Crossing the Danube - Hungarian Study Abroad Trip

Catalog description

Shaped by centuries of imperial rule, nation-building, world wars, and a socialist past, Hungary offers a layered portrait of grandeur, progressivism, and tradition. It also holds a distinctive place in global literary and cinematic imagination, where real and invented features intersect to create a setting that feels both familiar and mystical. When Jonathan Harker, in Dracula (1897), crosses the Danube--dividing the capital into Buda and Pest--he writes: "The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East." His words foreshadow how Budapest appears in art and film: as a threshold between worlds. In this study abroad course, we will "cross the Danube" both literally and figuratively, revisiting this sense of threshold. We'll explore Budapest's architectural landmarks--including the Buda Castle District, St. Stephen's Basilica, the Dohány Street Synagogue, and a traditional Turkish bath--while considering how cultural representations compare to lived realities (can we find The Grand Budapest Hotel?). We will also experience a lovasíjászat (horseback archery) demonstration, take part in a hands-on culinary workshop tracing the evolution of Hungarian national dishes, and participate in an ethnomusicology workshop exploring the folk traditions that inspired composers such as Béla Bartók. Offered as ENGL 120 , HSTY 120 , HUMN 120 , INTL 120 , MUHI 120 , and WLIT 120 . Counts as a Local & Global Engagement course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course.