I got Rick Roll'd in the Mall today?! I thought that was against the rules.
Suitable for Europe, it was a techno remix.
I was pretty happy with myself today: I set a goal (buy a new phone, since the old one has been officially disfunctional since Friday) and followed through. Accomplishing things is satisfying; I should do it more often.
Other than that I am: applying for jobs, buying a bike tomorrow, moving on Wednesday... Busy busy busy!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
I bought new shoes a couple of weeks ago! Sometimes I have difficulty reconciling this with my joblessness, but most of the time I managed to rationalize it... I worry that the money I've saved over the semester has been mentally budgeted for too many things (deposit AND three months rent AND health care, etc. etc.)
The point of the story, though, is that these shoes are eating my feet alive. Breaking them in is a slow process; until I do, however, I have to contend with numerous moderately-infected sores covering my feet.
One strange thing for me about Hungary, coming as I do from the States, is that if you want anything moderately related to medicine/vitamin supplements/personal upkeep you have to go to the gyógyszertár (pharmacist's) and ask a nice lady to give it to you. I went in for some hydrocortizone cream, only to hear that I needed a prescription! I felt like my civil liberties were being infringed on! My right to self-medication. (I suppose this is right alongside Americans' right to name their children Adolf Hitler, another one you're denied in Europe.)
Baldur suggested a different cream I might try, so I went back to the same pharmacy for Take Two. The women didn't know what I was talking about. I explained that I had a "little infection" and pointed to a cut on my finger. They brought bandaides; I insisted I wanted cream. I pointed to a cut on my finger, hoping this would clear things up. Rather, the women insisted that cream was unnecessary.
I sighed; I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. Apologizing, I reached down, untied my shoe, removed my sock, and lifted up my somewhat infected foot for the benefit of the women. "Little infection!" I insisted.
They agreed, and I got my cream. I'm still really sorry.
The point of the story, though, is that these shoes are eating my feet alive. Breaking them in is a slow process; until I do, however, I have to contend with numerous moderately-infected sores covering my feet.
One strange thing for me about Hungary, coming as I do from the States, is that if you want anything moderately related to medicine/vitamin supplements/personal upkeep you have to go to the gyógyszertár (pharmacist's) and ask a nice lady to give it to you. I went in for some hydrocortizone cream, only to hear that I needed a prescription! I felt like my civil liberties were being infringed on! My right to self-medication. (I suppose this is right alongside Americans' right to name their children Adolf Hitler, another one you're denied in Europe.)
Baldur suggested a different cream I might try, so I went back to the same pharmacy for Take Two. The women didn't know what I was talking about. I explained that I had a "little infection" and pointed to a cut on my finger. They brought bandaides; I insisted I wanted cream. I pointed to a cut on my finger, hoping this would clear things up. Rather, the women insisted that cream was unnecessary.
I sighed; I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. Apologizing, I reached down, untied my shoe, removed my sock, and lifted up my somewhat infected foot for the benefit of the women. "Little infection!" I insisted.
They agreed, and I got my cream. I'm still really sorry.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The other day I saw a guy nailing up a sign for an "Italian breew store." I hope they didn't pay too much for it.
I opened a bank account today! I feel like such a grownup. I also get to put a picture on my bank card. Ideas thrown around included:
- T-Rex
- Greater Hungary
- Barack Obama riding a unicorn
- A Thanksgiving Day hand turkey
I opened a bank account today! I feel like such a grownup. I also get to put a picture on my bank card. Ideas thrown around included:
- T-Rex
- Greater Hungary
- Barack Obama riding a unicorn
- A Thanksgiving Day hand turkey
Friday, June 12, 2009
Warden Message for American citizens in Hungary
June 12, 2009
The 64 Counties Youth Movement will hold a march to commemorate the 89th anniversary of the 1920 Treaty of Trianon. The march will begin at the 1956 Square (next to Heroes Square) and proceed to the Serbian, Slovak, and Romanian embassies. The group organizing the march advocates for Hungary to regain territories lost to these countries after WWI.
DATE: Saturday, June 13, 2009
TIME: 4:30 PM
PLACE: The march will begin at the 1956 Square (next to Heroes Square) and proceed to the Serbian, Slovak, and Romanian embassies.
Separately, the Civil Alliance Forum will march from Heroes Square to Parliament to voice their support for early government elections in Hungary and call for the resignation of the current government
DATE: Sunday, June 14, 2009
TIME: 2:00 PM
Police will secure the march routes and demonstration sites. Traffic in these areas will most likely be affected.
