my report - usc marshall school of business...13 hec school of management 0 0% 7 hong kong...
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1. Name (optional)
My ReportLast Modified: 08/02/2013Filter By: Report Subgroup
Padilla
Victoria Chernova
Sarah Keller
Samantha Rose
Lien Dang
Lien Dang
Danny Kisch
Katie Pasinsky
Charlo tte Yang
Sarah Pak
Pierre Liu
Raymond Lou
Katie Chung
Stella Wilson
Samantha Mead
Jordan Eselevsky
Katie Chung
Shirly He
Tandra Le
Julian Javor
Kristena
Nour Celeste Goodsi
Maddie Hald
Madeleine (Mimi) Bea
Caitlin Evans
Total Responses 25
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
2. E-mail Address (optional)
sergio [email protected]
Total Responses 21
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
3. Location
39 Aalto University School o f Economics 0 0%
4 Australian National University 0 0%
6 Chinese University o f Hong Kong 0 0%
5 Copenhagen Business School 0 0%
3 Corvinus University o f Budapest 35 100%
37 Chulalongkorn University 0 0%
2 ESADE Business School 0 0%
40 ESCEM 0 0%
38 ESCP-EAP 0 0%
65 Fudan University 0 0%
13 HEC School o f Management 0 0%
7 Hong Kong UNiversity o f Science and Technology 0 0%
58 ICHEC Brussels 0 0%
63 IE School o f Business 0 0%
15 Korea University Business School 0 0%
16 National University o f Singapore 0 0%
18 National Taiwan University 0 0%
27 Peking University 0 0%
14 Rotterdam School o f Management 0 0%
61 Seoul National University 0 0%
19 Singapore Management University 0 0%
1 Thammasat University 0 0%
57 Universidade de Nova de Lisbon 0 0%
64 Universiidad de Carlos Madrid III 0 0%
11 Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi 0 0%
62 University o f Hong Kong 0 0%
9 University o f Manchester, Manchester Business School 0 0%
10 University o f Melbourne 0 0%
12 University o f Navarra 0 0%
17 University o f St. Gallen 0 0%
59 Vienna University o f Economics and Business 0 0%
8 WHU Otto Beisheim School o f Management 0 0%
Total 35
Min Value 3
Max Value 3
Mean 3.00
Variance 0.00
Standard Deviation 0.00
Total Responses 35
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
St at ist ic Value
4. What is your academic status this semester?
1 Sophomore 0 0%
2 Junior 16 46%
3 Senior 19 54%
Total 35
Min Value 2
Max Value 3
Mean 2.54
Variance 0.26
Standard Deviation 0.51
Total Responses 35
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
St at ist ic Value
5. What is your expected date o f graduation from USC (Semester and year, egFall 2009)?
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
May 2010
Spring 2010
Spring 2011
Spring 2010
Spring 2010
Spring 2010
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
May 2011
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Fall 2011
Dec 2011
May 2012
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Spring 2012
Spring 2012
May 2012
May 2012
May 2012
Fall 2012
Fall 2011
Spring 2013
May 2013
Spring 2013
May 2012
2013
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Spring 2014
May 2013
Spring 2014
Total Responses 35
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
6. What is your major?
BUAD
Business with an Emphasis in International Relations
BUAD/IR
Business Administration
Business Admin.
Film and Business
Business Admin
Cinema Studies and Business Admin
Business Administration
Business Administration
Business Administration - International Relations
Accounting
Accounting and Business Administration
Business Administration
Accounting/Business Administration
Business Administration & Accounting
Business Administration
Business Administration
Business Administration
Business Administration & Accounting
Business Administration & Accounting
Business administration
Business Administration
Business Administration
Business Administration
Business Administration, Psycho logy
Business
BUAD
Business
Business Administration
Business Administration
Business Administration and Accouting
Business Administration
Business Administration & Critical Studies
Business
Total Responses 35
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
7. What is your concentration (Business majors only)?
MKT
international business
International Business
International Business
International business
International Business
International Business
Entrepreneurship, International Business
Real Estate Finance
International Business
International Business
International Business
International Business
International Business
Global Business
International Business
International Business
International business
International Business
International Business and Entrepreneurship
Finance
International Business
International Business
International Business
New Curriculum
NA
International Business
Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Emphasis in Cinema
Marketing
Total Responses 30
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
8. Please indicate the term in which you were abroad (semester and year, egFall 2009).
Fall 2008
Spring 2009
spring 2009
Fall 2009
Fall 2009
Fall 2009
Fall 2009
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
Spring 2010
Spring 2010
Fall 2010
Fall 2010
Fall 2010
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Fall 2011
Fall 2011
Fall 2011
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Spring 2012
Spring 2012
Spring 2012
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Fall 2012
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Total Responses 35
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
9. I. GENERAL PROGRAM EVALUATION Please rate the fo llowing items:
1 1. Your overall satisfaction with theprogram. 0 0 0 5 28 33 4.85
Min Value 4
Max Value 5
Mean 4.85
Variance 0.13
Standard Deviation 0.36
Total Responses 33
# Quest io n Verydissat isf ied
So mewhatdissat isf ied Neut ral Mo st ly
sat isf iedVery
sat isf iedT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 1. Yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he pro gram.
10.
1 2. To what extent did the program meet your expectations? 0 0 1 9 23 33 4.67
2 3. To what extent was your participation in the program a valuablelearning experience? 0 0 1 2 30 33 4.88
Min Value 3 3
Max Value 5 5
Mean 4.67 4.88
Variance 0.29 0.17
StandardDeviation 0.54 0.42
TotalResponses 33 33
# Quest io n No t at allso
So mewhatso Neut ral Mo st ly
soVery much
soT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 2. T o what ext ent did t he pro gram meet yo urexpect at io ns?
3. T o what ext ent was yo ur part icipat io n in t he pro gram a valuable learningexperience?
11.
1 4. To what extent would you recommendthis program to o ther USC students? 0 0 0 1 32 33 4.97
Min Value 4
Max Value 5
Mean 4.97
Variance 0.03
Standard Deviation 0.17
Total Responses 33
# Quest io nWo uld no t
reco mmend atall
May reco mmendwit h reservat io ns Neut ral Wo uld surely
reco mmend
Wo uldreco mmend
mo st st ro ngly
T o t alRespo nses Mean
St at ist ic 4. T o what ext ent wo uld yo u reco mmend t his pro gram t o o t her USC st udent s?
12. II. ACADEMIC PROGRAM
1 5. To what extent were your courses intellectually challenging? 0 5 15 13 0 33 3.24
2 6. How comparable was the quality o f instruction and academic demand o fclasses to that o f USC? 4 15 9 4 1 33 2.48
Min Value 2 1
Max Value 4 5
Mean 3.24 2.48
Variance 0.50 0.95
StandardDeviation 0.71 0.97
TotalResponses 33 33
# Quest io n No t atall so
So mewhatso Neut ral Mo st ly
soVery
much soT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 5. T o what ext ent were yo ur co urses int e llect uallychallenging?
6. Ho w co mparable was t he qualit y o f inst ruct io n and academic demand o fclasses t o t hat o f USC?
13.
1 7. The grading system used in the courses wasexplained. 0 2 4 15 12 33 4.12
2 8. I was able to register fo r all the classes that I wanted. 1 5 7 11 9 33 3.67
Min Value 2 1
Max Value 5 5
Mean 4.12 3.67
Variance 0.73 1.29
Standard Deviation 0.86 1.14
Total Responses 33 33
# Quest io n St ro nglydisagree Disagree Neut ral Agree St ro ngly
AgreeT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 7. T he grading syst em used in t he co urses was explained. 8. I was able t o regist er f o r all t he classes t hat I want ed.
14.
1 9 . To what extent were you prepared for the coursework? 0 0 1 9 23 33 4.67
2 10. To what extent do you feel you were immersed in the culture o f thehost country? 0 2 1 19 11 33 4.18
3 11. To what extent did you gain a better appreciation o f the hostculture's perspectives? 1 1 0 11 20 33 4.45
Min Value 3 2 1
Max Value 5 5 5
Mean 4.67 4.18 4.45
Variance 0.29 0.59 0.82
StandardDeviation 0.54 0.77 0.90
TotalResponses 33 33 33
# Quest io n No t at allso
So mewhatso Neut ral Mo st ly
soVery much
soT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 9. T o what ext ent were yo uprepared f o r t he co ursewo rk?
10. T o what ext ent do yo u f eel yo u wereimmersed in t he cult ure o f t he ho st co unt ry?
11. T o what ext ent did yo u gain a bet t erappreciat io n o f t he ho st cult ure 's perspect ives?
15.
1 12. Please rate your overall satisfaction with the content o fthe courses you took. 0 0 8 19 6 33 3.94
2 13. Please rate your overall satisfaction with the quality o finstruction. 1 5 9 14 4 33 3.45
Min Value 3 1
Max Value 5 5
Mean 3.94 3.45
Variance 0.43 1.01
StandardDeviation 0.66 1.00
TotalResponses 33 33
# Quest io n Verydissat isf ied
So mewhatdissat isf ied Neut ral Mo st ly
sat isf iedVery
Sat isf iedT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 12. Please rat e yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he co nt ent o f t heco urses yo u t o o k.
13. Please rat e yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he qualit y o finst ruct io n.
16.
1 14. Please rate the overall level o f faculty interest instudents. 0 2 16 8 7 33 3.61
Min Value 2
Max Value 5
Mean 3.61
Variance 0.81
Standard Deviation 0.90
Total Responses 33
# Quest io n Verylo w
So mewhatlo w Average Higher t han
averageVeryhigh
T o t alRespo nses Mean
St at ist ic 14. Please rat e t he o verall level o f f acult y int erest in st udent s.
17.
1 15. Please rate your overall satisfaction with theacademic program. 0 3 4 20 6 33 3.88
Min Value 2
Max Value 5
Mean 3.88
Variance 0.67
Standard Deviation 0.82
Total Responses 33
# Quest io n Verydissat isf ied
So mewhatdissat isf ied Neut ral Mo st ly
sat isf iedVery
sat isf iedT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 15. Please rat e yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he academic pro gram.
18. III. LANGUAGE PREPARATIONIf you did not take a foreign languageclass this semester, please choose "Not applicable" fo r each question.
1 16. How were your language skills before theprogram? 27 3 1 1 0 1 33 1.39
2 17. How were your language skills after the program? 26 1 2 2 0 2 33 1.64
3 18. Your living situation aided your languageacquisition. 26 4 0 0 1 2 33 1.55
Min Value 1 1 1
Max Value 6 6 6
Mean 1.39 1.64 1.55
Variance 1.12 1.99 1.88
StandardDeviation 1.06 1.41 1.37
TotalResponses 33 33 33
# Quest io n No tapplicable Po o r Needs
impro vement Fair Go o d Excellent T o t alRespo nses Mean
St at ist ic 16. Ho w were yo ur language skills bef o ret he pro gram?
17. Ho w were yo ur language skills af t ert he pro gram?
18. Yo ur living sit uat io n aided yo ur languageacquisit io n.
19.
119. If you studied a foreign language on the program, please rate youroverall level o f satisfaction with the language education component o fthe program.
1 0 31 0 1 33 3.00
Min Value 1
Max Value 5
Mean 3.00
Variance 0.25
StandardDeviation 0.50
TotalResponses 33
# Quest io n Verydissat isf ied
So mewhatdissat isf ied Neut ral Mo st ly
sat isf iedVery
sat isf iedT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 19. If yo u st udied a f o reign language o n t he pro gram, please rat e yo ur o verall level o f sat isf act io n wit h t he language educat io nco mpo nent o f t he pro gram.
20. IV. SUPPORT SERVICESPlease rate your level o f satisfaction with thefo llowing categories:
1 20. On-site academic advising 2 6 16 8 1 33 3.00
2 21. On-site orientation 0 3 0 19 11 33 4.15
3 22. On-site academic facilities (e.g. classrooms, libraries,computer labs), excluding housing. 0 1 4 12 16 33 4.30
4 23. Communication with the USC Marshall o ffice in Los Angeles 0 1 3 11 18 33 4.39
5 24. Overall impression o f on-site support services 0 0 13 14 6 33 3.79
Min Value 1 2 2 2 3
Max Value 5 5 5 5 5
Mean 3.00 4.15 4.30 4.39 3.79
Variance 0.81 0.70 0.66 0.62 0.55
StandardDeviation 0.90 0.83 0.81 0.79 0.74
TotalResponses 33 33 33 33 33
# Quest io n Verydissat isf ied
So mewhatdissat isf ied Neut ral Mo st ly
sat isf iedVery
sat isf iedT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic20. On-sit eacademicadvising
21. On-sit eo rient at io n
22. On-sit e academic f acilit ies (e .g.classro o ms, libraries, co mput er labs),
excluding ho using.
23. Co mmunicat io n wit h t heUSC Marshall o f f ice in Lo s
Angeles
24. Overall impressio no f o n-sit e suppo rt
services
21. V. HOUSINGPlease rate your level o f satisfaction with the fo llowingcategories:
1 25. Housing coordination 3 5 11 7 7 33 3.30
2 26. Location o f student housing 1 1 12 7 12 33 3.85
3 27. Quality o f housingarrangements 2 1 2 11 17 33 4.21
Min Value 1 1 1
Max Value 5 5 5
Mean 3.30 3.85 4.21
Variance 1.53 1.13 1.23
Standard Deviation 1.24 1.06 1.11
Total Responses 33 33 33
# Quest io n Verydissat isf ied
So mewhatdissat isf ied Neut ral Mo st ly
sat isf iedVery
sat isf iedT o t al
Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 25. Ho using co o rdinat io n 26. Lo cat io n o f st udent ho using 27. Qualit y o f ho using arrangement s
22. VI. OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS 31. Why did you choose this program?
Because it was different and unknown. Everyone goes to countries that they are likely to visit in the future, but I thought that I would not find myself very o ften in EasternEurope a short period after graduation.
Recommendation
I met Hungarians studying at USC in 2008 and they were a lo t o f fun. They gave me a tour o f Budapest on Google Earth and it looked really beautiful and they made itsound like an exciting place to live.
Budapest o ffered an exotic cultural experience and highly regarded academic programs.
Budapest promised a unique location, people, and culture. It's different than the typical student cho ice and I wanted that variety. It's also relatively inexpensive.
Liked the location and heard that the exchange program is very good there
I chose this program because both o f my parents grew up in Hungary. WIth most o f my extended family still living in the country, I wanted to have the chance to meet themand explore my cultural heritage while studying in Budapest.
I heard many positive things about students studying in Budapest. I'm also Hungarian so I wanted to experience the culture. I also wanted a unique European experience asmany people do not care to venture to Eastern Europe when in actuality it is very fascinating and fun.
I chose this program because it's located in the city center. Also , I thought it would be interesting to go to a country that is so recently out o f communism.
I chose to come to Budapest because I wanted to go to Europe (since I'd never gone before), and Budapest seemed ideal because it's somewhere to tally new and foreigninstead o f the typical places where students study (e.g. France, Spain or England) which meant I'd be getting an once-in-a-lifetime experience (who ever gets to live inBudapest fo r 4 months?). Also, logistically speaking it was a better financial cho ice since cost o f living is much more affordable than o ther places in Europe and Budapest'scentral location would allow me to travel around Europe as well.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to study in Central Europe.
