5 Perks to Being the New Kid on the Block

As humans, it’s sometimes easier to pay attention to the darkness over the light, so this week I’m sharing some of the light. Over the past few months, the challenges have been endless, but there have been some perks so I’m going to share five of my faves with you today.

Perk #1 Being surprised by friendships

After being part of a culture and part of a community for many years, my relationships didn’t really have many surprising turns anymore. I can remember maybe one surprising turn in a relationship in the year right before I left, but that’s it! I think it’s because in our home culture we’re able to see and scout out our ‘people’ from a distance and proactively find ways to develop those friendships. We have instincts and subconscious understandings about how people will fit into our lives. But in a new culture, when meeting new people from different backgrounds and cultural settings, instincts can sometimes be off by a mile! So I find myself pleasantly surprised most weeks by the developments in some friendships that I wasn’t expecting. The best advice we received before moving here was to take a year before we make any important decisions, and I think that translates into friendships as well. So give yourself time to be surprised by people, especially the ones that keep coming back after you’ve made mistakes.

Perk #2 Finding new foods

Ok. This one has me frothing. So. Many. Good. Treats. that don’t exist in my previously known world. I have enjoyed more paprika, gyros, and goulash than I ever have, and it’s good! Flavours tell us about the heritage of a people and a land, so add it to the list of things that help us all to enjoy and understand a new culture. I’ve learnt that Hungary likes a good hearty food in the cold winter to warm up from the inside, They enjoy their wines, and their pastries and breads are the ultimate comfort food when you’re feeling blue.

Perk #3 New views and vistas

One of my absolute favorite things to do here is go somewhere high in the city (preferably public transport over waiwai express ha) and witness a phenomenal display of majesty that is unavailable where I am from. Don’t get me wrong, New Zealand has some phenomenal views that cannot be beaten anywhere. But Budapest has it’s own beauty and it’s own views. And I’m loving the way it can open up my creativity and gratitude to be able to see something so completely new and inspiring every single day.

Perk #4 Heightened awareness of what really matters

When leaving homeland, friends and family behind on the other side of a body of water, or a particularly long drive, it can heighten the importance of the things that really matter in life, namely people. I‘m not gonna lie, finding the nearest supermarket and landing our first apartment were also quite important tasks for us. But carving out new relationships and investing in the ones we already have are now at the top of our list because people make the place. The fact that I might only get to see my parents a handful of times more in my life is pretty sobering, so that’s in the front of my mind as I make decisions about what to spend my time on.

Perk #5 Impressing yourself

Being in challenging situations can sometimes be, well, a challenge. And in them, the discomfort is something we all try to run away from, but the personal growth that comes from it can be impressive if we let it. I’m not advising that we all run headfirst into difficult situations, but when one does arise, don’t only see it for the bad. We’re all becoming better people through these situations, so let’s lean into the lessons and work through the hurts. Some of the best people I know are the ones who have faced the hardest battles in life, and it’s inspiring to walk alongside them as they face them head on. So I’m trying to be that person for someone else. It’s messy out here, but when I’ve had the time to notice the growth, it does lift my head a little and give me a sense of accomplishment, even in the small things.

So there we have it folks. Five of my absolute fave things about being the new kid on the block. If you have any suggestions for what else I should be looking out for, drop them in the comments below!