Can 2 Adults live on 2000 USD net take home a month?

Sorry Felicia, didn't mean to suggest you had dark motives.
My husband collects SS from the US and they do check in with you once in a blue moon to see if you are still at the same address and still living overseas.
We went into the SS dept. here in HU at the US embassy. I was slightly surprised they had Hungarian nationals working in that dept. who really didn't know a whole heck of allot about SS. They just gave us forms and we contacted SS directly on the phone from HU to the US.
My husband thought about getting life insurance here in HU but have dropped the subject.
I would suggest contacting an insurance co. here in HU before making big plans however. Not sure what sort of physical they would need and I am pretty much sure the pay outs here would not be anything close to what is offered in the US in the way of life insurance policies.
I have no idea though, if you find out any info o life insurance here in Hu please forward the info onto us ex-pats.

Just and update as i know others have asked.

We have been a bit delayed due to a number of factors. One being a small health issue with my father. But on the good side his neuro oncologist that did his surgery has set up a referral with a specialist in Budapest that can deal with his cancer checkups( we had a video conference)and also we got information on proton beam treatment locations in Europe if his cancer reoccurs. (The type of cancer tumor he had was extremely rare only 700 people in the world got his same type the year of his surgery, 2013) (If anyone knows anything about Dr Peter Varga or the Buda Health Center in Budapest feel free to pm me)

That said we are going to be in Hungary on December 6!

We still have some things to figure out and take care of but tickets are brought so we are leaving 100% now!

We are still planning on buying a house upon arrival i mean we will rent some short term place and look for a house right away. Hopefully we can find one on our price range if not then apartments are always an option and then we will buy a house in about 6mos

I have looked at some homes online and talked to some real estate agents it seems the area around Miskolic or Eger ie near the Slovak border seem to be of a good value price wise and also quiet.

One thing that is kinda cool is our flight has a 9 hour layover in Oslo Norway so after being in Norway in Dec for 9 hours i am sure Budapest will be a warm up!  he hee.

I am still trying to find info on life insurance in Hungary! We contacted one company here in USA and they claimed they had international agents, but that was just Canada and Costa Rica, when we said Hungary the guy said "Oh that is a Communist country we do not deal with those people" how ignorant can you get!

So if anyone knows any good info on life insurance please pass it on!

Hi there,sorry I don't know much about life insurance in Hungary.
If agents in the US will not cover while you are living in Hungary I suppose you would need insurance from Hungary.
I have no clue as to how it goes here, I really do doubt they give much for your monthly payments though.
That's if they even offer more then just funeral costs. If you father has a history of cancer etc. your monthly rates will be sky high no matter where you live.
We  happened to talk about heath care the other day.
In less you pay put of pocket here in Hungary to a private health clinic the average coverage is not all the great with just national health. In the US it seems better to be really ill and in Hungary the clinics are better for just small issues, health check ups, getting a script for a minor ailment etc.
Before we had national health we went to private doctors, some were very good and some were just so-so. Private dentists are the same, some are good and others no some much.They are still in it for the money just like in the US. Example, my private dentist gave me a filling in a tricky back tooth. Nothing but pain all the time afterwards. Been going to the dental school( need to have a health card to go there) my student dentist took her time over 2 hours to fix the filling, looks better then what I had before and now pain free.Seems my private dentist did a quick job to finish and hurried to get to her next client. private doctors can be the same way.
Also if a person has a very serious condition many private clinics will not take them, they do not want a law suit later.My husband wanted to go to a private clinic for a small hernia but he had high BP at the time. They didn't want anyone with high BP in their clinic, just easy cases. No complications, no hassles just easy money.
Apts. and homes are slowly go up in price here in Hungary.
I suppose you might have to skype a few insurance agents here in Hungary and find out more info on life insurance, I have never heard about it offered here but things change here day by day.
There could be issues with getting a pay out from the US if the insurance agents can not do a follow up on a death in another country like Hungary. Too much hassle to translate death certificates, doctor and hospital records etc.
Too many things could go wrong and your claim denied, my ex BIL was an insurance investigator for auto claims, too many small things can go wrong even for a minor auto accident claim.
Wish you luck, keep us posted.

