Purse retrieval on Friday was successful, but sort of scary. The US Embassy is like a heavily guarded secret club. I got lost trying to find it, and once I did I had to figure out how to get in I finally found the guard and as soon as I said "Hi!" he said "Oh, you are American! Let me see your passport." As soon as he'd seen that, I was let in the magical gates. And then had to go through security. It was like airport security with a walk through metal detector and a bag x-ray. Except instead of confiscating my non-existent Swiss Army knife, they confiscated all my electronic devices. My laptop, my phone, my iPod, all traded for a number so I could retrieve them when I got out. They accidentally missed my camera, so that came into the embassy with me. Oops, strike 1 for US Embassy security.
I got through security with a significantly lighter backpack, and was told to take a number from the machine on my left. The room past security was like the DMV, with windows and an electronic "now serving #__" sign on the wall. The difference was that it was completely deserted. No one was sitting in the waiting room and each window was empty and closed. The sign on the wall said that they were serving the number before mine, but there was no one else around to be seen. It was quite eerie. I noticed a sign pointing a short hallway that said there were more teller windows that way. Then the electronic sign changed to my number. I followed the arrow down the short hallway and found a window with a woman behind it. I told her who I was and showed her my passport. And then she pulled out my purse! Yay! I met her at security and she gave it to me there, I got my electronics back, and I left the creepy US Embassy.
I did some shopping after the embassy, then that night had a fun, quiet evening with friends. Mihály made a scramble and Zeb and Luke got caught up on Heroes on Pat's computer.
Saturday I got up fantastically late. I was sleep deprived and it felt amazing. I was planning on just finding a place to work on homework for the day, but then I got a call from Mihály saying that he, Voula, Pat and Casey were going to Szt Istvan's Bascilica, and wouldn't I like to join? Well I've been there before but yes, yes I would. The last time I went to Szt Istvan's there was a service in progress, so I didn't get to see the whole sanctuary. This time there was no service, so not only did I get to see the entirety of the sanctuary, but I also got to see the mummified hand of Szt Istvan himself. How cool is that??
After wandering around the inside of the basilica a little more, we paid the 400 forint to go to the top. Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous day. It was a little chilly out, but perfectly clear. We were looking out over the city from the top of Szt Istvan's when someone pointed out the large expanse of green that is Városliget, City Park. We had nothing better to do with our day besides homework and the weather was beautiful... so going to City Park sounded like a wonderful idea!
We walked to the Bájcsy Zsilinsky metro stop and took the Yellow line to Hösök tere (Heroes Square) and goofed off there for a little while, then walked to City Park which is right next door.
Inside of the Basilica, a view I couldn't get before.
SZT ISTVAN'S DISEMBODIED HAND. HOLY CRAP.
Goofing off at Hösök tere
The end of a very delicious, enormous cotton candy we bought from a vendor in City Park and split three ways.Saturday evening we went to Soho Coffee and did a little homework, then took the metro to Chelsey's for vegetarian Hungarian food. She made a dish similar to ratatouille and Sarah made a cheese spread, the recipe for which she got from Éva. For dessert, Tom made cookies and Sarah made plum cake. Then Zeb and his roommate got tipsy and climbed on things around the apartment and Chelsey, Amol and I were good academics and talked politics, religion and books.
Sunday morning I got up late, went over to Voula's, dyed my hair purple, was quite surprised when the end result was black instead of purple, then did homework for the rest of the day at Voula's, and then at Mihály's.
The new hair!Now comes the funny thing: I started composing this blog entry on Monday and just now I've gotten enough time to sit down and finish it. Really. Math and life got in the way with a vengeance. Monday and Tuesday I was finishing my Number Theory homework and studying for my Wednesday Graph Theory test, and Wednesday I was getting my butt handed to me by the afore mentioned test (luckily everyone I've talked to agrees that the test was ridiculous).
