Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Nikil Selvam ('10)

Today, like most other days, began with a 6:30 wake-up followed by breakfast at 7:30. Today, unlike those other days, marked our first full day in Pecs and our first interaction with the Roma people.

We took a public bus to get from our hotel to Gandhi High School, the first all-Gypsy school in Hungary and an established site of the Flinn Central European Seminar for years and years. Upon arrival, we received a tour of the canteen and the library before learning more about the school itself.

The Gandhi School was not, as I had initially perceived, an institution that merely sheltered the Roma youth from the larger Hungarian society, but one that strove for and achieved academic excellence. 8 out of the 40 students from the previous year’s graduating class had received scholarships from American universities. Additionally, 45 out of the 190 students currently enrolled in the school were making a trip to Croatia the following week- resembling our own ongoing trek through Central Europe. 

We bonded with the students of the school amidst our rendition of "Don’t Stop Believing" and their performance of a traditional Roma song, and then we all came together to sing "Feliz Navidad." Afterwards, we talked to an English class about our experience in Hungary and about cross-cultural influences, including (quite surprisingly) Twilight and Lady Gaga.

By the end, we began to realize that these students- who lived in a completely different society than our own as a discriminated minority- were like us in many ways. Our thoughts of the school and of the students shifted away from nationality and toward similarity, and this development came as a pleasant surprise in the wake of the rather depressing information that we had received about the situation of the Roma people over the past eleven days. 

After wandering around the city and getting lunch on our own, we reconvened later for a talk on European Politics by the intelligent and humorous Professor Istvan Tarrosy. The lecture introduced us to Hungarian politics, which is by-and-large very different from its American counterpart (from the large 386-member Parliament to the existence of six major parties).

We learned that the results of the country’s 2010 national election seem to suggest that the country is moving toward extremism as a far right-wing party known as Jobbik, running on an explicit anti-Roma (“Hungary for Hungarians”) platform, received an unprecedented and astonishing 16.67% of the national vote. We also learned that Hungary, though 20 years removed from the situation, is still being held back economically by Communist practices in the sense that people are no longer guaranteed jobs and that they are less like to work hard as a result.

All of this helped remind us of the relative stability of the U.S., where the same political system has been in place for over 200 years and where the political environment doesn’t change quite as radically. 

In an interesting way, the day’s activities provided us with insight about Hungary’s most isolated members and (arguably) its most powerful ones too. All in all, the day’s events gave us a better- and much more optimistic- outlook on the Roma people and on American politics in general (at the expense of Hungarian politics, unfortunately). 

But alas, we must move on. Tomorrow will bring the highly anticipated Roma village visit and the Flinn Foundation’s first ever venture into Serbia.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Savannah Martin ('10)

We rolled into Pécs around 12:45, sleepy, starving and sluggish. The city greeted our droopy eyes with crumbling brick facades and shady trees, houses nestled into rolling hills. Immediately, I knew I wasn't in Budapest anymore. Our walking tour of the city revealed a youthful, fresh atmosphere and a feeling of optimism that was absent from the capital. Many people in Budapest still carry the weight of communism like mud caked on their shoes. It seems the sun shines a little brighter in Pécs.

After the tour, Carter and I explored Király utca, or King street, which features most of the pubs and restaurants in the city, including a McDonalds and a place called "Arizona Ranch." We walked until we thought there was nothing left to see, finally stumbling upon Sufni Art Pub. This unique café sits inconspicuously at just about the end of Király. Inside, the walls are covered with handwritten anecdotes, signatures and cartoons left by the people who have passed through.

Exhausted umbrellas hang from the ceiling and antiques clutter every available space. We settled into a pair of decaying chairs and had a relaxing evening- chatting, writing emails, and listening to the gentle rain. All too soon it was time to return to the hotel and meet up with the rest of the group, but not before leaving a part of ourselves behind in blue sharpie.

Strolling down Király utca under my Walmart travel umbrella, I felt an overwhelming feeling of contentment. Here I was with an extraordinary friend splashing through the streets of one of the most beautiful cities I've ever experienced. And it only got better.  We walked onto the main square and turned to face a perfect double rainbow stretched across the evening sky. City Hall glowed in the setting sun and the rain pattered in the cobblestone streets.

These were my first six hours in Pécs.

