So today (Yesterday by the time I post this)is the last time I will be in Budapest in a very very long time, perhaps forever. I decided that a farewell blog is in order, so here is goes.
I never in my life I thought I would move to somewhere like Budapest. In fact I didn't even know where Budapest was on a map. All I knew coming out here is that I wanted to travel the world, and this was how I was going to accomplish it! When I arrived it was very different from home. I didn't know the language, I didn't have a car, phone, internet, friends, or basically anything. We decided to live with another couple in a small two bedroom apartment. Everything seemed like it would be a disaster but it was such a good exercise in stretching yourself!
Although I am going to enjoy having a phone, and the internet and everything else back, I am going to miss many things around Budapest. The Chain Bridge, Passing St. Istvan's Basilica everyday walking home, Aquaworld, city park, flea markets, Christmas market, chimney bread, trying new foods and restaurants, and all the exercise I get just by walking everywhere. More than anything else though I am truly going to miss the people here in Budapest.
Okay not all of them, mainly our international branch! We have made so many friends here in such a short time! I have never had the chance to meet such wonderful, down to earth, giving people in my life. So here is a small tribute to them!
The Salters. I don't have any new pictures, but I am going to miss playing with Scarlett and Lila all the time! They are such good little girls, and too cute as well! I am also going to miss having dinners over at the Salter's, topped off with games! Jared and Kelli were always more than willing to give travel advice (trust me we needed it!) and help us with anything we needed!
The Chapman's. This is our Branch President, Brandon Chapman. He is a strapping young buck who works for the foreign service. When we first arrived his wife had just had a baby and was stateside waiting for paperwork to go through. Brandon wasted no time in taking us under his wing. He took us to great places like Vapiano's, introduced us to Chimney bread and basically told us what was great about this city. He is really laid back and cool!
After about half our time, Monique (his wife) and kids finally made it home! Haley (7), Melia (5), Dylan (3), and Logan (4 months).
This is such an awesome family. They are such good parents! I really hope I am half as reasonable, calm and collected as they are! In fact, I would never guess Monique or Brandon has four kids because they are still into having friends over and being active. I can not express how charitable and giving they are. They truly make their home open, welcoming and a second home to all those who visit. Monique and Brandon are such a good example of living the gospel in their home. It made me excited to have a big family of my own to get to share the similar experiences they have. They are a great model of living, sharing, serving and spreading the gospel no matter what they are doing! They accomplish all of this in such a modest way I can only admire how humble they seem to be about it!
I love their kids as well. Logan has single-handedly made me believe I could handle a baby. Monique and Brandon were so nice to let me spend almost every second cuddling him! Brent also fell in love with him and got him really excited about becoming a dad (One day NOT SOON)!
Last (but Certainly NOT LEAST!) Arvid and Kelly. I would say that these two people are my parents away from home (because they are the same age as my parents) but they seem way to young to be considered parents! I know they have 5 kids who are all moved out but I loved hanging out with these two! They are so interesting and genuine. I guess I am used to being treated younger but not here! I always felt like I was just one of the gang. I am so appreciative of how much these two were willing to give and sacrifice! They put us up for a weekend when we no longer had our apartment, they were willing to invite us over and feed us dinner, Kelly taught me piano ( I learned more in one hour than my whole life!), letting me run wild with their apple tv, Arvid allowed me to talk his ear off about being a doctor, and although we have only known each other a short amount of time, he has been truly supportive of my ambition to join the medical field! Kelly is so easy to talk to about anything! I don't think I have gotten such great insights about important topics in such a short amount of time.
These two people are very very special and anyone who gets the chance to meet them really should feel very privileged!
All of these people understand what it is like to have people constantly moving in and out of their lives. Monique said she has learned to make fast friends with people because they usually leave quickly! I feel like I have been given the chance to meet so many outstanding people here. I will miss the city a lot, but I will miss the people the most! I told Brent that I have never felt more welcomed, or connected to any branch or ward in my life and so I am really going to miss everything about these people.
I know I will never be able to repay everything these people did for us. The love and support Brent and I received from them was really meaningful to us. I feel like everyone understood what it meant to be in a far away place and took it as a challenge to make it difficult to leave here (Challenge Accomplished!!!). I would love to say that we were as wonderful as everyone here, but it just wouldn't be true! Every single one of the people mentioned has taught me so much about what true giving is about. When I get home, I hope I am able to be a fraction of how wonderful the people here are!
This is probably a rambling blog so I apologize, but I hope everyone home and abroad understand that these people are really amazing and although they only were apart of our life for a short time, we hope we see everyone of them again in some capacity or another!