Different from other "mainstream" options. Friends did it the semester before and had a great time. Very different culture, cheap bustling city, and Eastern Europe
For me, Budapest seemed like the most unusual cho ice on the list. Having been to Eastern Europe once before, I was excited to live in a place that is so different from theU.S. compared to Western Europe, and a place with such a distinct cultural feel. Additionally, I was attracted by the fact that it is one o f the Marshall locations that actually liesinside a major city, instead o f miles outside it.
I liked that Eastern Europe was somewhere that I had never experienced, and Budapest was very different then America. Also it was still accessible to Europe which wasnice. THe people who had studied there before also to ld me how amazing it is
I chose Budapest because it is an opportunity to go to a completely different place and culture while still having the ability to travel throughout Europe. There are o therEuropean destinations where the primary language would not be English, but all o f these locations are still very much western nations like the U.S. Budapest was truly adifferent experience than I have ever had before. Also, the fact that it is affo rdable allows you to really take advantage o f everything there.
It was the most unique program and location in IEP. I felt that it had the best combination o f courses, culture, location, and international student support programs (inBudapest). More importantly, I chose the program because o f the great feedback and experiences previous students in Budapest had. I had a handful o f close friends whowent through the Budapest program. All o f whom had zero complaints and seemed genuinely happy with their experience.
I have a longstanding interest in Eastern Europe. This program gave me the opportunity to explore a culture and perspective on do ing business which is consideredatypical compared to most o f the Slavic cultures which which I am familiar.
I have a long standing Interest in the in the economies and cultures o f central-eastern Europe. As Magyar the culture and world view differs somewhat from that o f mostSlavic peoples in the region, I choose the Budapest program to better aquatint myself with the Hungarian perspective.
Because Hungary is an emerging European economy, I thought it would be interesting to see what the country is do ing to position itself in the global economy.
I wanted to go somewhere very very different.
I had never been to Europe before, and I really wanted to go to Eastern Europe after taking a class at USC about the Czech Republic. I had friends who had studied inBudapest before, and I only heard AMAZING things about it. I wanted a much different experience from the very common Western European study abroad experiences inItaly, France, UK, etc. I definitely planned on visiting all those well-known countries in Europe as well, but I wanted to go to a location where I could really get to know the citywithout feeling like a tourist the entire time.
I wanted to learn more about Eastern European culture first hand as my family is from Eastern Europe and this location was highly reccomended to me by a friend. I wanteda program that was in a city and had a lo t o f life so that I could experience that and also that would draw a large international community.
I liked the large english course catalog, the fact that this program was in a city center, and that it is the only program in Eastern Europe.
It was a great opportunity to look into Central European countries and to compare their development and exquisite culture to o ther European and North American ones.Also it was very affordable compared to o ther European locations.
I have a lo t o f family in Budapest, wanted to learn to speak the language better and learn about the culture more, and also knew that Corvinus was a great program from myfamily member's word o f mouth.
I have always heard how unique & beautiful Budapest is & wanted to experience it firsthand. Also, the central European location is very convenient.
I wanted to study somewhere in Europe that was central and had good transportation. The cost o f living in Budapest is lower than most o f Europe which was a plus, and itwas more mysterious and uncommon as a destination which I liked.
I had no idea which program to choose, but I knew I wanted to experience something different. After researching pretty much every schoo l and reading all these surveysfrom students in the past, I had a good feel about Budapest. And at first, I honestly knew nothing about Budapest but it really sounded like a fun program where I couldimmerse myself in the Hungarian culture. I also read that the international program at Corvinus was very diverse and large; I liked the idea o f getting to meet people from allover the world.
Total Responses 28
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
23. 32. Please compare these aspects o f your program with study at USC.
1 1) Quality o f instruction 4 4 20 28 2.57
2 2) Content o f courses 8 1 19 28 2.39
3 3) Intellectual challenge o f courses 3 0 25 28 2.79
4 4) Faculty interest in/support o f students 12 5 11 28 1.96
5 5) Individual assistance provided 9 2 17 28 2.29
Min Value 1 1 1 1 1
Max Value 3 3 3 3 3
Mean 2.57 2.39 2.79 1.96 2.29
Variance 0.55 0.84 0.40 0.85 0.88
StandardDeviation 0.74 0.92 0.63 0.92 0.94
TotalResponses 28 28 28 28 28
# Quest io n Equivalent USC/Abro ad Bet t er USC/in L.A. Bet t er T o t al Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 1) Qualit y o finst ruct io n
2) Co nt ent o fco urses
3) Int e llect ual challenge o fco urses
4) Facult y int erest in/suppo rt o fst udent s
5) Individual assist ancepro vided
24. 33. How much study time per week do you recommend in order to keepup with classes?
About 3 hours per course, 18 hours depending on class selection
4 hours
4 hours
5-6 hours
4 hours
1-2 hours
Depending on assignments, anywhere from 3 to 10 hours per week.
7 hours on average, more during test weeks
2
3 to 4
3 hours
1-3
About 4 hours on average, more during exams.
Depends on time o f the semester, maybe 3-4 hours to tal a week
Probably about 1 hour during weeks without tests, and 4 hours during weeks with tests.
1 hour on easy weeks, up to 8 for midterms & finals.
5 hrs.
7 hours a week
2-3 hrs per week
5 hrs
0-2 hours TOTAL for all 5 classes until the weekend before midterm week and finals.
1-3 hours
3 hours
6 -10 hours, depending on a week
I studied approximately 5 hours per week
5 hours
2-4 hours
2-3 hours, sometimes more if you have a group presentation due
Total Responses 28
T ext Respo nse
St at ist ic Value
25. 34. How, if at all, does the structure o f the courses differ from those atUSC? Did you like or dislike these differences?
Classes meet as lecture/seminar, which was very similar to USC. However, classes only meet once a week so the rhythm of the work week is very different and can be hardto obtain a serious habit to maintain on-schedule.
They were divided into lecture and seminar and I enjoyed the seminar portion because it was interactive.
USC has a lo t more different types o f activities in each class. Corvinus classes have a lo t o f cases and group work. USC classes taught business theories better, while Ifeel like I got more hands-on experience at Corvinus. I welcomed the change because I think I've reached the po int in my education where hands-on immersion isimportant.
Classes were mostly group-oriented, much o f the grade being made up o f group pro jects. This was o ften difficult due to language and/or scheduling restraints
Each class is once a week, which means you can manage squeezing all your classes into 2-3 days and allows a long weekend. Classes are 4 hours though, which is along time to sit quietly.
Much less homework, more weight put on pro jects/exams. It made the coursework much less stressful and time-consuming than at USC
The course structure at Corvinus is generally less rigid than the course structure at USC. None o f the classes required any o fficial textbooks or o ther schoo l materials -everything was provided by the pro fessors in the form of lectures, Powerpo int presentations, and handouts. Pro fessors are usually reachable in person, and almostalways reachable via email. Overall, I much prefer the structure and coursework o f USC courses, but the Corvinus classes gave me a different perspective on the academicexperience.
USC instruction is immensely better. Hungary is a bit behind on many things, quality o f education being one o f them.
I didn't really notice any differences
The classes are once a week and 3 hours long, which is a very long time (two 80 minute classes with a 20 minute break in between, o ften times the first one is the lectureand the second part is more o f a seminar/discussion), which took some getting used to . However, the benefits to this was that I had to go to the university less, as well assince I could stack my classes between Tuesday evening thorough Thursday evening, I had a five-day weekend every weekend!
Attendance is mandatory. You can only skip 3 classes. Anything more can result in the pro fessor failing you. In some ways it is good because it fo rces you to go to class,but you don't get to travel as much if you have class Monday to Friday.
A lo t o f group pro jects. Seems really annoying but pro fessors generally grade easy and are o ften impressed by our work.
The classes are scheduled only once a week, which is hard because they are so long, but is really nice because it allows you to take long weekends to travel. They are veryheavy on group work, and most o f the grades are based on one big pro ject and exams.
Lots o f group pro jects and presentations. Most classes have an 80 min lecture session then a 20 min break fo llowed by another 80 min discussion. Each teacher did itdifferently. Some had a more interactive discussion session. Overall most classes were 2 pro jects a final exam, sometimes a midterm exam or small paper. They takeattendance and have "participation" but it is pretty easy since you are a native english speaker.
In most classes there is not very much homework, and your grade will be based on one or two presentations, a midterm, a final, and participation.
They o ffered a corporate social responsibility course that I really enjoyed. It considered the implications o f CSR on business.
Overall it is the same. Most courses requires a midterm, final and in some cases a few short papers. Most causes also require a presentation at some po int. Courses aredivided into the equivalent o f discussion and lecture sections, but both o f these are lead by the pro fessor and in most cases are just another lecture. I think that weathersomeone likes this is a matter o f personal taste. Pro fessors o ften would make up classes missed because o f ho lidays. These were o ften in conflict with courses whichwee scheduled at the make up time and they were usually badly attended.
Most courses do not have a discussion section as we think o f it here. even If it looks like there is one when you register it is in practice another lecture lead by theprofessor, and the amount o f student invo lvement depends on the pro fessor. On the down side pro fessors give 'make-up' classes at times o f their choosing to make upfor things like national ho lidays. If you cannot make it to one o f these due to a preexisting conflict it is considered to be the student's problem.
Attendance is mandatory in most classes. You may miss only about three classes. This may complicate your travel plans, but at the same time it helps you get to knowBudapest better.
Nothing was set in stone. Midterms, finals, pro jects, assignments are o ften not given out until the very very last minute. Be prepared to adapt to anything and everything!
I rarely had any homework at all. Reading is not required before lectures. There were group pro jects and presentations but they give you a ton o f time, and the groupwork iscompletely doable on your own in one night........ All in all, it was much more relaxed than at USC. You really don't have to worry about anything until midterms and finalsbesides getting to class. I liked it a lo t fo r this semester because it made it really easy to go out every single night and travel all weekends since I scheduled my classes foronly Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
The structure is fairly similiar which I liked. There is usually a midterm, one or two big pro jects/papers/presentations, a final and a participation grade. Class attendance ismandatory (if you miss more than 3 classes i think you automatically fail?) which not everyone liked but it is fairly easy to schedule classes on 2-3 days. It is nice thoughhaving a 15% easy boost in your grade just fo r showing up though. Overall I preferred this structure becuase in three o f my classes I had already passed before we took thefinal because I did well on everything all semester and the final was only 25% of my grade so its nice to not stress and just be able to enjoy the city even during finals :)
Fairly similiar which I appreciated- there was usually a midterm, a paper, and a final. Main difference is that attendance is mandatory. If you miss more than 2 courses youautomatically fail unless you talk to the pro fessor. Its not that bad though becuase it is fairly easy to get all o f your classes on 2-3 days :)
A lo t o f Europe/country specific examples. I like the difference.
There is an attendance requirement that is loosely enforced depending on your faculty, and there is a lo t less homework checking and more just examination.
The class size was much smaller and the pro fessors seemed much more engaged with the students. In general, the classes were much more Socratic. My classes onlymet once a week which was bizarre to acclimate to at first.
Classes usually meet fo r the entire semester twice a week for 80 minutes each. Sometimes lecture is one day and "seminar" is another, but seminar is o ften immediatelyafter lecture. Most classes require 75% attendance to pass (but missing up to 25% will negatively impact your grade). Textbooks aren't really necessary. Lectures seem"fluffy" and most o f the real content is in readings which are usually posted online. There are very few assignments generally (though each class differs). There is usually amidterm (and/or a group assignment/presentation) and a final. Essay type exams are common (usually better than multiple cho ice because the pro fessors try to give yousome po ints even when you are pretty o ff). My final exams ranged from 20%-40% of my grades. I also felt like classes were more social in the sense that almost everydaywe had to break up into groups to discuss something or perform some activity or simulations.
The intellectual aspect o f the classes is easier, but what I enjoyed about the classes at Corvinus was the level o f invo lvement. The teachers required interaction and grouppro jects, which I really liked because I got to meet so many different people. Being able to work with people from different countries was interestingly challenging, but reallyfun! The teachers really cared about their students, the class room size wasn't too big, and the tasks/group work was clear and made class fun.
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26. 35. Are there courses or pro fessors that you would particularrecommend? Please explain:
Pro ject Management is an interesting course, albeit the pro fessor's English can be hard to understand International Business Marketing is more so business-to-businessmarketing and focus mostly around cases International Marketing is taught by Al Sabea's Hungarian Twin Supply Chain Management is closer to Operations Managementthan true Supply Chain Management and Logistics Management
Yes- Decision Making and Negotiation Skills with Kinga Koczey was my favorite course. I also enjoyed Presentation Skills with Laszlo Kascirek.
Pro ject Management is an extremely rigorous course, but we went through a 10 week simulation o f implementing a pro ject. I think the experience will prove invaluable in thefuture. Electronic Commerce is a decent class.
Professor Erszebet Czako 's Global Strategy and Competitiveness was a great class because she was a very knowledgeable and engaging pro fessor teaching interestingand applicable ideas.
Change Management was good and easy, very simple and quite interactive. Electronic Commerce was especially easy.
Joy Chan - Investment Analysis; one o f the few courses/pro fessors that will actually teach you anything meaningful during your time there
These are the courses I recommend: Investment Analysis with Joy Chan - past USC students also recommend her. She is originally from Singapore and currently worksfor Bain as a consultant. She travels throughout Eastern Europe on business during the week and returns to Budapest to teach each o f her four or five finance classes.Although this was one o f the more challenging courses we took, it was definitely manageable and worth it. In fact, the class was so popular when I enro lled, that Pro fessorChan tried to dissuade potential students from taking the class by talking about how challenging the course was - however, if you have taken 306 or o ther finance classesat USC, you should have few problems understanding the coursework. The only drawback o f this class is that it was held on Mondays at 8am (the earliest o f all o f myclasses). Decision Making and Negotiation Strategies with Kinga Konczey - this class was also one o f my top classes. The pro fessor always made every class interestingand informative. Although she covers a lo t o f material from Organizational Behavior, the course is a great refresher as well as introduction into negotiation skills. I wasgenuinely interested in the material and always enjoyed go ing to class.
Joy Chen. She teaches all finance courses and Investment Analysis. She's an amazing power woman from Singapore and teaches because she likes to - not becauseshe needs to . She is helpful and teaches what is applicable in the real world.
Cross Cultural Marketing and Management: This class was a chance for a class o f students from all over the world to discuss cultural stereotypes, differences, andcommunication barriers. You get to meet everybody in the class because o f all the discussions that go on.
Cross Cultural Communication and Marketing with Erszebet Malo ta Retailing Management with Irma Agardi Electronic Commerce with Andrea Ko Both classes were a lo to f fun with a lo t o f interactive learning and information, as well as not too difficult to pass.
Take Cross Cultural Marketing and Communications. The class is filled with international kids and we talk about culture and marketing in those cultures. The pro fessorreally makes an effort fo r everyone to participate and you really get to know your classmates. We even had class dinners.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Decision Methods
International Human Resources Management - the instruction wasn't that great, but we did a lo t o f work with very culturally diverse groups, and it was a great learningexperience about working and interacting with o ther countries.
