What even is Hungary?

It has just occurred to me that while you have already determined I am studying in Hungary, you might not know much about it! I have decided to give you all some basic facts and maybe quell some common misconceptions about this beautiful place.

Where is it?
Hungary is located in Central Europe shares borders with Slovakia, Ukraine (don't freak out about this, I am quite far from Ukraine), Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria.

It's capital?
Budapest!

Is it a third world country?
While this may seem like a silly question to some, I cannot tell you how many times people have asked me this when I told them I was studying in Budapest (and all my classmates have concurred with this). Hungary is a thriving country, and although they have had a horrific and tumultuous history, they have remarkably improved within the last 20 years. Hungary is a member of the European Union and NATO, along with other internationally recognized organizations.

.....did people think Budapest was in Asia? You might have been thinking of Bangladesh.

Isn't Hungary a Communist Country?
No. Not since the Cold War ended in 1989 (let the record show it's currently 2014). Hungary was invaded by the Soviet Union (poor Hungary, it wasn't the first time they were invaded) in 1947 and a Communist rule lasted until 1989 when Hungary transformed into a Parliamentary Republic.

So what's with the bad reputation of Hungary?
Unfortunately, Hungary has had a difficult history. Here's the abridged version: Hungary has been consistently occupied throughout its history and has been invaded by the Mongols (Ottoman Empire), the Habsburgs (who created the Austrian-Hungarian Empire), and the Soviet Union. Hungary faced harsh repercussions following WWII was left largely neglected by the Western World. While the Entente was concerned with drawing borders for Croatia, Serbia, Transylvania, Romania, and the Czech lands, this was all done at the expense of Hungarian territory, which left Hungary's territory reduced by over 2/3rds and its population by over half. Because Hungary was left largely neglected after the war, they failed to modernize at the rate the rest of the Western World was. They then faced a brutal Communist regime which further dampened its history. Thankfully since it became a Parliamentary Republic in 1989, Hungary is flourishing. Budapest is one of the world's biggest tourist destinations. I can assure you, Hungary is a thriving country. The people are kind and although their history is a rough one, they are proud of it.

So what's the point of all this?
The point is that Hungary is amazing. The fact that they have come so far considering such an eventful history is nothing short of remarkable. They have been largely neglected by the Western World, for reasons that are not entirely their fault. So if someone tells you Hungary is a 3rd world backwards country, you can now prove them wrong. If you ever get the chance to visit, do. You will not regret it. Budapest in particular is full of life and history, with something to do and see at every corner. Consider Hungary the underdog of Europe (we all love an underdog, am I right?) Now, friends go forth into the world with this newfound knowledge and impress your loved ones by answering jeopardy questions that may relate to Hungary.

Budapest, the Land of Castles

Yesterday's adventure consisted of a trip to the Castle District. The Castle District rests upon a hill, and it can be quite a hike to reach it if you do not want to pay for the trolley cart (two guesses as to which one I picked). It consists of the Old Town to the north (where commoners lived in the Middle Ages; now it's mainly restaurants and shops) and the Royal Palace to the south. The Royal Palace has been razed and rebuilt at least six times over the past seven centuries. The Palace was home to Hungarian kings until the Turks leveled it in 1686. From then the Habsburgs rebuilt it, but spent very little time in the Palace. Today the Palace contains two important museums, the national library, and an abundance of statues and monuments. Now there is more to Castle Hill than just the Royal Palace. While you're there you can also take in the Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the Fisherman's Bastion, and the Matthias Church (all of which I got to see!)

Now to get to the Castle District we walked across the Chain Bridge. What a beautiful sight to see! Unforunately, I am not a fan of bridges and was hit by a panic attack walking across it. For those of you who have had one, you know they can happen at any time of day. Afterwards I was tired for the rest of the day, but I held on because the Castle District was absolutely beautiful. (I felt much better after lunch and a Mohito).

Like I said previously, you can take a trolley cart up the hill for a small fee! Although in all reality we could have just walked up, it was a beautiful view!

This was the view from the top! The bridge didn't seem to bad after taking in these beautiful sights.