I know it all sounds terribly cliché, but I'm not exaggerating. This simple, unexpected experience is going to be one of my most treasured memories. And I've learned that it is these instances that make an experience not only unique, but yours. Whether it is dancing to traditional Hungarian music, playing with children in a Roma village, discovering a cool pub or merely a rainbow, an experience is memorable because you make it yours and you make it new.

We've colored this trip with our own palette and it can never be recreated; this truly is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. In fact, over the past few days I've realized that everything in life is. Every conversation, interaction, all of it is distinct- so own it. Invest yourself in each day, because there will never be another one like it.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Lauren Sandground ('10)

I hate familiar dreams- I want new oceans,

new secrets, new afflictions, new emotions.

Fly on, my ship,

I hate familar dreams- I want new oceans.

- Anton N. Nyerges

After a grueling action- and lecture-packed week in Eastern Europe, I was anticipating the calming feeling of warm thermal water under my aching toes that have traversed the lands of two nations (note to self: next time, bring better shoes!). "Splish, splash, I was takin' a bath" I cheerily sang the lilting and quite appropriate tune for today's excursion to the Széchenyi Baths.

I joined my Flinn chums through 150 degree Fahrenheit saunas, small warm pools of thermal water, and even a large whirlpool that we all packed into. Looking around, the clientele of the baths were mostly the elderly and families on vacation, who sought the healing waters and massages. The sun was bright, the surprising yellow of the walls exuded an upbeat air, and easy smiles were abound. Today was a great day for the baths, for discovery, for enjoying the company of fellow Flinns. My ship was to fly over new oceans.

Prior to getting our feet wet, we were drilled by lecturer Dr. Ádam Ruszinko, a doctor who specializes in consulting spas around Hungary. I found his discussion of resort and spa tourism rather interesting because my father works in the hospitality/restaurant/hotel industry back in Arizona. Also, spa tourism remains an integral part to the economy and tourist sector in Hungary, managing to avoid economic troubles that other sectors have experienced in recent years with its split clientele among domestic and foreign massage-seekers.

Dr. Ruszinko described the importance of wellness to Hungarians in particular. Doctors give perscriptions to patients to go to a certain bath of a certain degree for a certain amount of time as therapy for joints, stress, you name it. Spa treatments are even covered by the health care system, which I would imagine would be outright rejected in the U.S. considering our current health care climate. However, a popular weekend siesta for Hungarian families would be to veg out in a local spa resort and be evaluated by a doctor that creates a specific exercise, nutrition, and spa plan. Because Hungary houses over 1300 hot springs, cave springs, and the largest medicinal pool in Europe, Héviz, Hungary is the hot spot for spa tourism. You won't have to ask me twice to return.

Following the lecture and baths, Julie, Laura, and I decided to reward ourselves with clean clothes and navigated our way to a laundromat. The elderly woman owner at the laundromat hovered over us in a mother-hen-type way, scolding us in Hungarian and helping us figure out the machines. We all shared a laugh after I accidentally paid for the wrong dryer and my profuse exclamations of sorry, Bochanat!

Despite our initial confusion, an hour later our backpacks were stuffed with clean clothes, and we were proud of our use of conversational Hungarian (Tanulok Madgyarul- I am learning Hungarian. Then, we headed out to another lecture feeling street saavy in Budapest.

The second half of the day featured Hungarian literature with professor Géza Kállay examining one Hungarian poet Endre Ady and Hungarian style of writing. Meeting at Ady's house, which has been restored as a museum, we read through a variety of poems: about a lone horseman, a brothel, and love. An eclectic collection of poems from one eclectic poet.

After the lecture we shuffled over to the Central Coffee House, desperately needing a midday dose of caffenine. While forking down traditional Hungarian cake and a bitter cup of cappuchino, Dr. NAME assigned us a series of rhyming words to create a poem. Of course, the group I belonged to described our trip to the laundromat, jokingly mocking some of the Flinns who had tried their luck at hand washing, 

"No sopping mess, no clothesline,

Are your clothes as fine?

Definitely not like mine!"

I enjoyed listening to the other's poems, which ranged in topic from a heroic Kevin, to a "bro code," and to wistful thoughts on the trip so far. I am thankful that we were able to sit down like the Hungarian poets of all in a classic Kávehás, channeling Ady the Muse.

