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Great evening in Budapest for our annual alumni dinner

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Clash of cultures: what will be different in Saint Louis?

Although life in Europe and US is quite similar and the two continents largely share cultural heritage, it may come as no surprise that living in Saint Louis has its perks and cons for someone coming from Central Europe. I assembled my own list of "culture shocks" and differences related to moving into Saint Louis, based on an experience of 3 months.

by Gergely Kemecsei, HMEP Scholar at MBA 2019 at Saint Louis University

Pros:

It is easy and cheap to get a driver's license: it takes literally 1-2 hours and $10 to obtain a full license without any restrictions. Learn the state-specific driving rules from a 100 pages guide (sample tests are available), walk in to the Highway Patrol's office, take the computer-based theoretical test (they allow you a second try), do the eyesight examination, then wait 10 minutes until an officer appears who administers the approximately 30 minutes practical test. Based on experience, foreigners are expected to meet the criteria of a more thorough examination, but it can be done in a peaceful suburban environment without any traffic – and automatic cars are allowed! The driver's license is also useful for age verification purposes in stores and bars.

Please note: HMEP scholars can use a Mini Cooper in St. Louis from time-to-time as a part of the scholarship, so you don’t need to drive this archeological piece.

Affordable tickets to baseball matches: the city revolves around the Cardinals, one of the most successful baseball teams in the world, boasting 11 World Series Championship titles. It is not only quite often (up to 4 home games a week), but it is a cheap outdoor activity: tickets can cost as low as $8. One full game will be required to learn the sophisticated rules, but the thrill is unmatched when fireworks are launched for a Cardinals home run.

HMEP Scholars & Spouses (Left to right: Daniel Tamasi (WashU 2018), Brigitta Tamasi-Pere, Gergely Kemecsei (SLU 2018), Monica Postovaru (SLU 2018), Dora Hargitai (SLU 2017), Zsuzsanna Dorosz, David Dorosz (Webster 2017), Tamas Javor (UMSL 2017)

Pedestrian and cyclist friendly rules and drivers: in most intersections, all cars must come to a full stop at all times (all-way stop), allowing priority crossing for pedestrians. Contrary to prior expectations, Saint Louis is a relatively cyclist friendly city with designated bike lanes on most major avenues. However, cycling is not a common way to get around: it may happen that you won't see another cyclist for a full hour (as cars are kings). In addition, my general observation is that non-rush hour drivers are more courteous than their European counterparts.

Outstanding customer service in restaurants and stores: "dismissal at will" (employer can fire a waiter on the spot) results in waiters and store employees being extremely helpful and kind towards customers. Expect personalized and caring service every single time you buy clothes or eat out – something not always a common practice in Europe.

Low taxes: sales tax (more or less the equivalent of VAT) is less than 10%, and the overall tax burden is approximately 30-35%. Moreover, excise duty on gas is so low that a gallon (3.8 liters) of gas costs around $2.5. I am confident that even a 1% tax increase would cause massive upheaval here. Obviously, the low taxes have adverse consequences on the status of infrastructure (railways, roads), public services and social security – but it is another story.

There's Uber, and it's cheap: Uber dominates in this city, providing convenient and affordable service. The average cost of a 5 miles ride would be no more than $10 – cheaper than a cab in Budapest.

Mobility is a real thing in the US: people move from one corner of a country to another because of studies, family or a new job. I know only a handful of bona fide Saint Louisan – every other friend of mine moved here for studies or job.

Neutral:

Every food is sweet and has an excessive amount of sugar: for a European, it is very difficult to digest that every single type of bread is sweet (not to mention that it is prepacked and toast bread like). It requires a way more attention during shopping to avoid products with tons of sugar in them and the healthier products often cost 2-3 times more. Bakeries as such don't really exist here: I am certain that every European start craving for a crunchy freshly baked bread after one week here – a need that is rarely going to be fulfilled.

