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Life as an International Student at the University of Pécs: Perspective of a 22-year old Filipino

It has been more than a year since I have been given the opportunity to move about 9,900 km away from my hometown in the Philippines to pursue my studies in Hungary, and everything still feels surreal.

Starting a new chapter of life in a different country, with an entirely different culture, environment, and language is challenging – there’s no question about that. I have found myself struggling and mostly overwhelmed during the first two months in Pécs, especially, unlike other nationalities, the Filipino community here, is not big. Therefore, I did not have much people to ask for guidance and help on what to do and where to go; I had to mostly figure out to get by on my own – which molded me into who I am in the present.

Life as an international student, contrary to what we see on films, such as a student travelling to many places, always having the time of his life, is not always fun-and-rainbows, for there is so much more to it. One day, I would wake up with an excited feeling of going to the university, discovering new places, doing new things, and interacting with people, but the next day, I wake up feeling like I need to wrap myself up in a blanket to feel the warmth of home again – there’s no in-between. The truth is, no matter how much you think you have prepared for in this journey, things may or may not go as what you have expected.

Despite the fear-that-never-goes-away of living alone in a foreign country, I would never change anything. In fact, I am grateful that I took this leap of faith.

In the past year, the most important thing that I have learned is that respect is the key to survival. In a multiculturally-diverse community, you have to be open and understanding of the differences, in culture, religion, beliefs, or languages, that you might have with other people–what is acceptable for one may not be to the other; what one may think is weird, may just be a common thing for the other. It must be emphasized that the application of the golden rule of treating others how you would want to be treated, is very important in this setting.

In terms of my personal life, I have seen how much I have grown over a year: from handling my own finances that go to my needs and wants, and managing my time wisely in-and-out of the university. I have learned to not burn myself over pressure – by having time for university, for society, and for myself. There are days when my mind is occupied with the things I have to accomplish, or I am simply just low on energy. At times, back-to-back homework, or piled-up examinations, can be exhausting, which is completely normal. Therefore, it should be known that taking small breaks can bring back focus making us more productive in the long run. It is never prohibited to take breaks or have fun – it’s just at the end of the day, we must know what our priorities are.

I have learned to overcome my fear of engaging with the locals, by learning and practicing the basics of the Hungarian language, despite the possibility of making mistakes. Hungarians, themselves, know how complicated the language could be, so they appreciate it if you try – a simple, „Jó napot kívánók!” can go a long way. There's this satisfaction when you see them smile because they understood what you're saying, and because they know that you are trying. I had this experience of coming across an old woman during a hike and she spoke to me in Hungarian, asking how old I am and where I am from. It took some time to understand each other, but in the end, we connected, and that made me happy. From time-to-time, I come across her, and she never fails to greet me and ask me how I am doing. Slowly, I have learned to embrace the new surrounding I am in. Stepping out of my comfort zones may made me feel like a fish out of water at first, but I turned this challenging feeling into an opportunity to discover new places, traditions, food, and people.

My personal and professional network have also expanded more by having more engagement with people that share the same vision as I do. These people helped me realize that I am not the only one who could be struggling, and I should not be afraid to ask for help. These people became my emotional and mental support. Moreover, opportunities to enhance my technical skills have been presented to me by the university. In fact, I was able to participate on two training programs conducted in Italy and Poland, which were both funded, and most importantly, had let me expand my existing knowledge and skills by collaborating with experts in my field of study.

I would by lying if I say that being an international student is not difficult – there will be constant ups-and-downs. It all depends on you – on how you find the joy in the smallest of things. One thing is for sure, if you find the right company, and motivation for your goals, it gets better, slowly but surely.

Here’s a little reminder: If you feel like giving up, don’t. Instead, remind yourself why you started this journey in the first place – what and who are you I doing it for. All hard work bears fruit in the end.

[oncelostbut-found]

I have been physically, mentally, and emotionally drained in the past weeks... finally, had the time to breathe, put the chaos inside me into rest, and awaken my inner peace.

Snow wouldn't accumulate downtown so I took the matter into my own hands and went up the mountain instead.  Clearly, this all happened out of impulse so I didn't have time for warm-ups. I just knew I signed up for muscle pain—no regrets, though. 

Tettye - Balázs-pihenő - Mecseki kisvasut -  Flóra pihenő - Misina - Kis Tubes Kilató - János Kilató

[oncelostbut-found]

A Blank Slate

It is almost 7 months since I've moved to Hungary to pursue my studies.

Everything still feels unreal.

Everything is just different—complete opposite of what I am used to, I would say. The culture, the food, the language, the infrastructures, the transportation systems, the attitude, and the people themselves.