At the end of day, as I reflected in the Radio Inn with a full stomach of duck leg and apple chutney, I discovered a Hungarian poem written by a contemporary of Ady, Anton N. Nyerges, in which I have listed one stanza above. I found this particularly inspiring and capturing of my projected aspirations of this trip. And in just one day, my ship has sailed far. I have used a laundromat, discussed Hungarian literature, and taken a public Bath in thermal water for the first time in my life. My aspirations are coming to fruition, and I eagerly wait for the coming days. Fly on, Flinn ship.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Lindsey Gibson ('10)

From Flinn Scholarship information sessions to the annual retreat at Lost Canyon, seasoned Scholars spend much of their time reminiscing.  Without fail, the Central European Seminar always finds its way to the center of the conversation.  To say I looked forward to my own turn at this adventure with excitement is certainly a bit of an understatement.

Yet, despite all of the hype associated with the seminar, I always wondered if the trip would truly live up to all of my expectations and provide the same level of enlightenment and personal growth for me as it has for so many other Flinn Scholars.  Because of this unknown, the "Central European Seminar" always seemed quite distant.  During the past couple of years, it has been a source of common ground (if you will, a convenient conversation topic) for scholarship candidates and freshmen Flinns.  Needless to say, I never thought this trip would arrive so soon.  Even as I reflect upon today's activities in a quaint room of the Radio Inn, which is located in the heart of Budapest, the past week still seems quite surreal.  

The rhythmic beat of water droplets falling from fleshly laundered clothing hung strategically throughout the room coupled with the constant hum of distant traffic creates a peaceful atmosphere this late night.  This calmness mirrors the tranquility of the day and presents an ideal moment to reflect upon the day... 

This morning begins without disturbance as we enjoy a brief taste of home, scrambled eggs, at the Slovak Pub.  The relatively few hours of sleep during this leg of the journey are evidenced by the quietness (not common to this group of students) at the restaurant this morning.  However, our enthusiasm is quickly revived as we begin to discuss our plans for our first and last free morning in Bratislava.  Since yesterday's short tour of the city has not quite afforded us the level of familiarity with the city that we desire, a small group of us decide to spend the morning exploring the city on foot.  After packing our suitcases, we wonder down to the Danube River.  As we rest along the riverside, I am finally able to organize my thoughts about this city.  

Since the tension between past and present, or the communist and post-communist eras, has been the theme of many of our lectures and conversations during the trip, I consider the changes that have occurred in this very city during the past two decades.  Across the street from our post, a vibrantly colored advertisement extends the length of a large business building.  The sign depicts laughing children and young, carefree couples.  It embodies the hopefulness and freedom promised by a democratic nation.  Despite such demonstrations of optimism, remnants of the past still exist and often evoke strong emotions among citizens.  As I turn to face the river, the unique UFO tower, which was constructed during the communist era, is hard to miss.  While such memories torment some citizens, many experience nostalgia and yearn for the past because of them.

This tension extends to other countries throughout central Europe.  Our journey from Bratislava, Slovakia to Budapest, Hungary reveals many of the changes during the past decades.  Soon we cross the border between Slovakia and Hungary, I remember the words of yesterday's presenter and foreign correspondent Michael J. Jordan, who encouraged us to examine these changes.  While citizens of both countries under communist control were suppressed and unable to travel freely from one country to another, today we do not encounter difficulty and can easily pass from one country to the next.  As a citizen of the United States, I have not experienced such sweeping political and social changes in my life.  However, this evolution is vital to understanding many central Europeans and has enriched our experience during this trip.  

After we enjoy the gorgeous natural landscapes from the bus for the next few hours, seventeen of us spontaneously decide to visit the Buda Labyrinth.  Several screams and a few wrong turns later, we finally conclude our escapade.  The group gradually splinters off into smaller groups as we try to settle on a place for dinner.  Hungarian pizza is the final verdict for Tina, Kevin, and me.  Laughter abounds as the three of us navigate our way back to our hotel, a priceless end to such a rejuvenating day. 

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Alan Mackey ('06)

We started off our full day today in Bratislava with a walk through the city, followed by a visit to the Slovak Foreign Policy Association, an independent foreign policy think tank. Our session there regarding The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, was led by Vladimir Bilcik.

