ERASMUS Experience Report - MATE University, Budapest:

Since I did not have the opportunity to move into a dorm room, I already took care of the search for a shared room in advance. Facebook groups proved to be very helpful for this purpose (Facebook is also much more widely used in Budapest for various parties and events than here in Germany). In most Facebook groups, you can communicate in English without any problems. After a few messages, I was able to choose a free room in a 5-person shared apartment and was sent the rental contract (Hungarian / English) shortly after.

Slightly unsettled by the Corona pandemic, but also full of anticipation, I finally arrived in Budapest at the beginning of September. Especially from the airport Cologne Bonn or Dortmund the Hungarian capital is very good and cheap to reach. In Hungary, I quickly discovered that there is a very large and active Erasmus community, so that I was able to get to know other students in the days before the start of university, with whom I explored the beautiful city on the Danube. An organization called "Erasmus Life Budapest" organizes events to help newcomers find their way around the city and network with each other. On Facebook and Instagram, for example, there is a page of the same name on which events / event calendars are posted. The range of events is very diverse. There are many party / pub crawl / bar or tasting events, but also guided city tours, visits to museums or sights and excursions to surrounding cities or countries, so you can say that there really is something for everyone.

After the first week, in which I was already able to experience many beautiful things in Budapest, I started at the MATE University. Originally, it was planned to have a whole week for orientation and welcoming the students who are staying in Hungary for a semester abroad. Unfortunately - due to the Corona pandemic - the program was shortened at short notice to a single morning. Many things (e.g. the system for course enrollment and examination registration) were not shown and presented to us, although they were originally planned, and overall the organization left much to be desired. In between, there were complications because the university suddenly could not guarantee that the modules chosen in the students' learning agreement could be offered. After a few days, these organizational and technical difficulties were solved (so don't panic if the organization causes problems at the beginning) and all Erasmus students (you actually get in contact with all of them, because it is a manageable group due to the size of the faculty) have found a solution regarding the course selection that suits them. I myself have the courses: Dairy Technology, Sensory Analysis, Physical Properties of Food, Nutritional Biochemistry of Vitamins and Secondary Metabolites, Environment Water and Energy Management, and Technology and Product Innovation, and I can highly recommend the first two in particular, as they were very engaging in terms of both content and language. Overall, I was quite satisfied with my course choice, although I found it a pity that - although there were enough interested students - no (basic) Hungarian course was offered. Perhaps one can also say luck in misfortune, because the Hungarian language is really not that easy. In addition, you can usually get by with English, especially in the capital, and one or the other vocabulary (e.g. Szia = hello, Köszönöm = thank you or Egészségére = cheers) you will definitely take home with you at the end of the semester, even without a language course.

In the first part of the semester, unfortunately, due to corona, all courses were online. The presentations given were then uploaded to the e-learning system and there was no compulsory attendance (except for some presentations or lab sessions held at the university). Gradually, some
courses were also offered in presence again, which meant that one could pass the time with other students between the lectures on the very green campus area. The amount of work varied greatly depending on the module and sometimes the awarding of credit points was somewhat incomprehensible to me, as some subjects with less CP required more work (e.g. in the form of presentations or reports in addition to the written examination). Presentations and small group work seem to be very popular at MATE University, regardless of the course or examiner. Basically, however, one can say that the exams are well "doable" and that one still has enough time besides the university to explore Budapest as well as the domestic or even closer abroad and to go out regularly.
During the week or on weekends, I usually spent time in Budapest or the surrounding area. As I said at the beginning, Budapest is a really beautiful and diverse city. A walk along the Danube, through the shopping street or on the mountainous Buda side of the city (the Danube divides the "Buda side" from the "Pest side") is a good idea at any time of the year. There is an insane amount to see and experience, even after a few months in the city. Summarized here I would like to share some of my (admittedly quite touristy) highlights: the Parliament (also from the inside), the Fishermen's Bastion, the Citadel & Gellert Hill, Heros Square & City Park, Margaret Island, ... In my experience, all Erasmus students are usually motivated to explore something or visit an exhibition, thermal bath, museum, party or whatever. Admittedly, this often keeps you pretty much in an Erasmus "bubble", but I personally did not find that bad, because within this "bubble" very many nations are represented, so you get insights into many cultures. If you really want to get in close contact with Hungarians, you can look for Hungarian flatmates directly when looking for a flatmate or go to typical Hungarian bars outside the tourist areas more often (this is definitely worthwhile and the prices are much lower there, whereas Budapest is generally comparably expensive or even cheaper than Mönchengladbach and the surrounding area).

Besides Budapest, Hungary offers other charming cities like Szentendre, Esztergom or Pécs. If you are more into nature, you can get your money's worth by visiting the Puszta, Lake Balaton or a national park. The length of the semester also allows for trips abroad. My personal "travel" highlight I experienced during my one-week fall vacation. Flixbuses and hostels are recommended for inexpensive travel planning. Within seven days I travelled affordably from Budapest to Zagreb, to the Croatian national park "Plitvice Lakes", to Split on the Croatian coast and then on to the capitals Sarajevo and Belgrade, from where I travelled back to Budapest. Hostels proved to be not only the cheapest alternative for a place to sleep, but also the most entertaining, as people usually met in the common room to eat, play cards or have a few beers.
In conclusion, I can only say that I had a very good time in Budapest (and the surrounding area). I, who had never been to Budapest myself before my semester abroad, can highly recommend this city for a stay abroad. In these five months I learned a lot of things related to my studies, but especially about different cultures and about myself, I experienced a lot of things or tried them for the first time and I feel enriched by this intensive time!

By the way: Since you have a lot of free time during the semester abroad, I think it's a good opportunity to start a new hobby or try something you've always wanted to do! I myself started dancing in Hungary, which made it easy for me to make new contacts outside of the Erasmus community and I also discovered a new hobby for myself.