Seeking Discomfort – First time alone

Safe-zone

Aside from the fact I spent three and a half years on my own in the heart of Budapest, I always had the safe feeling. My parents were about three hours driving away from me. Whenever I would need them, they could be there for me.

During my studies, I always wanted to participate in an Erasmus program. This program allows students to spend one or two semesters in another university in another country. With this opportunity, you can improve your foreign language, mainly your English, and start to build your international friendships, connections and extend your view about the world.

Unfortunately, I decided to pass this opportunity to complete my studies by the minimum time possible, pursuing different dreams. I had to admit, that this was a big mistake.

I started to keep myself in the safe zone, being in Hungary, where I have everyone around me, giving no challenge to my life at all. This pushed me down for a while. “Did I miss all my chances?” – asked myself occasionally.

Seek Discomfort

Closer to my final exams at the Óbuda University, I started to expand my searches for master’s studies abroad. “If I missed my chance here, I will give my best to get into somewhere else now”.

I am extremely into sustainability and renewable energy. Trying to be part of the sector, which can bring solutions to some of the problems of humanity.

After few days of searching, I found Politechnika Wrocławska in Poland, which was a perfect fit to my expectations.

• • Top university in the Country,

• • Power Engineering with Renewable Energy specialization,

• • Most importantly: Foreign country.

I decided to submit my application.

Accepted

After a few months of email changing with the admission office, they finally accepted my application.

This was an unbelievable feeling for me. The first time I achieved something, I worked for it and I made possible only by myself. I could catch birds with my motivation and energy this answer gave to me. I felt proud of myself. Haven’t thought about that, I will have to face brand new challenges.

Totally alone

The date of moving to Poland rapidly approached. My parents traveled with me, as I needed to move many of my personal stuff, – laptop, monitor, clothes, etc. -.

We arrived on the weekend, just before the semester started. We traveled around the city of Wrocław, – which is an impressive place -, had a good time together.

At the end of the weekend, it was time to say goodbye to my safety line, my parents.

I waved to them for the last time and they disappeared between the buildings.

I was alone in Poland.

New challenges

I had mixed feelings. I was alone, so I could organize my own life, but on the other hand, I was in a completely new and unknown country, where I know nobody and even the language far from easy to understand. These are the challenges I wanted for myself. To get out of my comfort zone.

I totally felt discomfort until I got into the beautiful social life of Wrocław and overall Poland.

Since living here for two years now, finishing my second studies, I made new colleagues, new friendships, new love, new family, new carrier, AND a totally new way of thinking.

After all the struggles and amazing moments what happened to me so far from home, I am confident to say:

Doesn’t matter where you are in the world, home is about the good people you gathered around yourself.

Dare to live by the opportunities, and never let others push your ideas down, just because they did not dare to do it.

Nothing is impossible.

I can only recommend to you to set up small goals, list your discomforts and try to fight them. You will not regret it!

See you in the next blog. Until that, I’m leaving some pictures of Wrocław. Look around.

Have a good one! 🙂

Márk