Before coming to Hungary, I told myself countless of times, "Never compare it to your country. Never look for this or that. Expect that you will be treated differently so extend your patience and understanding. Respect and treat them good, no matter what. Do not depend on your fellow Filipinos once you get there. You have to be strong. You need to get out of your comfort zone. Expand your network. It will be challenging, but you have to do it in order to grow."

Moreover, the fact that studying abroad means that you will have to look after yourself, makes it even harder. When I was in the Philippines, I would wake up to a cooked meal, laundered and ironed uniforms—everything is already prepared to my advantage. No matter how late I get home from school, there will be my family, relatives, and a meal waiting for me at home. Today, I have to wake up by myself, cook food, do my laundry, do my grocery shopping, manage my allowances, and discipline myself to study from time to time. I have to take action because one's going to do it for me–that's the sad truth. Every time I get sad, I just remind myself who and what I am doing it for, and why I started in the first place.

I am also learning the Hungarian language. And yes, it is difficult. It really comes in handy when engaging with the locals. There's this satisfaction when you get to see them smile because they understood what you're saying, and because they know that you are trying. To be fair, they themselves know how complicated their language is, so they really appreciate it when you try. I had this experience of coming across an old Hungarian woman during our hike and she spoke to us in their language, and I never felt so thankful for being attentive in my class because I was able to understand her, and answer her questions. Oh, that smile of hers... it's motivating.

What I like most in Hungary is their transportation system. It is efficient. Buses arrive on time, but rarely, could be late for a few minutes, considering the traffic situation in the city. In Pécs, for roughly PHP 650, you have unlimited bus rides for the entire month. If you want to go to other villages, you can take the inter-city buses (roughly, PHP 25 to 150 or more, depending on how far it is) or trains. Also, if you have a student card (or a temporary one), you are entitled to a 50% discount in transport fares. Nice, right? The motorists are also disciplined—pedestrian comes first.

There are people saying that I am living the "best" life because I am here. I think otherwise. It's not as easy as you think. I had to sacrifice a lot of things in order to get here. Please, just spread kindness and positivity because the world is already a mess as it is.

All in all, I would say that living in another country alone is difficult and it gets overwhelming from time to time. There are moments where I just feel mentally and emotionally exhausted. Good thing that I have fellow Filipinos here in Pécs. Not a lot, but I know I can always count on them. Also, despite how hard it is to make friends, I am starting to find people that can help me get through life here. It's wonderful.

I miss home.

[oncelostbut-found]

"Your body's a temple," its more like the abandoned 19th century chateau that is home to the morally grey villain

[oncelostbut-found]

In my class we have a worm day. If they promise to be gentle and not tug, they can hold one of those beautiful squiggly caretakers of dirt. The wonder they have for it is so real - and I say, did you know they have 5 hearts and love you with all of them. Then I say, “are you holding a boy worm or a girl worm” and they guess. They are all right, and they are all wrong, because worms are both. And I say that. I say, “they are just like people; sometimes not a boy or a girl but something in between, or sometimes they’re both on different days. And they still love you with all 5 hearts.” “Cool,” says one kid. “I don’t want to be a boy, I want to be a girl sometimes.” And I say okay. Children are taught fear. They are taught that the worms are gross. It isn’t until they’re a few years older than my class - up in 3rd or 4th grade - that they start shrieking at my little worm friends. They won’t play the silly games or sing the silly songs or even promise not to tug. A fourth grader hears my lesson about gender and says, “That’s so weird,” and suddenly I hear from the mouths of these beautiful children, “Yeah,” “this is weird,” “No, mine is a girl.” It is not the 4th grader I blame. It is the person in her life that saw something beautiful and ruined it for her. It is the “put that down, it’s gross,” “you don’t want to get dirty” “there’s us and there’s them.” I want to show her - without the humble little blind noses of worms, we are nothing. We need them. Did you know if they grow a belt they’re over a year old! Spent tunnelling through the secrets of roots. I want to show her: it’s okay if tomorrow you feel like a boy or maybe something neither, something different that is entirely you. But fear, once discovered, is not an easy stain to get out. We say, “What will we tell the children” and forget - the children already heard. They heard you snickering about the person down the street. They saw you talking to your friend about “those people”. And they internalize it, burrow it into them. We don’t tell the children, we model hatred until the children can’t hear you, can’t hear you declare, “do as I say, not as I do.” Later the 4th grader goes home. “Ugh,” her mother says with a shudder, seeing my box, “I hate worms.”

