Archives for March 2017

Currently, March (Budapest Edition)

March 31, 2017

Even though I decided to stop writing my By the Numbers posts, I’ve been writing them for over two years, so in the back of my mind I keep thinking “Oh! I can put that in my BTN post!” I liked them for helping me keep track, and for helping me share things I might forget to, otherwise. As I sat down to write this, I realize so much has happened since my one-year post in January that I’ve forgotten to write about. So, let’s catch up, shall we??

// Finally getting this post out on the last day of March…I’m nothing if not a procrastinator.

// I have to say…March is one of those months I’m rather ambivalent about, especially now that my spring break tends to be in April. Growing up in the Rocky Mountains, March was always kind of a gross month. It’s been pretty gorgeous here in Budapest, though!

// Speaking of…spring is here! I love winter so much, but European springs are what springs are made of.

// I took part in the Women’s March here in Budapest. I’ve read so many mixed reviews of the march and what it means and why people loved/hated it, but I will say that it was a great day, at least here in Budapest. A long line of women, men, immigrants, and natives all made a human chain across the Chain Bridge. If nothing else, I felt inspired by the people I met/was with and hopeful about the future, if only for a few hours.

// I had a horrible attack of the flu this year, in the middle of a month-long cold (thank you, January and February) and I thought I might die. Not dramatic at all. Of course, I got sick just a few days before we were going to Stockholm…so it ended up being a slower weekend than planned. Still a good one, though!

// As a result of said illness, I’ve been to the doctor several times in the past few months. I went to a pricey foreign doctor who was useless–and then when I mentioned this to the vice-principal at school, she suddenly swept me off to her doctor (who happens to be next door to the school…so much more convenient, although the language barrier is a thing). I was already feeling better and didn’t want to go to the doctor, but…I guess that’s now how it works!

// Along these lines, I am so not okay with the Hungarians and their casual approach to nudity. I find it refreshing but at the same time, I just cannot get used to it. I go to the same gym as my boss and let’s just say, having a conversation with your boss when she’s casually topless is a true test of my awkwardness.

// Before The Illness really struck, E and I went to a cooking class at Chef Parade here in Budapest. I gifted him a French cooking class for Christmas (mostly because they were making a French version of mac’n’cheese, his favorite) and it was fun, informative, and delicious! Our main goal was to learn a new dish we could incorporate into our lives, and the chicken we made was tasty, easy, and healthy(ish).

// Two weeks until spring break! We are going to…drumroll please…Macedonia! I’m having a really hard time finding anything about this little country, so hit me up if you’ve been with some advice! It looks really beautiful, and I’m pretty excited.

source

// My sister is coming to visit in May! To say I’m thrilled would be an understatement. She’s never been to Europe! My list is huge and too ambitious for when she visits…but I have faith.

this remains my favorite photo of my dear sister.

// The kids are dabbing. All day everyday. It’s simultaneously adorable, hilarious…and annoying. Is it really necessary to dab to the A-B-Cs, children?! It’s probably most annoying when they’re supposed to be working and they do it behind my back, thinking I won’t catch them and that it’s a great joke. Silly things…don’t you know, I will always catch you??!

// So far the travels in 2017 have been the year of the S–first Sweden in February, and Serbia in March!

// We took a night train to Belgrade, Serbia, to meet our friends (the same ones we went to Slovakia with last autumn) and although the city is kind of crumbling, it’s–there’s no other word for it–cool. There was a hip little bar/wine spot/cafe/restaurant/shop around every corner. You’ll find everything from flowers to WWII weapons to dinosaurs at the fortress, to give you an example of the funkiness. I also loved the food…I mean, cheese pie? Sounds weird, but trust me, it’s amazing.

Your turn! What’s your current status?!

Denmark

20 Hours in Copenhagen

March 30, 2017

I went to Copenhagen by accident.

We were flying back to the States via Norway last summer, and I didn’t realize until after we booked the flight that it included a nearly 24-hour layover in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Oops. #detailoriented

Not that I was too sad about this. I’d always wanted to go, of course, to the happiest city in the world. And Scandinavia is a world-wide obsession for good reason.

I fell madly in love right away. In fact, after we left, we researched ways to move there–we loved it so much. It gained one of the top spots on our distinguished and rarefied we-could-maybe-even-settle-here list.

When I told people this, they wanted to know why (of course).

Well, that’s a hard one. I can’t really explain why I love Copenhagen so much. I was only there for 20 hours, after all.

It could be the fact that even in the summer, there were blankets and even some heaters on the patios, lending everything a cozy air (dare I throw out the word hygge??). It could be the sunlight that lit up the canals late into the evening. It could be the friendly, ridiculously beautiful people. It could be the bikes and the efficient bike lanes. It could be the maritime-feel to the city that I found irresistible. It could be the fact that I visited in summer. It could be the cool vibe of the city, viewed in the hip cafés, the sleek Danish design, the gorgeous citizens, the adorable storefronts.

(It definitely wasn’t the prices, especially after Romania. Ouch).

Either way, I loved that city and hope to visit again one day.

A few things we did with 20 hours in Copenhagen:

Visited Nyhavn, the famous area on the water.

Took a boat tour on the canals (and got a from-the-water view of the famous Little Mermaid statue).

Walked by The Round Tour.

Tried smørrebrød (the Danish version of open-faced sandwiches) at Torvehallerne (a food market).

Ate delicious and expensive burgers here.

Found a few cool coffee shops, like this one.

Wandered the streets and took some photos of the beautiful buildings.

Oh, and we slept some too, at Wakeup Copenhagen. Not even Copenhagen made me want to stay awake for 20 hours straight.

But I can see how it might.

Linking up with Wanderful Wednesday.

Expat Life Hungary

18 Photos To Make You Fall For Budapest

March 15, 2017

Can I be real with you for one hot second?

When we first moved to Budapest, I could not stop comparing it to my beloved Prague. Even though I wrote a whole post about how Budapest is not the next Prague (and that’s a good thing!), I was doing that thing I hate: falling into the comparison trap.

As time passed, I learned it wasn’t Budapest itself I was having trouble adjusting to necessarily–it was things like my job, a flat that kept falling apart, a gray winter, visa issues. The longer I’ve lived in Budapest–and now that it’s past the one year mark, I’ve lived here longer than I lived in Prague!–the more I’ve come to love it, flaws and all.

I recently decided to renew my contract, which means that E and I will be staying in Budapest for at least one more school year! To celebrate, here are 18 photos to make you fall for Budapest, too–and hopefully get your butt over here, already!

Parliament at night = glorious goulash Ria, Ria, Hungaria! Gelato + pretty building means you’re sold now, right? probably my favorite statue in Budapest the castle in the park by our flat. NOW I’ve got ya! Ruin pub The incomparable Fisherman’s Bastion the Danube gets icy in the winteralso Christmastime here is fantastic.