Bilcik focused on some of his recent research on these new member states (NMS) and their role in the EU, continuing and expanding a discussion we begain three days ago in Budapest. Generally, these NMS began their EU accession talks with a great deal of enthusiasm (or EU-phoria), but in some countries this eagerness has waned since entry. Their political culture still leans pro-integration in most issues, barring a few exceptions in social policy and taxation. Bilcik ventured that this was due to the communist past of these NMS; they have much to gain from their positions in the EU, but are still reluctant to hand over the right to choices they just earned with their independence from the Soviet Union.

The part of this discussion I found most interesting regarded foreign policy in these NMS, which find themselves torn between East and West. For them, membership in the EU offers a new sense of security-- Slovakia is a very young country, not even 20 years old, and Hungary is still very conscious of territory it lost to its neighbors after World War I. At the same time, both rely heavily on natural gas and oil from Russia, which influences their policy goals. On this and some other issues the NMS act as fence-sitters, but generally have not slowed down larger EU initiatives.

I was surprised to hear some pessimism from Bilcik (or at least what I took to be pessimism) about the future of the EU. The current financial problems in Greece seemed to worry him, because if Greece were to be kicked out of the Euro-zone he fears it could compromise the entire monetary union. He also questions the effectiveness of the monetary union because the EU lacks fiscal policy entirely.

After the lecture we split into smaller groups for lunch, followed by a walking tour of old town Bratislava which led us back to our hostel for a media workshop with Michael J Jordan. A journalist currently living in the city, Jordan has spent most of the last 18 years in Central Europe and offered our cohort insights into the changes still taking place in the wake of communism. We also discussed how these changes, including a rise in unemployment and widening of the gap between the richest and poorest, have colored Hungarian and Slovakian attitudes toward the EU. Jordan related his own story of how he came to be a foreign correspondent in this region, then shared with us some of his personal writing strategies in a media workshop where we brainstormed and refined ideas for articles of our own.

Dinner with the group followed the media workshop, and many of us ate with Slovakian students before exploring Bratislava by night. This first major city following Budapest on our itinerary offered each of us a new perspective on the Central European region in general, highlighting the gradient in political and cultural attitudes along the Danube.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Quentin Gunn ('10)

Today was exhausting to say the least. Our schedule listed the activity as a visit to look at the environmental issues occurring on the Danube River in the northern part of Hungary. I thought this would mean some more lectures on the Danube strategy, because of our past activities involving the European Union. However, when we reached the first destination of our day I realized we were in for something completely different.

We arrived at a nature-preserve house that had many different displays about the ecology of the Danube River, all in Hungarian of course, and our guide, Gabor, and his translator, Ester. This was the first lecture we have had that required a translator and was the most difficult for me to follow as a result. However, he was still able to give us a good overview of the history of the region, starting with the origin myth, which included dragons, rangers, magic crystals and faeries. Our group also had a fun time playing with the different displays and puzzles in the house.

After that we went on the first of a series of hikes. This hike was designed to examine the natural flora and fauna of the river area. I found the general atmosphere of the area to be similar to the San Pedro riparian area in Cochise County.

Then came the most exciting part of the day--lunch, thought it was mostly because of a special surprise... music! The area we were eating lunch at was an outdoor picnic area with an open kitchen located in some fields. Our guide and translator's family ran the kitchen and made us goulash, the best I have had so far on the trip, and spaghetti for the vegetarians. The musicians were some of Ester's family and friend and were an unscheduled part of our trip. When we were done eating, we had the opportunity to learn some traditional Hungarian circle dances, which were fun to try. I'm sure many of the pictures and videos from our impromptu dance lesson will show up on Facebook soon enough.

Eventually the music finished and we left for our next few hikes of the afternoon. We visited many of the dams and floodgates built along this section of the Danube in the 90s. I had never seen floodgates before, and found them to be quite massive. We also got to go look for beavers along the river. They had been reintroduced in the last few years and had seen a surge in their population. Sadly, we were unable to spot any of these elusive creatures during our hike, though not for lack of trying.

A quick thought on the village we were in before I move on to the next stage in our journey. I found Szigetkoz, Hungary to be quaint and a nice change from Budapest. Most of the houses were painted nice bright colors and we saw many of the citizens walking or riding bikes to enjoy the day. I also liked what I assumed to be their church and the statue of St. Stephen I saw while driving out of the town. Unfortunately we weren't able to explore the area very much, though there seemed to be several wonderful shops and restaurants around.

