Quick update and some observations

Szia!

Last night my group got to go on a short 1 hour river cruise on the Danube.  Budapest at night looks incredible, especially Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge.  We were given audio equipment to listen to the 'tour guide' talk to us about the different buildings and such that we passed by. It was a good time and I enjoyed the complementary beverages we were given! There are a few pictures up on the other website for your viewing pleasure.

This morning we had to wake up really early to head over to the immigration office on the Buda side to get our residence permits extended.  Besides it being pretty chilly outside, it all went fairly well.  I guess in the past the immigration officers havent been the friendliest of people, and Reka said some students used to get yelled at, but apparently they hired new people and we were in and out in a very timely manner.

I made my first trip grocery shopping afterwards, stopping at Tesco, which is very similar to Wal-mart.  I picked up some meats; i think turkey, steak, and ground beef? Not really sure but it looked like them haha.  I also picked up a few bottles of local wine and liquor because they were VERY cheap, like, 4 dollars a bottle cheap.

This afternoon we have another short orientation at the school with API, which shouldn't be too bad.  I'm hoping to stop at the Great Market to pick up some fresh veggies and other fixens so our kitchen actually looks like someone uses it!

And now some observations I have had:

• Hungarians dress VERY well...I feel like a slob when I walk out in shorts and a polo!
• You have to pay for things here that you wouldn't normally have to pay for in the US, such as WATER at meals (ugh), chopsticks, paper and plastic grocery bags, to use a public restroom, and to use a shopping cart.
• The food is very hearty: a lot of meat and potatoes as well as thick soups, and they come in fairly large portions.
• There are A LOT of pizza and gyros shops up and down the streets.  I think I've eaten a gyro for either lunch or a late night snack at least 4 of the 6 days I've been here! And I'm not complaining about it :-)!
• A lot of the younger generation speak English, and surprisingly a few of the older generation also do too.  And if you at least attempt to say hello, goodbye, and thank-you in Magyar they will appreciate the effort, especially if they know you're an American.
• The women are beautiful. Enough said.

Tomorrow I have orientation through Corvinus that is a must to attend, and then we are scheduled to go shopping with our tandem partners, but I may have all the food and such that I need.  I still may take advantage of it and go to a mall or something to see what they are like.

Friday we are touring the parliament building and then going over to Buda for part 2 of our city tour...I will have pictures up of that soon after that.

Until then...