Stephen Wirtz Global Business Strategy. You will no t learn much about strategy but he is immensely entertaining, Best class I took. Decision Techniques was prettyinteresting, and very manageable (Richard Szanto and Reka Mato lay)
Advertising Management- VERY easy, pretty much spend all o f class watching ads on youtube Services Marketing- Easy, similar to ad management Decision Methods-Easy
Decision Methods, Service Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Take 'Practice o f International Trade' or' Applied international business methods' ( they are the same course) from Dr. Cesko Kalan. This was the only truly intilectuallychallenging course I took. The pro fessors is more than willing to help the students grasp complicated legal concepts, and is dedicated to their progress. Her teaching stilemade useful information memorable beyond the test.
Take 'practice o f International trade' o r 'applied international business methods' (they are actually the same course) from Professor Cseko Katalin. The course was themost intellectually stimulating I took in Hungary. The pro fessor is very supportive and skilled at explaining the implications o f legal concepts to her students inunderstandable and memorable ways.
Dr. Kelemen Zita fo r Consumer Behavior. If you take this class, you will have some cases to read but the pro fessor is very knowledgeable and funny. Tourism Marketing&Management and Corporate Social Responsibility are great classes.
Corporate Governance, Cross Cultural Business Communication -- both easy A's!
Decision Techniques and Tourism Management and Marketing are REALLY easy. Definitely take these classes. Services Marketing is also easy. Global Business Strategywith Wirtz is a masters level class but it was the best class I had - never had to go to class, and he was always really coo l about it.
Wirtz fo r Global Business Strategy- His class is sort o f crazy and unstructured but he had a lo t o f interesting opinions and new perspectives on different cultures. The classitself is very easy with one presentation and a final, and overall he cares more about you thinking about the world in new ways then the class itself. Lo ts o f crazy methodsbut I liked it. Also Tourism and Marketing Mangement. Its taught by two really nice female pro fessors who always have great reccomendations o f things to do around thecity and the class is coo l cause USC has nothing like it. Fairly easy overall with one pro ject, midterm and final. Also we went on two cute field trips which was fun!
Global Business Strategy- This class had the least amount o f work and yet is probably the class that taught me the most. Pro fessor Wirtz is rather unconventional but Ifound him very interesting and amusing.
Yes, Bank Finance - very challenging course, but extremely knowledgeable instructor, Film and History - gives an insight into why Hungary is the way it currently is our days.
Decision Techniques pro fessor is incredibly pro ficient in English and a very adept teacher. His name is Richard Szanto .
I loved Reka Mato lay's Corporate Social Responsibility. She was amazing. Very interesting course. I also really enjoyed Human Resources Management with FerraroPasquale.
Corporate Social Responsibility with Reka Mato lay - The class was really interesting because o f Reka. She is really nice and I talked to her out o f class on multipleoccasions. She is a very fair grader also and the exams were fair. There is a paper (but it's really straight fo rward) Tourism Management and Marketing with Ivett Sziva andLivia Pinter - Really fun class with a site visit. There is essentially no reading/work except a group presentation a midterm and a final. International Business Law withJeffrey Allan - The class seems a little daunting the first few weeks, BUT he was SO straightforward about the exams. He essentially gives you the essay topics o f whichyou have to choose a few so you can prepare an outline and get a really good grade. There is also not much work - a midterm, final, and participation. Hungarian forBeginners with Agnes Mester Walsch - Also a fun class if you want to learn some Hungarian. I thought it was useful (it also came in handy in Po land and Serbia wheresome of the words are similar (and in Serbia English isn't as common as o ther places)).
Corporate Social Responsibility with Reka Mataloy - great pro fessor! Knows all o f her students by first name and makes class interesting! Tourism Management andMarketing is rather boring, but if you're looking for an easy class, it's just that.
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27. 36. Are there courses or pro fessors that you would advise against taking?Please explain:
N/A
Yes- Entrepreneurship with Emeric So lymossy but he was not a permanent pro fessor at the university. The pro fessor was very rude and I did not gain a valuableexperience from his course.
Corporate Governance is a complete joke. The pro fessor cannot teach. Perspectives o f Information Systems is incredibly boring.
While Pro fessor Janos Hoos' Corporate Governance was a great class, his teaching level is extremely basic (due to his lack o f English knowledge) and the entire grade isbased on a one-question final.
DO NOT TAKE PROJECT MANAGEMENT. You will regret it. There are weekly assignments, the material isn't reflective o f the usual pro ject management courses, and theteacher has terrible English that you'll suffer trying to understand. It is frustrating and generally incomprehensible.
No
The only course I strongly recommend against is Hungary, Civilisation Courses in English and Basic Hungarian with Judit Magyar. I thought the class would o ffer a moredynamic and hands-on approach to Hungarian history, but instead, the class was very dull and boring. Every class covered a different aspect o f Hungarianculture/history/etc., but the presentations were somewhat thrown together with little to no direction. Although I learned a lo t about Hungary, I only recommend this class ifyou are very interested in learning about Hungarian history.
International Human Resource Management. Pro fessor was terrible and I didn't learn one thing.
Hungarian civilizations is really dry. It's just a long history o f Hungary and the pro fessor is really hard to listen to .
Business Valuation with Joy Chan...it's an advanced finance course that as non-finance concentration was rather difficult fo r me Pro ject Management with Gorog Mihalywas a lo t o f work with weekly assignments and a very conceptual course that the pro fessor couldn't always teach in the best way
Don't take International Financial Management. The pro fessor is a very smart and successful man, but he doesn't know how to teach. It is a boring class and can be difficultif you don't keep up with the reading.
Service Marketing is dry and boring. Teacher is monotone and soft spoken. Advertising Management. Most ridiculous class ever... the teacher doesn't even know thesubject well. International Human Resource Management is boring and all we do is present to the class.
No - honestly, the level o f instruction is not on par with USC at all, but there were no particularly bad classes.
not really. Dora Horvath for Advertising Management did not know english well enough and was really unclear about the final exam and pro jects. Sandor Takacs forInternational Human Resources was a pretty po intless class, and it was at the end o f our day so no one could pay attention
Management Information Systems- not so enjoyable, not very challenging material at all International Human Resource Management- not that hard, but the pro jects are notenjoyable
No
Avoid taking anything from Ferarro Pasquale at all costs. The pro fessor's overbearing teaching style is unsuitable for teaching a group o f students, most o f whom are notnative speakers o f English. he would criticize students English in general when they did not use vocabulary terms which would never be used in the normal language.When half the class stopped talking or coming to class out o f fear , he spent the time yelling at those that did come.
Avo id taking anything from Professor Ferraro Pasquale. This pro fessor's teaching stile might work in a room full o f native English speakers. However, when teaching amostly European group o f exchange students it was disastrous. He would publically and harshly criticize students' English skills fo r not awkwardly using vocabulary terms.Many o f them quickly became too afraid to talk in class and/or stopped attending it. The pro fessor responded to this by yelling at the students who did come and participate.
Do not take Electronic Commerce. The name of the class makes it sound interesting, but you will only learn definitions.
No.
Do NOT take Nonprofit Management with Ferraro . It's a masters level class, and his grading was ridiculous! His midterm was the only midterm that I REALLY studied forout o f all 5 o f my classes, and I got a 61% (higher than my friends) when I got 98%s on my o ther midterms without studying more than 3 hours all semester. I wouldn't evenstudy more if I could go back and redo the midterm, it was entirely due to his (lack o f) grading system.
Non-Profit Management with Pasqual Ferraro . The class was SUPER boring and the pro fessor was AWEFUL. He thinks he is cuper important but has not done anythinggreat and looks down on everyone. On the midterm exam when the highest grade was an 82% he yelled at all o f us telling us that we were stupid and should have donebetter and that he couldn't understand how we all did so badly. It was extremely frustrating and he did not curve the midterm. Also his class teaches incorrect informationand is all about his perspectives, nothing about the real world.
Non-Profit Management- This class is more about memorizing the book then anything else. He wants you to use his words to explain everything instead o f explainingconcpets becuase he has applied new meanings to words that do not apply anywhere outside o f his class. Not worth the time and the content was not useful. On themidterm the highest grade was an 82% and it was never curved.
Yes
Not particularly.
No.
Brand Management with Robert Braun: He seemed really interesting the first day o f class, but he was a horrible unfair pro fessor. Expectations were unclear and beforefinals the entire class had no idea what their grade was so far. We also had one-page summaries due every class o f the readings (sometimes for 3 readings). The finalwas also awful, complete memorization o f useless things.
N/A
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28. 37. Has participation in this program influenced your academic or careergoals? How?
Perhaps has influenced some of my understanding o f business and the way that things operate in different countries. Has helped me focus on a more personal level asthis program seems to be chosen by individuals who are more adventurous and independent.
Yes- I introduced me to a new culture that I really enjoyed and I want to return to Europe sometime in my career.
Participating in a study abroad program in Europe makes me want to live and work in Europe after graduation and learn more languages.
Yes, I know I want to move to Europe as soon as possible after graduation. I will now focus my career searching abroad.
Being in Budapest demonstrated how much business as a study and science can really affect the social and economic status o f a city and country. It showed me whatbusiness-minded improvements can potentially do for a group o f people.
Provided me with a much greater global perspective
Not significantly.
Yes. It has reinforced the idea that I would like to work internationally.
This program has definitely made me want to work globally. I want to be able to travel and work with o ther cultures.
After traveling in Europe for the first time and spending a pro longed period surrounded by people from different cultures, one o f my career goals has definitely been to travelabroad for work either on short assignments or long-term.
Yes. Being abroad in general has opened my eyes. I learned so much about myself and met so many new people.
It made me realize how right Accounting is fo r me and that marketing and advertising are horrible (at least in these courses)
Reinforced the idea that I would like to work abroad at some po int after graduation.
Yes, I am more interested into working for an international company, and possibly taking the opportunity to work abroad. Academically I appreciate USC education more,and I no longer want an advertising or marketing class
Definitely has made me want to work abroad for a year as well as travel to more destinations in the world.
The program will opened up my pro fessional aspirations in terms o f where I would like to work. Before go ing abroad, I never considered an international ro tation. However,after living in Budapest, I would love to spend 6 months - 1 year working abroad. I think the learning experience o f living in a foreign country was something I never couldhave learned in a classroom at USC.
I am more certain that ever that I would like to presue a career in the business world o f Eastern Europe.
I am more certain than ever that I would like to base my career in Eastern Europe, focusing in international trade.
Yes. I realized that I do not want to go into the tourism industry, but most importantly, I learned o f the value o f corporate social responsibility in the corporate world.Additionally, the program served to confirm my passion for international business.
Yes, as it allowed me to open my eyes to a many different possibilities.
No
Gave me a lo t o f perspective on the world and how different cultures interact and has made me much more interested in do ing work that invovles traveling internationally orworking with international clients.
I am much more interested in working with international clients as I am now confident in my ability to sucessfully relate to people outside o f my comfort zone.
It gave me a broader understanding o f international economics and how interrelated all the countries are. Also I would definitely want to learn more o f the history o f Central-European countries.
Not my academic or career goals, but has certainly made me realize that I would like to go to Hungary every year fo r the remainder o f my life.
Abso lutely. I discovered I want to pursue a career in HR upon concluding my HR Management class. I never expected to so lidify my career plans while I was abroad.
I really would like to work internationally after this program
It has made me more aware o f global interaction and more interested, willing to work in a global environment!
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29. Please tell us about your experience with the foreign language o f yourhost country: 38 . Besides English, what is (are) the language(s) mostprominently spoken on the campus o f the university where you studied?
German (1/3 or exchange students), Spanish, French (1/6 th or so), Hungarian (everyone else)
Hungarian/Magyar
Hungarian
Hungarian (Magyar)
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian
German, Hungarian, Dutch, French
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian, French (o ther international students)
Hungarian, Spanish german and French
Magyar, Spanish, German, French
Hungarian, German
Hungarian
Hungarian....... & all the o ther international exchange students' languages - Dutch, German, French, Spanish
Hungarian, German, French, Dutch, Spanish and Italian
Hungarian, French, German, Dutch
Hungarian
Hungarian
Hungarian & German
Hungarian, German
Hungarian
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30. 39. Did you speak the host language, or receive any language training inthe host language prio r to , o r during your semester abroad? If yes, pleaseexplain:
Not all, just whatever I could scrap together.
no
No
No, but I would highly recommend an intro course.
Hungarian is extremely difficult.
I didn't speak a word before I arrived. I took at 1-unit course while I was there for 1.5 hours/week, but the language is very difficult and your language skills don't progressvery far. It was a fun course and I learned quite a bit about Hungarian culture, so I would still recommend it to o thers who are interested
I speak basic/conversational Hungarian. Both o f my parents speak Hungarian at home, so I was able to pick up some of the language prio r to studying abroad. While inBudapest, I independently enro lled in a three-week intensive Hungarian language course. Although this significantly improved my understanding and use o f the language, Idon't think that o ther students (without some form of Hungarian language background) would benefit from these courses because o f the difficulty o f the language andpractical applications after studying in Hungary.
No
no
No, I barely learned any Hungarian besides a few basic phrases (hello , thank you, excuse me, yes, no, etc) to get around. Luckily, most people know enough English forme to not have to learn much Hungarian.
No
No and you do not need Hungarian for anything. Almost everyone speaks english.
No
No, but all o f the english classes have international students so you will here a lo t o f Dutch, French, Spanish, etc.
Not at all!
N/A
No. English is rather widely spoken in Budapest, and my full business course schedule made it difficult to fit a language course in.
No.
No
No, not at all.
No, Hungarian is impossible. You don't really need it - you can learn the SUPER basic words. Mostly, you can just smile and po int and motion to things and it works out.
No. I looked up a few words to get by and that is all I will leave with only a few more.
No- I learned 5 words before I came and left with 8
No
I did. Because my family is Hungarian so I spoke broken Hungarian beforehand.
Nope.
Just during. I took a Hungarian class
I learned a few words to get by, but most people in the program spoke English.
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31. Then rate:
1 1) Your language skills before the program: 0 1 0 27 28 3.93
2 2) Language training on the program: 1 2 4 21 28 3.61
3 3) Your pro ficiency after the program: 1 1 4 22 28 3.68
Min Value 2 1 1
Max Value 4 4 4
Mean 3.93 3.61 3.68
Variance 0.14 0.62 0.52
Standard Deviation 0.38 0.79 0.72
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# Quest io n Excellent Go o d Fair Po o r T o t al Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic 1) Yo ur language skills bef o re t he pro gram: 2) Language t raining o n t he pro gram: 3) Yo ur pro f iciency af t er t he pro gram:
32. 40. Did cultural/social activities sponsored by the program assist you inlanguage acquisition?
Yes, the sponsored events were very helpful on a social scale
yes
No
Yes, a little.
not much, besides words for "beer" or "exit"
A bit
Although there were cultural/social activities sponsored by the program, none o f them particularly assisted in language acquisition.
No
no
Not really, everyone speaks English
Yes. This was the only time that I learned any basic Hungarian words.
