Budapest day 1

So per Reina's suggestion, I am going to attempt a blog. We shall see how this all goes. I know this will be a repeat for most but here is what day 1 in Budapest was like:

so i am here and alive. the flight wasn't so bad. layover was a bit
rough as i really really wanted to sleep.

things i have learned so far:
they switched the z and the y on the keyboard and the apostrophe requires shifting 1. i am slow to type as a result.
you must request a bag at the grocery store
the street lights here turn yellow just before they turn green.
keys are funny shapes - more squared off
most importantly, my phone does not work, the wireless internet in my room is not functioning and tv has 9 channels and i am not sure that any of them are in english - i may need more books

i managed to go to dinner and pay for it without much trouble. it was fine - just the closest restaurant that wasn't a buffet. they included 8% gratiuity - very odd.

so the first entertaining story to tell so far is that i get off the plane and collect my luggage. i look around for the man who should be carrying a sign with my name. there are several other fellows with other people's names but nothing that even comes close. i decide to wait 10 min and see if he shows even though it is nearly 30 min after we had landed at this point. so my 10 min time limit passes (also note that at this point i have already determined that my phone does not appear to be getting a signal but on occasion decides to flash full bars.) So I try one more time on my cell phone with no luck to call the HR lady here. so i am left with no choice but to figure out
a pay phone. i change some us dollars to forint and ask for change to use the phone. i get to the phone and can not figure out where change might go into this phone. so then i decide that ok fine credit card it is. but alas all instructions are in hungarian and putting in the credit card does not give me a dial tone. so i have to ask for help.... at which point the security man - think sterotypical eastern european man who wrestles for his college team - sees that i am asking for help on the pay phone for a local call and offers over his cell phone. Kelly 1 for using her feminine charm to get her something. so apparently my driver's car broke down and so that is why he is not here to pick me up. so they send a cabbie who does not speak english - so much for using this man to show me things on my way into the city. all and all not the best first experience in the country but hey i made it.

so tomorrow i am sleeping and then i have to figure out a plan to do something. maybe try the metro. a man is coming to fix the wireless internet problem tomorrow so i am hoping that will happen - not sure i am going to be able to survive without it. i am using the computer in my building's office and it is painfully slow.

anyway just wanted to say i made it and at least day 1 is over.