There now needs to be some post-purse-loss updating. Because I wasn't sure how long it would take for my new debit card to make it to my mom's so she could send it to me, I called the bank on Monday to request them to wire me money. It was going to cost $35, but it was totally worth it. I needed money for rent and various other expenses, and I didn't want to keep borrowing money from BSM. They told me it would take about two days for the money to reach me here, so on Wednesday afternoon I went to the mall with Bruce et al to stop thinking about how terribly the Graph Theory test had gone and while there went to the post office to check on the status of the wire.
SHOT DOWN. I couldn't retrieve my money because my name on the wire didn't match the name on my passport (the wire just had my first and last name on it, while my passport has my first name, middle name and my second middle initial). In Hungary middle names are used for official business, I guess. So I had to go back to the boys', call the bank, get them to change the name on the wire, and try again.
I tried again this morning, in the tiny mall/shopping center by my house. This time there was another problem. When you go to collect money from Western Union you have to fill out a form stating your address, your pre-chosen code word, your MTCN number, your place of residence in Hungary, and how much money you're expecting. I wrote 700 USD on the form. But in Hungary, they draw their 7s with a horizontal line going through them. A 7 without a horizontal line is interpreted as a 1. But I drew my 7 the American way. So this time instead of my name not matching, my expected amount and the actual amount didn't match. Luckily a quick phone call fixed it, but the woman behind the counter drew me a large Hungarian seven, and a one afterwards, to show me what I should have written versus what I did write.
BUT I GOT MY MONEY AFTER ALL! Score 1 for Jessie, 0 for Western Union!
After class today (with money in pocket) I bought a ticket to Prague; I'm going to Prague this weekend! We get a long weekend in honor of the Proclamation of the Republic. Voula, Mihály, Pat, Barry and I are taking the 7:45 pm train to Prague, to arrive at 6 am. It's going to be quite a night, I must say. Dubrovnik was just going to be too expensive... but Fraser and I might meet up in Zagreb (Croatia's capital) the weekend after next. Yay!
There now needs to be some post-purse-loss updating. Because I wasn't sure how long it would take for my new debit card to make it to my mom's so she could send it to me, I called the bank on Monday to request them to wire me money. It was going to cost $35, but it was totally worth it. I needed money for rent and various other expenses, and I didn't want to keep borrowing money from BSM. They told me it would take about two days for the money to reach me here, so on Wednesday afternoon I went to the mall with Bruce et al to stop thinking about how terribly the Graph Theory test had gone and while there went to the post office to check on the status of the wire.
SHOT DOWN. I couldn't retrieve my money because my name on the wire didn't match the name on my passport (the wire just had my first and last name on it, while my passport has my first name, middle name and my second middle initial). In Hungary middle names are used for official business, I guess. So I had to go back to the boys', call the bank, get them to change the name on the wire, and try again.
I tried again this morning, in the tiny mall/shopping center by my house. This time there was another problem. When you go to collect money from Western Union you have to fill out a form stating your address, your pre-chosen code word, your MTCN number, your place of residence in Hungary, and how much money you're expecting. I wrote 700 USD on the form. But in Hungary, they draw their 7s with a horizontal line going through them. A 7 without a horizontal line is interpreted as a 1. But I drew my 7 the American way. So this time instead of my name not matching, my expected amount and the actual amount didn't match. Luckily a quick phone call fixed it, but the woman behind the counter drew me a large Hungarian seven, and a one afterwards, to show me what I should have written versus what I did write.
BUT I GOT MY MONEY AFTER ALL! Score 1 for Jessie, 0 for Western Union!
After class today (with money in pocket) I bought a ticket to Prague; I'm going to Prague this weekend! We get a long weekend in honor of the Proclamation of the Republic. Voula, Mihály, Pat, Barry and I are taking the 7:45 pm train to Prague, to arrive at 6 am. It's going to be quite a night, I must say. Dubrovnik was just going to be too expensive... but Fraser and I might meet up in Zagreb (Croatia's capital) the weekend after next. Yay!
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