Expensive grocery shopping – relatively affordable to eat out: vegetables, fruits, dairy products and other groceries are significantly (2-3 times) more expensive than in Central Europe. Cooking is, therefore, most costly because of the prices of the ingredients. This being said it is often cheaper and easier to simply eat out. Dining options are vast and most places offer huge portions, and Saint Louis University has dining halls that offer all-you-can-eat & drink menus for $6-8.

Little knowledge of the part of Europe that is east of Germany: it happens too often that more explanation of elementary level European history and geography is needed in an everyday conversation. I came to a conclusion that I introduce myself being from Hungary, EUROPE (same way as Missouri, US) – to give a solid keynote on my origins. To be fair though, what prior knowledge an average Central European has of Missouri (a state which actually has a population of Slovakia)?

0.08%: it is the level of blood alcohol content above which it is illegal to drive a motor vehicle. Missouri is famous for its non-strict alcohol laws and while DUI (driving under the influence) accidents do not happen as often as I expected, it still gives me the cringes that everyone here just hops into their cars and drives home after a sizeable amount of booze.

There is no one designated and centrally located party district, there are less student-budget friendly dive bars, musical events and EDM gigs: house parties make up for these shortcomings though!

Expensive healthcare: even though hospital services are outstanding and doctors make the highest amount of money among all trades (an example to be looked at in Central Europe), it comes at a price. I was told never to call an ambulance because it is almost never covered by the health insurance and costs $300 – advice is to always call an Uber instead. People here are really forced to think twice whether to go to a doctor or not, even when having dire medical conditions. Insurance companies top this by not covering all types of treatments and diagnostics, leaving a patient no option but to pay the medical bill at least partially. This is no big worry for HMEP scholars though, as the full-scale student coverage is part of the scholarship.

Cons:

No extensive public transit network: Saint Louis metro area spans across an area 4-5 times bigger than that of Budapest – with a similar population size. At the same time, it has one and a half metro (not a subway, rather a fancy tram) line, no suburban rail and a sparse and infrequent bus network. This implies that car is the basic way of getting around. Distances are huge, and cars are the only way of getting around (sadly, to and from bars too…). So far, a bicycle is a good short and mid-distance alternative for me, but you'll need a car or a friend with a car for grocery shopping and longer distances.

Imperial units of measurement: I keep trying to express everything in feet, pounds, and Fahrenheit with more or less success. But I never fail to add the equivalent in meters, kilograms, and Celsius and end the sentence with the phrase "in non-retarded units". It is crazy how inconsistent the imperial system is with itself (even more than when converting to metric): 1 mile equals to 1760 yards, 1 gallon equals to 128 ounces – it is impossible to make such head calculations, not to mention that hardly any American knows these conversions anyway.

Mandatory tipping: I understand that waiters earn below minimal wage and they need the tip to get by… wait no, I do not, minimal wage is systematically disregarded and defied in the hospitality industry! It is a complete nonsense and a stupid excuse to expect customers to pay wages of a waiter directly. 20% is a must here, but I often just round up the bill. I am convinced that tip should be a reward for exceptional service, not a mandatory supplement.

No European standard low-cost fares on domestic flights: the airport of St. Louis is poorly connected to the rest of the US, only being served by less than 10 carriers. As a consequence, no super low fares are available to fly around the US, a return trip usually starts at $200 – even on Southwest. You might need to drive up to Chicago for better fares.

Net prices are displayed stores: even though sales tax rate is really not significant, it is quite bothersome that the grocery tab is always topped by around 10%, which is not shown on the individual products' price tags. It is an unpleasant surprise at the cashier to which it is nearly impossible to get accustomed.

Gun culture: I will not rant about it too much as it is a politically divisive issue, but Missouri has one of the laxest gun laws in the US. Consequently, possessing a firearm is an accepted norm here. Of course, most people do not even carry guns with them concealed but keep it home (it is forbidden on university campuses), yet it is a behavior hard to digest for a person raised in Europe.