No
No, they were really more about having fun than learning the language.
No, but they have Erasmus which puts together activities for you
Only in the way that we would be interacting with some Hungarian students, and if you wanted to you could ask them how to say certain things to make daily life easier.
They taught us the basic words such as "hello", "thank you", and "cheers!"
Na
N/A
No
Only very simple phrases.
A tiny bit
N/A
only to say "cheers"
No, all instruction and communication is in English
Not really. Hungarian is not the type o f language one attempts to pick up in one semester.
I learned a few basic words & phrases.
Not really
Orientation at the schoo l - taught us a few Hungarian words; The ESN (Erasmus Student Network) organization was made up o f Hungarians so if we ever needed help,they were always there!
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33. 41. Did outside/o ther activities help? Please explain.
...shopping at the store can be interesting
yes- socializing with Hungarians
No
Meeting and talking with Hungarian students was nice because they helped with the impossible pronunciation.
Not as much as anything else
Interacting with locals helped a bit
The only outside activity that helped was the Hungarian Language School I enro lled in.
No. Most o f the exchange students speak English when interacting. I learned more French.
no
Not really, everyone speaks English
Yes, hanging out with my tandem partner and asking Hungarian friends how to say "thank you" and o ther vocabulary words helped.
No, everyone speaks English
I learned the most during day to day activities - grocery shopping, go ing to the bank, etc.
they were more put together to meet people and improve o ther people's english
Just go ing to the supermarket or to restaurants would help as you would get the hang o f what different words meant by seeing them associated with certain things.
N/A
Na
N/A
No
Absolutely! The more you go out, the more people you meet!
---
N/A
N/A
No, all instruction and communication is in English
Most definitely, hungarian culture is quite diverse in activity do ing. There are great festivals to attend!
Befriending Hungarians
Eating out, shopping,
Going grocery shopping in the market fo rced me to learn some Hungarian words so that I could communicate with the people there
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34. 42. What percentage o f students on the campus o f your host country(would you estimate) actively speak English?
60%
90%
99%
40%
45%
100
Between 20% and 40% of the students speak English well. The majority o f students understand conversational English. The Hungarian students in the exchange studentprogram (Erasmus Program) speak English fluently.
Mostly all.
100%
Almost 100% speak pro ficient English
Everyone on campus is able to speak English.
99%
90%
80-90%
99%
90%
80%
70%
All o f the international students speak English frequently. Only a few Hungarian students speak English on a regular basis.
10%. Almost only the international students.
We take classes with 98% international exchange students so there aren't many Hungarians in class, and if there are, they speak very well.
40% The students realize their language is dying out and know they have to make an effort to learn English if they want to go anywhere so the numbers are definitelyincreasing. They speak to each o ther in Hungarian but will speak with us in English and are always excited to practice.
50%
almost all - 95%
A huge proportion o f Hungarian students at Corvinus even took classes in English!
80%
95%
In the international program, 100% of students/teachers speak English. I'm not sure what percentage o f Hungarian students speak English because they aren't in any o f myclasses.
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35. 43. How would you recommend that students prepare for languagedifferences abroad?
Don't expect to speak Hungarian properly when you are done unless you have a real personal motivation to learn. Be ready to know the key phrases o f social interaction.Pick up any o ther language.
Learn a few words in Hungarian
Going somewhere like Hungary, you can't expect to learn much o f the language. I have just become accustomed to speaking slowly in English and being very patient.Sometimes I will change the words in my sentence to make it more comprehensible.
Learn the common courtesies and some food and maintenance words in the host language.
Have an open mind and learn quickly.
Just be open-minded
I highly recommend learning the basics o f the language so that you can at least respond to o thers, but you probably won't need to use it too much. Usually, the Hungariansyou will speak to will respond in English when they see that you don't speak Hungarian.
Nothing is needed. Hungarian is an extremely difficult language, is only spoken in Hungary, and is in fact dying, as the younger generations are speaking o ther languagesincluding English.
While you're abroad, you pick up basic things like "thank you" and "excuse me" but fo r the most part you don't need to laern the language. Moreover, in the study abroadprogram, the people that you meet are from all over the world so you'll always be speaking english anyway.
Expect to be able to communicate in English with younger local people, but with o lder people who don't speak English and if you don't speak Hungarian, prepare to usebody language, hand motions and many miscommunications.
There's really no preparation. You just have to learn useful words here and there from Hungarians. Taking the language class can help a little, but not very much becauseit's so different from any o ther language.
No need to
You don't really need to prepare because everyone at the schoo l speaks English, but it's nice to learn a few words like hello , thank you, sorry, etc. to use in o ther situations(shopping, on the metro) because the o lder generations don't usually speak English.
It will seem like no one speaks english at first, but get used to using broken sentences and speaking slowly and by the end you will feel that everyone speaks english.
I don't think that it is necessary to prepare as you can get around with English.
I think the language differences were huge, but not a big issue since almost all students at Corvinus spoke English or understood it well. Also , all the local Hungarians,even if they did not speak English, were extremely patient and helpful (fo r the most part.)
Try to memorize a few basic phrases before go ing abroad. hungarian vocabulary is different from any o ther endo European language so focus on the names o f commonstores etc... It will be hard to get around at first with out this information.
The Hungarian Lexicon is completely different from any o ther European language. I would recommend memorizing in writing the names o f every day places, grocery storeproducts etc... as this would make it much easier to get around and find things upon arrival. While the reality o f have to take a full Business course load means that it is verydifficult to take a language course will there, English is somewhat widely spoken in Budapest.
You do not need to learn Hungarian to get around or to speak to students on campus. Although some Hungarian students struggle to speak English, most will be able tocommunicate with you fairly well. Because Budapest is a touristic city, only a few o lder people do not speak English. You can practice a few phrases and numbers if youwant.
Learn simple phrases before you arrive to the country. It'll help a lo t!
Don't be afraid! It's to tally easy to adjust to being constantly surrounded by o ther languages. We're lucky because we speak fluent English, so it's easy to communicate witheveryone since students are looking to practice and use their English.
Don't worry, everyone speaks English and if they don't its fairly easy to mime what you need. Sometimes its a little crazy, but thats just a part o f the experience :) Butcertainly learn basic phrases like hello , thank you and such- I think its nice to at least try and fun!
Don't worry about it, everyone speaks english, but it is more po lite to at least learn a few words before you travel to different countries.
Just don't be scared, taking the level 1 language course might be helpful
Majority o f people speak English now in Budapest
Expect to be rather mystified in the first couple weeks. Especially when it comes to things like grocery shopping and finding restaurants. Trip Advisor as well as onlinetranslators were extremely helpful.
Know a few words
It's not a big deal here because a lo t o f people can speak English. If someone can't speak English, you'll still be able to po int fo r things you want or find someone else whocan speak English. I would recommend learning a few words before coming here but the language is really difficult so don't be scared!
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36. Click to write Co lumn 2
1 Housing coordination 19 6 2 27 1.37
2 On-site personal advising and informal support 6 14 7 27 2.04
3 Orientation in Los Angeles 4 2 21 27 2.63
4 Instructional facilities 0 4 23 27 2.85
5 Medical/dental facilities 8 15 4 27 1.85
6 Recreational facilities 4 19 4 27 2.00
7 USC Financial Aid 6 8 13 27 2.26
8 Communication with o ffice in Los Angeles 0 11 16 27 2.59
Min Value 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2
Max Value 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Mean 1.37 2.04 2.63 2.85 1.85 2.00 2.26 2.59
Variance 0.40 0.50 0.55 0.13 0.44 0.31 0.66 0.25
StandardDeviation 0.63 0.71 0.74 0.36 0.66 0.55 0.81 0.50
TotalResponses 27 27 27 27 27 27 27 27
# Quest io n No t Available Available But No t Used Available And Used T o t al Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic Ho usingco o rdinat io n
On-sit e perso naladvising and inf o rmal
suppo rt
Orient at io nin Lo s
Angeles
Inst ruct io nalf acilit ies
Medical/dent alf acilit ies
Recreat io nalf acilit ies
USCFinancial
Aid
Co mmunicat io nwit h o f f ice inLo s Angeles
37. Click to write Co lumn 2
1 Housing coordination 2 6 11 3 5 27 3.11
2 On-site personal advising and informalsupport 2 7 12 3 3 27 2.93
3 Orientation in Los Angeles 0 0 5 12 10 27 4.19
4 Instructional facilities 0 0 8 10 9 27 4.04
5 Medical/dental facilities 3 4 16 2 2 27 2.85
6 Recreational facilities 3 6 12 3 3 27 2.89
7 USC Financial Aid 1 3 10 5 8 27 3.59
8 Communication with o ffice in Los Angeles 0 0 9 9 9 27 4.00
Min Value 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 3
Max Value 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
Mean 3.11 2.93 4.19 4.04 2.85 2.89 3.59 4.00
Variance 1.41 1.15 0.54 0.65 0.98 1.26 1.33 0.69
StandardDeviation 1.19 1.07 0.74 0.81 0.99 1.12 1.15 0.83
TotalResponses 27 27 27 27 27 27 27 27
# Quest io n Unaccept able Belo wAverage Average Abo ve
Average Accept able T o t al Respo nses Mean
St at ist ic Ho usingco o rdinat io n
On-sit e perso naladvising and inf o rmal
suppo rt
Orient at io nin Lo s
Angeles
Inst ruct io nalf acilit ies
Medical/dent alf acilit ies
Recreat io nalf acilit ies
USCFinancial
Aid
Co mmunicat io nwit h o f f ice inLo s Angeles
38. 44. Did you live in...
1 Dorm 0 0%
2 Apartment 27 100%
3 Other 0 0%
Total 27
Min Value 2
Max Value 2
Mean 2.00
Variance 0.00
Standard Deviation 0.00
Total Responses 27
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
St at ist ic Value
39. 45. If you used STA Travel fo r transportation arrangements, were yousatisfied? Please explain.
N/A
NA
Not at all. They put me friend and I on separate flights to Europe, even though we booked together, and would not change it.
NA
yes
N/A
I did not use STA.
I didn't.
na
Did not use
Didn't use
No
Yes, it was much cheaper than when I tried to book it alone
Did not use
n/a
N/A
Did not use
Not Used
Did not use
N/A
---
N/A
Haven't used them
No
NA
N/A
N/A
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40. 46. Is there any aspect o f the program that you would like to see changedor different? (VERY IMPORTANT!)
The course picking process was anticipated, but not headacheless. I would love it if Corvinus would release potential timetables at the time o f preliminary research as I wasonly able to take one o f my six classes that I had signed up for. One was cancelled due to lack o f registrants after two weeks o f classes. Classes were added three weeksinto the semester, etc. Questions did not always have answers or the answer was "go to this o ffice" at which po int you repeat the same process. As Sean said, someuniversities do not o ffer the same level o f attention as HOH200 does.
I did not like the class registration system. The classes we originally signed up for were either unavailable or overlapped. It was very inefficient.
No.
When abroad, I heard about a 4 or 6-week language course o ffered by Corvinus in August. I would make this option available to IEP students, because the languagedifference o ften got frustrating.
Schedules o f the classes were not completed by registration time which made it extremely frustrating.
N/A
There weren't any glaring problems or difficulties with the program.
Housing should be arranged. It was difficult and costly to do this independently. Language is an issue for housing, thus you end up paying high additional fees working withan English speaking housing agency.
I wish our housing was arranged so that we could live in the dorms or with a host family. I feel like because the exchange program allowed us to meet all internatinoalstudents, I didn't really experience the Hungarian culture in depth, so living with a host family would have been a great experience. If no t that, living in the dorms would havebeen another great way o f meeting people.
I was very satisfied with the program and at the moment cannot thing o f any big thing that should be changed. I didn't encounter any problems, so I was either lucky or theprogram is already well established.
I'm pretty satisfied with the program.
Have flats set up for us prio r to arrival. It was a bit o f a hassle to stay in hostels in the beginning and search on our own but it turned out well. Living with international kidsfrom all over the world is definitely a great experience but it would have been easier to not worry about finding flats.
The housing process is a little frustrating. Although I ended up with a great living situation, it was frustrating to have to spend my first days in Budapest, when I was reallyexcited and wanted to see and experience everything, looking for an apartment.
A bit more direction about finding housing in the beginning. Also the schoo l gave us the forms needed to get a residence permit, but was not very helpful beyond that atdescribing certain signatures you needed on the forms they gave us. Therefore we all had multiple trips to the Immigration Office.
Some American students on exchange in Budapest had the ability to live in university housing while we did not get that option. I DO NOT think that it should be required tolive in university housing as finding an apartment was one o f the most influential experiences o f the trip as we also got to find roommates from all over the world. However,if some people would be more comfortable with housing set up for them, then I think it should be o ffered as an option.
We didn't have much information about housing until we arrived. Even then it was very minimal. I didn't mind having to find my own apartment. Even though it was a hassle,it was worth getting to chose our own apartments. At the same time, I wish the schoo l would have provided us a list o f realto rs or things to consider when looking into anapartment. We had a lo t o f issues getting our deposit back and setting up different things, (i.e. Internet, Resident Permits). Some realtors that o ther students had used werebetter than o thers (etc.)
The Tandem Program is a joke. I never even met mine, and heard similar stories from other international student friends. if I really needed anything my landlady was morethen ready to help out, butI think this would have been a problem if this were my first time in a forgin country.
The exchange program is organized through Erasmus. This is fine, except fo r the fact that Hungarian and exchange students are kept somewhat segregated. For example,most o f my classes were special exchange student classes. While I had the opportunity to get to know many people from around Europe, I don't really know any actualHungarian co llage students. While I realize that in the case o f classes there sometimes is a language barrier I still would have liked to see more interaction between the twogroups.
I would have liked to meet more Hungarian students, not just the exchange student coordinators. Almost all o f the students in my classes were exchange students, andonly one or two were Hungarian.
Many o f the international students at Corvinus, even some American students, had dorm arrangements. While it was kind o f coo l living in an apartment, it was veryfrustrating hustling to secure an apartment with only a couple o f days before schoo l started. I think the dorm experience would be easier, very different, and would allowmore interactions with o ther international students.
No!
opportunity to take classes in the business program at the local university that do not have an exact USC equivalent. in speaking with friends from other universities someof their favorite business classes were ones that USC did not approve for us to take.
Provide more instruction about available housing - where to find it.
Not really - this was such a great program! I can't say one bad thing about it.
Nope!
Not that I can think o f right now
The only issue about this program is that housing is not coordinated for the students, so at first, it's a bit daunting flying over to Budapest without an apartment or dorm tostay in. If students realize beforehand that staying in a hostel fo r a week while trying to find a flat is pretty common here, then they should not have a problem. Staying in ahostel fo r a few days was probably the greatest thing I did here to meet people! I'm still great friends with everyone I met at the hostel my first few days here! It would havebeen nice to have a few more class options to choose from that transferred back to USC. Although I am satisfied with the classes I'm taking, I would have preferred to takea marketing class or an entrepreneurship class which was not available to me.
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41. 47. Additional comments on services and coordination.
Everything was as expected, but again, the bureaucracy has given me a new transferable skill in paper pushing, door-knocking, and o ffice so liciting.