Below is the Matthias Church, which is one of Castle Hill's most famous landmarks, which dates back over 500 years. The Matthias Church was named after King Matthias Corvinus, the same guy the University I'm attending was named after. Thanks to a generous Us donation of $20 million, the Church was restored to it's 19th-century beauty.

I will never tire of seeing this beautiful building: parliament!

We spent all day in this beautiful place, and there was much I missed! Thankfully I will be in Budapest until the middle of December, and hopefully I will get a chance to take in the Budapest HIstory Museum, the National Library, Castle Hill Caves, and the Royal Wine House and Wine Cellar Museum (can you say wine tasting??).

Until next time, Castle Hill!

Attention Food Lovers

Warning: the following may depict controversial material, commonly known as "food porn."

Since I have been spending the weekend in Budapest, I have gotten to enjoy some traditional Hungarian food, and I realized I have not posted any for you to see. Below is a traditional Hungarian goulash, which is a stew of meat and vegetables, seasoned with paprika and other spices. This dish, which can be traced back to the 9th century, is a national dish of Hungary and is popular in Central Europe, Southern Europe, and Scandinavia. And yes, it's delicious.

To go along with my gorgeous goulash (sorry, I am a huge fan of alliteration and like to use it whenever I can), I had some iced coffee. Now, this is not the iced coffee we have in the United States. To my surprise, this coffee had ice cream in it! I must confess, I was not disappointed in the slightest.

This daily dose of food porn has been brought to you by yours truly. Stay tuned for pictures from my adventures in Budapest's very own Castle District!

Status Update

This weekend: Budapest! Believe it or not I will be enjoying the sights in my beloved Budapest for the weekend and I will update you all on any fun things I might find.

Next weekend: OKTOBERFEST. I must prepare myself for the copious amounts of food and beer I will be consuming.

Stay tuned, friends!

I put the Study in Study Abroad

Today was a field day, albeit a boring one to most. This is going to be an educational blurb on the Hungarian Justice System, and I will not be offended if you skip over it (I wouldn't know if you did anyways).

We had to rise and shine early this morning to get to Corvinus for a guest lecture on the Hungarian Justice System. Our speaker, Dr. Peter Hack, holds a law degree and a PhD from a local university in Budapest and has wide credentials concerning legal systems around the world. We got a brief overview of the Hungarian legal system and how it differs from ours in the United States. Although I was not a fan of waking up so early in the morning, I am glad I now have a greater background on the Hungarian legal system.

Now it's time for some fun facts!

First off, Hungary is more of an Inquisitorial system rather than the Adversarial one we have in the States. So, they are more concerned with finding the facts where as we focus on making sure each person receives the due process of law. When our country was established, our founding fathers were greatly concerned with making sure the state does not take advantage of its citizens, and for that we have a system (although inefficient at times) that ensures each defendant receives fairness during trial procedures. Many countries in Europe operate differently. Hungary does not use a jury system, and prosecutors are present during the entire investigation process. The defendants, if they request a defense attorney, must retain one themselves. Defense attorneys are not all that common in Hungary, and there are probably 12 defense attorneys in all of Hungary that specialize in criminal law (I can name more than 12 defense attorneys that work in Bangor, Maine alone). And to top it off, they can be appointed not by the court but by the police. Interesting, isn't it? At least I think so.

Now, many of you probably have a negative view of the police (well not necessarily my readers since police make up half of my family, but let's pretend). Wait until you get a load of the police's role in Hungary--you Americans might just have a stroke. First off, the police in Hungary is very centralized and militarized, with the National Police force investigating almost all crimes. The general of the national police force delegates work to police forces all across Hungary; there are no Sheriff's offices, no local police, no city police. They all work under the National police. More interestingly, they do not need any training requirements to be police officers. Many of them are teachers who could not get jobs or preferred the police pay to that of education. Now here's the part where you have a stroke--police officers have the right to stop and search you on the street without any "probable cause." To them, you being on the street is enough probable cause to search you. Dr. Peter Hack stated police corruption is common in Hungary (although comparatively not as bad as it is in other countries across the globe) as they have so much power and make very little money. These factors makes for corrupting police very easy; however, since Hungary has changed from a Communist to a Parliamentary Republic, police brutality is decreasing. I bet the police system in the United States is looking a little bit better to you, isn't it? Keep in mind these are general statements. There are always the good ones, and always the bad ones. That much is universal.