[oncelostbut-found]

"The path is beautiful and crooked just as it should be," sabi ni Jorely na ilang beses na naligaw sa building. 🤣 #hungary #europe #pécsitudományegyetem #pécs #internationalstudentlife (at PTE Természettudományi Kar) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTjtcihIapY/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oncelostbut-found]

I like my shadow. It reminds me that I exist. #hungary #pécs #europe #internationalstudentlife (at Ifjúság Útja) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTcGAYZogvR/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oncelostbut-found]

10 months ago, I was only dreaming of studying abroad to explore different cultures, see the world in different ways, expand my knowledge and to put my abilities to work for the greater good.. Now, I can finally say that I have turned that big dream into reality. When I was younger, I always spoke of hesitance to pursue an opportunity because of social anxiety. I cannot even remember how many times have I asked myself whether I am capable or not. Now that I am here, I will make sure to put my best foot foward at all times to prove that I really am worthy of this awesome opportunity. It's a long event. This is only the beginning. #hungary #pécs #internationalstudentlife #filipinoscholar #pécsitudományegyetem (at PTE Természettudományi Kar) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNIyQCoFaTHojp_9lpT8PjUQZ22FPbCzv0QIY0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oncelostbut-found]

The Pécs Little Train, which departs midway along the western side of Széchenyi tér, is a convenient method to explore the city's sights. #europe #hungary #pécs (at Pécs) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTJzkSiIcjepo1hIcZfaX-sFYENWKvnR_6cyZs0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[oncelostbut-found]

Everyone and everything in the world is connected as part of a larger whole.

Nobody lives or exists alone, and we are all part of something greater. Each individual person is like a part of the mainland or a piece of a bigger continent, rather than an island nation that is self-sufficient and cut off from the rest.

We are stronger remaining together. Humans are fundamentally social. Social activities require coordination.

We like to spend time together, to share opinions, laughter, experiences and knowledge, to work together, to take part in social and professional networks.

In all aspects of life, other persons play significant roles. They influence how we retell our past and how we plan our future. They shape what we do and why we do it. They co-create our worldview and help us find our role in it. All in all, other persons are important in shaping our understanding of who we are. 

[oncelostbut-found]

Failure is Not Defeat

Life is never, always a comedy. At times, it is tragedy.

Life is experienced as a constant, never-ending shift between successes and failures—sometimes occurring within moments of one another. To be human is to fail. We know this to be true from personal experience.

So today, I’m here to remind you, and myself that failure in life is not only inevitable but also necessary.

In today’s world, we are constantly preoccupied with what others think about us. For some inexplicable reason, we want everyone to think we’re successful and thriving. We fear that if we fail, we’ll be perceived as a good-for-nothing. But everyone fails in life.

Failing opens up new doors. While we often think of failing as the end of the world, it’s actually a redirection. I know it’s hard to believe, but you have to understand that every time something doesn’t work out, it’s because something way better is on the way. All we have to do is work hard, be patient, and trust the process.

It makes you stronger. Although failure knocks you down on your feet, it also forces you to get back up and continue fighting. It forces you to get out of your comfort zone and try things you wouldn’t have otherwise thought of trying. In other words, failure forces you to grow. So every time you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom, remember that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

[oncelostbut-found]

A Letter to Myself, On My 21st Birthday

Dear self,  Happy birthday! You another year older and hopefully... wiser. You’ve been through so much pain in the past two decades of your life. Through it all, you stood firm. Thank you for not giving up on yourself, and for continuously betting on yourself through each difficulty life has brought you.  Over the last year, you have changed the way you talk to yourself, the way you view yourself, and most importantly, you have changed where you invested your energy.  Thank you for not letting fear stop and keep you from walking in your purpose and fulfilling your dreams. Thank you for finally valuing yourself. Thank you for not settling for the bare minimum.  Who knew you had so much untapped potential?  You are resilient, persistent, ambitious, smart, strong, and most of all, capable of turning your dreams into reality. That being said, embrace yourself, step out of your comfort zone, read more, study more, experiment more, travel more, question things more, live more, and... just be more.  Twenty one years ago, your mother birthed to an awesome person that made, and still is making the world a better place. Self, look forward to facing the challenges of adulthood cheerfully. Again, happy birthday. 

[oncelostbut-found]

The Power Within

Being strong and showing a smile on the face despite the struggles along the way are some of the biggest challenges in one’s life. Choosing not to give up even when one feels losing is commendable. When life seems to reach its lowest peak, taking a rest and choosing to continue the race is always best decision to be done.

Just like the semicolon, the punctuation mark that a writer uses to represent a sentence that he could have ended in the first place but chose not to, and continue. With a period, it tells us that it is what is, but with a semicolon, we can get a pleasant little feeling of expectancy and hope – that there is something more in life to come and that when we continue, everything will get clearer and every question will be answered.

Uncertainty is the only certainty there is. Life is dynamic. Change is inevitable, and the sooner we acknowledge this fact, the better it would be. We must always focus on the present moment, living it the best, learning from the most we can, and taking advantage of the new opportunities that come our ways, instead of thinking about what we lost, or dwelling on how bad the situation is.