NA
NA
The international o ffice advisor was not very helpful o r pleasant.
I'd recommend living with international students if at all possible
The on-site orientation o ffice had very random operating hours, so be sure to check online or with your tandem partner to see when is the best time to go.
Note: Housing in Budapest is insanely cheap compared to LA. Take advantage o f that and make sure that you search for a good deal because they exist.
Make sure that you get an apartment that already has internet. My roommates and I tried to get our own and it took us like six trips all the way across town, and also endedup being pretty expensive.
Although you probably will no t choose your place before you arrive in Budapest, it's a lo t easier if you start looking at realtors/places before you get there. And negotiategetting your deposit back before you leave in your lease.
n/a
For the most part, I don't see any major flaws in the services or coordination. Corvinus ESN did a great job helping all the international student mingle, which I think madethe transition much easier. All in all, the Budapest program was amazing. I can't imagine studying abroad elsewhere. We had the best o f everything and I would STRONGLYrecommend it to anyone.
It was fine.
You are theoretically assigned a 'tandem partner', but I never even met mine despite trying on three occasions. I heard similar stories from other exchange student friends.Fortunately my landlady was ready and willing to help with any issues I ran into . I would highly recommended Zsuzsa Ko llar and her apartment on Kertesz Ut. to anyone. Ifthis were my first time in a foreign country and I had not been lucky in my cho ice o f accommodations I think this could have been much more o f a problem then it was in mycase.
I did not like the fact that we had to renew our student id during the middle o f the semester. It was very inconvenient fo r us since we needed it to use public transportation.
NA
You are completely on your own to find an apartment once you get here. It's easy though - I lived with a guy from Belgium and one from Holland, and it was easy enough.One found the landlord before we came to Budapest, and I was able to move in within a week. I stayed in a hostel fo r the first week and met many o ther exchange studentswho all were looking at apartments and finding them in that same week. It's easy and fun to find your own apartment - everything in terms o f housing is WAY WAY WAYWAY BIGGER AND CHEAPER than USC!
N/A
Great facebook coordination o f events and students
NA
Sean gives wonderful directions and instructions for every step o f organizing your time abroad. He answers questions very promptly. Abroad, the international coordinatorat Corvinus was helpful and responsive as well.
It was pretty well o rganized and clear.
N/A
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42. Please tell us about your travel experiences. 48 . How did you find yourarrangements to the host institution?
1 Travel Agent 1 4%
2 Online 25 93%
3 Other: 1 4%
Total 27
Online / Yahoogroups for the exchange students
Min Value 1
Max Value 3
Mean 2.00
Variance 0.08
Standard Deviation 0.28
Total Responses 27
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
Ot her:
St at ist ic Value
43. Would you recommend this method?
If you already are familiar with the city, yes. Otherwise wait to go to a hostel and then meet up with people and go apartment hunting from there. Housing is plentiful.
Yes
Yes. Cheap flights around Europe can be found on Skyscanner.net.
Yes
yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
yes
Yes, I used StudentUniverse.com to find a pretty cheap ticket
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes, Kayak.com and skyscanner.net=best friends
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes.
Yes, it's pretty cheap if you look out fo r promotions!
Yes, just book your own flight. It's so easy..........
Yes
Yes
Most definitely, very simple.
Yes! I found my accommodations through the Facebook organized for the foreign exchange students at Corvinus.
Yes
Yes - I looked at studentuniverse.com and found some good deals!
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44. 49. What was the average cost fo r round-trip tickets to your host country?
1200 do llars, Business Class to Switzerland, then 300 Geneva > Budapest
$1300
$1250
$900
875
$900
Less than $1,000. I spent about $800 including the extra baggage fees.
It depends where you go and when you buy, but I would say a little over 100USD.
$1200
$800 from Washington DC to Budapest
$1100
1200
$900 from Seattle
From Chicago-Budapest $800 range seemed average
$800 after fees
$1,000
About $1000
arround $1000
$940
$1300
$700-800
$800 if you book in advance from the USA. Weekend trips were really cheap on buses and airlines. The local airport has easyjet, ryanair, and wizz air so there are a ton o foptions. Also since Budapest is so central you can get to a lo t o f places in under 7 hours by bus which are SUPER cheap :) like $20 round trip
$750 to $1000
Around $100 for airfare or trans.
$1500?
$1300
From Atlanta to Budapest: $520; From Budapest to Atlanta: $720; I booked at different times so I had to do two one-way tickets
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45. 50. How often did you travel and to where?
Almost every weekend, excepting September. Most o f the surrounding countries (Po land, Slovakia, Czech Rep., Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey).Hungarian countryside.
Traveled to Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Italy, Paris, and Krakow
I traveled during the summer before the program started and almost every weekend during the semester. I will stay after the semester to travel more. I will have been toGermany, Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, Spain, Italy, France, England, Slovakia, Po land, Czech Republic, Serbia, Romania, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Scotland, andSlovenia.
Every o ther weekend. Other Eastern European countries.
6 trips in to tal: Croatia, Munich, Krakow, Prague, Vienna, Dublin and o ther cities in Hungary.
Once every 2/3 weeks; mostly through western and central Europe, also a bit through different parts o f Hungary
I made a po int o f traveling o ften during February and March because I wanted to spend the co ld months away from Hungary (you can't do too much when it issnowing/freezing every week). I knew beforehand that Springtime in Hungary is incredibly beautiful - I wanted to get all o f my traveling out o f the way early on so that I couldenjoy the warm months in Budapest and exploring Hungary. I traveled to Berlin, Vienna, London, Dublin, Geneva (Crans-Montana), Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, To ledo,Segovia, and San Sebastian. I spent, on average, four/five days in each location, with some trips (London, Paris, Dublin, and Madrid) go ing up to six days or more.
Every 2-3 weeks. Rome, Prague, Amsterdam, Crans Montana Switzerland, Cairo Egypt, Athens and Santorini Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, through the countryside o fHungary
On average, I travel every o ther week. We went all over Europe (Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic and particularly close by, and the discount airline WizzAir flies tomany o ther countries, including Italy, Belgium, and Netherlands), and we went to Egypt.
I traveled about 8 weekends out o f the 16 that I had in Budapest, including a 6-day trip. I was able to go to Lake Balaton in Hungary, Milan, Prague, Vienna, Krakow,Bratislava, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Florence, Munich, Amsterdam, Brussels and Bruges.
Every week for the month o f October, a couple o f weeks in the month o f November, and one week in the month o f December: Munich, Prague, Vienna, Rome, Naples,Cinque Terre, Madrid, Florence, Venice, Pisa, Bratislava, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Interlaken.
Averaged around twice a month. Milan, Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre, Lago Di Como, Bratislava, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Dubrovnic, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Eger, Belgrade.
Every 2-3 weeks - Vienna, Krakow, Venice, Florence, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Serbia
every o ther weekend, and barely at all in the last month. Amsterdam/Rotterdamn, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Berlin, London, Barcelona, Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Croatia(all over), Belgrade, Switzerland
Travel is what you make it while studying abroad. You are able to travel as little or much as you want. You will have no trouble finding someone in your program who wantsto go anywhere in Europe with you, and this is part o f the fun as you get to travel with many different people if you would like. I traveled about every o ther week as we onlyhad class on Tuesday and Wednesday (I would recommend Monday and Tuesday because flights on tuesday nights are always cheap). I went to : Vienna, Eger (Hungarianwine country), Rome, Prague, Krakow, Milan, Venice, Lake Como, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and then finished o ff the experience on a week-long bus/train/car trip with8 o f my friends to Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia (most beautiful place I traveled).
I made a to tal o f 7 separate trips over the course o f the semester. I visited, Vienna, Prague, Krakow, Bratislava (day-trip), London, Berlin, Milan & Venice, Amsterdam,Belgrade, Croatia, Eger (Hungary).
During the program I traveled to Slovenia and northern Po land. Arrived in Europe in June and traveled to UK, Turkey, Greece, Slovakia, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania,Montenegro, and Bosnia Hercegocina. I also studied for the summer in Krakow Poland. In July and August
I arrived in Europe in early June, and traveled to Turkey, Greece and UK. I spent two months studying in Po land. I then traveled to Slovakia, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania,Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina before the start o f the program in Hungary. During the program itself I traveled only twice to Slovenia, and to Northeast Po land.
Because I wanted to get to know Budapest first, I did not travel my first two months there. I traveled to Vienna twice, four cities in Italy, Barcelona, Prague and Istanbul. If itwasn't fo r the fact that I had never traveled around Europe before, I probably would have stayed in Budapest the whole semester.
I traveled nearly every weekend to most o f the big European cities.
2-3x a month! Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Bucharest (Sensation White!), Belgrade, Florence, Rome, Venice, Krakow. & I'll hopefully go to Croatia andSlovenia after finals.
About everyother weekend. I went to Prague, Vienna, Munich, Paris, Copenhagen, Florence, Rome, Belgrad and Novisad
Various European countries (around 8) - not in the beginning, but a lo t towards the end o f the program.
Traveled all around, probably 35% of the weekends. Mostly central and eastern Europe because I had already been most places in Western Europe. Hungary is such acentral location it's perfect.
I traveled only a few times. Plenty o f Americans traveled to many places though. I went to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, & Austria.
Almost every weekend after being in Hungary 3 weeks Lake Balaton, Hungary Bratislava, Slovakia Vienna, Austria Prague, Czech republic Zagreb, Croatia Bled, SloveniaLjubljana, Slovenia Maribor, Slovenia Milan, Italy Rome, Italy Munich, Germany Zurich, Switzerland Amsterdam, Netherlands Esztergom, Hungary Visegrad, HungaryBrussels, Belgium Brugge, Belgium Stockho lm, Sweden Belgrade, Serbia Krakow, Po land
I traveled probably twice per month. I went to a smaller town outside o f Budapest, Rome, Zagreb, Bratislava, Vienna, Prague, and Krakow.
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46. 51. Did the structure o f the host institution's course schedule foster travelopportunity or prevent it? Why?
Fostered it, because classes only meet once a week it is very easy to concentrate the schedule towards the middle o f the week and travel on weekends (mostly 3-daytrips), which is necessary when traveling by train. Had a class on Friday, but it was canceled, so that helped.
Yes- we only had classes from Mondays to Wednesdays
Most o f the classes meet only once a week and I was able to schedule my classes Tues-Thurs. This allowed me to travel Fri-Mon.
Most o ften foster, teachers were understanding with a few absences per semester. However, the amount o f presentations we had was a bit o f a hindrance to travel plans.
It fostered it because I had three days o f class a week and could travel 5 days straight.
Only had class Mon-Wed, so it made it very easy to travel. However, there was no Spring Break, so we didn't have any extended period o f time o ff from schoo l
The course schedule definitely fostered travel opportunities. I had class Monday through Wednesday, so I was able to fly out o f Budapest on Wednesday afternoons andreturn on Sunday nights. Overall, most o f the exchange students were able to put together a schedule that allowed them to travel on these extended trips.
Foster it depending on your class schedule. Often times classes were cancelled with little notice, which allowed spontaneous travel.
Our schedules allowed us a lo t o f time to travel because all o f our classes were on Wednesday and Thursday so we had five day weekends.
I was able to schedule my classes in three days which allowed long weekends which I could have plenty o f time to travel fo r, and I was allowed 3 absences per class whichalso allowed me to take a few longer trips.
It really depends on your class days. I only had class Wednesday and Thursday so I was able to travel Friday-Tuesday. The mandatory 75% attendance record is kind o fannoying, but if you schedule your classes around travel days, it's no problem. Midterms and finals can be a hassle though.
Yes, only had classes 2 days a week.
Fostered travel - classes met only once a week, I only had classes on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was a little bit difficult because there were so many group pro jects thatrequired meetings, but if you get started a bit ahead o f time you can do meetings during the week and then it's not a problem. Also, everyone else wants to travel too, sopeople are usually accommodating and understanding.
Foster, you can stack your classes together when you register. So all o f the people in our program only had class 2 days a week.
It was SO easy to travel as we only had class two days a week and the pro fessors were very understanding with taking weeks o ff o f class.
Fostered it. Each class was 3 hours a week, but all 3 hours o f instruction were schedule on a single day. Also, since there were so many classes to choose from, I easilystacked my classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, leaving Thursdays-Mondays open.
Yes. the student government even organized gripes to various European cities. It is rather easy to get a schedule conducive to travel as well.
It depends on your course schedule, but yes, it is possible to travel during the program. The Student government even organizes trips to various European cities forexchange students
There aren't that many breaks but, if you schedule your classes in three or four days, you will be able to travel on the weekends. But, believe me, you do not want to travelevery weekend because then you will miss out.
It depends how you organized your schedule. I took 7 classes, but only had 2 days o f class.
DEFINITELY FOSTER. Never ever ever ever had to worry about any work while I was traveling or even making up work while I was traveling. All 5 o f us from USC scheduledclasses only Monday-Wednesday so it was great to be able to go out and enjoy Budapest Sunday night, Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednsday night, and sometimesThursday night, then go travel somewhere and repeat.
It was great fo r travel becuase I finished everyweek at 11am on wednesday! It was great being able to catch a flight on a wednesday night and have tons o f time to explorecities
Foster - could make a schedule where I would have classes only 3 days a week.
Yes! I only had class Monday Tuesday and early Wednesday
Completely fostered it. The instructors were very accommodating for travel in terms o f the course load. They were attendance po licies that were enforced however.
The course schedule didn't allow as much travel as some of the o ther schoo ls (where classes would meet fo r a week straight and be over), but I had all my classes in 3days and so did many people and 4 day weekends were fine. At some schoo ls you might have 2 weeks completely free, then 2 weeks o f heavy classes, so it depends.
You couldn't miss a class more than three times, but if you want to travel you could set up your schedule so that you don't have class on Monday, or Thursday and Friday. Ijust so happened to have class Monday and Thursday, but I was able to still travel and not miss more than three classes.
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47. 52. Do you have any tips or information about traveling while abroad thatyou would like to share with upcoming exchange students preparing for their trip?
Plan the trains in advance, if you want to fly somewhere do it way ahead o f time, make sure to talk with people and travel with them. The schoo l's sponsored trips (ESN) arevery good and have a tour guide and a lax schedule, which makes traveling very enjoyable. Destinations are generally good and allow to see things in a pre-organizedmanner.
I wish I had traveled around Central Europe more and not as far away (especially since it was very expensive). Take advantage o f your location and do most o f your travelsat the end when it is sunny because everything is so much nicer. Definitely try to roadtrip to Croatia and the Balkans with the European exchange students after classes end.
Buses are cheaper than trains. Trains are usually the most expensive way to travel. Look for the regional bus company that serves your location. Also, Euro lines is good.Train times but not prices can be checked at Bahn.DE. Cheap flights can be found on Skyscanner.net.
Don't miss the train...
Don't plan all o f your trips/weekends away unless there's a place you really really must go and it's a lo t cheaper. You will eventually get burned out from traveling, or therewill be groups o f friends go ing places and you won't be able to go because o f your current plans. Leave some weekends to go with the flow because traveling with thesenew found friends will be one o f the best experiences.
