Why did you choose Hungary and Eötvös Loránd University for your studies?

Once I heard about the scholarship opportunity that Hungary was offering to foreign students I did research about the country and its educational institutions and realized that it is a great place to study at. The universities of Hungary are among the top European universities, the country is relatively cheap for students and there are numerous places to visit and have fun. Since I applied for International Relations, it turned out that ELTE is one of the best universities in Hungary. The courses that the university was offering were very interesting and therefore, that was my final choice.

How do you like your studies? What is your favourite memory during your studies?

I am enjoying my studies very much, and I can even say that I love every second of it, despite all of the challenges and sleepless nights catching up with the deadlines. First of all, I really like my major which is International Relations, and of course, the Professors are excellent who support me, and are eager to answer all of my questions. Besides, I am actively participating in university life which includes being a teaching assistant at my department and a leading mentor for my faculty. My favourite memory would definitely be the moment when I got selected as an International Student Ambassador, and all of the events that I have participated in within that position.

How did you like the country?

I love Hungary, and it definitely feels like home. I got used to it very quickly and it has already been almost 5 years for me here, therefore it became an important part of my life. Especially, Budapest holds a very special place in my heart.

Did you have any difficulties with Hungarian culture? What was that and how did you handle it?

I would say that the biggest struggle was and still is the Hungarian language, and the language barrier itself. Because it makes my life a bit more difficult here, mainly concerning healthcare facilities that usually don’t have a big knowledge of the English language. Other than that, I don’t recall any difficulties, but regarding the language, I was trying to learn it for a bit of time, but I have not continued it afterwards.

How does the Hungarian culture differ from the Georgian culture?

There are always some differences between certain cultures, and it is the case with Hungarian and Georgian cultures as well, however, I do not really find any major ones. Both cultures I would say are very traditional and value their own cultures, which include aspects of language, traditions, and religion. In my opinion, Georgians are a bit more open and extroverted compared to Hungarians.

What do you think about the Alumni Network Hungary?

It is a great place to discover new opportunities, connect to brilliant people and develop the skills you are working on for your future career and personal growth. Besides, it gives you the possibility to expand your Hungarian experience even after graduation.

You are among the alumni volunteers. Why did you apply for that position? What’s your task and how do you manage it?

I am always very much interested in different opportunities that come my way, and one of them was trying myself as an alumni volunteer for Alumni Network Hungary. It caught my eye because it’s a great place where you can implement different projects in which you are interested, try new things, and develop your skills. I am in the Promotion and communications team, where I am working on promoting Hungarian universities, also introducing the country and different programs to others, conducting interviews with successful alumni, and writing small blog posts about life in Hungary.

You held a webinar last week in the frame of Alumni Network Hungary about understanding International Relations. Why did you choose this topic? What was your experience and how did you like the webinar?

Since I am studying International Relations, I have always thought about how important my field of study is, and how many people do not really realize its relevance to our everyday life. Therefore, in this workshop, I tried to make some parallels between our lives and this field of study. It turned out amazing, because I received many interesting questions at the end of the webinar, and questions always mean that people are listening, they got interested and therefore, asked questions. It was a very valuable experience for me and I am very grateful for this opportunity.

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