So yea, after almost a full year of living in Hungary, I can't believe the time has come for me to head back home. It seems like just yesterday I was sending off my visa papers and psyching myself up to live away from home for a year. It's been quite amazing and there are so many things I will miss about Hungary. Some things, like my students and islers, go without saying. But here are a few other things I will really miss about Hungary as well:
- The incredible public transportation. Aside from buses breaking down randomly, being pushed in and out of doors by angry neni's, the public transportation thing is so impressive and spectacular.
- The consumption of white bread and pastries as being socially acceptable. Is that stuff even legal in the States anymore? :-)
- Eating veggies and not having to consider whether they were treated with pesticides, or how long they took to arrive from the ground to your mouth. I've even eaten vegetables that came from less than 20 feet away from where I sleep and still had traces of dirt on them.
- Wine. Cheap wine that still tastes better than any $40 bottle you can find in America.
- The sounds of the metros, buses, and trams. The little jingles will be in my head for life.
- Seeing pieces of history older than my home country every day.
- Sitting at a restaurant for hours at a time and not being hassled by the waiter/waitress every 2 minutes.
- The overwhelming excitement that came every Friday on the train rides down to Kaposvar to see my partner in crime.
With that, here are some things that I am SO excited about going back to the States for:
- Air conditioning!!!! As I write this, I am sitting in a coffee shop with the backs of my legs sticking to the leather chairs and sweat on my forehead.
- Seeing more than tall buildings and cars in my immediate field of vision at any given time. Show me some mountains!!!!
- Driving my car. Yes, I LOVE the public transport here...but there is nothing like hoping in my car and singing at the top of my lungs with the windows down.
- Family and friends
- Having stores that stay open past 5pm. Woo hoo!
- Riding my bike
- Understanding more than 1/2 of what's going on at any given time. Although, when I went home for Christmas...I kept feeling like I was eavesdropping on conversations, simply because I understood what was being said.
- Maggie lovin'!
Of course, these are very small lists...they could both go on forever. But this can give you a little glimpse. I have so many heartfelt and mushy things I could type too...but those are stories you can hear in person if you wish. For now, I will say, "Szia later" to Hungary and enjoy being home for a little while!
All of this rain along the Danube has made the river very high in the past week or so...to the point of the road going along it being underwater. Here are some pictures Alvin and I took the other day on our walk by Parliament...the one of our feet is on the steps that usually lead down from Parliament to the road!
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