Oh no i was asking about life insurance in Hungary from a company in Hungary. Nothing to do with USA.
The company we talked with was head quartered in Luxembourg and for USA people would only cover them if they moved to Canada, Costa Rica and i think it was Thailand. They said there are so few USA born people in other countries they do not bother! I wish he said that before we went in as we explained we are moving to Hungary one. He just kept on trying to get my dad to buy for in USA but we have no plans of ever living in USA once we leave. My father or I will never live in USA again at all, if down the road not Hungary then either Poland or Lithuania for me most likely northern Italy for my dad.

Health care in USA is horrible it really is. I have not heard anyone in Hungary say anything that is as bad as what we have seen here in USA. Both with private companies and with the VA as my dad is with. I can not speak on Medicare/Meticaid as he has never had that or me so who knows about those.

Like i said his surgeon from here is from Greece, but he has worked with Dr Varga in Budapest and he has set up an appointment for my dad to see him. His surgeon is in Greece this whole month and until mid Sept he is bringing some of the medical documents to the Buda Spine Center and too Dr Varga there. We would see his same Dr but like well as anyone knows Greece is not doing so well!

Yes it does seem house prices vary all the more reason for me to buy one as soon as i can when i get to Hungary!

I was a bit curious so I tried to look up life insurance coverage that covers you while living overseas.
Not so easy to find one, look at Met Life, they may offer something.
The info I found said you might need to set this up first in the US before your move to make sure the coverage is excepted in the country you are moving to.
You need an insurance under writer to do up the medical reports first to see if the coverage is excepted in Hungary or wherever you move to because  some countries may do things differently and not be up the the same standards for coverage as other countries.
Sort of saying without really saying it, perhaps the medical care is so different that the US coverage will not except the treatment plans for care and not pay out because the standards are not regulated by US standards.
I know I got some wacky care for my knee a few years back here in Hungary. They sent me for radiation x-rays in some clinic where the machines were something out of a sci-fi film. looked like they were from the 1950's, probably gave myself more radiation then being in Hiroshima, who knows...

Why would he have to buy the life insurance in USA to live in Hungary?
In Hungary they do not write life insurance for people living in Hungary?
I mean is that a government rule or something for non EU people?

There is tons of info on people that travel overseas or something yes. As i stated before he and i are not going to be living or even traveling back to the USA once we move.

Sorry, have no info on life insurance available here in Hungary.
I am sure it is a totally different system then what is offered in the US.
I only noticed that Met Life offered something to people living overseas.
Hate to scare you but I wouldn't put up high hopes of any real payouts from any Hungarian insurance co.
We had fire insurance for our flat here in HU and they have so many restrictions on pay outs you would have to be a firefighter yourself to collect anything. Also does not cover the flat if you are not in the country, about the only reason we wanted flat insurance was for when we are not home.
good luck, sorry you will have to contact some HU co.
At one time we thought about looking into life insurance here in HU for my husband but gave up on it, will be interesting if you can share any info you get for us ex pats.

Good lucky in your new life,

But if you want live with 2000 or 5000 Dlls, try see for Ajijic or Chapala in Google that small cities are from Jalisco, México and there is living a lot people from other countries like your Country.
Ajijic have nice lake a lot people similar age of your dad, they talking in spanish, nice houses with pool, nice weather and you could live there with your 2000 dlls easy life.

i hope can see about Ajijic in Google and Good lucky!

Hi again!

Ajijic is very Close to Guadalajara Jalisco Mexico and is the second city biggest in all Mexico and have good Hospitals,  Excellent doctors with  different kind specialist Hospital Puerta de Hierro good Hospital, or Hospital San José and good Insurance too.

See you!

Ajijic? That is in Mexico!

Um well i am sure it is nice, but we are moving to Hungary.

We have lived in southern California and also have lived in Mexico (Esinsonada and right outside Mexico City) and we live in central Florida now which is like 200 miles from Mexico. If we wanted to move to Mexico we could of easily done that years ago!

