Regarding classes, my legal status, and etc.

This post will have lots of assorted miscellanea....as per usual, I suppose.

Class update: As we are no longer allowed to change our courses, and more importantly, the university is no longer allowed to change the schedule, I do believe I can finally make public my planned routine of studies.
Monday 1:10 to 4:10 International Corporate Financial Management (i think this will be for realz)
Tuesday 11:20-2:30 Corporate Environmental Management (so topical these days ;-p )
2:50 - 5:50 Retailing management (ummm...)
Wed. 11:20-2:30 Decision Methods (will make me think more creatively, surprisingly interesting)
2:50-5:50 International Business Marketing (what it says in the title)

Also, in case it interested you're to know, our exchange student group is rather well-mixed. There are something like 45 germans, 30 french, 10 american (6 from usc alone), and then 1-3 from everywhere else, and around 220 total. This is of course only within the business/erasmus exchange program. The other usc students who are in BP are with an american-only group, I believe. I am of course way glad to be meeting people from all over--it makes for some interesting, albeit not always coherent, conversations.

Legality Update: So as we u.s. citizen students were not required to apply for a visa back home, we are required to get a residence permit in Budapest. However, doing so necessitates bussing to way out somewhere in Buda (across from a Tesco!), getting a number, waiting an hour, gesturing with increasing frustration at a non-english speaking clerk, and being told to go pay AT THE POST OFFICE FOR SOME PURPOSELESS STAMP THAT COSTS $102. And then coming back to wait in line and do it all again.
I would just like to bring up a few qualms I have with this situation: A. Why, in an office that deals with foreigners, can they only speak Hungarian or have directions up in Hungarian? B. What possible purpose could a fee stamp serve?
In any case, the mission was aborted as I don't just go around carrying loads of cash on me. That, and i can be around for 90 days and i'll be traveling, so mayhaps....
Otherwise, the university has JUST informed us that there will be a day that they outsource the process to the campus and only Americans and a few other lucky folks can get their residency there. Thanks for the timely notice.

Other activities of note: I checked out the Holocaust Museum which is within walking distance of my apartment (immediately following my failure with the residency permit, so perhaps I had it in me to really depress myself that day). It's a very high-tech exhibition, and definitely takes some time to get through and read everything/see everything. It was completely deserted when I went but then again, most of the tourist spots here are barren as it is winter. Although the sun comes out and I'm getting glimpses of how fantastic spring is going to be here.
Yesterday some of us girls went to the Kiraly Baths, which are Turkish baths that were built in 1570. Guys and girls get different days that they're allowed to go. It's a way smaller place than Szecheniy and with a completely different atmosphere: these are indoor with one large skylit dome covering a large-ish faintly sulphuric smelling pool. There are only 3 or 4 other small pools with varying degrees of temperature and dry and wet saunas. It's pretty dim inside, and definitely a unique space/experience.
Today a few of us went to the first annual Mangalica Festival(read: sausage festival) at the Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park (near Hero's Square and Szecheniy baths). It was an absolute crush of people but it was interesting and we tried some intriguing food (though please don't ask me to name it). And in case you were wondering, yes they were selling these.

And in case you were wondering, yes, we are still going out at night. Too often, because despite the cheapness of the drinks, the frequency makes the endeavor rather expensive. Time to cozy up to some boys at the bar (i kid, i kid).
Unfortunately, in terms of after-partying dining options, you are basically left with only kebabs (which they call 'gyros' but they're more like shawerma than greek-style, as I've mentioned previously). I don't actually get them on my way home, but I think that after a few weeks I'll really start craving Denny's or some other american diner food.

Now for quick newsbites:
1. it was lightly raining the other day and my boots were slick. I skinned my knee. I feel like I'm 13 years old.
2. You should see me when I go grocery shopping--after paying, I must strategically place all my purchases into my backpack and hope that there's room for the last two yogurts. It would be a little weird walking home and just having two yogurts in my hand.
3. I am starting to see too much of certain people. I need space. Go do your own thing!
4. This past week I've been a magnet for much too attractive and hard to resist boys who either don't speak any english at all (hungarians) or are way too full of themselves and prefer not to speak (french). Not that i'm complaining but I suddenly miss american boys. Celibacy is depressing.
5. Have i mentioned that they really speak very little (to no) english here?! And that pronunciation of hungarian is next to impossible?! Even the words I do know, they don't understand me when I say them.
6. My camera balked on me today. I fear it may be the end, unless I find some Canon representative with good english (i fear that's asking too much). And, sadly, there is even no reason for it--i snapped some photos, all good, pressed the off button and bam---'lens error. restart camera.' I wasn't aware that cameras could be restarted...? So, although I had a picture of pig's feet from the festival that I'm sure you would want to see, sadly, it is no more.
7. There is a whole world of opportunity in the metro underpasses.
8. A large number of the exchangers went to Szeged for the weekend, essentially to indulge in more drinking for an exorbitant price. We are instead checking out that jazz cafe I found earlier in the week...seems promising.
9. I cooked again, this time thinking that the oven would prove less of a challenge. How wrong I was! Turning on the oven involves scissors and a match and absolutely no measurement device for the temperature. But never fear, the food turned out.

Cheers and best wishes!