save the details of what exactly my grant involves and what Bill is doing for work, for another post.