The time has come to introduce our international alumni volunteer team with 34 people from 17 countries speaking 23 different languages. In the next chapter of our volunteer series, you can read Ana Martinez’s story from Colombia! She studied in Hungary between 2017 and 2019 at the Budapest Business School and now she’s working as a credit and collection analyst in Hungary.
Why did you choose Hungary and the Budapest Business School?
I chose Hungary because of the available scholarships opportunities, and the Budapest Business School had the program that I was interested in. It is an excellent university, and it was awesome to have classes with international students who have different backgrounds and mindsets than mine.
How did you like your studies? What was your favorite memory during your studies?
I like my studies in International Relations because I got a lot of new knowledge and after my diploma, I was able to continue my journey in Budapest but in a professional environment. My favourite memories are in my last semester because I was studying full time and at the same time working 30 hours per week, travelling, meeting friends, and writing my thesis. It was a very busy time, but I learned to enjoy my journey in Budapest and to have time management and prioritize activities.
How did you like the country?
I love the size of Budapest city, almost everything that I need is in the city centre which is the most beautiful part of the city. For me, Budapest is charming and looks like a fairy tale every day I feel like I am living in a postcard picture.
Did you have any difficulties with the Hungarian culture? What was that and how did you handle it?
The mean difficulty for me was the language. When I first came to Hungary, I had the wrong idea that most people speak English, but it is not true at all. I learn some basic sentences in Hungarian and I learned I tried to make friends with locals to understand better their culture and mindset.
How does the Hungarian culture differ from the Colombian culture?
I believe there are differences in people’s mindsets. In Colombia people tend to be easy-going, extroverts, and open-minded, especially foreigners are seen as someone who everyone wants to hang up with because Colombian people are very interested in learning from other cultures. On the other hand, Hungarian culture is also welcoming but I will say people are more introverted than overall Latin people.
You are among alumni volunteers. Why did you apply for that position? What's your task and how do you manage it? What do you think about the Alumni Network Hungary?
I applied for this volunteer programme because I think is a good opportunity to be engaged in society and contribute to promoting the studies in Hungary. I am very grateful to this country for the opportunity that I got to study abroad. Unfortunately, if I compare it with my home country Colombia, we don’t have these opportunities every day, studying is the privilege of the few.
I chose the option to be a mentor and the project overview with my colleague is to create a local alumni chapter in Budapest that connects accomplished alumni members from around the world with a broader international audience of students, recent graduates, and fellow alumni members based in Hungary or elsewhere via a live stream. We want to reveal the insights, professional guidance, and personal life experiences of fellow alumni by creating inspiring programmes with them.
I think ANH is a great opportunity for networking and it is a friendly space for members to develop ideas and projects where they can improve their soft skills.
What's your plan for the future?
I would like to keep growing in my professional career and everyday acquire knowledge and improve my soft skills.