Pattagatott Kukorica

So I just finished my first week of work and I think it went fairly well. As I wrote on Monday, at first I was really not sure of what I would be doing and if I was going to like it. When I heard that I would need boots and a jumpsuit (I don't know why the guy from IAESTE said I would need one) and that I would be working in the tunnel, I was not thrilled because I started imagining all of the things that I might be doing and none of them were really what I had imagined. However, it turns out that the company I am working for has set up a temporary office for the project (which will last years, so in a way it is not so temporary) at the construction site. The project I am working on is the long awaited fourth metro line. I guess it has been in the works since sometime in the 1990s and they are finally building it. Right now I am working with the concrete quality management team. There are five of us working on it. The team leader (I don't actually know his name), Eva, Bori, another woman who only works a few hours a week and me. Eva speaks English very well and is the one who gives me tasks. Bori is a Hungarian student intern who comes in a few days a week and also speaks English. Eva and Bori are both really nice and I have enjoyed working with them. Right now I have been doing a lot of Excel work because there has been a delay in the concrete work. This year they have gotten a record amount of rain and therefore are had the unexpected need to pump out the tunnel. So that took a while to come up with a solution and implement it and they think that in about a month or so they will be able to go back to pouring concrete and then we will be back in the field. I think next week Eva is going to take me into the tunnel and hopefully I will get some good pictures!

Besides work, I have been keeping busy this week. I had the doctor's appointment, which had the potential to be unbelievably awkward because the doctor did not speak English and the only person available to go with me to translate was a guy I barely know. Luckily the whole thing was more of a formality for insurance or something and they did not really ask anything very personal. I have also been meeting the other interns as they arrive. As my roommate Laci put it, "the trainee (intern)invasion has begun." When I got here, there were only 2 other interns but I think that six more have arrived since Sunday.

Yesterday, I met a guy who is part of the International IAESTE council from Vienna. He was very nice and Laci took us to this place called the Sugar Shop. It was amazing! They had all of these fancy and delicious desserts and drinks (Kate you'd love it!!!). I told them I was going to have to be a tourist next time and bring mz camera. Then I went to a welcome home party for the "old me" as Laci put it (Rebecca lived in the apartment that I live in now and will move back in in September for school...she was in Spain for 3 months working). It was really interesting and fun to hang out with all of their friends. I think I definitely got lucky with where I live because I am getting to experience life in Hungary in a more authentic way then most of the other trainees who live in an apartment together. However, sometimes it is difficult because I don't speak Hungarian so I just sit there confused and have no idea of what is going on.

Anyway, everything is going really well now and I think it will turn out to be a great summer. I love hearing from you guys so please send me emails!