“When you travel overseas, the locals see you as a foreigner, and when you return, you see the locals as foreigners.”
― Robert Black
I remember an incident which took place during my Hungarian language class when my professor suddenly told us that people from the countryside in Hungary prefer to eat meat with meat . Does it sound strange to you ? Yes it might be to many of us who prefer to have meat with rice , breads , chapati or people who are vegetarian or vegan . This is a small incident which is enough to explain what cultural shock is defined as ! As originally an Indian and expat in Hungary , it has been little shocking to see many cultural differences . To start with , there is nothing better than The FOOD !There are lot of famous Hungarian cuisines famously known as Gulyás (goulash) – The national dish, Lángos – A traditional favorite, Somlói Galuska – A famous dessert. , Halászlé – The fisherman's soup, Paprikás Csirke (Chicken Paprikash) – Chicken in sour cream, Kürtőskalács – A sweet bread, Túrós Csusza – The popular cheese meal. And Töltött Kaposzta – An authentic stuffed cabbage. Many locals prefer sparkling water over plain water which is uncommon in many countries . The little Hungary is home to some amazing wines like Tokaj, Egri Bikaver, Cabernet Franc, Juhfark, Kékfrankos which are sold at very inexpensive price which use to be a cultural shock for many people coming from countries which import the most expensive wines . There are more than twenty types of breads in supermarkets which most people from Asian continent might find new to them . To my surprise , Hungary offers amazing range of vegetables , fruits and pulses. Chocolates are something that can really put you spellbound ! You name it and Hungary has it ranging from Vodka to Rum to Palinka filling in dark chocolate ! Budapest welcomes foreigners with open arms holding restaurants and cafes serving almost every cuisine famous worldwide . Locals in the countryside like to produce the local drink named Palinka which is shockingly considered to work as medicine and carries 40 to 70% alcohol . Street music and Opera come to little surprise to lot of foreign tourists who absolutely love them . One can’t miss music anywhere in Budapest . One fine day , hang drums can be heard on metro or tram stations and some other day ,one can attend the amazing Opera night . This seems very uncommon to I am sure lakhs of tourists . Hungarian culture can be considered as the one similar to western societies . Kissing or making out in public is very common which comes as a surprise to lot of African and Asian visitors who can be seen starring the couples with their shocking eyeballs . Hungary is a country which love to spread love ! In lot of countries , it seems awkward to couples to hold hands in public so a kiss can really be little too much for them . But this country has the vibe which can really mold people and get them romantic in a moment.