Honestly one thing i look forward to is moving away from a Spanish based culture. Nothing at all against that at all. But it is not my culture and i do not speak Spanish. Many parts of USA is Spanish based and that has never been really a good fit for me.

Thanks for the kind words AnaLau but we are moving to Hungary.

FeliciaOni wrote:

I am still trying to find info on life insurance in Hungary!

I have never dealt with them, but ACE claims to have life insurance options:

http://www.acegroup.com/eu-en/for-partn … rance.aspx

and has an office in Budapest:

http://www.acegroup.com/hu-hu/

But different insurance products may not be available in each country they serve.

FeliciaOni wrote:

I have not heard anyone in Hungary say anything that is as bad as what we have seen here in USA.

My wife and I both have medical professionals in each of our respective families (me US, she Switzerland and Hungary). The medical horror stories are about the same in each country. They simply vary in context.

Just because one has not heard something bad, does not mean it does not exist.

As I always say, people are, fundamentally, pretty much the same everywhere.

Well just in case others were wondering. December 6th we will be in Budapest.

We are going to rent an apartment for cheap for a year lease and then go from there.(We still plan on looking for house for purchase in the next few months. I just think for bank account, cell phone and residence permit you need an address right away)

We will go to the Immigration Office to find out all the things we need for our residence permit. I think that i where expats are supposed to go? I there is a new people at the embassy and i have heard like 3 different things so i guess we will see. he hee.

@FeliciaOni send me a pm if you need someone to help you process stuff, some personnel at the immigration office can speak english and are friendly, but i've only been lucky enough a couple of times. And for the times i wasn't lucky it was frustrating as hell to just rely on hand gestures etc. to communicate when you've been waiting in-line for ages. Anyway I know someone that does this kind of thing for a living so let me know if I can connect you to him

Yes, I do believe getting some outside help with language ( and attitudes) is going to be very much needed in this case.
Not sure how it goes now at immigration but I had a Heck of a hard time there 4 1/2 years back and my HU husband  speaks the language. Maybe it is worst to know what is really going on, so frustrating, sometimes not knowing is best.
My husband had allot of logical questions to ask and logic is not always the case at immigration.
I honestly do believe it all comes down to everyone working at immigrations from translators to clerks all fighting to get into your pockets. If you don't know your rights then they see you as easy prey.
I do know in my case ( married to a HU citizen and mother of a HU citizen) I entered HU with as a tourist didn't bother to do my homework before coming over to stay for good. They made us pay for being so easy going and trusting. Without any claim on being in Hu without being a family member of a HU citizen, I am afraid trouble is in the forecast, one way or the other. They make you pay for being so trusting that the right thing should be done.
Sometimes we do really think Hungarians are worst to their own countrymen/ women who return then they are to total strangers. They always question why anyone would wish to return.

Ok when you settle in Budapest you must meet up with me and Marilyn for coffee. We are both in Budapest for some of the time , when we are not jet setting the globe.
Don't take anything too lightly. I am an EEC citizen and even I paid someone for the day to come with me and  apply for my residency and address card. It took all day sitting about in a hot crowded office so be prepared.

Yes, my buddy Ann is correct, nothing goes as easy with official business in HU as you would expect it to go.
I had a seriously hard time with immigration because I came to HU without doing my resident stuff first.
I just figured it was logical for me to get a resident permit super easy because of my family connections, I was wrong, they don't care they only want to see what is written in B&W.
We Americans do not have the smae rights as those from another EU country do.
Even though I have strong family connections with HU, husband and son are HU citizens as an American they put me threw the ringer.
They even pulled files showing my son married a HU lady in HU and I was listed as his mother, they still did not except that I was married to my husband until I got an updated copy of my marriage paperwork from NV. Just not logical that they would allow my son to marry in HU and then turn around and act like they didn't know who I was.
Got to the point where even my stubborn husband was ready to hire a lawyer or pack up and leave HU for good. He has screaming matches with a few idiots at immigration, do not recommend doing that unless you are ready to be tossed out on your ear.
All the papers I had brought with me were not what they wanted, my papers are good enough for everything in the US from collecting SS to fillings taxes and get refunds but not good enough for HU.
They want it just about sworn in with blood to except any papers. What they are really after is stalling to collect more fees from you for extending your visa to stay in HU .
Coffe sounds good at some point, Ann and I are always running around but we should be calm and ready by springtime if you are still around and have not given up on HU by then.