June 12, 2009
The 64 Counties Youth Movement will hold a march to commemorate the 89th anniversary of the 1920 Treaty of Trianon. The march will begin at the 1956 Square (next to Heroes Square) and proceed to the Serbian, Slovak, and Romanian embassies. The group organizing the march advocates for Hungary to regain territories lost to these countries after WWI.
DATE: Saturday, June 13, 2009
TIME: 4:30 PM
PLACE: The march will begin at the 1956 Square (next to Heroes Square) and proceed to the Serbian, Slovak, and Romanian embassies.
Separately, the Civil Alliance Forum will march from Heroes Square to Parliament to voice their support for early government elections in Hungary and call for the resignation of the current government
DATE: Sunday, June 14, 2009
TIME: 2:00 PM
Police will secure the march routes and demonstration sites. Traffic in these areas will most likely be affected.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Further adventures in Bureaucracy
Monday was round eight with the immigration office... I went in two weeks later than I should have, knowing full well that I would receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist. I was correct! This is the third time I have been grudgingly handed a blank piece of printer paper and asked to write down why I didn't follow the rules.
"Dear Sir or Madame: I am really, really sorry I didn't come into the immigration office on time/turn in my documents on time/ask for a more noticeable stamp in my passport! I was busy with exams. Yours truly, N."
Afterwards they give you a document listing all the papers you have yet to turn in and ten days in which to procure them. It's like a scavenger hunt, except instead of a fun prize in the end you just get to stay in the country.
Worse than my late appearance was the fact that they noticed my health insurance card doesn't have an expiration date. Somehow it slipped under the radar in November. I got some normal insurance; now all I need is something in case of emergencies. Next on the list: two big paperclips.
"Dear Sir or Madame: I am really, really sorry I didn't come into the immigration office on time/turn in my documents on time/ask for a more noticeable stamp in my passport! I was busy with exams. Yours truly, N."
Afterwards they give you a document listing all the papers you have yet to turn in and ten days in which to procure them. It's like a scavenger hunt, except instead of a fun prize in the end you just get to stay in the country.
Worse than my late appearance was the fact that they noticed my health insurance card doesn't have an expiration date. Somehow it slipped under the radar in November. I got some normal insurance; now all I need is something in case of emergencies. Next on the list: two big paperclips.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
My Fulbright officially ended last Sunday. A friend and I said goodbye to it most appropriately at Szimpla, beloved-loathed-beloved bar of expats and locals alike.
Now is a strange transition time. I have a few problems to do for a few classes, but they are more or less optional. I have approximately my last month of stipend to live off of until future notice. It's unclear how to go about getting a health insurance number, much less how much time it will take to shuffle the paperwork around... I was thinking a month on the outside, but a Hungarian I talked to the other night mentioned a (Hungarian) couple needing *six months* to get a number for their (Hungarian) child, so I might be out of work for a while. I'm trying to re-adjust my mindset and prepare for the long haul.
I'm also in an in-between place apartment-wise. I have a place, but it will be another month before I can move in. I don't have to live on the street, thankfully. I have a suitcase and a couple of apartments to drift between.
I think I'll buy a bike as soon as I get my act together. Budapest is definitely not the most bike-friendly city, but it's too beautiful to restrict myself to public transportation any longer. I also figure that, oblivious though I might be, I did manage to survive biking in Tokyo, if only just.
Now is a strange transition time. I have a few problems to do for a few classes, but they are more or less optional. I have approximately my last month of stipend to live off of until future notice. It's unclear how to go about getting a health insurance number, much less how much time it will take to shuffle the paperwork around... I was thinking a month on the outside, but a Hungarian I talked to the other night mentioned a (Hungarian) couple needing *six months* to get a number for their (Hungarian) child, so I might be out of work for a while. I'm trying to re-adjust my mindset and prepare for the long haul.
I'm also in an in-between place apartment-wise. I have a place, but it will be another month before I can move in. I don't have to live on the street, thankfully. I have a suitcase and a couple of apartments to drift between.
I think I'll buy a bike as soon as I get my act together. Budapest is definitely not the most bike-friendly city, but it's too beautiful to restrict myself to public transportation any longer. I also figure that, oblivious though I might be, I did manage to survive biking in Tokyo, if only just.
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