Next, after thanking our guide and translator, we had an uneventful drive to Bratislava, Slovakia. We arrived at the Patio Hostel and got our quick introduction to the city from a Fulbright scholar, Anna, who was teaching English in the country. Armed with a set of words and phrases in Slovak, we were sent out to find dinner on our own. The group I went out with consisted of Rae Ann, Angela, C.T. and Savannah. Our first stop was one of the castles in the city, where a security guard allowed us to look around the area. I am not sure of the name of the place at the moment, but I'm sure I'll find it out tomorrow. After looking around and taking pictures, we left to wander around the downtown district. The whole area was fairly deserted, but we eventually settled on an outdoors restaurant because we were all hungry. The food was good, even the drink I order without any knowledge of what it consisted of, and we all had fun sharing stories from the last year.

I'll just close out my blog entry with a shout out to Kata, our IIE leader, for putting on an amazing set of programs so far and our driver for his skill in getting us to our destinations safely.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Laura Moedano ('10)

Although a few days have passed since the first ever Flinn Hungerbia adventure began, some of the feelings felt upon landing in Europe remain. Sadness from being away from my parents and missing my sister’s college graduation, uncertainty about what to expect of the two weeks that remain of this pioneering experience, but most importantly, excitement for the month in Europe provided with the opportunity to grow and learn invaluable travel and life lessons along with my friends, classmates, Fliblings.

Today was the morning after our first European homestay. The local places visited and bonding that characterized last night while in the company of my fellow Flinn class and their hosts were definitely memorable. However, the conversation had this morning with my host was particularly enlightening. Peter, a mathematics graduate student at the local University, had hosted before. Surprisingly the previous Scholars in my position were Adam Martinez, a fellow Cibola High School graduate, and Lauren Johnston, an ’09 scholar who has become one of my dearest friends.

It was during this conversation that I considered the commonality that is shared among the Flinn Scholars of every class who have been provided with the opportunity to travel on the Central European Seminar together. Each class has known about it since the application process and heard the inside jokes and endless stories at the annual retreat from the Hungaromania returnees. However, landing in Budapest, carrying my luggage up an endless amount of stairs, and taking multiple unsolicited tours of entire towns due to my inability to consult a map didn’t provide nearly as much insight as I found this morning while drinking carbonated water--which I’m not a big fan of--and a sub that resembled a pizza pocket.

It was interesting to consider that a year prior my friends were staying in this exact apartment yet had a completely different experience while here. To a greater extent, the idea that long established friendships between the Flinn Foundation and countless European institutions and individuals at the various cities visited the past 10 years is incredible and quite a grand thing to consider. 

Upon leaving Budapest, we traveled to Godollo Castle while in route to Bratislava, Slovakia. The castle, with its rich history, multiple secret staircases, and interesting tour guide proved to be so enjoyable. Unexpected rain resulted in our planned picnic becoming lunch in the castle, an added bonus. After the rain subsided, we returned to the bus as we continued towards Slovakia. 

After the first few days’ fast paced and tightly packed agenda, we all welcomed a few hours of relaxation. While we were still exhausted, the time in the bus during our travel to Szigetkoz allowed for rest, napping, and processing of all the information gained through the tours, lectures, and great people met along the way. 

This reflection was a great way for everyone to contribute insight on the varying viewpoints had towards the many different events attended. Recalling the initial home stay experience, the synagogue visit, being introduced to many issues relating to the Roma minority population, and incidents some of us had during our free time allowed us all to consider emotions felt by each of us after finding ourselves in circumstances never previously exposed to.

Less than a week has passed, yet looking ahead, I am excited for all that I will gain from what remains of the trip. I have realized that while most of us miss loved ones left back home, this truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity that should be experienced without holding anything back. Something that has already become apparent is the level of closeness that characterizes the 2010 Flinn class, which I am truly grateful for. We coined the term “Flibling” and epitomize its meaning, in every sense of the word. With a bond this strong, the remainder of the first ever Hungerbia experience can’t possibly be anything less than epic.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Ryan Lane ('10)

Enthusiasm works better than coffee. Every morning on this journey, I've risen quickly, jolting awake to the prospect of learning more incredible information and crafting memories with the amazing individuals who accompany me on this journey.

