Hi! My name is Chiara, and I have been living in Budapest for 4 years now. Safe to say, I fall in love with the city more and more every day. I love sports of any kind (like ice skating, boxing, as well as running), and the arts (from literature to painting — everything).

 

ELTE provides an outstanding education, making plenty of practical experiences possible before starting out into professional life.

There are plenty of great things to mention about ELTE, but the most meaningful to me is the international community. I left my home country - just to discover that home can be found in people. Over the four years in Budapest, I have found like-minded people in the international community and built strong bonds through incredible experiences.

At the beginning of the studies, it can be challenging to adjust to English being the main language in the classes. But it doesn‘t take long to adjust to that change. And truthfully, with a lot of psychological literature and research being in English, it is a huge advantage to be fluent in it. Also, at the beginning I was challenged by encountering so many different people from so many different cultures. It felt a bit overwhelming at first; everyone talking in different languages, having different values, different routines and norms.

By staying open-minded, the challenge of adjusting to the broad international community can be overcome quite easily. As I mentioned, the international community now represents one of my favourite parts about ELTE.

I believe that my education at ELTE has already granted me plenty of opportunities regarding my professional career. When it comes to my personal life, it is safe to say that I am not the person I was when I came to Hungary four years ago — I have grown personally, deepened my interpersonal skills, and found my place and purpose in life.

Always remember to stay open — be grateful and kind. Believe me: what goes around comes back around.