Anns and Marilyn- Of course i would have coffee with either or both of you! It would be an honor to do so!

Springtime sounds good, gives us times to get settled.

As i said i am never going back to USA(coming back to USA would be perilous for me i have no reason to ever return) if for some reason Hungary will not take me then i will find somewhere else in Europe or hell go to the refugee camps. he hee

Marilyn i am so sorry you had so many issues with getting your visa! I read this over and over about you and it is beyond me why you did! I mean in addition to you married a Hun, i think you said your father was from what Poland? So i thought having a parent that was from Europe would make it easier also?

I mean from someone with no family or no bf or husband in Hungary one thing i hear is if you had one of those it is so easy. I was talking to this woman from like Uganda and she was going on and on about how it was so easy for her cause she was married to a Hungarian. And then i hear from like drug addicted sex workers how they got residence visa so easy cause they had one great grandpa that was 1/4 Hungarian. People are so full of it! he hee

Yes we are defiantly going to hire someone to help with the Immigration Papers. Someone from here put me in touch with a guy that works for some company that does something i am not sure what exactly i am persueing that and also we will look at that more. Not sure if we should hire an immigration company or a lawyer or what.

But as i said we are good people, not too poor as far as Hungary goes and crime free so should i would hope Hungary would take us.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

We Americans do not have the smae rights as those from another EU country do.

When I moved to Hungary, the Immigration office first told me I had to go back to the USA and apply for my residence visa from the US. I actually had to make a special application request to wave this requirement, using the fact I had lived in Switzerland for the prior 6 years and had no place to "go back to" in the USA.

Which is why I think applying for a immigration visa in Hungary, rather than with a local Hungarian Consulate in the US, is a rather gutsy move.

But I do not know, maybe the local Hungarian Consulate in the USA recommended this process. But even so, being in the USA, and having more direct access to maybe unexpected and obtuse documents requested by the Hungarians in the immigration process would be a better plan. I flew back and forth to the USA many times when I applied for Swiss residency to get paperwork (USA Fingerprints and criminal background check, bank account statements, tax statements, etc. etc. etc.). Even the Swiss kept asking me for paper work I did not have on hand and had to get on my "next trip" back to the States. But that is just my experience and opinion. Maybe for others, the process will be as smooth as glass.

Yes we just assumed they would welcome me with open arms because of my family connection to Hungary. Not so, they treated me like a leaper!
I had so  many mix up's, lost or misplaced( love that term) papers, papers I had with me that they didn't want, wanted a more detailed marriage paper then I had etc.
Delayed things so long that they at one point told me I had 90 days to leave HUngary unless I paid for a visa.
I paid and what do you know, they contacted me saying they had found the misplaced paper the same day! Really, sure it wasn't about collecting more cash from us?
I suppose though if you don't mind spending a few more bucks then needed there is always a loop hole that they can pull out of their bag of tricks.
At least if you are already in the country they may cut some slack and just charge for a visa to stay longer.
Only a week left so down to the wire anyways.
Like the new site here, I should get around to posting a real life photo of myself.Just a bit afraid to be seen on the st. and called out for my insane views. Funny thing in Budapest, I went to a new hairdresser ( good cut too) and he said he had seen me walking all over BUdapest, stand out with my copper hair and tall height. Never know, not to late to be discovered by Hollywood!!

Yes we thought of that. But we were not going to start a lease and pay for a flat with out being in Hungary.

We are taking all our documents with us and we have nothing in the USA anyway

I agree maybe they will try to get more money out of us who knows.

I keep hearing about shorter people in Hungary. Is that the case? I am 5 foot 9 inches and i wear high heels every day. I used to be a model when i was young and all the Russian woman i knew were taller than me so i felt short. But then i hear i would stand out in Hungary

Course i was born in USA and i stand out here so would not be new to me! He hee

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Like the new site here, I should get around to posting a real life photo of myself.Just a bit afraid to be seen on the st. and called out for my insane views.

