Interning at the Budapest History Museum in Hungary!

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I had the opportunity this past summer to intern at the Budapest History Museum in Hungary! My process of obtaining this internship took a lot of trial and error. I would communicate with several different museums worldwide to inquire about the availability of an intern. Mostly I sent hundreds of cold emails to several museums spanning six continents. At the end of an intense interview period with the museums that had gotten back to me in the affirmative, I decided that the Budapest History Museum was my best option since it would allow me to interact with the city's incredible history while also assisting in archeological excavations. So, I packed my bags for Budapest at the end of the Spring semester in 2023. I spoke no Hungarian and had never been to the country, but I was excited and anxious to start my new job. I found a small apartment near the Parliament that was close to the public transportation (trams and buses) that would bring me across the river and up the hill to Buda Castle, where the Museum was. The first thing I noticed about the city was its beautiful Vienna-style architecture and bohemian accents. The city was an interesting connection between a Western-European feel and communist-era establishments. And the food was amazing; I cannot recommend Goulash enough! When I go to new places, I often experience a period of disconnect. Still, in Budapest, it was pretty easy to jump into my work and discover new places around the city, especially because the archeological excavations would take me to parts of Hungary I would never have gotten to on my own.

I spent my time at the Museum creating digital files for all of the artifacts that had been excavated but still needed to be cataloged. In my weeks there, I cataloged over 6500 objects ranging from cannonballs to pottery to swords to human bones. Seeing my name next to Historians and Archeologists at the exhibitions was truly rewarding, and I valued every moment I spent at the Museum. My colleagues spoke enough English to communicate effectively with me, so I was never too worried about my lack of knowledge of Hungarian. Still, over time I picked up a few words that made it easier to manage my workload and my navigation of the city.

I could also spend some of my weekends traveling around parts of Europe. I explored Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia. To anyone considering a summer internship abroad, it allows you to work in your desired field in a different environment or language.