| Major(s) | Mathematics |
| Hobbies | Reading, drawing, hiking/camping/backpacking, anything animals, food, dancing |
| Hometown | San Francisco, California |
| Program/Study Site | Budapest Semesters in Mathematics |
Why study abroad?
Why not study abroad? It’s better than a vacation because you get to immerse yourself in the location and really get to find your favorite grocery store, coffee shop, music venue, you name it.
Why did you choose Hungary?
Budapest is home to a rich mathematics history and I thought it would be incredible to go somewhere I didn’t even really know where it was on a map and to immerse myself in mathematics. Also, there aren’t many English-taught math-based study abroad programs to choose from.
What courses did you enroll in while abroad?
- Mathematical Problem Solving
- Combinatorics
- Hungarian Art and Culture
- Hungarian Language
What was your living situation?
I lived in an apartment with one other Scripps student. We chose to live together because we knew we had similar living styles. We had a shared bath, toilet, and kitchen and each had our own bedroom.
What did you do for fun?
I began volunteering with a local animal rights group and I met young Hungarians through that. It was really fun getting to know what young Hungarians do and where they like to eat. I ended up going to festivals and restaurants with them. And the younger generations know more English so it made becoming friends much easier! I also travelled almost every other weekend to places I wouldn’t have gone to if I wasn’t in the area. I went to Slovakia (twice), Romania, Croatia, all around Hungary (they have great wine tasting in Eger) and Copenhagen. I spent the other weekends exploring Budapest and all it has to offer. It was fun exploring all the great coffee shops that turn into bars in the evenings. Oh and of course all of the thermal baths!
Highlights of the program:
Thermal baths, cave spelunking (see photo!), great professors, generally an inexpensive city to live in, castles and history from the Magyars to the Romans, and lots of dancing!
The most challenging aspects of your experience:
The most challenging aspect was definitely the language barrier. I was told that everyone in Budapest speaks English and although many people do know some English, it could be hard to get by sometimes. I don’t speak Hungarian but I went two weeks early for a language course that was offered through the program. I also decided to take a language class throughout the semester just so I would be able to get by. It was tough at first because the signs are all in Hungarian and they have an expanded alphabet compared to English. I went at it with an open mind and when I learned how to say, “I’m learning Hungarian, I speak English, can you help me?” people were much more forgiving.
Final comments or suggestions for future participants:
Do not use a trunk as a suitcase. I only had a trunk to put my stuff in and I was stuck at the airport trying to get rid of 30lbs of stuff. Luckily, my dad was there to take it home but I was left with two pairs of pants, a few sweaters, and some shirts. It was a good learning experience knowing that I can live five months with four outfits!
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