That is why my avatar image has me wearing a hat.

That way nobody will recognize me from all the other other people walking around Hungary with a Harris Hawk on their shoulder......

Kis= i thought you were from Texas and that is why you wore that hat!

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Yes we just assumed they would welcome me with open arms because of my family connection to Hungary. Not so, they treated me like a leaper! ... Funny thing in Budapest, I went to a new hairdresser ( good cut too) and he said he had seen me walking all over BUdapest, stand out with my copper hair and tall height. Never know, not to late to be discovered by Hollywood!!

I sympathise with all these paperwork hassles. I used to suffer this before HU reached EU membership. 

Don't forget that we (non-US) citizens get the same kind of run around treatment when we get involved with US (and other) governments.  We are treated as potential enemies rather than valued guests.  I myself refuse now to travel to the  US even for tourism because of the general lack of basic civility by US government officials at ports of entry.  It's easier to go to somewhere like Thailand or Africa where they show some politeness to foreign visitors (and respect the cash they bring).

Regarding Hollywood, I am sure there's plenty of work for at the film studios as an extra. Get on an agents books!  The Korda Studios are very close to where I live. HU Film Studios

Just kidding about Hollywood, had my chance at age 17 when I was "discovered" walking down a st. in Hollywood by a big wig agent, went in for a reading etc. 
Took a GF  with me for the reading ,  ( in case he was just another perv) assumed the whole thing was a joke and not  a serious interview, surprised to see a sweet older ex. in a beautiful office at MGM behind the desk, handed me a script and had me read for him. Like the star discovered having a soda, was it Lana Turner?
Not my thing, so many people taking acting lessons and perfecting their craft ,never getting a break ,while silly 17 year old me gets a chance while just walking down the st. Life is funny that way. My bro and his wife are actually filming in Cal,with friends of their who are in the middle of doing 2 western films. Should be released next year, looking for extras if anyone is in Cal in the springtime.( Groat family productions)
At my age now I would only be playing someone's aged granny, not exactly a leading role.
Yes, the US can be rude to visitors, my DIL from Japan had the 3 hour grilling at the Vegas airport before she married my son. Strange how they select who to frisk and hassle, I can not imagine too many 100 lb. shy ,terrorists coming in from Japan but who knows...
We do find the US to be a bit of a police state, certainly not the freedom we used to have in the 60's and 70's.Those were great times to be young in the states.
When my husband got his first driving paper in the US from NY they didn't even have a photo on it!
Now with the new ones they probably know everything from your credit score to what you ate for breakfast.

Hard to say, so many different types of people in Hungary these days.
My husband is Hungarian can trace his family roots there back forever and people in HU sometimes think he isn't Hungarian.
He looks a bit on the Asian side with his eyes and cheek bones unusual even for HU.
We are old but still gets looks, in the US now and just yesterday a clerk told us both that we looked,"Spiffy". Not like normal.
I am also 5'9" . Have 1/8th native American roots so that gives me a sometimes exotic look, not an everyday face, not always a good thing to look different, can't get away with anything and blame someone else!
I have seen many HU women who are taller then I am but most do seem rather short to me. Under 5'7".
My son is unusual looking too even though he is half HU and mostly Slav and German.
6'3" tall with red hair and green eyes, thin and delicate for a man in build.
He should of been a model .
Most HU seem to have brown hair and eyes or blue eyes, Not allot of natural blondes or natural red heads. You will notice most women in HU seem to dye their hair black or red with purple hues.
More people are spending bucks and going blonde at the salons but in general HU are frugal  and color at home, easy to just dump on something from a box.
My friend is a lady of color too, not unusual these days in HU either. They actually had a Miss Black Hungary beauty contest on the tv. Not sure if they still hold that or not. Seems a bit like a double standard to have 2 different beauty contests one for black women and one for pure Hungarians but then again this is not the US and they can do things their own way.
My husband the HU swears that HU women are beautiful, me not so sure they are all that but for sure most are not overweight and they do care how they present themselves in public. No such thing as just throwing on any old thing and walking out the door here. I have to pre plan what to wear just to take the trash out in HU!!

