Class Year: 2024 
Program: McDaniel College Budapest, Hungary
Email: costka02@gettysburg.edu
Hometown: Deep River, CT
Major/Minor: International Affairs & Public Policy
Campus Activities: On campus, I am the Hanson Basement RA. I participate in Casa Swim and other CPS programs like the campus kitchen and the painted turtle farm. I am in the EI program Building America: Affordable Housing program. Sometimes you will see me serving some drinks at the attic for OSAGL or in Bream at the Athletic Trainer's Office as the Athletic Trainer’s Assistant. You will probably find me at pub trivia or in the library basement doing endless amounts of homework.
Favorite Experience: The best part about going abroad was all the sights I was able to see and the people I was able to meet. Studying in Budapest provided great affordable travel opportunities, I was able to reach 11 countries. On my weekend excursions to those countries walking tours and bar crawls provided great opportunities to make great friends from all over the world.
New/Exciting Course Abroad: One of my favorite courses I took when I was abroad was my garden-to-table class. Through this class, you get the opportunity to go behind the scenes of wine-tasting rooms, restaurants, and bakeries all over Budapest. Professor Smyth is an energetic quirky Britt who is a passionate wine expert. My Intro to Hungarian class also took us to several great locations all over the city where we would apply the skills we would learn in class to society. My internships at American Corners Budapest and NextStep Hungary were most crucial to my experience. At NextStep, I worked to develop a continual internship program for the nonprofit for prospective students interested in service opportunities for the migrant community in Hungary. At American Corners, alongside other US students, you can teach Hungarians and other migrant communities about the US culture and traditions as well as engage English language club. I got to make great friends all over the world and give back to the city that I called home for the fall of 2023.