We cannot run from the fact that life is full of infinite problems and that it is infused with pains and sufferings. But we must keep in mind that these problems are bound to make us stronger and braver than ever before.

  We may be tripped once or twice along the journey, but we must not let these things hinder us in moving forward, at most, it is just a slip, not an entire fall; we can get up once again and continue to be a warrior in life’s unending war – just like the saying, “The bravest thing I have ever done in my life is to continue living when I wanted to stop.”

[oncelostbut-found]

Extending a Hand and Looking Beyond

The start of the enhanced community quarantine in the Philippines signaled the start of the pandemic's catastrophic impact.

It’s making not only our country, but the whole world bleed. It is spreading like wildfire.

The voice of the hungry, the poor, and the powerless became louder than the voice of those afraid of the disease.

There is this panic, and it's like our lives have been reprogrammed.

In the midst of this chaos, I've realized the weight of humanity, the consequences of our actions, and how we're all interconnected.

Donations poured in from locals, indicating a strong civil society response to the pandemic. I believe the public refers to it as a community pantry.

A community pantry is a service that provides food directly to citizens who are vulnerable to food insecurity. It is based on trust and encourage donors to give what they can and recipients to take only what they need.

These bursts of charity indicating the people’s willingness to share and give up a part of what is theirs, time-wise and property-wise restored my faith in humanity.

[oncelostbut-found]

Adapting...

Ooooops, composing and publishing this blog kind of late. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, I say. I was exhausted, okay? My body was a complete mess and it made me stay up late because of the pain, I had to take a painkiller. My back pains and leg cramps are the worst. I feel like a 90-year old person.

I had two examinations in my two enrolled courses this modular group: Science, Technology and Society and Geotechnical Engineering. Oh, goodness, don’t get me started. Those quizzes freaking gave me a headache. Ever had this experience wherein during a lecture, everything is easy, but yup, always the calm before the storm, indeed, but when it’s time for the examinations, everything is hellish. I managed to get above average scores for both quizzes but I swear, I really had a hard time. 

After going through hell for 6 hours, I decided to watch Big Bang Theory on Netflix. After at least 2 hours, I decided to cover another lesson in Hungarian Language. Time went by so fast. I think I studied for 2 and a half hours then took a test for 30 minutes. I got 15/15 this time, hooray! Progressing... 

Here are some of the learning materials that I use. 

That’s it for today. Ciao!

[oncelostbut-found]

How do you react to the unexpected and the unforeseen?

“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is.” - John Allen Paulos

While some may crumble under the pressure of the unfamiliar, others will thrive and find ways to overcome adversity. Dealing with the unexpected in life? Yes, you can definitely practice and get better at it.

Life is dynamic. Change is part of life, and the sooner you acknowledge this fact, the better it would be. 

Always focus on the present moment, living it the best, learning from the most you can, and taking advantage of the new opportunities that come your way, instead of thinking about what you lost, or dwelling on how bad the situation is.

Since surprises, changes, and unexpected events are normal part of life, it would be most useful if you train yourself and develop skills that would be of great help in facing unexpected situations. 

Build a solid foundation of inner strength. A state of inner strength brings stability, and a better control of your mind and actions, so that you can cope with any situation. This you can do by training and strengthening your willpower and self-discipline. If you are calm, possessing inner peace and strength, external events lose their power over you. You stop getting agitated and losing your composure. 

While an unexpected event can give you the opportunity to prove how dependable you are in an unexpected situation, this doesn’t mean you need to cope by yourself. In fact, if your ignore the people around you, and the knowledge and skills they have, you could just be making life harder for yourself. Seek help when it makes sense and ask for a second opinion if you are unsure about something.

Remember, asking someone for help will never be wrong.

No matter how well you try to prepare for what life throws your way, a curve ball will always come your way and the initial reaction can include perplexity, anger, disappointment, and sadness. Whether the emotion is nice or not-so-nice depends on the you. 

Okaaaaaay, moving on. I had quite a normal day. It’s a day where I just don’t get everything. My back did ache a lot. I slept for 3 hours in the afternoon. Caffeine did not work. There’s really nothing worth noting for the day, it’s boring, as usual, that’s why I decided to write instead about a certain topic. This question has been bugging me off for weeks now, uuuuh - the anxieties, so I thought about it and I came up with this. 

That should be it for today. Ciao!

[oncelostbut-found]

headcanon that annabeth didn’t know Gabe was dead until she went over to Percy’s house and was like “hey where’s your stepdad?” and he was like ?? i don’t have one

and she was like “the one you hate. i think his name is Gabe.” and he’s like, “oh. i forgot to tell you that Medusa’s head got sent back to me.”

and she was like “what does that have to do with- oh.”

and they never bring him up again