Name: Jon
Age: 32
Nationality: French and Spanish
Son of a Spanish mother and a French father, Jon is a citizen of the world. He has visited and lived in many countries like Senegal, the UK and Luxembourg among others. His French and Spanish roots made him a wine & cheese lover, while his multi-language expertise adds some undeniable sex appeal to his personality. What else can this caliente garçon share with us? Let’s find it out.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how did you end up in Budapest?
I was born and raised in France. I lived in Senegal for four months, studied in London and after my graduation, I moved to Luxembourg where I started my career. I was spending a gap year in Luxembourg doing an internship in a bank when I met a guy who later became my boyfriend. It was a big change to me, but love was stronger than the urge to be the king of the dance floor in the UK. Sometime later, I felt I needed a career change and decided to move from Luxembourg where I had lived for eight years. I completed a training in Budapest and fell in love – this time with the city.
How long are have you been here?
Fifteen months.
What are your impressions of Budapest compared to the places you lived before?
I lived in many places and I also traveled a bit around the world. I can speak five languages including Spanish (although I never lived in Spain, but 50% of my family still lives there). When I visited Budapest for the first time in 2009, I left it with mixed feelings. I did not get the chance to see much of the city or discover the unique ‘Hungarikums’ (no bad jokes here!). Then when I moved here, I realized how much the city had changed and it was more open to the world. I sometimes end up in awkward situations because I cannot speak Hungarian but I can get what I want with the help of a big smile. However, I form bounds with people who have lived abroad or travelled a lot easier.
What do you like about Budapest?
I like the fact that the city is safe and there are many things to see and do regarding the cultural life. When you move to a different country, there is always an ‘unknown’ factor and the usual pros and cons.
What keeps you busy during weekends?
Well, I love my job and work a lot. I try to balance my professional and social activities so I can enjoy myself. I always have an eye on the theatre or the ballet scene. I really like ballet. In my opinion, it is the perfect way to have a date and maybe something else.
As a theatre and ballet lover, could you recommend to our readers a good performance you saw lately or your favorite theatre or dance troop?
I saw Anna Karenina back in 2009 here and I still keep a great memory of that experience. In June, I will see “La Bayadère” at Uránia, hopefully with my future boyfriend (laughs).
How different is the gay scene in Hungary compared to Luxembourg? Do you miss the buzz?
Although Luxembourg’s prime minister is publicly out and same sex marriage is now legal, the country has a rather limited gay scene. Therefore, I appreciate the fact that some creative people try to keep a good level of parties and events in Budapest.
What is your opinion on cities that have gay districts compared to Budapest where venues are rather apart from each other?
I actually hate ghettos and geographical segregation. I prefer the mixed model that we have here. I am 200% straight friendly. In my opinion, the LGBT community in Hungary should be more united and find a common ground to fight for their rights. One way of showing this to society in a peaceful and respectful manner is the annual pride march. I attended the event in 2014 and I intend to do it again this year. I think it is important not only for Western Europeans but for Europeans in general to participate. We need to get some visibility.
Where do you hang out in the city?
My favorite place for coffee is the Bluebird (7th district Dob utca 16.), and my favorite spot in town is the Párisi Udvar (5th district Petőfi Sandor utca 2.), which is quite a stunning spot and off-tourist-circuit place. If I ever have the opportunity to propose to someone, that would be the place.
Author: Gabriel