Dr. Peter Hack did not have an easy task: trying to explain the Hungarian Justice System in such a short amount of time. However, he did a more than adequate job, and now I can put Hungarian legal issues in a more accurate context than I could before. See? I don't just travel everywhere. I study too! (Although to be honest I think I prefer the traveling).

This legal lesson has been brought to you by yours truly.

Praha: The City That Stole My Heart

Prague, pronounced 'Praha' in Czech, is the capital of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Rich with history, Prague has existed for over 1,000 years. Prague has been the home of two Holy Roman Emperors, an important city to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the capital of Czechoslovakia after World War I, and the eventual capital of the Czech Republic. It's not hard to see why Prague is filled with culture and history, the reason why it immediately stole my heart. Prague is home to some of the world's famous cultural attractions (you may have even heard of some!): the Prague castle, the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, and the Lennon wall--all of which I got to see in my short 2 day trip in Prague!

Now what could I have possibly done in only 2 days in one of Europe's biggest and most famous cities you ask? A lot. It took us 7 hours by bus to get to Prague. Although I was cranky and tired of traveling after that bus ride, as soon as I set my eyes on Prague all grumpiness had disappeared. Prague in a lot of ways reminded me of Budapest, and I am so glad I decided to go (it was a last minute decision). 

Finding our way around Prague's metro lines was a struggle and a half. Unlike the other cities I have visited thus far, Prague did not have an easy-to-follow public transportation system. After some difficulties we found the way to our hostel. Now for those of you who have never experienced the hostel life, I will tell you one thing: it's risky. You never know if it's going to be absolutely amazing or rather sketchy. Thankfully, this hostel was amazing. Honestly, this hostel was better than most hotels I have stayed at, and at the low price of $22 a night no less! It had a restaurant/bar/club downstairs which made it even better, and the staff was friendly and helpful (especially the awesome bartender who gave us free shots and magic tricks just because he could). If you head to Prague, stay at Mosaic Hostel. You won't regret it. 

Now the first day after we ate some food and got some drinks after the bus voyage, we walked around the city for a while until it started to rain. Then we found our way to a cathedral and walked up and found a beautiful spot that overlooked the city. We then enjoyed the Prague nightlife and headed to bed to rest for tomorrow's fun filled day. 

The next day we got up early to take a 2 hour walking tour around the city. Thankfully, the tour was free! (Score one for the poor college kids). We walked around the new part of the city, Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, the Charles Bridge, and even got to see the Lennon wall (more on that later!). After an exhausting tour we walked around Prague some more until it was time to enjoy the nightlife once again. Unfortunately before I knew it, it was time to check out of the hostel and head back to Budapest. Although the trip was short, it was more than sweet. Prague has been my favorite place thus far (except Budapest of course). 

 Here are some photos I took during my trip; I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. If you ever get the chance to visit Prague, do it and don't look back. 

The building pictured below has won numerous architectural awards, but the locals hate it because it takes away from surrounding buildings that have more of a Renaissance style.

This was the Cathedral we happened upon! Unfortunately we could not go in as it closed right as we found it--but we got to overlook Prague at night which was a beautiful sight to see!

The two buildings below belong to the National Theatre. The one directly below (the more beautiful one) was built by the Czechs. The one below that (the ugly one) was built by the Russians when Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Russians. Sorry, Russia but I prefer the Czech style. The two buildings stand side by side and are a good example of the style and culture during Czech independence and Russian occupation.

Prague has some amazing graffiti art!

Prague was filled with pure culture. At every corner there seemed to be a performer of some sorts. Below you can see a levitating couple, two statues (that turned out to be people; I screamed), and a local band, some bubble blowers, etc.! Prague was filled with so much life.

If you look closely you can see bubbles that people were blowing in the square!

This was the synagogue located in the Jewish Quarter. In the 20th century the Jewish Quarter became a Jewish Ghetto. Unlike most historical Jewish Quarters, this one is relatively preserved, albeit for horrifying reasons. Prague was picked to become a museum of "an extinct race," so much of the Quarter was preserved while many of its European counterparts were destroyed. Nazis gathered Jewish artifacts from all across Europe and brought them to Prague to be put on display. Sickening, isn't it?

