The Swing of Things...

Hungary.... Day 4

I'm finally beginning to understand the overall European college culture: Party at night, sleep during the day, go to classes when you find time.  Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but its something like that. Anywho, let me explain what you've missed in my past two days as an American exchange student:

On Monday night I went out with the Spanish exchange students to the club in my academic building... yes you read it correctly, a club, and it was perhaps the strangest club I've been to.  Apparently its modeled after a coal mine and to me it looked like I was inside a wigwam.  Everyone there was smoking and dancing to Hungarian "party" music (which is full of screechy violins) and drinking heavily.  You were basically incapacitated the entire time while people shoved you out of the way while they passed.  I wasn't a huge fan.  On top of that, we arrived there around 2 in the morning which is about 2 hours past my normal bedtime.  It was interesting to say the least, but an experience to remember... and I plan on just remembering it because I don't think I can handle it again, haha. 

Last night was much more my style.  My roommate's mentor came and we hung out in the common room together talking and drinking, then down the hall we heard voices and left the common room to go see what was going on.  Apparently more students had arrived and we quickly joined them, then more drinking, laughing, and yelling ensued.  Everyone is very nice and inquisitive about other cultures here and it's a big party when a lot of Erasmus students get together.  

Today all of the Erasmus students went to our official orientation where we learned about Pecs and everything that we needed to know about classes and paperwork.  I also discovered that I am the only American here... wonderful.  However, being the only American has its perks: apparently a lot of people want to talk to me because the want to hear "proper" English.  Also, I don't know if other people have noticed this yet, but I seem to be the English translator between the different languages; like if my south korean roommate says something in english to my polish roommate who can't understand the word because of the korean accent, I can usually say the word out loud and then my polish roommate can understand the word (sorry if that was complicated).  

I also found out recently that I have to do a presentation on the USA to the other Erasmus students, and because I am the only American student I have to do it all by myself! My roommate, Jihye said that she would help me though so I will probably be using her help, especially when I have to make an American dish.  Apparently the American students last year made Jungle Juice... needless to say I will not be doing that.  My question is: what foods are strictly American?  Hopefully I won't be the first country to go!  

Overall I'm finally starting to get into the swing of things, thank goodness.