Lack of comprehensive and institutionalized social care system for the poor, the unemployed, the sick: again, a consequence of the laissez-faire capitalism – a well-educated person can make a fortune, have luxury cars, buy a mansion than in Central Europe, whereas it is even tougher to be poor here than in underdeveloped regions of Central Europe.

The average level of public safety (especially during the night) is lower than in the worst districts of Budapest: there are ways to stay out of trouble – Saint Louis University offers complimentary transfers in the vicinity of the campuses, Uber is always there and the risk is greatly reduced by avoiding notoriously bad neighborhoods.

Every city can grow on you and turn out to be your home for one reason or another. Saint Louis is already there for me for this one year: it has everything an American mid-size university city has to offer to entertain, feed and lodge one well!

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HMEP 10th Anniversary Reception

The Hungary-Missouri Educational Partnership celebrated its 10th anniversary at a reception which was graciously hosted by the United States Ambassador to Hungary, the Honorable Colleen Bell at the US Ambassador’s Residence on October 20. Over 60 attendees enjoyed an evening of food and drink along with the opportunity to network with supporters of the HMEP, our board, alumni and representatives of HMEP’s participating universities.

Sponsorship and support for the celebration was graciously provided by: AmCham Hungary Centene Corporation Emerson Corporation Hungarian American Coalition Saint Louis University University of Missouri-St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis Webster University Ambassador George H. Walker J. Joe Adorjan, Honorary Consul General of Hungary

Through the ongoing support of these organizations and individuals, and all of our supporters, the HMEP has been able to offer young deserving individuals full scholarships, study and abroad programs.

During our annual visit to Budapest, the HMEP conducted interviews for its 2017 scholarship program. Twenty-five applicants were interviewed and with enrollment next year, the program will have awarded 32 full MBA scholarships.

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How to buy a used car in the US

Upon our arrival to St. Louis, Missouri, I and my husband quickly decided to purchase a car. The area where we are living is delightful: huge trees and rejuvenating parks, little squirrels running in the grass, two-story century homes with the great American flag. All around seems like a scene from Desperate Housewives on steroid. Not kidding.

As a drawback, it is quite distant from everywhere, so to actually see something of St. Louis, or – basically – to do any kind of everyday activity, you would need a car.

We knew of course that having a car in the USA has a little different meaning than in Europe. A car here is your guarantee that you can get the most out of life, either your aim is to travel and visit great places or simply go for a big grocery purchase without asking a lift from a friend. We want both, hence we need a car.

You would assume that buying a car is a rather straightforward, almost dull process - go and check it than just simply purchase one. Well, maybe this is true if you are local, but doing this fuss as a newcomer gives the process a special edge.

Purchasing a car took us a month (and we set a rather hard pace to follow). Instead of being a mundane duty - as we initially expected -, buying a vehicle turned out to be our most interesting introductory course to the American society - and owning one seems to be our baptizement to this greatly motorized continent.

1. Administration phase

The full process starts with getting a piece of paper in front of you (the bigger the better) and draw a flow chart of the zillion steps you would have to make to end up with a car. One of the first obstacles to getting through is doing your driving license. Yes, sir, it doesn’t matter that you have driven thousands of miles with a (what you understand normal) manual transmission car in Europe, insurance companies will punish you for not having an American driving license. So you need to get one before you start the actual buying process. And here is the funny part: you cannot have your driving license done without - guess what - a car. So you borrow a car - the first of the many occasions you will need to do so - and go to the DMV office. While waiting to perform at the driving exam, I watched the allegedly 15-16-year-olds performing theirs - the legal age in the States for obtaining a driving license. One of the candidates was such a small, fragile-looking girl trying to park with a huge SUV that I've kept wondering if she is tall enough to reach the break with her leg. The exam takes approximately ten minutes, with one simple parking task at the end. Let's put it diplomatically - you don't have to be a Michael Schumacher to pass.

