Strike: Day Two - The Saga Continues...

On normal days, when all forms of transportation are running smoothly, getting from one point to another is easy. When you don't have to worry about a new route, you can stop and look around at the people you are traveling with. Among them are teens, business men and women, old Hungarian women in fur coats and hats, and the crazies. Do not be fooled. They may appear harmless until they start rambling to you in Hungarian. One's best bet is to pretend like you don't know they are talking to you. And if that doesn't work, just say nem.
As the strike continued through this morning, we were forced to find alternative methods of getting to class. Tardiness is not an option as long as we have two legs and a map. While some of us chose to walk all the way to the metro, others braved the crowds that swarmed the only remaining trams that were still running (they, fortunately, were members of a different and cooperative union). However, half of Budapest also decided to take advantage of this transportation. So, as a result, the number six tram was FULL. Shoulder to shoulder, packed like sardines into a can. If you were fortunate enough, you didn't have your face in another Hungarian man's armpit. (Such was the unfortunate situation of Brittany.) The tram was so packed, handrails and holds were limited and useless since there wasn't any actual space to fall into. But we did come to realize how music travels around the globe by one Hungarian's phone blasting "Bad Romance," by Lady GaGa as their ringtone.
As music travels around from country to country, so does dance. A few of us went to a local performance art center to see Frenak Pal Tarsulat: Boys, a concert about perceptions of the male body. The content ranged from aggression to irony, from power plays to insecurity. While a wonderful performance, the end applause was an experience all on its own. Not only do Hungarians clap for a much longer period of time, but they clap in UNISON. Every applause will start and immediately fall into a rhythm. Needless to say, it's a little unnerving when you don't know whether or not to clap on the beat. You go with it anyway.