During the summer of 2019, I was lucky enough to travel to Budapest with some college friends using Gateway funding. Flying out the day after my exams finished allowed me to get a break from the Cambridge bubble and gave me a huge appreciation for the place I was visiting after being cooped up inside a library! This was also my first trip with a group of friends, so I learnt a lot about planning activities and navigating around a foreign city!
Whilst there, we were lucky enough to spend a day exploring the old town. At the Fisherman’s bastion we got a great panorama view of the city through the Neo-Romanesque. We also spent some time exploring the old castle which housed the Budapest historical museum. After a great dinner spent tasting some local specialities such as goulash, we raced up Gellerts hill to watch the sunset and to see the city lights come on.
The next day we went to the house of terror. The building used to be the headquarters of the Hungarian Nazis and special service force. Nowadays, it has been converted into a museum. Having never learnt about the history of Hungary, it was shocking to learn how the dictator rose to power alongside the extremes of communism taking place in a country so close to our own. Although some parts were particularly difficult to learn, I have come to realise how crucial learning about other countries pasts are, so we are not condemned to repeat them.
It was great to learn some Hungarian whilst out there, even small pieces so that we could get by in restaurants and shops! I am very thankful to gateway for allowing me to develop both academically within the sessions and independently in the wider experiences allowed by the programme!
Anna Kirk
Natural Sciences