Dracula didn't actually live here?

Blogging about Romania... never too late. Seeing as it's midterms week, I have decided that it is a perfectly good time to write about my trip to Romania last weekend. :)

Our trip to Romania started off with a 15 hour train ride to Bucharest. I don't know what it is about long train rides that just beckons the creepers, but they seem to all book international train rides scoping out foreigners. One guy (told us he was in college, but my guess is that he was in high school. Proof: he was traveling with mum and dad) gave us one "ticket" in the form of an old receipt to join him for a movie on his laptop. We politely declined. Unfortunately, creepers don't take the hint very well, so he sat with us quite awkwardly for a good 20 minutes and didn't say a word. ??? 

We spent the day in Bucharest just wandering and enjoying the city. It's an interesting city, not what you expect. The old architecture and churches are closely intermingled between the shopping malls and modern buildings. 

The highlight of the trip (other than 50 rounds of "asshole") was the castle tour we took the next day. Our guide, Mr. Vlad (no joke), picked us up early in the morning with the conspicuous mini-van with castle pictures on the side and "I Love Romania" stickers all over. He was entertaining, with his slightly off hair color and eagerness to please. He didn't really give us any tour information, other than the 3 minute cassette he played for us in the mini-van about the capital of Bucharest, but he did cater to our musical desires. Anytime he noticed us humming or singing along to a song he would turn the volume up, but would quickly turn the volume down if the next song was not met with equal enthusiasm. When we said we needed coffee, Mr. Vlad promptly would pull over at the nearest gas station to fulfill our caffeine needs, along with his need for a cigarette break. 

When we arrived at the castle destinations, Mr. Vlad would drop us off  and point in the direction of the castle and inform us there were English guides available. Peles Palace was beautiful, with themed rooms and Venetian chandeliers, but we were definitely waiting to see Bran Castle, aka Dracula's Castle.

There was no guide for Bran Castle, so we were left to find our own way around. In true "tourists from America" style, we went through the castle backwards which is quite difficult with narrow winding passage ways. Needless to say, people were annoyed with us. Jessica and Danielle bought some AWESOME Dracula teeth and had fun posing around the castle, so if people were annoyed with us at least they were also entertained. Unfortunately, when we finished walking through the castle and taking pictures of snowflakes, we noticed there was NOTHING about Vlad the Impaler in the castle. So "Dracula" never lived in Dracula's Castle. It was very disappointing, but we did get some cool shirts. 

Good trip. Back to studying...or a movie perhaps?

Bucharest, Romania

Mini-Van!

Peles Palace

Bran Castle

Dracula's only appearance at Bran Castle.

A night of attempted culture

I was quite proud of myself, actually. I finally decided to emerge from the apartment and gain some exposure to humans and even maybe some art. Unfortunately, my fellow cultured friends and I arrived an hour late to a 30 minute performance. We were supposed to see a performance piece by two British men (some sort of music accompanied by pictures), but as we entered the building we saw the guitars leaving along with the people. Quite embarrassing really. However, the night was not a complete failure. We did end up enjoying some lovely chocolate souffles at the gaudy New York Cafe. Redemption. I probably wouldn’t have understood the art anyway.  

Time to study for midterms and inject caffeine into my blood stream.

Me and my cultured friends. Jessica and Danielle.

The classy New York Cafe. Excellent chocolate souffles. No Pictures (or Euros) allowed.

Kosova

It's crazy, really, that we were just there to witness this part of history. whoaaaa

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/02/17/world/europe/20090217-kosovo-anniversary/index.html

Prishtina, Kosovo

Prishtina, Kosovo
Budva, Montenegro

Time is dwindling.

I have just had the amazing yet dismal realization that I have been here for almost 6 months. That means, if I do the math correctly since it’s been a while, I only have 3 more months left of my life abroad. This experience goes by so fast, and I am generally slow when it comes to catching on to life lessons (hence why I studied abroad for a year and not 4 months). I need time. haha. My time here is definitely not over, but it is definitely the beginning of the end. I can no longer look at Hungary and feel like I have all the time in world to experience it. 

Hungarians are a special breed. In one of my classes we have talked about stereotypes of Hungarians, and one that always seems to come up is the unhappiness of the Hungarian population. Hungary has some of the highest rates of suicide as well as divorce. (now you are really wondering why I studied abroad here). Hungary has this history about it. You can sense it in the people around you. At first encounter, they are not the nicest and most pleasant people you’ve ever met. This was quite a challenge for me. Smiling is fun, but when people only give confused or mean looks back, you tend to reel it in and relax those facial muscles. 

