My Hungarian experience
KristynaDolha, Czech Republic
2015/2016
Going on Erasmus was not my dream for a long time, six years of studies are way to enough, right? But I haven’t regret a second of this year, and for all the memories, experiences and life lessons I learnt I am sure I won’t.
This sentence says it all, doesn’t it? But let’s start on beginning.
Decision making!
Once you start to travel for academic purposes, you fall in love with it and it’s hard to stop. So after few of month lasting exchanges, Erasmus was another step to go. For my preferences of English teaching university and our list of partner universities, University of Pécs was easy choice. Good reputation, very similar curriculum and just from fast internet research, Hungary looked like a great country to be in with the same living standard as we have in Czech Republic, including cost of living and healthcare standards.
Moving in!
After being accepted to the university and also being provided university accommodation in Hunyor hostel, there was a time to let the adventure begin. I and my parents just stuffed our car by all my life and headed Hungary! After eight hours, we arrived to one of the cutest cities I have ever seen and I felt in love the second I saw Széchenyi square. I had a great buddy from ESN, so fading my way, accommodating and orientation in thefirst week was all provided and cover by him and made ourlives so much easier.
And the school begins!
So exciting! Right after beginning, I changed some subjects, chose my timetable and was ready to see the reality. And it was awesome! Usually students seem to take their Erasmus as a year off, but we as medical students were treated as normal students studying in international program. And that’s what I found really great. Other students accepted us very fast, counted with us in their overcrowded classes and never let us behind.
One of the best thing on living abroad was learning be alone. I’m a spoiled child who does not shop food, never had to switch on washing machine and don’t even mentioning the cooking part of daily life! But you’re never alone on Erasmus. I learnt to “keep house clean”, do my laundry and even though I usually bought very weird things, I cooked with a more success every time with less and less help from my friends.
The whole year passed by so fast! Going on my practices, traveling around, spending time with people from all over the world and of course two months of only studying in exam period, but what else can a med student wish for? Passing exams was not any easier for me than for other students in international program, but I earned my credits, got travel Balcan, made a bunch of great new friends, had a broken heart and in general survived my first whole year abroad in and awesome way.
But time to go home!
On the very end, I am sure I won’t regret prolonging my studies for a year. Because I spent this year surrounded by awesome people, in country full of beautiful places and awesome weather and at a university with same level and reputation as one of the most famous universities in Europe, my alma mater, Charles University.
Hope to see you soon again, beautiful Pécs!
KristynaDolha