I never in my life I thought I would move to somewhere like Budapest. In fact I didn't even know where Budapest was on a map. All I knew coming out here is that I wanted to travel the world, and this was how I was going to accomplish it! When I arrived it was very different from home. I didn't know the language, I didn't have a car, phone, internet, friends, or basically anything. We decided to live with another couple in a small two bedroom apartment. Everything seemed like it would be a disaster but it was such a good exercise in stretching yourself!
Although I am going to enjoy having a phone, and the internet and everything else back, I am going to miss many things around Budapest. The Chain Bridge, Passing St. Istvan's Basilica everyday walking home, Aquaworld, city park, flea markets, Christmas market, chimney bread, trying new foods and restaurants, and all the exercise I get just by walking everywhere. More than anything else though I am truly going to miss the people here in Budapest.
Okay not all of them, mainly our international branch! We have made so many friends here in such a short time! I have never had the chance to meet such wonderful, down to earth, giving people in my life. So here is a small tribute to them!
The Salters. I don't have any new pictures, but I am going to miss playing with Scarlett and Lila all the time! They are such good little girls, and too cute as well! I am also going to miss having dinners over at the Salter's, topped off with games! Jared and Kelli were always more than willing to give travel advice (trust me we needed it!) and help us with anything we needed!
The Chapman's. This is our Branch President, Brandon Chapman. He is a strapping young buck who works for the foreign service. When we first arrived his wife had just had a baby and was stateside waiting for paperwork to go through. Brandon wasted no time in taking us under his wing. He took us to great places like Vapiano's, introduced us to Chimney bread and basically told us what was great about this city. He is really laid back and cool!
After about half our time, Monique (his wife) and kids finally made it home! Haley (7), Melia (5), Dylan (3), and Logan (4 months).
This is such an awesome family. They are such good parents! I really hope I am half as reasonable, calm and collected as they are! In fact, I would never guess Monique or Brandon has four kids because they are still into having friends over and being active. I can not express how charitable and giving they are. They truly make their home open, welcoming and a second home to all those who visit. Monique and Brandon are such a good example of living the gospel in their home. It made me excited to have a big family of my own to get to share the similar experiences they have. They are a great model of living, sharing, serving and spreading the gospel no matter what they are doing! They accomplish all of this in such a modest way I can only admire how humble they seem to be about it!I love their kids as well. Logan has single-handedly made me believe I could handle a baby. Monique and Brandon were so nice to let me spend almost every second cuddling him! Brent also fell in love with him and got him really excited about becoming a dad (One day NOT SOON)!
Last (but Certainly NOT LEAST!) Arvid and Kelly. I would say that these two people are my parents away from home (because they are the same age as my parents) but they seem way to young to be considered parents! I know they have 5 kids who are all moved out but I loved hanging out with these two! They are so interesting and genuine. I guess I am used to being treated younger but not here! I always felt like I was just one of the gang. I am so appreciative of how much these two were willing to give and sacrifice! They put us up for a weekend when we no longer had our apartment, they were willing to invite us over and feed us dinner, Kelly taught me piano ( I learned more in one hour than my whole life!), letting me run wild with their apple tv, Arvid allowed me to talk his ear off about being a doctor, and although we have only known each other a short amount of time, he has been truly supportive of my ambition to join the medical field! Kelly is so easy to talk to about anything! I don't think I have gotten such great insights about important topics in such a short amount of time.
These two people are very very special and anyone who gets the chance to meet them really should feel very privileged!
All of these people understand what it is like to have people constantly moving in and out of their lives. Monique said she has learned to make fast friends with people because they usually leave quickly! I feel like I have been given the chance to meet so many outstanding people here. I will miss the city a lot, but I will miss the people the most! I told Brent that I have never felt more welcomed, or connected to any branch or ward in my life and so I am really going to miss everything about these people.
I know I will never be able to repay everything these people did for us. The love and support Brent and I received from them was really meaningful to us. I feel like everyone understood what it meant to be in a far away place and took it as a challenge to make it difficult to leave here (Challenge Accomplished!!!). I would love to say that we were as wonderful as everyone here, but it just wouldn't be true! Every single one of the people mentioned has taught me so much about what true giving is about. When I get home, I hope I am able to be a fraction of how wonderful the people here are!
This is probably a rambling blog so I apologize, but I hope everyone home and abroad understand that these people are really amazing and although they only were apart of our life for a short time, we hope we see everyone of them again in some capacity or another!
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