Be open-minded and spontaneous
These are just a handful o f the tips I recommend off the top o f my head: Keep in mind the weight restrictions on carry-on luggage with the budget airlines. Invest in a goodquality carry-on sized duffle bag (preferably without wheels because those only add unnecessary weight). Also , be sure to read all o f the rules and restrictions on yourboarding passes before you arrive at the airport - in Dublin, we were forced to return to the check-in counter to get our boarding passes stamped, even though we didn'tcheck any o f our baggage. Many o f my friends were pick-pocketed while traveling, so be sure to make photocopies o f all o f your important documents and keep them inyour bag/on your person at all times. It also helps to invest in a good quality lock (one medium and one large sized lock with keys) fo r when you travel to hostels thatprovide you lockers for your belongings. If you travel with friends, it is enough to take just one laptop to use while abroad to load pictures and check email etc. If you arego ing to a particularly snowy place, waterproof your shoes/boots as best you can so that your feet stay warm (highly recommend - or at least take an extra pair o f shoes ifyou can). If you are traveling in the Spring, be sure to pack extra jackets, sweaters, etc. - the weather was pretty unpredictable.
Someone to ld me this bit o f advice, and now I will tell you: SAY YES. Get out o f your comfort zone and say yes. If a mutual friend invites you to a ski trip in Switzerland, sayyes, if a random group o f European students with whom you are unacquainted with go on a road trip, hop on board. If nobody you know is go ing to an event put on by theuniversity, go anyway. Meet people. Say yes. Or as Nike puts it, Just do it.
Space out your trips because it's very tiring being on the go all the time. Take some time to just stay in your city and get to know it. Don't rush through a city. I did a 12 daytrip in Italy and was able to stay in each city fo r three or four days, and I was able to enjoy it a lo t more than when I had to rush through Madrid and Barcelona in two days.
As someone to ld me and I took this to heart, "Spend more money than you should, stay out longer than you ever imagined possible, and never say no to an adventurebecause you’re tired… you can always sleep when you come home.”
Use Orangeways for countries near Hungary like Austria, Slovenia, Czech Republic. Use Wizzair (Hungarian discount airline) to travel farther. You'll have to fight fo r yourseat because there are no assigned seating. You also need to make sure that you pay for checked-in luggage beforehand or they'll charge you a lo t o f money if you check-in at the airport. Lufthansa is an awesome airline, but is expensive.
Go to all the really coo l cities in Eastern Europe. It's close and cheap and Western Europe is so much more accessible to travel to on later dates.
Really take advantage o f being in Eastern Europe. Chances are, you'll make it back to London and Paris someday, so really travel to places that you might not ever havethe opportunity to visit again. Also, it can be really expensive to travel to the far Western countries.
Plan some trips ahead if you want to save money, Enjoy Budapest when it gets warm, plus that is when all o f the international kids really stay. If you travel in big groupslook into daily apartment rentals, a lo t o f times they are cheaper than hostels. Check out famous hostels. com and hostelworld.net... Travel with international students youmeet if you get the chance
I would say that if you live in Budapest, you should travel moreso in the beginning because once it gets a little nicer in April and May, everyone will be wanting to visit you inBudapest and it truly is beautiful there in these months.
Best sites to use: SkyScanner.com and HostelWorld.com. Be open to places you may not know much about. Travel with a flexible schedule and keep in mind that anything,abso lutely anything, can happen!
It is much cheaper to explore the countries near Hungary rather than flying all over Europe. All o f them have a lo t to o ffer. If you are go ing to slovakia, the second largest city,Kosice is much nicer then the capital o f Bratislava.
Instead o f flying back and forth to and from Western Europe during the program explore some of the countries around Hungary. Taking the train and bus around easternEurope a cheep way to get o ff the main tourist routes in lesser known countries which have a lo t to o ffer. Also if you have the time travel before and after the program, andget to know Budapest while you are there.
Try to find European roommates! I stayed at a hostel when I first arrived in Budapest. There I met my roommates Anais (french) and Lena (german). Because I lived withthem, I was able to learn a lo t about European culture.
Be careful, but don't be afraid to travel alone! I personally think it's a great growing experience.
Travel a lo t but make sure you save some time for Budapest. Budapest has an AMAZING nightlife, and on this program, there are groups o f people who go out literally 6x aweek. You don't want to miss out on anything!!! If you're go ing to travel a lo t, be prepared to go out when you're actually in town even if it's Monday nights, etc. I ended upcanceling trips that I had wanted to go on after a month or two o f being here so that I could spend more time with the people here. People notice if you're gone all the time,and if you want to really build these relationships, you can't travel every single weekend.
Make friends with students outside o f the US. The best part o f my study abroad experience is how much I learned about the different cultures o f the Germans, Dutch andFrench just through hanging out and realxing with them. Don't be an ugly american and complain about the differences between the US and your host country. No onecountry is perfect and there is so much to learn from everyone that you meet :)
Book with low-cost airlines beforehand - the tickets a cheaper that way. Travelling with a big group o f people is better to neighboring (not too interesting locations), withsmall groups - better to locations where you want to see a lo t o f things.
Just make sure not to be silly and wander o ff. There was a portuguese kid on our trip who drunkenly stumbled into the Danube. That are the types o f things that should notbe done.
Decide who your flatmates will be after you get to know the o ther exchange students during the first week activities.
Keep your belongings secured (especially on trains). Use common sense. Living near 24hour transportation will save you money. Ibis Hotels are nice and an affordablealternative to hostels. Get to flights early. Usually avo id tours and do it yourself. Travel with more than one person unless you really know them and trust them.
I know you'll most likely want to travel, but it's nice to have some time to spend at your host country. I loved traveling, but it was extremely exhausting. I found the weekendsI could just relax and spend time with my friends in Budapest were some of the best weekends. I would recommend traveling ryanair o r wizzair. But also look into trainoptions at the train stations in your host countries. I also found some buses (euro lines) that were cheaper options, as well!
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48. 53. EXPENSES: How much spending money FOR THE ENTIRESEMESTER would you recommend that the next participants budget fo r thisprogram?
1 General (including food, entertainment, local transportation) 600.00 4,000.00 1,942.59 952.40
2 Housing/rent 1,200.00 2,300.00 1,627.78 305.19
3 General travel during semester 350.00 5,000.00 2,187.04 1,306.32
4 Books & miscellaneous supplies 0.00 500.00 97.04 118.51
5 Other expenditures (please explain) 0 .00 2,100.00 141.11 466.76
Evening so irees
residence permit
shopping
flight
# Answer Min Value Max Value Average Value St andard Deviat io n
Ot her expendit ures (please explain)
49. 54. Did you experience any fo rm of crime, or were you in danger at anytime (such as the victim or witness o f assault, robbery, etc.)? If yes, pleaseexplain:
No, some exchange students got their apartment robbed twice within one month. Petty theft here and there. Saw two people fighting on the street over a large, fluffy dog.
no
No, but 2 o f my friends were mugged and the apartment o f 4 Americans was broken into and a lo t o f expensive electronics and money were sto len.
Nope
no
Attempted robbery while in Madrid; I was walking alone at night with a map out (so it was mostly my fault), but I fought o ff the guy and walked into a well- lit plaza where hecouldn't fo llow
Fortunately, I was never the victim o f any crime, nor did I witness crime take place.
No, however, I was the victim o f seeing a man pee in the street. This is common. Also, do not be surprised about the vast amount o f homeless people and beware o f thegypsies. Then again, USC is in South Central, so you should be used to it.
No, but a few of my friends had their personal items sto len - wallet on the metro , laptop from the library. You just have to be aware that it happens and be careful o f yourbelongings.
I had someone attempt to reach into my bag while on a tram in Amsterdam, but o ther than that I felt no such danger as long as I was aware o f my surroundings and smartabout what I was do ing. However, many o f my friends had gotten pickpocketed, mugged or even had their laptop sto len at the library.
No. Budapest is very safe. Just be careful fo r pick pockets at night. Be smart. Use your head and you'll be fine.
Other people had stuff sto len but never happened to me.
I was pickpocketed one night while out at a club. Almost everyone in our group was pickpocketed at one time, so I would advise that you not bring out with you more thanwhat is abso lutely essential - this goes for money, IDs, etc. Make sure you have more than one debit/credit card with you, and never carry them all at the same time. Otherthan the occasional pickpocketing, Budapest is very safe.
No, besides small pickpocketing (watch your stuff! and check your bags at coat check)
No, Budapest is very safe, and I felt very ok walking the streets at night even alone.
Yes, I go t pick pocketed at a bar in Budapest. However, the bar owner did find my wallet. I just lost my cash, which was only equivalent to $10 USD.
A Roma tried to attack me in broad day light in front o f the eastern train station, fo r no apparent reason. Other then this, no.
No.
NA
No - I had a few friends who had purses or wallets sto len at clubs. I was conscious o f my purse at all times, and I was fine.
No and either was anyone I know. There is a very low crime rate in the city.
Yes, my friend got her purse sto len in the club
no.
No
At an "International Student Welcome Party," at a club in Budapest, someone sto le my phone. It was in the front zipper o f my small shoulder bag and it happened as Iwalked through a big crowd. There was apparently a group o f people who sto le many o f the students' belongings (purses and phones mostly). This happened tonumerous people I know and on multliple occasions. Also, on the train returning to Budapest from Belgrade, two men attempted to steal my backpack thinking that I wasasleep. I also saw two young men steal an o ld woman's wallet exiting the tram stop at Corvinus
No, but I was fo llowed one night because I was walking home alone late at night. Since then, I do not walk home alone. I was just fo llowed and the guy was sayingsomething to me in Hungarian but I started walking faster and ignored him and he went away.
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50. 55. Before departure from USC, or upon immediate arrival to your hostcountry, do you think you were adequately warned and/or prepared to deal withmost incidents mentioned in the Health and Safety section o f this evaluation?
Yes
yes
Yes
Yes
yes
Yes
Yes.
Yes.
Yes
Yes, I was sufficiently prepared and educated before I came to Budapest.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes, but there were no problems
Yes
Yes.
Yes.
Yes
Sure
Yes
Yes
Yes.
Yes
yes
No; I wish I knew more about taxi services and local transportation. But once I got here, I quickly learned.
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51. 56. If you did not feel adequately prepared (response to question #55),what do you think you needed to know or hear in advance? How could you havebeen better informed and/or prepared?
N/A
NA
NA
no
Yes
N/A
N/A
na
N/a
Just keep your belongings close and watch out fo r suspicious persons
N/a
N/A
n/a
N/A
N/A
N/A
NA
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N/A
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I felt informed, but I had been to Budapest many times. I know that the girls that I went with were surprised about certain things.
Sean did a great job preparing us.
Make sure you take taxis that are registered - they should have a meter inside o f them. Be careful with your belongings, especially on public transportation. Pick-pocketinghappened pretty frequently here to a few of my friends.
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52. 57. Were you knowledgeable about your USC overseas insurancecoverage po licy?
Yes
yes
Not really because I never had to use it.
Not really.
yes
Yes
Yes.
No.
sufficiently so
I skimmed the po licy before leaving and had all the information readily available in case I would need it, which I luckily didn't.
Not really
Yes
No, I never needed it but the people who used it found it very simple.
somewhat
yes
Yes
Not really
Yes.
Yes, but the claims process was not very clear.
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Yes
Yes but it would helpful to emphasize that you have to call the SOS insurance agent before you go to a doctor - they have to accept your claim and provide letter o fguarantee.
Yes
More or less.
Yes
I was a bit confused at first having to use it, but then I figured it out. The SOS insurance was extremely helpful when I needed to find a doctor fo r pink eye/co ld.
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53. 58. Did you experience any negative treatment that you feel was related toyour ethnicity, race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion? If yes,please explain:
No, just awkward stares sometimes for being around drunk and loud Americans
no
No
No
no
No
No.
Yes. The Hungarians are nationalists. There are extreme right wing parties (that are now taking over again due to financial difficulties), that despise foreigners. While on thetram, a drunk man to ld me, "This is NOT your country." Ironically, he did not know that it in fact IS my country, as I am 50% Hungarian and have a Hungarian Passportpending.
no
As an Asian, many people (especially vendors at markets) would try to get my attention by speaking to me in various Asian languages but since I am first and foremost anAmerican, I was mildly o ffended.
No. I experienced more negative treatment because o f my race in places like Spain and Italy than in Hungary.
People don't see too many Asians but it wasn't really a problem other than their curiosity
Not really. There were a few negative comments about being an American, but fo r the most part people were just curious.
No, not really
no
Yes, I had a few racist "ching, chong" asian references. However, I did not feel that I was in any danger. They were usually Moroccan minority in Budapest.
No
No.
Since there were VERY little Asians in Budapest, people would comment on my ethnicity a lo t. However, I believe (and hope) it wasn't out o f bad intentions, just curiosity.
No
No
No
not particularily. Some guys don't like to hear that you're American.
No
No
No
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54. 59. What was the best part o f the program?
The people, the city
Being friends with o ther European exchange students at the university and learning about their countries and cultures
All o f the great friends I made and all o f the social programs that the Erasmus Student Network arranged for us.
The people.
The people. Those who come to Budapest are generally a different type o f people: open-minded, unique, and up for a challenge.
Meeting so many people from different parts o f the world
Meeting so many incredible people. The Corvinus exchange program had nearly 300 international exchange students from every corner o f the world. Although travelingacross Europe was an incredible experience, it was the friends you shared those experiences with that made the trips unforgettable.
Creating friendships with the o ther exchange students. Corvinus is fabulous for this because many students from all over the globe are drawn to study in Budapest fo r itsbeautiful setting, rich culture, and fabulously affordable and wild nightlife. Thus, Budapest draws an interesting crowd o f unique individuals from every country. Corvinusalso does well in planning events for the students and if you take advantage o f these arranged gatherings you will get to know many, many people, very quickly.
making friends with all the international students
Definitely getting to meet the many o ther exchange students in the program, who were mostly from other parts o f Europe. The 'Erasmus student network' did a great job athosting parties, events and educational sessions where we could meet each o ther and hang out. I was introduced into a whole new social scene o f so much culturaldiversity where I learned and experienced a lo t, which is what I'll be taking home from my study abroad time.
Meeting so many international people. Living is much cheaper than o ther European countries.
The people!
Meeting all the o ther international students. Also, it was great the Hungary is so inexpensive because it allowed me to have a lo t o f experiences (traveling, go ing out,sightseeing, etc.) that I probably couldn't have done in a country on the Euro. Financially speaking, you won't have to say no to very many opportunities here.
The people you meet that are from all over and USC. And the nightlife/citylife. Budapest is underappreciated for how beautiful it can be
The best part o f the program was that all o f the exchange kids truly become a family over there as you are all put into an unfamiliar situation. I left the program literally havinga couch to sleep on in every country in Europe as well as many o ther countries around the world. You really create unforgettable bonds and memories with people as youconquer Europe together.
The diverse experiences Budapest had to o ffer.
Living day to day life in a major Eastern European city
Meeting and getting to know other exchange students.
Meeting people from all over the world!
The o ther international exchange students! There is a student organization at Corvinus that plans 1-2 huge parties a week for us. They have a facebook event and then allthe students just go to the club and it's nice to go out and party with people you recognize from classes.