This is one of my favorite photos I have taken to date. The sign reads, "Our Office Job Sucks! Help Us Build an Ecofarm!"

Now before you say, "what the actual f*@$," this sculpture was created in 2004 by David Cerny and remains one of Prague's most controversial pieces of art. Here two men are seeing peeing into the shape of the Czech Republic, which is supposed to represent how many citizens feel about the political drama in the Czech Republic. The statue even moves! Supposedly if you put your hand in the stream to the statue on the left it's good luck! (Yes I did it).

Now, one of my favorite things we came across in Prague is the Lennon wall (sorry Mom, you are going to be insanely jealous of this one). The Lennon wall began as a normal wall, but since the 1980s it has been filled with John Lennon graffiti, art, and poetry. The wall became a source of irritation to the rulers during the Communist rule as people would write grievances on the wall. The wall has been painted over several times (especially during the Communist regime), but overnight Lennon inspired art will appear again. 

Another one of my favorite photos from Prague. By the wall was a street performer; his sign reads, "Need Money to repair my time machine to go back to 60's!"

This piece of art is located on a sculpture on the Charles Bridge, and is the only bronze statue along the Bridge. Supposedly if you rub this part and make a wish, it comes true! Stay tuned to see if it worked.

Now, there are Swans everywhere in Prague. They were beautiful, and would come right up to the water (Don't worry, Mom. I didn't get to close for them to attack). We spent the last hour or so in Prague watching them and enjoying the sights along the river.

 Last but not least, this is for you Lyssa! I'm pretty sure I've taken a picture of a duck for you everywhere I have gone. I'm enabling your obsession.

Thus completes the Prague photos. Prague was breathtakingly beautiful and I'm so happy I went. Since it was so cheap, I might even consider going back before I have to leave in December (if I decide to leave. I might just have to lose my passport).

--Thanks for supporting all my adventures everyone! Xoxo, Taylor.

Rewind to Wednesday

This past Wednesday marked another field studies day. Our destination? Eger! Eger is located in Northern Hungary and is most famous for its castle, cathedral, Turkish remains, and best of all, wine. Founded in the 10th century by St. Stephen, Eger has a rich history. Eger was a successful wine town until it changed dramatically under Turkish occupation in the 11th century. The Siege of Eger is a famous battle in which a small army of 2,000 Hungarians defeated the massive Turkish Army composed of over 80,000 soldiers (score one for Hungary). To this day Eger is a flourishing city and has various historical remains that attracts tourists year round.

One of our primary reasons for visiting Eger was to visit the local prison and take a tour. Now unlike some of my classmates, I was pumped about this visit. The governor of the prison not only talked with us but gave us a thorough tour of the prison's facilities as well. The prison was very clean (and almost pretty) and held around 200 prisoners. Prisoners are divided between men and women, smoker and non-smoker, sentenced and non-sentenced, and then the more informal separations such as what crime you committed, etc. The governor was not afraid to tell us the truth of the Hungarian prison system and did not try to hide the facts. For instance, Hungary's prisons (must like the United States') face a large overcrowding problem in which prisons are unable to meet the capacity quota. What was different was the overall attitude towards the prisoners (for this prison at least; I cannot necessarily compare it to the overall prison system in Hungary). This prison was more concerned with rehabilitation than punishment. Although they were strict with their prisoners, the prison faculty focused on rehabilitating the prisoners into society after they were released, which is something I do not think we do enough in the United States. The prison implemented community service programs for its prisoners to give back to society. The governor of the prison said something that really stuck with me, "The community cannot expect the prison to do all the work. Reintegration will require all members of the community to work together to achieve successful rehabilitation" (Those were not his exact words but you get the gist of it). While you may question this form of justice, it must be working for them. the prison has not had a successful escape since the 70s and they have not had a successful suicide since the 90s. Visiting the prison was one of my favorite field days thus far, and I am thankful the Governor of the prison gave us such an informative tour.

After visiting the jail we walked around town and visited the castle where Hungarians lived during Turkish occupation. We also visited St. Stephen's basilica and enjoyed the local wine, which was absolutely delicious. Here are some pictures I took throughout the day: