Newsflash: Hungary is a developed country!

I have a bad habit of forgetting that Hungary is a developed country with a market economy and modern conveniences. In my mind, Hungary is still developing when compared with the U.S. and Western European countries. Then again, there is still a statue of Karl Marx in the main building of my university. Hungary definitely had to play catch-up after the fall of communism in 1989, but so did East Berlin and it is much more modern and developed than even the nicest districts in Budapest. I hate to say this...but when I went to Germany I felt like I was fully back in civilization as I know it. I'm not even sure how to explain it, but my Hungarian professors often equate the U.S. and Hungary on economic, political, and technological terms, but they definitely are not. A simple example is that the school computers still run Windows XP instead of Vista or Windows 7 and the keyboards look like they are ten years old.

There are definitely services, goods, and conveniences in the U.S. that don't exist in Hungary.  There are no drying machines and I've yet to find a reliable wifi connection.  [Side note: for some reason, you can not pull a chair out from a table anywhere without it making a horrendous scraping noise. I can literally hear when someone a floor above or below me pulls out their desk chair. Same in the university classrooms.] As a result, soon after I arrived in Budapest I started assuming that if there is a good or service that I use in the U.S. and really like, it must not exist in Hungary. Yesterday I found out there is a bowling alley (mind blown) and tonight I found out that not only is there pizza delivery here, but that I can ORDER IT ONLINE like at home (mind blown, again).

Urban decay in the 8th district (prostitution district) of Budapest

Even the other Europeans I have talked to have made quips about Hungary being "uncivilized" compared to their home countries. Hungarians insist that their country is in Central Europe because they don't want to be associated with Eastern Europe and the perceptions surrounding those countries. However, every other European I've talked to says there is no such thing as Central Europe.

Hungary also doesn't seem to be too keen on efficiency or order. Yesterday I finally went to the immigration office (scary!) to apply for my residence permit. I waited in line for 40 minutes to get a number to wait in another line for an hour. My number got skipped, so I had to get back in line to tell the clerk. It was a good lesson on Hungarian bureaucracy - I think the only one I'll ever need, ha. The only enjoyable part of my trip to the immigration office was seeing two female employees who had kool-aid red hair like I mentioned in the previous post :D

Quaint square also in the 8th district

I've been in Budapest for exactly one month already...where did time go!? I love Budapest despite the  shelf toilets, pizza served with ketchup on top, and doors with handles that open inward, making me look like a fool (instead of knobs and opening outward). I just read this entire list of cultural differences between Hungary and the US and laughed because it is all true. Living outside of North America has definitely made me appreciative of everything about my life in the states that I take for granted!

P.S. - do me a favor and read this beautiful story of how God is working in my friend Dominic's life! It's quite amazing. Dominic is a seminarian for my home diocese, Lafayette-in-Indiana, and will be ordained a deacon this summer and a priest the following summer! Keep him in your prayers :)

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