The international friends :)
Getting to know other students and learning about how different each country's individuals mindsets are.
Just the people that I met, etc.
I loved being immersed in a culture completely unlike any I had encountered in Europe. Budapest has such a rich and layered history that is evident nearly everywherethroughout the city.
Just experiencing new cultures and learning from other people
The best part o f the program was being able to live in Budapest and meet international students from all over the world! Budapest is a wonderful city and has such a greatnight life - there is always, sometimes too much, go ing on! I was never bored and sometimes had to force myself to slow down because I was running myself down andeventually got sick. The international student program at Corvinus was great! So many different nationalities and such great people who were all open to trying new thingsand meeting new people.
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55. 60. What was the most difficult part?
Bureaucracy, getting my residence permit was not a happy time.
The first week--finding an apartment and staying in a hostel (we were in a really gross one)
Finding an apartment, problems with the apartment, the language barrier, not being able to find ingredients or supplies I am used to at local stores.
Dealing with my landlord.
The language. It is the second most difficult language in the world, second to Arabic, and extremely challenging to pronounce correctly, even if you knew the word.
Being away from home and things that are familiar
The most difficult part o f the program was deciding how to make the best use o f my time. There are so many opportunities to take advantage o f while abroad that it isimpossible to do everything, so try not to rush things!
Finding housing.
finding good mexican and asian food
Having it go by too quickly! And having to say goodbye to the friendships made here.
I really wanted good Chinese food, but can't find it anywhere. I also crave In-N-Out and Yardhouse a lo t.
Leaving everyone at the end o f the semester
The first week - finding an apartment, getting internet set up, learning how to use the public transportation.
When it was co ld in the beginning trying to force yourself to go out and meet people and see the city
The most difficult part was leaving and adjusting back to American life (they just really know how to party over there in Budapest).
Getting our resident permit and/or setting up internet in our apartment
the language barrier was a bit difficult at times. I am used to being able to decipher the street and business signs in most countries I travel to , but this was not the case withMagyar. Many times I couldn't help but feel that my Hungarian hosts were a bit stand-offish, but this may have also stemmed from the language barrier.
Leaving.
Apartment hunting in a foreign country, with abso lutely no knowledge o f the language, cultural norms, etc.
Sometimes dealing with Hungarians and their systems (post o ffice, hospitals, po lice, store owners, etc) is frustrating but it's not a huge problem at all.
Adjusting to the slow pace o f life
It gets really co ld in winter, not knowing the language sometimes.
Definitely the food change
The most difficult part was the language barrier as well as the size o f the city and lack o f a centralized living space for students. The transportation was fantastic though.
Having enough time to do everything I wanted.
The most difficult part o f the trip was learning how to live somewhere else. Learning the public transportation, where to grocery shop, and finding a reasonably pricedapartment were not conveniently handed to me, but I had to immerse into the culture and learn it myself. Also , coming here as a vegan was pretty difficult to maintainbecause Hungarian cuisine doesn't cater much to vegans.
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56. 61. Describe a situation that you experienced as a result o f culture shockor cultural misunderstanding. How did you reso lve it?
Large amounts o f Public Displays o f Affection in every environment possible. I reso lved it by ignoring it. Also , the homeless can be a bit disheartening because they can'tbe avo ided, reso lved the issue by avo iding the homeless or buying flowers from the broke ladies selling them.
Working in a team with another Hungarian student--we didn't agree on many things. However, I realized that he was very proud o f his ideas and that it was more importantto let him incorporate them into our pro ject--even if they didn't fit--than to make him feel that we didn't respect his ideas.
I have yet to experience any significant or unexpected issues.
Internet service is run very differently in Hungary, with zones and buildings assigned to specific companies. After not getting internet from our landlord for the first month, wewalked to the internet provider down the street and tried to sign up for service. After spending an hour and a half to get a service person that could speak English, theyinformed us that we could not receive their service at our address. We had to visit our landlord in person to finally get internet.
I didn't have one.
Lots o f situations with culture shock/misunderstandings, but nothing bad. It's just interesting to see different perspectives on different things, like food manners or workstyles
There was one time when we had to park our car at a local parking lo t fo r an extended period o f time. None o f the attendants spoke English, so I was forced to use theHungarian I had learned in my classes to communicate our special situation. This wasn't necessarily a culture shock for me, but I guarantee that I shocked that Hungarianman with my language-speaking skills.
The largest culture shock for me was the underdevelopment o f everything that is in Hungary. As I have traveled to a developing country (Nicaragua) before, I was notexpecting Hungary to be as behind as it is. During orientation, something as simple as a long line to pick up packets that was not efficiently planned out was shocking tome. There is no reso lution to this cultural shock. You get used to it.
A lo t o f Europeans, including Hungarians, kiss on the cheek when they greet each o ther. Just remember that so you don't have the awkward hug/kiss situation.
Some people are surprised that you're Asian and can speak perfect English. People will have stereotypes about Americans before they meet you, so make sure to breakthe bad ones and reinforce the good ones!
I was jamming with a friend at a guitar store and the employees to ld us we couldn't play. I thought we could just go inside a store and jam like at Guitar Center, but I to ld theguy that we were sorry. They were very very nice about it.
N/a
It's a really bureaucratic country, which was frustrating sometimes. For example, don't expect to get your residence permit before any less than three trips to the immigrationoffice.
Trying to order food at places was strange, and it never expected quite like you thought it would. People do not really fo rm/respect lines. If you are standing behindsomeone that is at a register, they will easily walk in front o f you. Things are pretty inefficient sometimes too, at the immigration o ffice there were 8 people working, but only2 o f them were actually working. Also, just from a language difference people can come off rude sometimes, even though they are not
I didn't really experience anything in particular, but one thing about Europe is that you cannot get free tap water in most places. Whenever we would ask for it we would getweird looks from the waiters. However, once we learned how to say it in Hungarian we were more successful at getting it at restaurants.
When trying to set up our internet at a T-home store we had a huge language barrier when trying to pick a contract. More importantly, the workers there would constantlyanswer personal phone calls or chat with co-workers and take customers whenever they felt like it. This happened to us multiple times with our landlord as well. This was ahuge culture shock because in America, a customer service representative would not answer his/her cell phone while serving you. However, in Budapest, this is completelynormal. It was simply frustrating, but I learned to expect these types o f service encounters to take twice as long as they would in America.
When I first moved into my apartment, two young children, would incessantly scream 'szya' when ever they saw me. I did not know what this meant at first. For somereason this really got on my nerves, and was made worse by the fact that Hungarians say this a lo t because it means 'hello '. fo r about the first month when ever some onewould say this to me it was annoying, even though I knew they were just saying hi. I found that I had to start to fo rce myself to say it to Hungarians. After I found the fact that ithad bothered me humorous.
My tandem partner had to explain to me that Hungarians, when greeting someone, kiss a person's left cheek first and then the right one. Most o ther Europeans, especiallythose from Spain and Italy, kiss the right cheek first. When I greeted Hungarian and Dutch students, I made sure to do it their way.
NA
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Frustrations with my landlord due to slow response times, but eventually I adjusted because that is simply how business is done.
People are quite unfriendly on the streets - just don't mind them.
I was surprised with how many homeless there were and how forward they were sometimes to women.
Working in groups with students from all different cultural backgrounds and education levels could be difficult at times and it was helpful to look at the difficult situations witha sense o f humor and positivity.
In restaurants, they don't give you your check automatically, you have to hail down the server or just get up and ask for the check (I'm not sure if that was ok, but I didn't havepatience to wait around).
When a group o f us went out to dinner in Slovenia, I o rdered a soup and the rest o f the girls ordered a entree. I received my soup before everyone else got their food; I wasexpecting it to come with everyone elses food but it didn't. After I finished my soup, we waited for a long time for the rest o f the food to arrive. Even tables who had sat downafter I was finished with my soup received food before the rest o f my table. Turns out that restaurants will serve an appetizer and then wait a long time after the 'first course'to serve the next course. We waited for about an hour until we finally said something and the waiter apo logized and came out with the food. The order was completelywrong so the food had to go back to the kitchen. When we complained to him he to ld us that it wasn't his problem and because I o rdered a soup that's why the food wascoming later than o ther tables. The way the situation was handled was ridiculous; in the United States a waiter would never say its not his or her problem. There was nocommunication from the waiter to us, so we were just sitting there clueless. Eventually our food came and he gave us a discount. I no ticed in eastern European countries,go ing out to eat takes a long time. Sometimes people sit fo r 3 hours at a restaurant waiting for food and taking their time. It was a lo t different than go ing out to eat in theUSA.
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57. 62. Describe something that you are proud o f having accomplished duringyour stay.
I am proud o f making it out to 8 AM classes fo llowing the mandatory Monday night get-togethers. Also, I am proud o f getting to understand the Hungarian culture muchdeeper than before and finally was able to reconnect all the knowledge about Austro-Hungarians that I had learnt in high schoo l. The current po litical climate is one that isbeing echoed throughout the world and as much as the Hungarians feel that they are unique, their position is one that's faced by many cultures that feel as if they are beingdiluted or destroyed.
I was able to be friends with a majority o f the European students and adapted to their way o f socializing. I didn't inhibit my experience by sticking to one group, and tried tomeet as many people as I could.
Finding an apartment! Cooking lavish American meals with unfamiliar ingredients. Figuring out the city's transportation system. Figuring out how to travel through Europeon my own. Going to out-o f-the-ordinary destinations such as Serbia and Romania.
Meeting some of the coo lest people I've ever met.
Making friends from all over the world, male or female, younger or o lder. The cultural experience was amazing.
Learned a bit o f Hungarian
Prior to traveling abroad, I had never known how to use public transportation. In fact, I made a po int o f avo iding public transportation because I didn't know how it worked.Today, I am pleased to say that I am a self-proclaimed expert o f metros, trams, subways, and tubes.
Creating lasting relationships with friends from all over the world. Traveling to over 13 cities. Living every second to its fullest which is exactly how I wished and imaginedmy experience to be.
I'm proud that we found a great apartment in a foreign country all by ourselves.
I managed to keep track o f most o f my daily spending in an Excel spreadsheet, which came in useful fo r whenever I wondered where I had spent all o f my money on andbudget my spending.
I'm proud to have broken so many stereotypes about Americans and about shy asian boys.
I made friends with people from all over the world and that I'll have people to visit whenever I visit.
I accomplished a lo t o f things that can be difficult even in LA (finding an apartment, using public transportation) in a completely fo reign environment with different customs,po licies, and a very significant language barrier. Also , standing up to my landlord who was kind o f an ass.
Having at least half if no t most o f my friends be from other countries in the world. A lo t o f the Americans were different and coo l, but you also get to mesh with lo ts o fcultures.
I really was able to become a great navigator over there and be able to use the metro systems everywhere we traveled. This will be a big part o f your abroad experience.
I was proud that I took advantage o f almost everything the city had to o ffer. (We completed almost all the things on our bucket list)
For the first time in my life I payed my own bills, completely planned my own life and was truly independent.
I became close friends with a variety o f European students, and through them I was able to learn about their different cultures and mindsets.
NA
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Made genuinely good friends in 4 different countries!
Getting confidence and growing up - as you have to do everything for yourself (no one is there to help you), becoming friends with some amazing students that are all fromdifferent countries.
Living on my own in a foreign city
I am proud o f relocating by myself to such a distinctive destination so unlike the USA.
Upon having a mishap with a travel buddy I ended up alone in Prague, and I didn't freak out about it. Instead, I just explored on my own and ended up go ing on a free tourwhere I met some really coo l people.
I am proud o f having traveled all by myself to Vienna. I've never had to travel on my own to a whole different country, so after that trip I felt satisfied with finding my own wayaround the city and learning the public transportation for the day. It wasn't easy at first, but I was happy I got to see all the tourist attractions I wanted to see in my own daytrip to Vienna.
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58. 63. What do you wish you had known about before leaving?
It's really co ld when it snows and the wind blows. ...also , avo id wearing po litically-motivated shirts that can be misconstrued.
More about the travel opportunities around Budapest--such as the Balkans and Croatia.
I wish I had known I would not be able to find most products I am used to in stores abroad from food, to clo thing, to schoo l supplies.
The language difference. I was warned, but I didn't realize how few people spoke English and how difficult it would be to catch on to Hungarian.
I might have chosen to get a one way trip instead o f booking my round trip. It would have been more expensive, but you might want to stay longer or leave earlier.
N/A
Besides everything I have already mentioned, I wish I had known to pack my financial calculator - there is not a single financial calculator in Budapest, so you are better o ffjust bringing your own.
Housing would be terrible
220 do llars to fo rints is a good exchange rate. There is abso lutely no good chinese/korean/japanese food in Hungary Reach out to your tandem partner. They are sowilling to help you with EVERYTHING
Really stop comparing how things are abroad to how things are at home, because you might end up disappo inted (e.g. 'the food here isn't as good as back home' or 'thepaperwork here is so slow compared to USC'), and you will appreciate things so much more when you drop your pre-conceived notions and just accept thing as they are.
I wish I had known that I could buy a month long student pass for the metros without a student card.
All the good restaurants in the city!
It is really, really co ld there in the winter, so try and do a lo t o f traveling and indoor sightseeing during those months because it's really too co ld to be outdoors for long. It'sbeautiful in the spring and summer, so leave a lo t o f time to just hang around and enjoy how beautiful the city is when the weather is nice.
Find an apartment that comes with plates, pans, etc., Try to find a landlord who speaks english fluently, try not to compare things to home too much, Hungary is reallydifferent so you have to just enjoy it, "Chop VEE" means tap water, Dryers do not exist in Hungary and the detergent is stronger so don't use a lo t
They don't have ranch dressing in Europe.
Get a resident permit before leaving.
The web registration system at Corvinus, exchange student bureaucracy as well as the equivalent o f blackboard is hard to navigate at first. I am not sure what could havebeen done about this before leaving, but a more comprehensive orientation to this upon arrival would have been nice.
Nothing. I love learning while do ing.
Bring some warm clo thes. Buying clo thes in Europe is expensive.
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The trips that my university was planning so I did not schedule trips on those weekends
Getting a laminated map o f the city and maybe a travel guide is very helpful at first. Definitely ask your Tandem partner to meet you at the airport it they can.
How little vegetables there would be in the winter time.
I wish I knew the city better before I committed to an apartment.
You can talk to everyone at home and friends there by internet. So you really only need a smartphone and get a data plan, which is more or less what I did. However, the 3Gthere drained my battery really fast so if you use your phone as a camera too and plan to use it a lo t, think about buying an external backup battery (Mophie for example).Don't exchange currency at the airport. Look into housing before you leave and set up appo intments (I paid as more for my hotel & hostel fo r 5 days than my rent fo r themonth!) Take note o f the day you arrive.. I arrived on a Friday evening... o f a three-day weekend. I couldn't even start looking at apartments until Tuesday
It will be freezing weather until early April. And then the weather will all o f a sudden switch and it will become 75 degrees by mid-April! The Hungarians to ld me it was one o ftheir rainiest and co ld winters, but I didn't realize I'd be wearing my winter coat still in April. I also wish I had a better understanding o f how much traveling would cost andliving in another country. I spent a lo t o f money in the first few months and wish I would have saved some of it fo r different trips and also domestic trips within Hungary.
