What are the biggest adjustments you made when you moved to Budapest?

Tunisiantwist wrote:

Is driving easy there?

Do be aware, an American drivers license is valid for only one year in Hungary and only with either a Hungarian translation of the license, or an international driver's license certificate. After one year, you have to get a Hungarian driving license (not trivial to do) or stop driving.

Also see: http://hungary.usembassy.gov/driving.html

Also be aware there is a zero blood alcohol limit for drivers in Hungary.

The good news is the buses and trains are pretty good. Buses go most everywhere. See this for a quick link to public transportation:

http://menetrendek.hu/

Key for the above site:

VOLÁN = Bus
MÁV = Train
BKV = Budapest transportation portal
MAHART = Ferry boats (river and Lake Balaton)

Tunisiantwist wrote:

How do they know when you hit your 1 year mark driving?

Your visa should have the valid starting date printed on it. You are required to carry nationally (ID card) or internationally (passport) approved identification in Hungary at all times.

Tunisiantwist wrote:

Do they give you a 1 yr temporary drivers license?

Your valid US license, an international driving certificate (can be picked up AAA in the US), and your visa is all you need to carry for the first year to drive in Hungary.

Tunisiantwist wrote:

Do people obey red lights and stop signs in Hungary?

Overall, stop signs are obeyed. Passing on narrow roads, when one should not, is more a problem. Also see:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=503205

Tunisiantwist wrote:

I love the zero tolerance law

As a driver, I agree.

As someone who likes a glass of wine with a meal, having that wine while eating out by car is impossible as I almost always get picked as the designated driver.

Tunisiantwist wrote:

I would like to know what the biggest adjustments some people have had to make while moving to Budapest?

For me, the biggest adjustment has been getting used to the lack of interaction with people from a culture I'm used to. It's not bad per se, but does takes some time to adjust to. There is a general lack of diversity when shopping, so if you have to have certain brands/items that don't exist here, look elsewhere. For me, being unable to find plantains easily is still tough. Also, life is a lot slower than in, say, the US east coast.

Tunisiantwist wrote:

Is driving easy there?

For me, yes. Driving in Puerto Rico (where I grew up) is not for the faint of heart, not unlike driving in bigger US cities (NYC, Philly, DC, etc.). Outside of Budapest, driving is easy, though getting used to signage and the myriad crosswalks and tiny hidden traffic lights that pop out of nowhere can be unnerving at times. Driving in Budapest is just like driving in any big city. People are more aggressive for no reason, but tend to be aware drivers. I agree with the zero-tolerance alcohol law, though it makes having careless fun harder. If you've driven in the Middle East, you'll have a Sunday drive everyday here.

Tunisiantwist wrote:

Do people speak English?

In Budapest, yes, many people do; 3 out of 5 will probably speak it to some degree. For example, when I was apartment hunting in BP, all landlords spoke English quite well. Outside of BP, not so much, maybe 1 out of 10 will speak broken English. If you want to get away from it all, rural Hungary is the place to go; not too far, but disconnected enough

Tunisiantwist wrote:

Are schools expensive?

I couldn't answer this question, but I guess you mean private schools. If you work here (i.e., are a resident) then your children can attend local schools (free, I believe).

Tunisiantwist wrote:

What do you miss from your home country?

The sun, beaches, music, mountains, and mostly, the food. Food here is very good, but it's no Caribbean cuisine! I do not miss the need to drive EVERYWHERE. Here, I can just go about anywhere using public transport. I like to people watch and take in the sights, no matter how many times I pass a place.