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Just kidding about Hollywood, had my chance at age 17 ......
Not my thing, so many people taking acting lessons and perfecting their craft ,never getting a break ,while silly 17 year old me gets a chance while just walking down the st. Life is funny that way. .....
When my husband got his first driving paper in the US from NY they didn't even have a photo on it!...

Nah, why not Marilyn? Bit of cash and some interesting thing to do perhaps. 

Retired guy I knew used to be an extra in TV shows/movies in Scotland. He did it for fun, interest and to meet people - he didn't need the  money. He was always "older guy at the bar" or "gentleman exiting building".  He'd been in a few well known TV productions. Even my ex-wife was an extra in a crowd scene in a film with Tatum O'Neal in it. My brother's friend was in a few TV shows too in the UK, mainly costume dramas.  Mrs Fluffy's cousin is in some HU TV soap about hospital or clinics.  Cannot remember her name.

We also didn't have photos on our driving licenses in the UK for many years (we call them "licences" really - different spelling).  Must be 20 years now we've had them.  EU required it I believe and it was also required in Northern Ireland since the 1960s because of the troubles there.

I did think of trying for the films my bro and SIL are in.
She plays old west barmaid and he a half breed native scout.
Guess they have "speaking" roles.( Copperhead Creek, is the films working title)
Groat family productions in Cal. been cranking out B westerns for over 52 years.
I suppose I could play an old " lady of the night" been called worst!
Won't be in Cali though so perhaps some other time.
Acting bug gets allot of people out there. Lived in an apt. complex where half the tenants were always in movies of the week or players of bit parts in weekly tv shows. One spouse always had a day job since the pay was not there unless you hit it big.

Smart move covering your face.
I sadly have a face that no one ever forgets.
Just 2 weeks ago here in Vegas at the grocery store the clerk said she knew me from the same chain of stores in New Mexico. She saw me in that state too.
I once had a guy mistake me for my wild, wild older sister.
We entered a lift inside a nice hotel going up to the hair salon.
I was alone with him in the lift.
All of a sudden he grabbed me and kissed me hard on the lips!!
I was dumbfounded for sure!
He then realized he had mistaken me for my sister as not many people look like us.
Wonder where and how she knew that crazy dude, he had a broken arm and looked like he was trouble.
On a good day I look like a well ageing Jane Fonda and on a bad day I look like Steven Tyler!!

Sorry Felica, your question about high heels,
Wear them if you can walk for blocks on uneven surfaces with people weaving through your path.
If not then it is ok to wear them inside the malls and grocery stores.
I have many shoes I no longer seem to wear in Hungary because I perfer to walk for miles and have knee issues.
Flat and sturdy walking shoes, these days I see more people wearing sports shoes in the city, not a fancy as it was a decade or so ago. Always well fitting jeans and nice scarfs are worn.
I have seen a few questionable outfits worn by some on the streets but it's a big city and there are all sorts of people.
I   notice women who amaze me by their skills of walking cobble stone streets while wearing 4 inch heels.  Running after a bus or tram.We call them city ballet artists. Seen a few almost go down tottering on stairs and catching their balance last second, good luck is all I can say.

Thanks for the info

I am from southern CA and lived in the LA area also for years (Studio City) and yes many people enjoy that type of thing and it is cool to see someone u know is in the movies. That i will not lie is neat. But i could never be in a movie never had the desire to do so. Although writing a script would be neat as i see so many bad films! Course i watch lots of bad Sci Fi and Horror films too! On Netflix i watch German and some Hungarian films and well they were rather goofy too so it is an international thing really. He hee. I will the British have the best TV shows! Sweden is very good also.

Yes it is not practical but i wear 4 or 5 inch heels for hours and hours walking around and taking buses so i think i will be ok.  But i did order some flat shoes this week also. I lived in Colorado which is colder than Hungary and

I know as far as the Residence Permit thing goes it may be difficult and i thank everyone for their insight.

