A peaceful summer heat has settled over Budapest and FinnAgora’s office. A spring full of farewells has emptied workspaces one by one, and more goodbyes are still to come. Svenska Kulturfonden intern Linn Svanberg and EDUFI intern Heta Makkonen reflect on their time in Budapest as they prepare to say goodbye.
Linn’s eleven and Heta’s five months at FinnAgora coincided with an unusually interesting moment in Hungary’s political history.
Linn: It is clear that hope has been rekindled in Hungary. It has been great to see it from the inside and sense the change around you, especially in the life of our young Hungarian friends.
Heta: The festive spirit has been building throughout our time in Budapest, and it definitely swept us up as well. We fully embraced the festive atmosphere of the city and immersed ourselves in the rhythm of Budapest day and night - from election day to the celebrations following the change of power and events by cultural actors such as Turbina.
The first half of the year at FinnAgora revolves around two major events: Finn Filmnapok and Taste Finland, both of which Linn and Heta were closely involved in. Taste Finland in particular became a shared effort, with Linn coordinating the event and Heta working closely by her side. Their highlights from the event included collaborating with enthusiastic culinary students and seeing such a strong turnout despite the unstable weather.
What will you miss from your everyday life in the office?
Heta: I’ll start with what I won’t be missing — the sweaty walk up to Gellért hill. I would gladly take my kakaós csiga breakfasts from Pékműhely Bartók with me to my next destination — or even into my next life.
Linn: The Embassy’s furry companions Nero, Jere, Hilbo and Milo have been such a delight during the past year. Of course we will miss our human colleagues as well. I’ll also miss our office couch, where we watched over a hundred movies for Finn Filmnapok and spent a few more-than-necessary moments resting during the workday.
What did you take away from your internship?
Heta: I learned so much from you Linn! About work and life in general. At FinnAgora I got to perfect my communication skills. Working in a multilingual and multicultural environment shapes communication and working processes in many ways. It has been great to dive into the world of cultural production and the Hungarian art, design and music scene. Encounters with our guests, local artists, for example from Art Quarter Budapest (aqb) and other creatives met along the way will remain as a special memory for me.
Linn: Alongside learning about tasks such as project management, budget monitoring, international collaboration and cultural diplomacy, I have also learned a lot about myself. First of all I learned how important new friends can become when you move abroad alone and how important it is to be part of a community. I have also learned that you can and should seek help from your friends — especially from you, Heta!
One lesson they learned about Hungarian food and festive culture was the important role of a pogácsa at any kind of event. This salty snack will run out no matter how well prepared you think you are.
And to finish, could you share an unforgettable moment?
Linn: Something I will never forget was the encounter I had with Hide the Pain Harold on the street. Overall the rhythm of life in Budapest is full of small surprises and spontaneity. From Budapest I will also keep in my heart forever the long evening walks by the Danube and the beautiful cinemas of the city.
Heta: I love Budapest but every now and then I enjoyed escaping the hustle of the city. My highlight of all the weekends spent in Hungary was a trip to Tihany, where we alternated between admiring the turquoise waters of Lake Balaton and watching winemakers work in the vineyards from the terrace of our accommodation.
New adventures await for Linn in Brussels and meanwhile Heta is finishing the reports and getting the interns’ office ready for the next adventurers arriving later this summer, including dismantling the dangerously tall coffee mug towers accumulated over spring.
Both Linn and Heta want to encourage the next interns to fully make the most of their time at FinnAgora by suggesting ideas based on their own interests and fearlessly embracing every opportunity.
They also send their words to every lucky soul coming to Budapest: immerse yourselves in the city’s wonderfully vibrant and rough-around-the-edges atmosphere.
Both: We have heard that Budapest is one of those places you always end up returning to. So we say viszlát — not búcsú!