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After seven years in Hungary, my lifestyle and habits have changed a lot. Denae McGaha
2025-12-12T13:45:27.478Z
- I spent seven years living abroad in Budapest before returning to the United States.
- I noticed many of my habits changed, like the way I viewed work and how I shopped for groceries.
- That said, the one American trait I’ll never ditch is my love of small talk.
Travel has always been important to me.
In college, I spent two separate semesters abroad. After graduation, I won a once-in-a-lifetime competition that let me spend the summer visiting five …
By
After seven years in Hungary, my lifestyle and habits have changed a lot. Denae McGaha
2025-12-12T13:45:27.478Z
- I spent seven years living abroad in Budapest before returning to the United States.
- I noticed many of my habits changed, like the way I viewed work and how I shopped for groceries.
- That said, the one American trait I’ll never ditch is my love of small talk.
Travel has always been important to me.
In college, I spent two separate semesters abroad. After graduation, I won a once-in-a-lifetime competition that let me spend the summer visiting five continents.
Unsurprisingly, when I got the opportunity to move to Budapest to teach English, I jumped at the chance — and ended up sticking around. I spent seven years building a life in Europe before heading back to the States.
Now that I’m back in the US, I’ve noticed that I picked up more than a few European habits.
Some are small: I no longer wear shoes inside the house, and I use cutlery even when eating "finger food" like pizza. I also get dressed up for quick errands, instead of just throwing on athleisure like I used to.
I’ve noticed some bigger shifts in how I live, too. Here are four ways my habits and lifestyle have changed since my time in Europe — and one distinctly American trait I plan to keep.
I’ve learned to savor and carve out time for meals.
I’ve stopped rushing through lunch and started enjoying meals more. Denae McGaha
I remember thinking that desk lunches, grab-and-go snacks, and rushed meals were the norm. Sitting down to eat was one of the first things I’d sacrifice for the sake of time.
Once I moved abroad, however, dining became an occasion, not something to be rushed through. The abundance of outdoor terraces for an afternoon coffee or restaurants offering a business lunch — which usually means two or three courses for a set value price — helped support this.
This isn’t to say that I think every meal has to be a formal event, but I liked how intentional eating and drinking felt in Europe.
Now, I savor my meals more, whether that means intentionally carving out time for a long lunch or just sitting down to enjoy a coffee instead of sipping it while I head to my next destination.
I gained distance from hustle culture and started enjoying the little things more.
Living abroad taught me to develop stronger work-life boundaries. Denae McGaha
When I first moved to Hungary, one of the biggest shocks was the lack of "hustle culture." In the US, I always felt pressured to work more so that I could earn more so that I could buy more.
Suddenly, though, I found myself living among people who generally didn’t work on days off and took their six weeks of annual vacation seriously.
Now that I’m back in the US and looking for a full-time job, I am prioritizing roles at companies that understand and appreciate work-life balance, too.
My grocery-shopping habits changed.
Eating tons of fresh, organic produce abroad made me think more intentionally about my groceries. Denae McGaha
Before I moved to Europe, I considered buying fresh produce or groceries from farmers markets to be a luxury. There weren’t many of these markets in my area, and it made sense to go to larger stores.
Budapest, on the other hand, has many such markets, so fresh food was much more accessible. Since everything was closer, I picked up essentials daily, instead of doing one massive weekly shop.
When I first visited a grocery store after moving back to a small town in the US, I was a bit bewildered by how pricey it felt to buy high-protein foods or produce marketed as organic.
After getting used to whole foods in Budapest, though, I’ve made it a priority to seek out healthier ingredients and fewer processed foods here — even if they don’t feel as readily accessible where I live.
I speak more slowly and with more intention.
I believe that living abroad made me a better listener. Denae McGaha
Living in an international community where English wasn’t everyone’s first language changed the way I speak.
Over the past several years, I’ve found myself talking more slowly and with more intention. As a result, I believe I’ve become a better listener.
I’ve also noticed that the kinds of conversations I participate in have changed, too — and I’ve developed more cultural sensitivity.
One American habit I never ditched, though, was my tendency to make small talk.
I still enjoy small talk, even though it was less common in Hungary. Denae McGaha
When I first moved abroad, I heard some criticisms from new Hungarian acquaintances about how often Americans make small talk.
I was surrounded by people who were much more private, so what I thought were well-intentioned questions sometimes came off as invasive.
For instance, some Hungarians have told me that even "How are you?" is generally considered a personal question.
I didn’t want to make locals feel uncomfortable, so I learned to tone down any tendencies to overshare. That said, I was also raised to be enthusiastic and friendly, and didn’t want to lose those traits.
Now that I’m home, I remember how affirming it feels to strike up a chat with a stranger — maybe in line at the grocery store or out walking my dog — and have it reciprocated.
I believe kind, surface-level interactions are still beautiful moments of connection, and I want to remain open to those instead of guarded, no matter where my travels take me next.