2. The online research

So, once all this is done, you can actually start looking at cars. Hurray! There are a couple of things you realize while spending hours and hours sitting in front of your laptop, searching for ads. FIRST FOR SOME STRANGE REASON THERE ARE CAPITAL LETTERS AND NO PUNCTUATION WHATSOEVER IN SOME ADS MAKING IT ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT TO SENSE THE INFORMATION PROPERLY Additionally, in most cases, there is not much information provided, and hence you are calling almost all the promising candidates to provide you with more detailed description of the car. During these calls, you grasp that you quickly need to expand your related vocabulary - as you try to process information about 'timing belts', 'driving belt' (what the hell is the difference?), 'pistons', and 'cylinders' - just to name a few. Sometimes the Hungarian translation didn't help much either about the parts and their responsibility on keeping the car moving. All this in various local accents – some of which you struggle to understand over a phone -  just to make things easier. Sometimes you call private people, but mostly the answering voice on the other end turn out to be a dealer. Some of them have funny names - like one guy who insisted on being addressed as 'Captain Kirk' (obviously having a Star Trek-overdose). Talking to them is sometimes like listening to a podcast - they didn't stop speaking about possible warranties, and other great cars they have, and how they are the best to buy from, and how this is going to be the greatest purchase of your life, and yes the former owner was a single, non-smoking mother, who has only driven "her" (meaning the car), when she took the children to church on Sundays. Yep, just like every other former car-owner - young males tend to get around with bicycles in that narrative... Finally, you narrow down the huge supply to a list of few - the ones you actually would like to see.  At that point, you absorb that without a car, you have no means to buy another one - there is no way you can keep up with the costs if you travel to each potential beauty with, let's say, Uber. The city is expanded, with numerous and widespread outskirts, where most dealerships are located - you have to bridge great distances to see the cars. So you go and ask to borrow a car again - based on our experience, I would suggest you ask for at least a couple of days.

3. Checking the chosen cars

Unlike in Europe, most cars in the USA comes with automatic transmission. I remember when we first tried such a car and realized that we don't know what to do with an automatic transmission. We were sitting in the car, ready to drive it and feverishly googling how exactly you have to use it - and I am sure that looking at us from the outside, the owners wondered what were we looking at so hard. (Ever run into this situation, just say you checked Carfax, makes bargaining easier.) On the way, we've met families, dealers, and mechanics, a lot of people with different age and background. Almost everyone asked where are we from and what are we up to here in St. Louis. I remember someone particularly, a nice guy in outer St. Louis, who got really excited about our Hungarian citizenship. It turned out, the family of his mother arrived from Budapest in the 1870's. We were standing next to the car to which we wanted to take a closer look, but didn't talk much about it. (It wasn't a good deal anyway.) Instead, we shared family stories with each other. It was an incredible moment. Finally, we found what we were looking for. I felt fabulous when we borrowed a screwdriver to fix our official Missouri plates into place - let's show off with our Show Me number plate. All in all, I feel we gained more than a good car - we gained the capacity and confidence of being fully part of the local community. We passed the initiation game, got hold of some great memories. We are ready for you, America.

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Where to go out in St. Louis? Part II.

After a year or so here, it turns out that there are so many amazing places in St. Louis that it deserves a second blog post. Yay. I told you, right?

Coffee

Kaldi’s Coffee

Located on the beautiful DeMun Avenue in Clayton and at Station Plaza in Kirkwood, Kaldi’s Coffee is one of the best local coffee shops. It is a perfect spot for studying if you are fed up with the library (however, Webster Library also has a little Kaldi’s if you have withdrawal symptoms).

Rise Coffee House

If you like TELEP in Budapest, you will be a fan of this place, located in The Grove in Midtown near the SLU Campus. Very good specialty coffee, delicious pastries with a kind of the hipster family atmosphere and a calm upper floor for studying.

Blueprint Coffee

Another specialty coffee shop where you can have espresso, dripped coffee, French press, ice brewed coffee, if you ask for an Americano, and it’s only your fault!  Located in the University City Loop, it’s perfect for Wash U students.

