Different places, different faces, same questions - Part 1: Budapest

Ingrid spent one semester in Budapest in 2011 during her second university year as part of a scholarship granted by the Petőfi programme – before she was a student at the Faculty of Letters, Babeș-Bolyai University. I invited her to an open discussion about her experiences.

How did you find out about this opportunity and what determined you to apply for it?

I have found out about this opportunity from students in above years and from my teachers. It was interesting for me to see that there were more opportunities, not only Erasmus, and getting to study in Budapest was an important aspect.

Talking about cultural differences and the so-called “cultural shock”, what were the things that surprised you the most upon your arrival?

The most well-marked thing would be the fact, that even if me and my classmates from Budapest spoke that same language, I experienced many unpleasant and funny situations, sometimes misunderstandings.  Among this, I have noticed that exchange students find it really hard to accommodate and I mean it by the fact that exchange students usually meet, friend and ask for help from other exchange students, since they are in the same boat. This is how I made Hungarian friends from Slovakia.

Could you briefly present your experience in terms of courses, teachers, the exchange student network, the entertainment facilities?

I consider Budapest the city of possibilities. In the higher education system there is a developed practical education, which I liked the lot. Among the university, students have lots of opportunities to grow and to gain professional experience. It was very pleasing to me, that inside a specialisation, the student can decide for himself/herself  what subjects to take on, what to study, there is no mandatory “scheme”, I’m not sure though if this applies to all students or to exchange students only. In regards to entertainment I can only confirm that there are many possibilities, everyone can find the ideal hobby or leisure activity. As a Transylvanian young adult it meant a lot for me that I could go to the theatre or to all kinds of performances  on a daily basis. Thanks to my student internship, I took part in the organising of many events.

Overally, how would you compare the student life in Budapest with the student life in Cluj?

As for the first difference, I would lay emphasis on the human relationships. While in Cluj I have made long-lasting friendships, in Budapest the short friendships I have made were rather superficial. I believe there was no time to build real relationships. I have experienced that, in the busy Budapest life, people do not need deep, honest conversations.

The other difference I have experienced is the fact that the majority of the Budapest students start to build their professional career starting from the early university years: they lay more emphasis on gaining as much professional experience as they can so once they finish their studies, they already have a professional portfolio in their hands.

Were there any negative parts of your experience?

I do not remember any negative aspect or experience.

Would you recommend this exchange programme to other students?

I would definitely recommend this exchange programme to any student, since it gave a lot to me and I believe it can represent a positive experience for anybody.

Thanks for the interview!


Written by Aletta Kenyeres