LOST in Budapest

I actually didn't get to bed until 5:30 AM last night. I tried to sleep for like two hours, and I just couldn't. I think it was more due to sleeping until 3:30 PM yesterday than jet lag, however. I got up and read for a while and then finally got tired.

Woke up today relatively early at 12:30 PM. Went out. By the way, this is the street I live on.

I went to a nearby subway station to buy my monthly pass. I had a prewritten Post-It note that I showed the lady, which said the necessary instructions in Hungarian. This was right next to the mall that I've been talking about all this time. After that, went to the Mall to do a little shopping to buy some necessary household stuff, and things to make a sandwich. They had lots of fancy cheeses and salamis, and I'll have to try lots of them here. I bought this strange kind of milk which doesn't need refrigeration until after its opened. I hope its not too weird. I also bought those kind of Asian chips that one makes while one is deep frying shrimp tempura. Those were tasty, but a bit too salty. Anyway, this is the store.

So, I went back, made a sandwich which I had with my chips (my first real meal at home!), and then I decided to explore the city a bit more. My plans were to hope on the train and go down to Bethlen Gabor, where College International is located, then hop on the subway, and visit a Tesco's megastore, and then come down on the same red line, a go to an Office Depot, buying supplies for school.

That didn't work out too well. I guess subconsciously I knew Lost would be on in the States tonight, so maybe I wanted to experience that for real. Not just on walking this time- on trolley buses and subways too! Apparently I got on the wrong trolley, and was still sitting there at the last stop, when the bus driver yelled at me, Finish!, it a rather strange way. This was right near the subway line I needed to take, so I took the Blue Line north to Ujpest-Varoskapu, and tried to find the Tesco's. It was nowhere to be found! This was sortof far away from the city, so at least I got a good taste of a different area. Instead of the exciting Wal-Mart like store, I found another Match which satisfied me for now, where I get some more household stuff, and clementines and apples. The grocery check out people always speak to me in Hungarian- sometimes they are saying things and I have NO idea whats going on, and just usually say Hi, Szia or Jo Napot, depending on what they say to me, nod and smile some more, see how much money I owe on the screen, pay, and say thanks (Koszonom) if I'm feeling rather bold.

Then I returned to the subway station, deciding to call it a day, since the sun was already beginning to set, even though it was pretty early. I decided to try and switch to Metro 1, or the Yellow Line, at Deak ter, the one point where the subways meet, but this was not a very spart idea. I got completely confused in the station (partially because I only knew the lines by their color, not by there name- M1, M2, or M3, and I finally went north on M2 until I returned relatively close to home. I didn't feel like walking, so I went on a bus. (That's the great thing about an unlimited pass! You can just get on, get off, get on, etc. as much as you want. Although you're wasting time, you're not wasting money!) This wasn't a bad choice because it saved me 5 or so minutes of walking. Finally I came home.

I 'made' my first dinner here. That consisted of pouring noodles into boiling water. It was very tasty, though. They were some sort of egg noodles with cream. I also had my first Hungarian desert- purchased at Match. There are so many choices there- including lots of different Tira Misus, but I chose the Friss Samloi Galuska, some kind of cherry flavored cake with whipped cream. It was good! With dinner I watched another episode of the Sarah Connor Chronicles- what an awesome show! I think I shall clean today. Today I really think (and hope) I shall be tired not too late. I have to go to the school tomorrow for a welcome meeting at 2 PM, and a party (meeting a few of the professors, and all classmates) at 4PM.

I think I shall clean now, and then I will relax some more.

Good night! Enjoy the flash-forwards, and don't get confused.... and don't tell me what happens!

1st day

Last night, after taking a nap, I went out with my apt. mate and some of his friends to this Hungarian restaurant relatively near our flat. The food was strange- but not bad. I wasn't all that adventurous, and just got the baked penne with minced meat (also with peas). I did take a picture, but it looks no different than normal food, and I don't quite like the picture posting process here, so its not worth anything special. Afterwards we headed to the WestEnd City Center- the mall around here, and I had some great tira misu gelato- for only a dollar!

Then I went home, relaxed around, used the shower- with the hot water heater, with fire inside the bathtub, and had an amazing 14 hour sleep!