The enthusiasm is validated as soon as breakfast starts. Today is full, as they all are. We have a crash-course lecture, workshop, and panel on the European Union, but only after we navigate Budapest to find each appropriate location. The group finishes their breakfast, breaks out the maps, and leaves the Radio Inn in small parties.

We get there a few minutes early, smiling and laughing and living all the way—a beautiful constant of this trip.

The instructional sessions were incredibly informative, especially because many of us had only brief introductions to the topics presented. Hungary's entire political system experienced massive changes following the election of Fidesz party last year. The party currently holds a supermajority in Hungary's parliament, and has enacted sweeping changes to the government's structure. Exactly how these changes will affect Hungary's relationship with the European Union is yet to be seen, but we were fortunate to hear the perspectives of several prominent EU experts regarding their potential consequences.

The day's presentations adjourned in the early evening, leaving a few hours before we had to meet up with our Hungarian home-stays. Some went back to the hotel to nap, but a few us went to a small basement tea house. Sipping oolongs on cushions, we chatted about the day's shenanigans, laughing all the way.

At 7pm, our university student home-stays picked us up. Some groups went to nice restaurants, others visited beautiful city-sights, and others explored the Budapest night-life. All felt the energy of the last night (for a little while) in the city and wanted to make sure this first leg of the trip ended on a high note. My home-stay and I danced through the night, connecting over cultural tid-bits and our future aspirations shared above the nightclub's electronica. I could not have asked for a better communion.

I feel endlessly fortunate for the beautiful experiences we've enjoyed these last few days. This trip has incredible potential, in every sense of the word.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Brandon Day ('10)

Day two in Budapest left me with that feeling of passion that seems to come only to a young child presented with a shiny new toy - the prospect of endless opportunities I have found even in the short time we've been here. The lush green plants, scattered among the architecture that is somewhat of an amalgamation of Baroque, Renaissance, and oddly some signs of Moorish styles, stand as the first reminder that the history of this city is as vivid, varied, and tumultuous as can be expected.

After a hearty breakfast of yogurt, rye bread with cheese, OJ (that tastes quite unlike anything I've had in the US, with a tinge of tang), that necessary cup of coffee to get me energized, I was ready for an adventure - an adventure that I've all ready noticed has started to change everything about my world view.

Up until this point, I must sady confess, I have been quite unable to navigate a map, much less find my way through a maze of streets and subways in a city the size of Budapest. Thankfully, my Fliblings took care of that in a flash (Get it? FLash? Flinn jokes are an absolute must). Anyway, Amy, our female chaperone, in her Flexpertise, gave me the rundown on maps I desperately needed, and now I can proudly say I am map-literate. Which was tested with our "find our way" to FUGA for our first lecture. With a small group, I managed to get to the location on time using the subway system (that, mind you, Tucson's buses could learn from) and the first lecture on Hungarian history commenced.

Our lecturer, Károly Pintér gave quite the introduction to Hungarian history, articulating Central Europe's extensive concerns about conflicts arising out of arbitrary geographical borders dividing and bringing together cultures that have resulted in extreme clashes, creating the racial tensions present today. And the divisions abound way beyond this: linguistics, religious practices, and politics have all resulted in a cultural sensitivity present in this area of the world. And, the future remains quite uncertain in light of these volatile conditions, especially in regards to the Roma "problem."

After a quick coffee break, Ferenc Zsigó came in, an ethnic Hungarian raised in Canada, to discuss this constant source of frustration in Hungarian culture. Before I move into any specifics, I must say this speaker is phenomenal - by the end of the presentation, I was ready to champion the Roma cause and truly empathized with their struggles. Culturally different from the majority Hungarian population, this varied group has faced discrimination, abject poverty, violence, low access to education (especially higher ed, with only .5% of the population receiving any form of college degree), poor sanitary conditions, and the list continues. Now, I have a hard time hearing about any discrimination on this scale, but it was appalling to hear how these conditions are allowed to occur under the relatively prosperity Hungarians enjoy. True, they do not have the same scale of materialism present in American culture, but I just do not understand how anything of this nature could thrive, especially when history has shown time and time again the social, psychological, and cultural reprecussions this has.

