Our Pride - Comments
First of all, i will try to say what Budapest and Hungary means to me at the moment.
It has been only 4 days since I finished my Erasmus there, but I am still feeling much that they are part
of my life. It is not easy to explain how comfortable I was there after a year. From now on, I am a
defender of this country, city and university. They gave me all I could have to spend the best year in my
life there.
During my Erasmus period I was able to meet people from all around the world and
spent much time with people with different cultures which made me grow up as a person. Of course, I also
met great people from my country whom I also have strong relationship with.
Also, during this period I applied for a competition called AEA (Altran Engineers
Academy). I did it with an idea which came to my mind when working in the Department of Hydrodynamics
Systems headed by Dr. György Paál at BME. My supervisor and great helper was Dr. Csaba HŐS and all the
people being involved in the work, especially Mr. Bence Farkas. Actually, thank to them I got enough
skills about softwares which helped me so much in this field.
In this competition I reached the Spanish final and, by this, was qualified to
represent my country in the international competition
(http://www.altran-academy.com/finalists.php).
On the other hand, I was selected for this application after proving my English
proficiency. In the Erasmus period I was able to improve it very much, and that is why I finally passed
those tests with quite good marks. Again thank to my stay in Budapest!
I believe that I cannot be grateful enough to BME for how they helped me with
reaching the main goal of my life: to be a Formula 1 engineer. Thanks a lot,
Fernando Acosta Martínes (Las Palmas De Gran Canaria, Spain), 2009
Marca, 4 June 2009
Talking about Budapest means talking about a city full of energy, ideas, simbolism.
You do not need to understand what is happening around you to enjoy it, and it might occur that
enjoying it is the only way for you to understand it. No matter if you really achieve this knowledge
or not, once you have tried it, you will never be the same person again. You will learn something
forever, and this something would go with you wherever you go, as a part of your life. When I arrived
in Budapest I was afraid about the teachers, the language, the culture, and the people. Then I have
grown into the classes, the language, the culture, and got accustomed to local people. I can only say
that one hour before my departure I left the flat and thought, "Here, I was happy, even if I do not
precisely know what happiness means at all."
Alejandro Rocataliata Aquiar (Universidad de Sevilla), 2009
Impossible to predict, to describe before arriving, to imagine... just
Budapest, the pearl of the Danube. A big city with 1.000.000 thing to discover.
Everything was simply easy thank to Eszter (our mum), ESN (our brothers) and BME (our family).
Thank you very much.
Xavier Calvo Rubio (Barcelona, Spain), 2009
Studying Abroad begins in the classroom and ends with the international friends,
experiences and memories you make. It may just be the best time of your life!
Thomas Brown (University of Arizona), 2009
Spending a semester studying in Budapest was the experience of a lifetime. If
given the option to go back right now, I would leave in a heartbeat. The classes were fine, I enjoyed
learning in a different environment, but what I truly loved was the experience of living in a new
culture and the people that I meet along the way. I would highly suggest this program to anyone
considering it. Budapest is a wonderful and unique city. The experience of living in a flat and
figuring out how to get things done when there were barriers (language and cultural) everywhere was,
I thought, a very valuable experience. On top of that, you will make amazing friends that come from
all different backgrounds and are from all corners of the globe. It forces you out of your comfort
zone, but it is worth it. Budapest is everything I wanted out of studying abroad, I loved every
minute of it.
Allison Mahvi (University of Wisconsin, USA), 2009
I think studying abroad is a great learning experience that I would recommend for
everybody. My time in Hungary and Europe has definitely taught me a lot. I really enjoyed living in
Budapest, interacting with Hungarians and trying to fit into Hungarian society. Obviously, dealing
with a new culture was difficult at first, especially because of the language barrier but things
eventually fell into place. Just like they always do, thanks to a lot of really nice and helpful
people. And now I am going back home with wonderful memories and amazing friends.
Yashashree Dattatraya Kokje (University of Wisconsin, USA), 2010
I knew it even from my first day in Budapest, it would be an extraordinary
experience but it was much better than anyone can imagine. BME isn't just a big University with good
structure for education. BME is a place where you will find excellent professors and people ready to
support you with any eventualities. In BME you are in touch with people around the world with the
advantage of being in one of the most beautiful cities of the Earth. I learned about music, art and
history every single day. Unpredictable and unforgettable.
I am sure, I had the best memories and time of my life!
Maria Luiza Monteiro de la Vega (Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil), 2010
So, in this email I would like to present my personal opinion about my
10 months as an Erasmus Exchange Program's student.
As one of the first tasks of the program, choose the possible destinations to
realize the studies, Budapest is not very much known in Brazil. But with no doubt, Budapest is one
of the greatest city to live in Europe. I have not lived in any other city in there, but I got
some ideas from traveling and talking with friends. Culturally very rich, good infrastructure for
students, it has a central position in east Europe (other cultures are very easy reached) and
above all, a BEAUTIFUL city. For those who came from Brazil, I would specially point out the
security, good transportation system, good housing, and cost of living. I just loved to live in
Budapest and I got no negative point about this. For me, and I would say that for my friends, the
Hungarian language is a little bit difficult to learn, but the Hungarians were most of the times
trying to help. I felt no problem on dealing with day-to-day living. From trying to find beans in
the supermarket to fixing my laptop, no problems!
As a second step, the preparations for getting to Budapest, the arrival in
Budapest and during all the time as a BME's student, I just want to say thanks to you Eszter.
You was great for all of us, all the time. The whole process was well organized. The only
"small problem" I got, when trying to get registered the second time, was a matter of tasks
distribution, as the offices were being, as I think it was, reorganized. But I think I just
got this because I was in the transition of semesters. Eszter, thanks again.
About studying, I, and I could also expand this words to my friends,
encountered some confusing situations in selecting our classes. Initially, the classes which we
could choose before getting to Hungary were not the same of those officially presented later,
in Budapest. Our initial plan of studies had to be modified, send again to Brazil, a long
process of getting signatures to make everything official again. Also, in the second semester,
after choosing my classes, I got some canceled. It is a suggestion to establish the classes
before they get to the students. The content of the classes was as agreed, but I got some
different impressions from different professors about they rigor in the classes. Many students,
Hungarians, said the English classes were easier the those taught in Hungarian. The English of
the professors was mostly good. I got very interesting classes, and many I could use in my
home University. My feeling in the end was that there was missing a little bit of planning and
preparation for some specific classes. It is also important to point out the great variety of
classes that students could take, many linked with sports and athletic activities.
This are just few word on what I took from this exchange program. Any
questions you may have on what I wrote, or things that I left without a word, please just
answer me.
I will be always grateful for this opportunity that you, BME, UFRGS and
Porto gave me.
With your permission, I would like to post the content of this email in
the website of the program in Brazil. I think it will be helpful for the next generations...
And I will also never forget, of being human.
Tiago Zanchet (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil), 2010