The Buda-best of Budapest

by Warda Yussuf (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

I didn't expect to find Hungary

I knew next to nothing about Hungary before visiting. It was on my flatmates bucket-list and I thought I would just join. Now, Eastern Europe was not a region I had foreseen myself visiting, considering its rife racism. As a black Muslim woman, these were things I should consider when travelling. Not that it was something I often did consider, and perhaps that speaks to some kind of privilege. Anyway, I went to Budapest with little to no questions, just pure curiosity. I did not tell my family I was travelling, but with my limited funds, the truth came out pretty early on. But let me backtrack a bit. The night before my flight, I decided it would be a wise decision to go on a night out (it was not)! I had to leave for the airport at 4 am, and by that time I was rushing home, frantically packing anything that was cute and clean – admittedly while still pretty drunk. I cannot begin to describe the disappointment in my friends' faces, but at the time I was 21 and did not make the wisest choices (clearly). Now, let me fast-forward a little bit. We land safely and take a taxi to this very cool, artsy hostel and with all things considered, it was still something I could barely afford. I had to call my mum and ask for some money. So, that is what I did. When she answered, her immediate response was “Are you on holiday?”. At this point in my life, I had a bit of reputation for flying overseas pretty broke, but I had to see the world. I couldn’t let limited funds be the reason I wasn’t going to live my best life! I tried lying to my mum but blurted out the truth of my current predicament. I had decided very last minute to book a trip to Budapest, yes Mum in Hungary – yes, THAT Hungary! I was not going to let my mother’s incessant worry kill my vibe. At one point, at the time of this conversation with my mother, I separated from my friends and did some exploration on my own. I was in awe of the beauty: the bridge, the river, the architecture. There were these majestic churches and cathedrals, contrasting with these uniform, homogeneous and rather ugly buildings that were built during the Soviet Union. You could almost feel the rich history of this city just by looking at the architecture. The thing that stood out to me the most was the colourful street art. It was plastered on almost every wall, on random buildings. It was radiant, and bold and made me feel at home. Its funny how you could be in a new unfamiliar country, and it’s the little things that bring you comfort. I thought perhaps I could do something a little different in this essay, and write a poem about why Budapest really stood out to me: I went to a big city called Budapest, It was once two cities Separated by River Danube made up of Buda and Pest But it passed the ultimate test of togetherness Proving that community and peace can come above all the rest The beautiful city can leave you awe-stricken The people were incredibly friendly, not that it was a given Because of all the news, and the intolerance the politician spews But, I was taught an important lesson That the hate we see, on our TV screens - are no real indication of the people that live in them That the government and policies implemented Do not always represent the people that choose to live in harmony Full of love, peace and acceptance. This experience taught me not to live in fear, and attempt to see the world in all its glory regardless of what I may hear or see on the news. It can be scary to travel to certain regions of the world, but it is always worth seeing. I know I have ended my travel story on a more serious note, but Budapest has quickly become one of my favourite spots to visit. See the world, and let the world see you.