A Day in the Life...

Well, this is my blog...random ramblings, perhaps some biting observations, maybe some pics I take on my travels. Living here in Budapest, have been here 1.5 years, am heading back to Canada some time next year with my husband an daughter. Have to say that this has been a very tiring year-and-a-half...adjusting to a new city, very difficult language, surly inhabitants (though some are lovely, like anywhere else), suicide-inducing "driving," and a serious lack of peanut butter (that doesn't cost $12/jar) and all things high-fibre/low-fat/low-cal. But there are great things about this city and country, too: Great beer and wine (Hungary has 22 wine regions), incredible architecture and scenery, a pretty lively music scene (opera, theatre, Hungarian rap artists...), some good restaurants and (currently) an incredible exchange rate ($1Cdn=188Ft).

Some long-term expats have been here somewhere around a decade and others are new like us...most assignments for expats last anywhere from 2-4 years, my husband's being a shorter gig. What do I do with my day, besides lament the expensive clothes, lack of creature comforts from home - friends, family, the familiar? Spend time with my daughter and shuttling her to and from daycare, imagine (and sometimes create) fanciful dinners for my family, READ A LOT, meet friends for coffee and lunch, stock up on English books at the Red Bus Bookstore, plan trips, keep in touch with Cdn people via email, make the odd phone call back home when it's convenient (there's a 6 hr time difference to most places back home) and sleep. Aaaah, sleeeeep...nectar of the gods.

So, that's me. Looking forward to going back home and solidifying a career in writing/editing/research and bringing home SOME bacon...this 50s Housewife thing here in Buda is temporarily satisfying but ultimately, my brain is beginning to atrophy and needs some exercise. We shall see...