CEVP orientation starts in less than a week, and I know that all of you must be super excited to travel to Budapest and finally meet each other! Once you arrive there, you will get to experience much of what dozens of volunteers have experienced in years past; namely, the CEVP (or what used to be EEVP – Eastern Europe Village Project) traditions. To give you an idea of what orientation is all about (besides learning how to teach, of course!), here’s a short list of the top CEVP traditions:
Staying at Martos hostel
This is a given for all of you, since Balázs has already made reservations and you’re expected to show up (and sleep) there. Martos is very convenient, location-wise, and also quite safe (the little old ladies at the front desk can be very menacing – no joke!). But once you see it, you’ll definitely be grateful for the fact that you don’t attend the nearby university and hence don’t have to live there year-round. It is a little run down, and the bathrooms and showers aren’t always the cleanest. But the atmosphere is great, and there is even a bar downstairs, which gets really hopping on Friday and Saturday nights.
(Picture: Martos hostel entrance)
Sightseeing with Balázs and Zsofi
Your two amazing tour guides (both from the city of Komárno, the midpoint break location) have been involved with LE for something like six years. They know and love the program (they have taught in various LE countries) and are excited to meet the newest group of volunteers. They know Budapest better than pretty much any one else (Balázs lives there currently) and speak perfect Hungarian; they will be more than happy to take you to its most amazing sites – the castle, Heroes’ Square, Parliament, the spas and baths – and hippest night clubs. Make sure you buy them a drink or a meal when you get a chance!
(Picture: Heroes’ Square on an overcast day – I’m currently traveling and don’t have any pictures of Balázs and Zsófi with me to post!)
Eating dinner at Fatál
Budapest is full of amazing restaurants, and Fatál is only one of them. Nonetheless, it has become an LE favorite (or the LE favorite) because its food truly serves as the best introduction any one could get to real Hungarian cuisine. The variety of soups, main courses, and desserts it offers are sure to satisfy your taste buds and stomach (the portions are quite generous). By the way, the name Fatál means “wooden plate” since many of the meals are actually served on old-fashioned wooden plates.
(Pictures: A chicken paprikás meal at Fatál – highly recommended!)
Margit sziget (Margaret Island) outing
Margit sziget is an island located in the middle of the Danube with a very colorful past – it was first a location for various monasteries and nunneries, and then it was turned into a harem when Hungary was under Turkish rule – that is now a popular summer hangout for the city’s residents. No cars are allowed on the island, and it is basically one huge park with various attractions such as restaurants, playgrounds, a zoo, a waterpark, and interesting historical ruins.
(Picture: The best way to get around Margit sziget is by renting what’s called a bringo hinto.)
Clubbing at Zöld Pardon and Rio
Zöld Pardon and Rio are seriously two of the best clubs that I have ever been to – there’s just no way to describe the electric atmosphere that characterizes them. Both are located on the Buda side of the Petöfi bridge, just a bit south of the hostel (and definitely within walking distance of it). They are massive outdoor clubs, with a number of bars, dance floors, and fountains (!) in each – plus some x-rated live entertainment if you’re lucky. The cover last year was 100 HUF (50 cents), but for some baffling reason bouncers asked for IDs, so be prepared.
(Picture: None because the bouncers wouldn’t let me take any…)
Climbing Gellért hill on Sunday morning to watch the sun rise over the city
Sunday morning will be your last in Budapest, and there is no better way to spend it than by climbing Gellert hill (which is near the hostel) with your volunteers at 4:00 AM to watch the sun rise over the city. It truly is a breath-taking sight, and entirely worth the sleep that you’ll lose on it.
(Picture: LE volunteers watching the sunrise over Budapest. The picture was taken by Laura Rosenbloom, a 2004 volunteer and currently the SEVP program director. I’m third from the right.)
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