This nicely brings me into the next topic of the day - the Jewish situation in Hungary. Visiting the largest Synagogue in Europe was a sobering experience harkening back to the days of Nazi occupation, the devastation of the Holocaust (which also "devoured" many of the Roma people) and how this continues to be reflected in Jewish practice in Budapest. After a tour of this beautiful building, a lecture on Hungarian folk music (which, I admit, is not my forte), and a delicious meal of rice and two potato patties filled with veggies and cheese, our formal learning ceased.

However, one of our Budapest homestay students, Anna, generously came on her own time to take us to the Buda side of the city, for more exploration. Several pictures, trams, and subways later, I arrived back at the hotel for four hours of sleep to only begin this process anew the next day, and I was more than satisfied with this, completely enamored with this experience, the Flinn Foundation, IIE's coordination and efforts to make it possible, and the future prospects of bonding with my flamily.

Flinn Scholars

Each summer the Flinn Scholars Program takes an entire class of Scholars to Budapest, Hungary, and neighboring Slovakia and Serbia for a three-week seminar on the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Angela Abolhassani ('10)

Gliding on the tarmac, our airplane moves forward into the heavy heat of an Arizona night. A sharp click announces the tightening of one last seatbelt. Finally, the engines begin whirring to a climax and silence overwhelms the cabin for the first and last time on our flight. As the lattice of Phoenix city lights grows beyond the oval window to my left, the plane orients itself midair in a way that makes my stomach drop. The inertia of the movement creates an illusion of weightlessness for just a moment, as though there is a vast vacuum of space within me.

It is in this space where I can feel the stress of finals, last minute travel arrangements, and the illusion of complete control slide away. I feel wiped clean of nervous energy and comforted by the sandwich of Flinn Scholars that are seated on either side of me. The instant passes, I giggle, (a rare occurrence), and we are airborne. Hungerbia has officially commenced. This is where the 2011 Central European Flinn Seminar journey begins.

The relaxation of accumulated nerves I experienced seems to have affected all of my fellow classmates. Our first day was inspired with an anticipation for this trip that has filled an entire freshman year of college for each of us. Every new event supplied a momentum to this feeling that was only minorly obstructed by jet lag.

For example upon arrival at the Radio Inn and after thirteen hours in the air, a majority of the Scholars opted to go on a brisk walk to Hero’s Square despite the indecent (Michael Cochise Young’s phrase) hour. The monolithic scale of an expansive square and expressive copper statues inspired much ogling and cooing as we assimilated our first impressions of Budapest.

Our first morning presented the city to us in a wash of clean sunshine. Once divided into two groups, IIE orientations and tours to either the Buda or Pest sides of the city began. Each detail of the Budapest cityscape had some of kind of historical and cultural significance to it, making the city feel like a living mosaic of the past, present, and future of Hungary. What Bethany Vu described as “layers of buildings” continuously distracted everyone as the diversity of Hungarian architecture displayed itself in full form during the tours. The city is charmed with an eclectic beauty wrought by baroque steelwork, hidden courtyards, and reliefs that made some statues look as though they are crawling from the walls of surrounding buildings. Surrealism coated each new activity as we delved deeper into the city as well as plans for the Slovakian and Serbian portions of the seminar.

We were granted a brief period of repose at the Inn before making our way to the Danube for a river cruise in the company of Hungarian students. The Hungarian students were truly incredible individuals who helped guide us through the splay of authentic foods that were served onboard. The falling sun accentuated the contours of buildings lining the Danube in addition to the green hills of Buda on the right and the modern city structures of Pest on the left. An accompaniment of string instruments added to the ambience of the cruise, and any initial awkwardness soon dissipated as subjects varying from music to prom to politics floated around the dining room. The students we met on the cruise will also be hosting individuals of our class for the first homestay of the trip on Friday night. I am particularly excited to stay with my hostess, Anna, who showed me various times throughout the night that humor could most definitely transcend linguistic barriers.

Overall, the day was packed with an almost dreamlike range of events and emotions. This impression may have been due to the jet lag; however, I’d like to think that it was also rooted in an awe inspired not only by the city of Budapest itself, but also by the amazing crossroads of anticipation, excitement, and hope at which my class now finds itself.