A new semester has started and new faces have arrived to Budapest thanks to the Erasmus program. One of them is Alejandro LTS. He has chosen this name as his personal brand because, according to him, his full name is just too long. Alejandro is an Erasmus student who has been in Budapest for just a month and coming from Madrid, has found in this city his home for the next 5 months while he is studying Tourism at Metropolitan University.
Erasmus offers you many cities, why have you chosen Budapest?
I wanted to be in a city in the middle of Europe, where I can move around and explore the surrounding countries. Also, I wanted to have the chance of having a bigger cultural shock out of what I’m used to.
How have you felt in Budapest during your first weeks?
The city is an outstanding place for the fact that it is almost in ruins. It gives me a vintage feeling when I walk around. You can tell it was the capital of a great empire, but you can also feel that it has faded away. It is not as imposing anymore as it used to be which is great because that is what makes it very different from the rest of the European capitals. It is very mysterious. You never know what you are going to find around the corner.
What are you most impressed about?
Definitely about Hungarian history and the way it changed from one regime to another; the different eras that shaped the country and its people to be who they are right now. History has passed so fast that I feel like they still haven’t assimilated and caught up with the rest of the world when it comes to overcoming the consequences of what they have been through. They have lived everything and they have practically been part of most of the major events in Europe but, somehow, they are still trapped in the past.
How would you compare it to Madrid, your hometown?
I can’t really compare those cities. The history is completely different. Budapest has had a really heterogeneous development, there are too many contrasts and you can see how some things have moved forward and some others haven’t. Budapest lies in between east and west, which gives it a lucky position to be easily enriched by other cultures.
How is the gay life in Madrid?
Madrid is one of the world’s gay capitals. The gay life there goes together with the rest of the city; it is not like a “side” life of the city or something that goes underground, although the gay neighborhood, Chueca, hosts the main gay attractions of the city. There is actually more demand than offer and it keeps growing. From a social point of view, being gay is generally accepted and supported by the society, while in Budapest I am surprised how the scene is not big – I have to confess that I thought it was non-existent, but again this city surprised me – and homosexuality is still a taboo. So far I haven’t had any problems and I have enjoyed what I have seen, which I may admit is influenced by the fact that I am surrounded by international students and people who are a bit more open-minded than locals.
What was your favorite moment in Budapest so far?
Actually, the everyday life is what I like the most; going out of home and finding something new anywhere. I am aware this is something normal when you go to live abroad and you are getting to know a new city, but Budapest has more of the “wow” factor and you can really get surprised by the random things that happen in a regular day. That’s the daily excitement I feel every new day here.
Would you see yourself living in Budapest for a longer time?
I don’t really see myself settling down in any place for a permanent time, but yes, I could imagine living in Budapest for a while. You can feel that this city is alive, everyone is different and everything is quite unpredictable. I can’t really describe this city and that is what makes it interesting for me. Anyway, I have to admit that I am a bit afraid of the winter. I’m not really used to this cold weather.
What do you usually like to do in the city?
Getting lost, discovering new spots. I usually go for long walks to take some pictures willing to find a new rooftop to claim or a new door to open.
What have you discovered?
The “lomtalanítás” (a day when everyone throws out their old trash from home to the street) is definitely a highlight! I think it is a great idea as I like to recycle and use second hand stuff, it is very exciting to see this all over the city! But I also think it is not really something properly used in here; many things in Budapest are not really being exploited as they could be. The “second hand” culture is something that has been existing here for a very long time while in the rest of Europe it is just becoming something trendy now. Budapest could have used this in a way bigger scale way earlier.
It was also surprising that the city is smaller than I thought it was going to be and by the fact that, despite being flooded with tourists, it is still an unknown and underrated city. People should know more about it and I think we all should do a significant effort to avoid this party tourism that, by times, seems to be only kind of tourism people are interested in.
What is left for you to find in Budapest?
Budapest is a chance for me to figure out many of the things I want in my life and to grow up as a person. I am taking this time outside from the life I am used to, to discover the things in me that will make the person I want to be. I want to realize who I am and how I want to be. I’m really interested in this city, its history and all the things I don’t know yet, so one of my main goals is getting to know it. As I said, every single day in Budapest is a constant surprise and this is also valid from a personal point of view.
Author: Germán
