A Blank Slate
It is almost 7 months since I've moved to Hungary to pursue my studies.
Everything still feels unreal.
Everything is just different—complete opposite of what I am used to, I would say. The culture, the food, the language, the infrastructures, the transportation systems, the attitude, and the people themselves.
Before coming to Hungary, I told myself countless of times, "Never compare it to your country. Never look for this or that. Expect that you will be treated differently so extend your patience and understanding. Respect and treat them good, no matter what. Do not depend on your fellow Filipinos once you get there. You have to be strong. You need to get out of your comfort zone. Expand your network. It will be challenging, but you have to do it in order to grow."
Moreover, the fact that studying abroad means that you will have to look after yourself, makes it even harder. When I was in the Philippines, I would wake up to a cooked meal, laundered and ironed uniforms—everything is already prepared to my advantage. No matter how late I get home from school, there will be my family, relatives, and a meal waiting for me at home. Today, I have to wake up by myself, cook food, do my laundry, do my grocery shopping, manage my allowances, and discipline myself to study from time to time. I have to take action because one's going to do it for me–that's the sad truth. Every time I get sad, I just remind myself who and what I am doing it for, and why I started in the first place.
I am also learning the Hungarian language. And yes, it is difficult. It really comes in handy when engaging with the locals. There's this satisfaction when you get to see them smile because they understood what you're saying, and because they know that you are trying. To be fair, they themselves know how complicated their language is, so they really appreciate it when you try. I had this experience of coming across an old Hungarian woman during our hike and she spoke to us in their language, and I never felt so thankful for being attentive in my class because I was able to understand her, and answer her questions. Oh, that smile of hers... it's motivating.
What I like most in Hungary is their transportation system. It is efficient. Buses arrive on time, but rarely, could be late for a few minutes, considering the traffic situation in the city. In Pécs, for roughly PHP 650, you have unlimited bus rides for the entire month. If you want to go to other villages, you can take the inter-city buses (roughly, PHP 25 to 150 or more, depending on how far it is) or trains. Also, if you have a student card (or a temporary one), you are entitled to a 50% discount in transport fares. Nice, right? The motorists are also disciplined—pedestrian comes first.
There are people saying that I am living the "best" life because I am here. I think otherwise. It's not as easy as you think. I had to sacrifice a lot of things in order to get here. Please, just spread kindness and positivity because the world is already a mess as it is.
All in all, I would say that living in another country alone is difficult and it gets overwhelming from time to time. There are moments where I just feel mentally and emotionally exhausted. Good thing that I have fellow Filipinos here in Pécs. Not a lot, but I know I can always count on them. Also, despite how hard it is to make friends, I am starting to find people that can help me get through life here. It's wonderful.
I miss home.