Webster Garden Coffee

Please try their Nutella Latte ­ it is incredible! I got addicted to this drink during the year.... I know, shameful!  The staff (all students from Webster) are super kind.  Perfect place to go to if you are having a bad day and you’ll forget it in a minute!

Music

Handle Bar

Right across the street from Atomic Cowboy, Handle Bar is a popular party place with an outside patio, live DJs and visuals.

Mandarin Lounge

To be honest, this is not my kind of place, but their rooftop is the place if you are into dance music, short dresses, high heels and perfectly muscled men.

Culture

Contemporary Art Museum

If I have to name one favorite place in this city, the CAM would be it! Okay, I am a contemporary arts fan, avid museum visitor, and I love concrete architecture, but if you hesitate, just ask all the other MBA students I have convinced to keep me company, and they will confirm my statement. They rotate their exhibitions quite often, organize openings, lectures and First Fridays with the neighboring institutions (like the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts or the Bruno David Gallery), and the best part: it is free!

St Louis Art Museum

This is a must to visit in St Louis, almost as must as I shouldn’t put it on the list. However, I wanted to tell you in advance: their collection is a­m­a­z­i­n­g! Please, don’t miss it, and say “hi” to the large Louise Bourgeois installation from my part when you are there!

Fox Theatre

I hate musicals, period. So when my schoolmates bought me tickets for Mamma Mia, I was not enthusiastic. A couple of hours later, I was singing Dancing Queen in the back row. This theatre is simply excellent with professional productions straight from Broadway and London. So set aside your prejudgments and go!  PS: They offer discount tickets for students one hour before the shows!

Peabody Opera

It is hard to recommend a place that doesn’t have a regular season, so the only thing I can say is that you should regularly check their website. We had the chance to go to a Broadway show there, and who knows many more interesting events they have to offer.

Stl Symphony

Another must on the list. Located one block from the SLU Campus in Powell Hall, the Symphony offers diverse concerts like Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions or E.T. the Extra- Terrestrial along with Dvorak and Mahler.

Style

Plaza Frontenac

This is the poshest of the posh St. Louis malls. There you will find the all-important luxury brands in Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus along with J Crew, Madewell and Kit & Ace, and other cool brands that are more affordable.

Anthropology

Although Anthropology is a chain, they have a very nicely curated store in the Galleria Mall with the best magazines (Kinfolk, Gentlewoman, etc.), books, clothes, home accessories.

K Hall Designs

I had a hard time to finding Christmas gifts made in St Louis for my friends until I discovered K Hall Designs. Their locally handcrafted soaps and other related products saved my life. Plus, the store is super stylish.

Union Studio

I have to confess, I haven’t been to Union Studio. But it is on my “to do list”, because they sell a thoughtful, classic collection of handcrafted goods and fine art all made in St Louis.

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Through HMEP Asia is within your reach!

As part of my studies at Saint Louis University, I had the chance to spend New Year’s Eve of 2015 in Hong Kong.  I know:  it sounds pretty cool and it was!  Every student of the One - Year Full­ Time MBA at SLU is required to do a Study Abroad marketing project in Hong Kong.

The class was 12 days long ­­ the 2016 class met in Hong Kong December 28 thru January 8, leaving two weeks before the new semester began (you will see why this is important.)  

Our class met in the morning and we were free every afternoon to explore and experience Hong Kong.  The class project required us to evaluate a brand’s global image. There were also speakers and events that introduced us to the Asian way of doing business. And the best part:  it’s free....well, the cost of the course is included in the tuition and SLU provides a $2000 credit for organizing your own trip(s). Trip plural is there for a reason:  since a round trip airline ticket costs less than $2000, students can use the extra money to take side trips before or after Hong Kong. I had the pleasure to travel to Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Cambodia for almost 6 weeks, mostly on SLU’s credit.  Asia is huge and I only caught a glimpse of its beauty, culture and people.   

