Customs

There are many different customs in Hungary. They can be very disturbing to a visitor, so here are some of the ones that you will probably run into.

Names. In Hungary, they list the surname first, and the given name after that, in the reverse of how we do it. For example, John Smith would be called Smith John in Hungary.

Friendly. Don't be surprised if you see lots of happy, friendly people when you visit Hungary. The Hungarian people have survived a lot, but have always been able to retain their happy personalities. They are especially friendly towards the Polish, as they have been and are strong allies. They have helped each other out during wars before, and have even 'traded' royal kings and queens.

Languages. While Hungarian is the main language, it is an extremely hard one to learn. If you try to pronounce some of the words, though, the always friendly Hungarians will try to help you. Also, German is spoken close to the Austrian border, and English is a third language, although not spoken by as many people as German and Hungarian.

Medicine. In America, first aid is pretty expensive. In Hungary, first aid is free to all foreign visitors. Hungarian pharmacies sell medicine even without a prescription. The pharmacists are also happy to try to find the Hungarian equivilant of what ever medicine you require.

Numbers. In Hungary, they use Roman numerals on addresses, floor numbers, and months. This can be a tad bit confusing to some people. Just remember that I is one, V is 5, and X is 10.