And as Fluffy pointed out USA treats people very badly also, there used to be lots of people from the UK here where we live on the beach. USA closed down all their businesses and made it awful for them. This i personally know for a fact for many from just about every UK country and Ireland. So i agree whatever Hungary does is not the worst in the world

That said i feel Hungary is not a vile country. We are not bad people we are USA born citizens with decent income.[Right now we have take home, net 2,300 usd end of 2016 another 3,000 usd. If something happened to my father he brought life insurance where i would get lump sum of 50k to 100k usd and 200 usd a month for ten years. So while he is alive he can take care of me and then if he passes on withing the next ten years what i just wrote. So no drain on Hungary economy Like i said i do plan on buying a house by the end of 2016 with the savings i have now or what we save later]  I do not think Hungary will want to throw us out. I am not going back to USA for any reason, here i do not even qualify to live in a homeless shelter or any kind of healthcare. So even a refugee camp in Hungary would be better treatment than what i would face here in USA.

Now i need to pack up some of my stuff And pull out some of my stuff out of my luggage! I know i can not take all my 200 pairs of shoes and 80 winter dresses and 50 winter coats! I packed all my summer stuff already now i have to pack up more stuff.

That is allot of money in Hungary, be careful, don't let too many single men know your finances or you may have them calling the home day and night.
You should be good in HU with any luck.

FeliciaOni wrote:

Kis= i thought you were from Texas and that is why you wore that hat!

The hat is from Italy. South Tyrolean. Not a Stetson. 

Felica, we know you are probably super busy getting ready to fly out to HU. After you and your dad settle in some, please share your impressions of Budapest and Hungary.
Good luck with the jet lag!!

Well we made it! We have been here a bit over a week now!

Budapest is nice

Hungary in the countryside is very nice we drove out to the Croatian border last Friday, rolling hills which was nice.

In general Hungary is much much much more Americanized than i thought it would be! [We lived in St Petersburg, Florida and there was very large Polish and Russian, Croatian, some Ukrainians and people there lived in a very native community.]

Communicating with others has been much easier than people have said as far as every day things. I mean we were out in Dombovar  and the surrounding towns which is really small and still were able to get stray people to give us directions and communicate. So that is good. 

One let down is i have found almost every kind of food in Budapest-except for German! Like also many Hungarians embrace French style cooking i guess it is culturally compatible or something i do not know enough to say so. But many places in Hungary serve French similar food which sucks for me as i truly dislike French food more than any other, including French desserts! (Pancakes=Crepes in Hungary)

Now we are trying to find a long term flat to rent which is being very difficult to do!

FeliciaOni wrote:

One let down is i have found almost every kind of food in Budapest-except for German! Like also many Hungarians embrace French style cooking i guess it is culturally compatible or something i do not know enough to say so. But many places in Hungary serve French similar food which sucks for me as i truly dislike French food more than any other, including French desserts! (Pancakes=Crepes in Hungary)

Well done for getting here. 

Hungarian food is mostly like German food.  It's certainly not French.  It's about the same everywhere including Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria etc.  The only place which is slightly different is FRY (Former Republic Yugoslavia).

The French are somewhat unpopular in Hungary because of the loss of large parts of territory due to French treachery in collusion with the Romanians (read about it here Treaty of Trianon).  You can see stickers (US term: decals) on some HU cars with a map of greater Hungary on them. It used to be a big country.

Funny to re read this post, pop tarts?
I was dying thinking of coming home for a US visit and indulging in my fave "junk food fixes" Taco Bell, corn chips that were not already stale , mac and cheese etc.
Back in the US for a visit and guess what, still cooking HU style and hate junk food.
Did Taco Bell a few times, ok for a quick snack between meals but I would die if I ate that very often.
No big bags of chips or sweets for me like I thought, guess I have become more EU with my taste buds.
Never buy soda drinks and still basically drink either fresh filtered water, tea, coffee or wine.
Nice to be able to pass all those rows and bags of snacks in the US shops without caring.
Gotta stay in my tight jeans until my last day on earth!

Good for you Felica. All I can say ATM is just take it one day at a time.
I am in Las Vegas right now, HU seems like a world away to me.
When I get back to HU you should be settled in somewhere.
Keep us updated as we may have info to help you or not.
Seems you are getting around fine and so far all is going good.