I feel really lucky and thankful for HMEP for giving me the chance to earn not only an American MBA, but also travel around the world and become a true global citizen. 

Don’t miss this chance!

Adam

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Where to go out in St. Louis? Part I.

So Americans eat unhealthy junk food, drink coffee that Europeans would call colored water, and have bad taste in clothing.  We all know this.   But after having experienced the best handmade organic dripped coffee with soy milk in the U.S., fashion week in St. Louis and eaten amazing food, I don’t believe in those generalizations anymore!   So here are my tips for places to go in St Louis to experience real America!

Food

Pi Pizzeria

This is the very first place I ate in St. Louis after my arrival. When I tasted the first piece of my Chicago style pizza on Pi’s outside terrace in that late evening breeze in August, I knew everything was going to be okay!  By the way, Pi Pizza was started by a SLU graduate.  It’s U.S. President Barack Obama’s favorite pizza.

Mission Taco Joint

I thought I didn’t like tacos until I went to Mission Taco in St. Louis.  I devoured their perfect tacos with crazy fillings like kale, goat cheese and fried fish. Honestly, the tacos are among the best foods I’ve ever eaten in my life!

Boardwalk Cafe

This is not a fancy­schmancy restaurant, but you should experience typical American brunch food and this is the place for it.  It is cheap, good quality, and the portions are big.  And when I say big, think about taking leftovers home for several meals.

Sweetie Pie’s

Imagine a restaurant straight out of the movie Pulp Fiction, in a neighborhood undergoing gentrification, with tasty soul food from the South:  fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy. It’s a casual atmosphere with cafeteria­ style self­-service. You would probably stick out like a sore thumb, but the experience worths it.

Five Guys

OK, so if you are in America, you kind of have to eat some junk food, right? Well, for me Five Guys is the king of the junk food, their hamburger is ­ unfortunately ­ quite perfect, and you can add as much veggies as you wish to convince yourself it wasn’t totally unhealthy.

Drinks

Brennan’s

Volunteering at St. Louis Design Week was also useful to discover the hippest places in town. Brennan’s hosted the closing party of the Design Week. Besides their incredible cocktails, they have their own co­-working space and cigar room!

Olio

This restaurant bar is located in a former gas station, has a cozy patio with ambient lights, amazing drinks and food. It’s a perfect meeting spot before going dancing in The Grove, a neighborhood filled with restaurants, clubs and bars.

Taste

This is another fantastic cocktail bar in the Central West End. Their Yelp review goes up to 4.5, which is rare!  The CWE is gentrified city neighborhood filled with restaurants and bars in the midst of renovated historic houses and apartments, specialty shops and book stores.

Urban Chestnut

Urban Chestnut is one of St Louis’ own craft beer. I am not a beer person, but a German guy took me here, so I knew the beer would be good!  And the interior design is five star.

Sasha’s Wine Bar

If you are a wine person, you will dig this place. They have two locations and sometimes they also host live music performances!

Sweets

Ted Drewes

Ted Drewes is a famous local old-fashioned ice creamery that serves amazing frozen custard, founded in 1930 close to the famous Route 66. They serve sundaes, shakes and concretes with every and any flavor combinations. A must.

Clementine’s Creamery

This is a naughty ice cream place. Yes, you read it correctly! They have a wide variety of handcrafted alcoholic ice creams with the craziest flavors possible ­ think about cheese, whiskey or their signature kickass chocolate, all located in a Parisian style little boutique close to Lafayette Square southwest of Downtown St. Louis.

Bailey's Chocolate Bar

In the same neighborhood, you will find Bailey's Chocolate Bar.  This place serves everything chocolaty. If you don’t like chocolate, don’t come here, but if you do, you will find yourself in heaven.

Strange Donuts

Honestly, a donut place that was featured in Fast Company is something. The article states Strange Donuts is about as punk rock as pastries get with their bacon, pho jelly and spaghetti donuts. And the owners are also social entrepreneurs raising money for different purposes. That is just too cool to be true!

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