Our Hungarian teacher tells us that Hungarians look at Americans and see “fake happiness.” We smile with no reason for smiling. While, I rather enjoy smiling for no apparent reason, the fact that Hungarians don’t makes all of the good encounters with them all the more special. I will never fully fit in here, but I will always remember playing cards with my 60 year old neighbor, or sharing a train cabin with a Hungarian woman who caresses my cheek to tell me I’m beautiful. While the concept of customer service or greeting strangers may be lacking, kindness is not. It just took time for me to see that.

The more I learn about Hungary, and the more I am here, the more I see the world from a Hungarian perspective. It’s a complete contrast to the American perspective, which makes studying abroad here a complete learning experience. 

Awkward encounters with Hungarians...

Awkward encounters definitely not lacking...

These all happened in one day:

3:30 pm 

While walking down the street I am stopped by a Hari Krishna asking for donations. I must say, he was very flirtatious. He called me a beautiful California girl, and then asked for my money.

3:35 pm

As i turned away and said “have a nice day” to the Hari Krishna, I run straight into a Hungarian woman. Embarrassing? I think yes. Especially since the Hari Krishna witnessed the entire thing and was probably thinking “karma sucka.”

4:45 pm

As I am walking down the street, I spot a 13 year old boy drawing near. And when I say drawing near, I mean he was going to walk straight into me if I didn’t move. But right before he turns to get out of the way, he gives a few huffs and growls. HE GROWLED! Who does that? Apparently 13 year old Hungarian boys. Creepy. 

5:30 pm

Old Hungarian biker man winks at me. I made the mistake of smiling at him. Never again will I smile. Creepy.

10:00 pm

Riding the tram back to my apartment a drunk man approaches me, speaking in Hungarian of course. I respond “Sorry, I don’t speak Hungarian.” He then gets this quizzical look on his face and continues to speak to me in Hungarian. Still don’t understand, so I respond “eh, er Angolul.” (means English language) He shakes his head and stumbles away. 

Hope you found joy in my embarrassment and confusion.

I now have a headache

So I just spent a good portion of my night attempting to translate an article about Obama from Hungarian to English. Needless to say my translation makes absolutely no sense, and I am now even more convinced that I will never understand the Hungarian language. You too can feel my pain by trying to make sense of my translation. Good luck.

After All, What Distresses the President?

The local Italian population's attention is drawn towards that Barack Obama "yes only" he likes a four-star Italian restaurant in the city center _____ towards near in part. Not the pizza sort, but "the Ferrari of Italian cuisine," that Tony Mantuano, the Spiaggia head of the kitchen and the role of co-owner. As they say, the refined Italian culture appreciation much of the local population likes to follow Obama. "He is the pride of the Italians," they say.

CHICAGO-- And why is it not possible? In these days everyone wants to know Obama. The African-Americans evidently, but also in that manner the Spanish-Americans, the Jewish-Americans, Muslim-Americans, and yet the race discrimination _____ sentiments cleanse white-Americans as well. The young, the internet activists, the two-party agreement depends on, the easter party elites, the Hollywoodians. The liberals, the centrists, even plus some. reagan ability considerate conservatives also. The Brits. the Germans, and more, from Bush's American alienated foreigners.

"So I am, as one Rorschach test," this ticket plus a ____ this time Obama in the campaign. "Yet ultimately supposing disappointment, also in me the humans, something yet gained."

The Rorschach-____ campaign with complete decay, then the test here remains. yes in many different directions impression edge _____. that who Obama also, and what represents, and these ______ ______ determines who is certainly the farm class.

Needless to say, Hungarian is hard. I love Hungary, but their language is proving to be most difficult. How this issue shapes the culture of Hungary, is a discussion for another blog. Goodnight my friends.

It's about time...

So I meant to start one of these approximately 5 months ago, just in time to chronicle my abroad experiences, but alas, true Meg Reed style, I procrastinated. Better late than never? I suppose. Honestly, the reason it took me so long was because I couldn't come up with a title. haha. Lame, I know, but I think I got something pretty clever yeah? It only took me 5 months to come up with. Please, applause is really not necessary. No really, I am blushing. I am hoping from now on I will post somewhat regularly on my adventures around the WORLDDDDDD! But who knows, it may be another 5 months until my next post, and in that case, I will see you in America! :)