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It’s hard to believe we’ve only been in Hungary for a week, in some ways it feels like it has been months! The predominant feeling I've had since arriving has been an utter and complete contentedness. I struggled to decide where to study abroad, and feeling this at home in Hungary is a huge confirmation that I've made the right decision in coming here. I've never adjusted to a new country so quickly, and life here already feels surprisingly normal and comfortable. That aside, I’m still in complete awe that we get to study, serve, live, and be in such a beautiful city for four months. It feels unreal that this is now “home!”  The view from Gellért Hill.
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 The corner of 4th and Lake St. Skylines; vegetables; graffiti; buzzing bees; a young girl bouncing down the sidewalk in a Hijab; The Midtown Exchange painted against the summer sky; the bells of bikers cycling on the Greenway; a medley on Spanish and Somali dancing in the air… these are some of the sights and sounds that made up my summer in the Phillips neighborhood of South Minneapolis.
Interning at Urban Ventures This summer I interned with Urban Ventures, a faith-based non-profit with the mission to build successful community and break the cycle of generational poverty in South Minneapolis. Located at the corner of 4th and Lake St., in an area that used to be called “crack alley” and had little effective rule of law, Urban Ventures has an impressive track record of 20+ years of successful work transforming the neighborhood.  Excitement, Nervousness, and…Hesitation
Bear with me, the beginning of this post is a bit pessimistic… but it looks up :) It has been interesting to observe the feelings I've experienced the past few months in anticipating studying abroad in Budapest, Hungary this coming fall semester. Most would expect a mix of excitement and nervousness, which I have, but another unexpected feeling, for better or for worse, has been resistance and hesitancy. Hesitancy rooted in two things: fear and a longing for roots. On one hand, I’m scared, as silly as it may seem, of falling in love with yet another beautiful, rich, unique city and country – a place I will have to leave after four months. I’m scared of building deep relationships with people I will inevitably have to leave and will most certainly miss. I’m also now at a point where I’m starting to desire a long-term community. I want roots, and I want to invest in a place, a community, and relationships that are long-lasting. |
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