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59. 64. Do you have any travel tips to share?
Travel in packs and give yourself plenty o f time.
If you travel towards the end o f the semester, you can go with larger groups since you will meet all the o ther exchange students. And the sun will make everything look ahundred times more beautiful.
Always search for the cheapest transportation. Book transportation as far in advance as possible. Do some research about hostels. Budget when it comes to food, even ifyou can buy a whole platter o f meat fo r $8. Don't bring too much stuff with you. Research a place before you go to it.
Buy a neck pillow.
Shop around. Honestly, don't book too many trips. Though you may have friends from USC who are also studying abroad, you can see them back in America. Don't makethe mistake my roommate made, which is to travel to see all his American friends and to miss out on traveling with the international group. It's a one o f a kind time o f yourlife.
Travel as much as you can to take advantage o f the opportunity o f being in Europe, but don't fo rget to spend time in Budapest as well. My best memories are from theexchange program and the friends I made from it, so enjoy that experience as well.
Aside from the tips I mentioned earlier, be sure to spend time in Budapest, to learn about its unique (and troubling) history, to explore the best restaurants in town (I haveplenty to recommend!), to visit the Hungarian countryside at least once (there are numerous cities less than an hour away by train), to rent bikes and bike along the Danube,and, most importantly, to take advantage every opportunity at your disposal.
BE FLEXIBLE. Things will no t work out as planned. That is a positive thing. Be adaptable and flexible to change, and as I said before... say yes! Spontaneous trips are thebest ones. We would o ften decide several days in advance, sometimes the night before! Also, RESEARCH THE PLACE YOU ARE GOING TO BEFORE YOU GO. Don't goto a country not knowing what language they speak. Being an American you will automatically have a long list o f stereotypes attached - don't enforce them by beingobnoxious on public transportation or asking what language they speak in Slovenia. Also, learn a bit about the culture o f the places you visit. Talk to a local, learn aboutthem. AND HAVE FUN!
Again, don't burn yourself out by traveling every single week. Leave space to explore your own city and hang out with your new found friends. Take every opportunity to goto the organized events to meet people. As for traveling, take OrangeWays bus to Prague, Vienna, and maybe Bratislava for one day (no more, you'll get bored). WizzAir toeverywhere else. Hostelworld for hostels. Going somewhere where you know someone who can show you around will make your experience in a country so much moreenjoyable. It's amazing what the Tro jan network can do for you while you're abroad, so don't be afraid to reach out.
Traveling gets tiring, so make sure to make some time to rest (and do laundry and stuff at home) and don't try to travel too much every weekend because you WILL missout on the ton o f events they have in Budapest, remember you can always travel around Europe in the future but you can never again actually LIVE in Budapest.
I already stated it before, but use Orangeways for places like Vienna, Prague, etc. Use Wizzair fo r flights if they travel to the place. It's sometimes cheaper to take a flight anda bus than a direct flight. Make sure you check in your bags and pay for that online rather than at the airport because it's a lo t more expensive there. Keep all your personalbelongings very very safe. Try to stay at friends places when traveling because it's a lo t easier and cheaper than staying at hostels. Sometimes, it's better to pay a littlemore for better hostels than save money on cheap hostels. Only bring what you need. I almost never brought my laptop when traveling because I just didn't need it. Travelwith o thers! You'll bond more and keep those international connections.
Pack light, buy tickets in advance, and budget travel spending well!
It's really fun to travel with the o ther USC students in your program, but also make sure that you accept/extend invitations to some of the o ther international students. It's areally amazing experience to visit a friend's home country with them.
besides the one's I mentioned, just go with the flow. It's hard, but I promise it will work itself out. Pack light, and remember lo ts o f trains do not have air conditioning... Travelin groups, it makes the ride more enjoyable. Sometimes cheap airlines are not worth a small price difference, See Eastern Europe. It is cheaper, and way more conduciveto a younger traveler
Going to the Croatian coast was the best trip o f the semester. It is so beautiful and not very well known here in America. I will definitely be returning there, especiallyDubrovnik.
Pack light and get a credit card or debit card that does not have foreign transaction fees / international ATM fees. (Look into a Capital One credit card and Charles Schwabdebit card.)
In Budapest, the eastern train station is crowded and unsafe. the ticket purchase system is complicated and the lines are very long. If at all possible leave from the west trainstation on the Buda side. It is much nicer. A lo t o f people only travel to Bratislava, dislike it, and Judge Slovakia based on this. I would recommend go ing to Kosice andeastern Slovakia It is much nicer.
Bring your driver's license or find a group o f people to rent a car with you and travel around different Hungarian cities and towns. My biggest regret was not go ing on a roadtrip around Hungary.
Learn survival phrases for every new country you visit. Also , while traveling and seeing new things are extremely fun, make sure you spend time in your host country. Whenyou travel all the time, with the same group o f people, you miss out on many great opportunities to meet o ther people during outings over the weekends.
Go to countries that people at home have never even considered go ing to . You'll always have time to travel to Greece or Italy or France, but go places like Romania orSerbia with your friends on your study abroad semester.
Don't be overly loud and american, the more gracious you are when traveling the more that people will like you and be willing to help you.
Book everything beforehand, travelling within your study-abroad country is probably as interesting as go ing to different countries. Museums are expensive for the mostpart. Make sure you travel with people that have similar interests - not everyone likes to look at art fo r extended periods o f time, a lo t o f people don't like museums, somejust want to walk around and chill (know what kind o f travelling you want to do beforehand).
Bring a warm coat fo r the winter . It can be bone chilling
There is so much to explore in such a small proximity. Rent a car if possible! It allows you to get o ff o f the beaten path.
USCCU debit card only charges $1 at the ATM and no charges on purchases. Most o ther banks charge $5 and most credit cards charge 3% on all purchases. Be open totravel to different places. I didn't really care where I went, I just wanted to explore. I just looked for the cheapest flights fo r every weekend (keep in mind the discount airportsare usually not the main one and sometimes you end up dishing out another $40 in the worst cases to take a bus into the city center)
Look for cheaper options - bus and trains. If you plan to travel by plane, I recommend the fo llowing websites: skyscanner.com edreams.com drungli.com wizzair.comryanair.com Staying in hostels is your best bet fo r housing - hostelworld.com is a great website to find good hostels.
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60. 65. What would you like to say to the students go ing after you?
Say hello to my friend Akos at the immigration o ffice, he hates me and the feeling is mutual. Make sure that you have all your paperwork for the immigration o ffice ahead o ftime and that you are prepared to sacrifice 2-3 hours o f your day to sit in a waiting room (...quit possibly 2-3 or 4 different times.) Get a Hungarian cellphone as soon asyou arrive (take your passport w/ you) and buy the monthly Metro pass, you cannot escape the Contro ll people and because they hate their lives, they will try to make youmiserable if you don't have a metro ticket. Don't get emotionally attached to your schedule, it will most likely be destroyed by the time it's finalized. Bring good music withyou. And for the love o f all that's ho ly, watch the road when you are walking on it, sober or o therwise.
So lucky!!! Corvinus has a great exchange program called Erasmus where you can meet a ton o f friends from other parts o f Europe--take advantage o f this! Budapest itselfis very easy to navigate and has so many dining options and the nightlife is very interesting and different. Make sure to branch out and really immerse yourself intoEuropean culture--even if that means listening to techno music. And make sure to find an apartment near the Octogon because you can get to schoo l easily from there (viatram or metro) and all the best parts o f the city are there.
Have fun and enjoy every moment o f the experience. If you travel a lo t on weekends, make sure you are very social during the week. Don't only surround yourself withAmericans. Make sure you get your schoo lwork done.
Have SO MUCH fun. Budapest is a huge city, so don't leave regretting that you missed something and don't spend all your time visiting o ther countries. Make an effort tomingle with all o f the foreign students, not just Americans and Hungarians (find some Irish!).
You'll have so much fun. Take advantage o f the first few weeks o f meeting outside the dorm before the parties. That's when you meet most people and make animpression. Diversify your friends. You're in a new country. Don't hide in your room on the computer. Be open-minded.
Take me with you
#1 I wish I could come with all o f you. #2 The next few months will fly by faster than you can imagine. #3 Be open to new experiences and cultures. #4 *Refer back to #1*
If you have ANY questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Really, though, I am happy to give advice and also have millions o f suggestions. [email protected]
Keep an open mind. It's crazy how much you learn from just talking to people. Everything I learned wasn't even from class. You learn a lo t by hanging out with people fromdifferent countries, and you definitely learn a lo t from traveling with your friends. Kinder Bueno (choco late brand) is really good.
You are go ing to have the time o f your life, guaranteed! I am having the experience o f the lifetime and am insanely happy with the decision that I made to come here.
I did a 12 day trip in Italy and traveled the entire country, but it was really tiring. The experience was great, but really be prepared to be drained if you travel that long. Gettingthe residence permit was a hassle. Make sure you have all the paperwork done beforehand before go ing to Budapest because it's a lo t easier. Buy a student pass for themetro rather than single tickets. You don't need a student id fo r those. Traveling to western Europe was awesome, but I wish I had done more trips around Central andEastern Europe. Get to know international people! Don't just hang out with Americans, you can do that when you get back home. Show up to class and get to know yourclassmates, those are the people you see at Erasmus parties. Make some Hungarian friends so that whenever you need help, you can always ask.
Take the opportunity to do something crazy and come to Budapest!
This is probably the only time in your life that you won't either have a job or be attending a rigorous schoo l (Corvinus is a piece o f cake compared to USC), so liveirresponsibly. Budapest has the best nightlife o f any city I visited. Go out too much, spend too much money, sleep too little and have so much fun.
Enjoy it! I wish I could go back this second, it was the best time o f my life. Budapest is amazing and I would do it all over again.
Budapest is truly an amazing place and I hope that you guys pick it to be your abroad destination. The nightlife, relaxed culture, and affordability is something you can'tmiss.
Budapest is by far one o f the best places you could study abroad in the IEP program. It o ffers you everything you could imagine, large group o f international students, greatinternational student network (ESN), cheap, great food and nightlife all in beautiful (and less touristy, more homey) city.
Have fun and travel, but don't view this as a 'once in a lifetime mad dash through Europe' Slow down and live in Hungary. See what it feels like to not be a tourist in Europe.
I wish I could go with you!
Be prepared to have the time o f your life!! :)
Be open to everything! Say yes to last-minute trips! Go out to lunches, dinners, parties, etc even if you're tired and all you want to do is stay in and sleep - don't waste aminute because it literally FLIES by. Live in the moment, and enjoy having abso lutely no responsibilities. The academic life in Budapest is completely opposite from theacademic life at USC, so really take advantage o f this semester long vacation. :)
I'm so jealous you get to go back and enjoy every minute! This experience is unlike any o ther
Spend a lo t o f time getting to know other international students - those times are priceless.
Please choose Budapest - It is such an eyeopening experience!
Be sure to take part in all o f the Erasmus activities in the beginning o f the program! They are lo ts o f fun and you will meet awesome people that way.
You will have the time o f your life
I have 30 days left here and the time has flown by. Don't take any days for granted because this will be the best semester o f your life. You may be terrified, anxious beforecoming over here, but keep in mind that as soon as you get to your abroad location, you'll love it more than anything (especially if you're coming to Budapest!). Put yourselfout there, try new things, meet as many people as you can, and don't skip out on anything because o f money or being tired. I depleted my funds while being here, but Icompletely recommend do ing it. Money is money, and you'll always have time to make more money. You'll never have the chance again to study abroad in anothercountry! Experience it all!
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61. 66. Any final thoughts...
Love it and has been a great experience. Also, make sure that if you like Mexican/Korean food to eat as much o f it as you can before you leave Los Angeles. And seriously,bring your street smarts with you.
Miss it already.
The study abroad experience has been so amazing, and I'm glad I got to experience it. I would do it 1000 times over if I could. I hope I have another opportunity to live inEurope.
I would have given anything for a full year in Budapest.
It will be an amazing time. Make good friends with the USC group too. It'll allow you to reminisce together during the shock o f coming back.
GREAT experience, I would definitely recommend choosing Budapest over o ther cities
Sok szerencsét és biztonságos utazás. Egészségedre!!!
Be safe, be smart, and have a hell o f a time.
BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE
I
I'm so happy I got to study abroad. Everyone wanted Barcelona, but I'm so glad that I go t to be in Budapest. It's really a beautiful city with beautiful women. If I had knownthat my experience here would be this amazing, I would've put Budapest as my first cho ice. I went to Paris and Barcelona and all those places, but there's just somethingabout Budapest that gets me. You'll have a lo t o f fun, but just put yourself out there and get to know people. You can sleep when you get back to the states.
People underestimate Budapest and don't really think o f it as a top destination to study abroad but they are dead wrong. This city is amazing in all aspects from culture topeople. It's cheap and has so many things to o ffer.
Going to Budapest was one o f the most amazing experiences o f my life. Every time I traveled to visit a friend from USC, I was nervous that I would like their location betterand wish I had studied there, but it never happened. There are definitely easier places to study abroad, but I don't think that there is anywhere better.
IT'S AMAZING YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!
Go Budapest!
I loved Budapest, and I know anyone else who ends up studying there will too . I have yet to hear anyone who has studied abroad in Budapest dislike their experience.
I would go again tomorrow.
Be careful, and have fun!
CHOOSE BUDAPEST!
Enjoy!
Getting a laminated map o f the city and maybe a travel guide is very helpful at first. Definitely ask your Tandem partner to meet you at the airport it they can. I think thateveryone should do a study abroad semester - it is amazing how much you can learn about yourself and the world around you.
NA
I can't imagine not having had this experience. Come to Budapest!
I love Budapest, and would definitely go back.
You may not know anything about Budapest, but I promise you it has been the best five months o f my life! Out o f all the places I traveled to , I was always excited to get backto Budapest. It's such a cheap city - food, drinks and partying are all really cheap. Budapest has some of the best nightlife in Europe! There is also a lo t o f culture here inBudapest - sightseeing and tourist attractions aren't expensive either. Once the weather gets warm, there is so much to do! Margaret Island has a running track around theentire island and when the weather is warm, there are people playing sports and having picnics on the island. Don't be afraid to choose Budapest because you don't knowmuch about it and it's not the typical Spain or France location. Trust me, you'll love Budapest. Put it this way, you'll most likely have a chance to visit western Europe sometime in your life, but when will you have the chance to live in an eastern European country!? You won't regret choosing Budapest! The schoo l is beautiful and close to all thestudents apartments in the city. You don't have to travel a long way to get to class. The Corvinus ESN program is phenomenal - they plan trips and activities for us all thetime and they are extremely helpful! They really want to help us all out as best as they can. I am close friends with a few of the Hungarians in the ESN organization and it'sso great getting to meet Hungarians and experience Budapest with them! They definitely know a lo t more about Hungarian culture and are always happy to shareinformation with us. If you have any questions about the program and Budapest, please DO NOT hesitate to email me! I would love to give you more information aboutBudapest and Corvinus University.
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