Woke up at around 3:30- then went to the same mall which yesterday made me lost, WestEnd, but now its so easy. Ate a lunch/ dinner at Thai Food, after being completely overwhelmed by the choices of food there. There are at least 25+ quick eats in the food court, and everything is in Hungarian, so I can only look at the pictures and the like. I walked back twice, and finally I decided on the Thai, where I had beef noodles which they cooked right in front of us. It was way too much- and I could only eat like half of it. Then I went to OTP to get a bunch of money to pay rent. When back to the apartment, paid rent, then went out to a grocery store nearby to buy a little bottle of sparkling water (I thought it was regular), a big one of regular water, an energy drink, 3 Activa yogurts, 2 croissants, spaghetti mix, and apple juice- for only 1495 forints! Thats only about $8.50!

And now I'm here. And already a little bit tired- but less than before since I drank my energy drink, Burn, which I didn't really know was an energy drink (produced by Coca-Cola). I shall goof off some here, and go to bed, not too late, so I can actually have a 1st real day, tomorrow.

And I'm Here!

Well, I'm already in my apartment. Its really pretty nice- there is a tv with cable, wireless and wireless internet, and many extras which are included- such as computer speakers, which I brought myself.

The flights weren't that bad. Dulles -> Frankfurt was long, and there wasn't any person video entertainment, but the food and service were excellent. I didn't watch any movies- but I saw some cartoons, and I finished Two Towers on the plane.

The student coordinator met me at the airport, and I was taken to my apartment. I saw Heroes Square on the way, its wondeful. As I said, the apartment is quite good. Its both pretty and modern. Some things are strange, obviously- such as the teeny tiny washing machine, but it is great.

I am sharing this apartment with one other BSMer, and there is a kitchen and bathroom area here as well.



Then the nice landlord took me out to explore the city. We went through this huuuge mall. It had lots of toys and I will be sure to visit again with lots of forints. Then he had to go somewhere, and I got myself totally lost. And I finally found my way back, tired, on two days with eight hours of sleep.



I can't wait to explore more. And whats for dinner?

Waiting at the Roanoke Airport

Well, this is it! I arrive tomorrow at noon Hungarian time. Its a six hour time difference between Budapest and the US east coast. I leave to DC in 2 hours, and from there to Frankfurt, and there to Budapest. Lots of traveling. I hope there are some good movies to watch in the planes, its really hard for me to sleep on the planes. Especially when I can watch free movies! haha

I have so much luggage- 2 bags at 50 pounds each. I hope its not too troublesome when I get there -- I know I will definitely be accumulating more books, notes, and fun stuff there, so I guess I'll definitely have to ship some stuff back to the states. I hope that won't be too hard.

I've known about this program since the end of high school, and I've looked forward to this program, which you can find out at www.bsmath.hu, for quite a while now. Now that it is actually here, my emotions are pretty jumbled. I'm about to step into a foreign country where I know little to nothing about the food, the culture, and most importantly, the language. I'm leaving the land, the school, and the people I love, albeit just for a few months, but I'm trying on something completely different. Part of me feels like there is no way this can meet my expectations, but I know this program will be completely worth it.

For right now, I'm planning on taking five different mathematics courses, and beginning Hungarian. The math courses are advanced abstract algebra, graph theory (for which the Hungarians are well known for), real functions and measures (an advanced analysis class), mathematical logic (which I've been interested in since Introduction to Logic), and Number Theory I. If its not enough, I may take another, but I'm sure I'll already have plenty to do. There is a three week period to sit in on as many classes as I want, which is nice, so I can experiment and see what I like and what I really don't care for. Hopefully my interest in these classes can also help me decide which graduate school specializes in the studies I'm interested in. I've brought my Abstract Algebra Book and notes, and my analysis textbook, which can hopefully help as references.

I don't know when I'll have internet or the like. I can't wait 'til dinner tomorrow. Will I know what I'm ordering? Or will I just be pointing at random dishes and hoping for the best? Its all going to be very exciting. I shall post my first meal pictures here as well.

Have a great day! I'll be in the air for much of it.

-Isaac

Now its 4....

Well, sorry to not keep the blog updated, but I've just been takin' it easy, catching up on PS2, tv, and the like. My clothes are pretty much packed up, but I've still got a lot to put away, not to mention moving stuff to storage.

And tomorrow I have to get up really early, about 8... its W&L's mock con. Somehow I ended up on Ohio's float, and its supposed be about 22 degrees in the morning! So that will be very very cold. But I get to ride around town on a big trailer!

Ta-ta for now~

12 more days

Isaac is not in Hungary just yet!

I leave in 12 days, but still have lots to do, and lots of goodbyes to say. Check back later for lots of pictures and posts in the exciting world of studying math abroad.