This is the view from the new dormitories at Debrecen University. The building looks out over the Nagy Erdö park. (Nagy Erdö means big forest in Hungarian). As you can see, Debrecen is pretty flat. Infact, the city is unique in Hungary, because it does not have a river running through it or even sit on an important hilltop. Most towns can boast of a major castle that over looks the town, but Debrecen was founded by horse theives turned business men, so they have a strong sense of "Burgerlich" propriety. The most famous landmark in the town, besides the Nagytemplom, is the bar where Ady Endre used to spend his nights drinking. (Ady was one of Hungary's more noteworthy poets/ journalists from the turn-of-the-century)
These are three of my friends from Debrecen. Fromleft to Right: Mimi Larson, Simone Seper, and Marco Lombardi. Mimi is an M.A. student in Anthropology from Denmark. She is working on a project about the development of non-profit organizations and civil society in Hungary. Simone just finished with university in Vienna and is thinking about studying law and minority issues in Hungary. She is from the Burgenland in Austria, which has a large Hungarian speaking minority. Both her parents speak Hungarian as well as German. Marco is from Rome and has taught Italian in Hugnary for 5 years.