This week brought a whole new appreciation of the word bureaucracy. I made my first steps to holding a resident's permit. This document allows me to legally stay in Hungary for the year, so it is pretty important.There is long list of requirements: bank account statements, application forms, photos, copies of passports and proof of insurance, documents from the school and the dorm, and several of the most expensive postage stamps I have ever bought. Ninety dollars worth (18,000 HUF) of payment became four little postage stamps to be affixed to my documents. I gathered all these materials in a purple, plastic folder and made my way to the office on Tuesday.
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| Here is an example of Hungarian Forint (HUF). |
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| Thank you photo machines. |
I climbed on a tram that brought me to a bus that brought me to a communist era building that is really a black hole. In this black hole you must line up and you must wait and wait and wait to take a number. Then you must find a seat in a big room with at least fifty other people and you must sit and sit and sit. You need to look hopefully at a small electronic board and watch as numbers spring up and pass. In the end when your number arises you go to a one side of a glassed cubicle. Show your papers and sign and sign and sign the documents. I have never seen so many stamps to validate a single piece of paper before. All-in-all a four hour experience not including travel. sigh. Hopefully in 15 or so days they will decide to let me stay in the country and send me a registration card. Keep your fingers crossed.
Despite this bleak experience the sun shines down in Budapest. My soggy Washington blood can barely take all the sunshine. I find my self looking at the endless sun symbols with despair on the Weather Channel. It was with some joy that last week I had my first rain shower. It came as the light was fading and the sky became lovely and grey and the wind began to pick up. The weather is pretty muggy here so it felt like I could breath again. I opened my windows wide and tried to capture it.
Speaking of taking a breath, my classes have officially begun. I will be officially be up to my ears in readings, presentations and essays. I am excited and terrified by the challenge but I hear that many people live through it and so I hope to as well. I went to the Central Market, the largest fresh market in the city, to prepare myself for this diligent learning. Think Pikes Place times two and insert the Danube instead of the Puget Sound and you sort of get the idea. I have not been able to find Kale so I may die a small death but there are other pretty vegetables to sustain me. The most ubiquitous vegetables are: kohlrobi, cabbage, celeriac, tomatoes, potatoes,carrots and paprika (peppers). It is pretty fun to see so much Kohlrobi.
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| Descending into the Metro. |
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| I liked the monkey on this door. |
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| Brassica central!! The kohlrobi is front and center ! |
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| A display in the market. |
I hope the weeks brings good things to you and I'll keep you update on my scholarly life and explorations of Budapest!
