Hello! My name is Timothy and this semester I am studying in the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics (BSM) program in Budapest, Hungary. Details about the program are below, but first I want to outline how I’ll be using this blog. To communicate the different facets of the experience and have a regular flow of updates, I plan on posting on this schedule:
| Sunday | Reflection on my study abroad experience |
| Monday | Problem of the week statement |
| Tuesday | Pictures (Twitter) |
| Thursday | Pictures (Twitter) |
| Friday | Problem of the week solution and discussion |
| Saturday | Overview of my recent activities |
In more detail:
- Reflection. I’m not on vacation in Europe, and neither am I studying mathematics in America. What’s up with this study abroad experience in the context of both of these individual activities? How do they interact and what am I learning? In this weekly reflection I hope to share some of my perspective as it develops.
- Problem of the week. It’s not a mathematics program without some actual math, right? Every week I’ll post a favorite problem, discovered from my studies here or otherwise. Participate actively and email me your solution before I post mine on Friday, and perhaps I’ll bring back a little prize for you from Hungary 🙂
- Pictures. Along with this blog I’ll be updating a Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/TimInBudapest). Tuesdays and Thursdays I’ll specifically put an interesting picture or two up, so check it out!
- Activity overview. Sure, I might be learning about life and math, but what actually brought these changes about? Twice a week I’ll overview what I’ve been up to and what you can expect to do if you choose to participate in this program too!
Finally, the purpose of this blog is to share my experience to others, not to talk into a void. Please do communicate with me so we have an active dialog going! Commenting on this blog and on Twitter are particularly appropriate means of communicating, but I will also answer emails if needed. No question is too silly or bothersome, so please do share your thoughts!
I hope you enjoy sharing a bit of my travels!
About the program
Home to several prominent mathematicians such as George Pólya, Paul Erdös, and Béla Bollobás, Hungary has a rich tradition of mathematics excellence. Designed in 1983, the BSM program allows around 70 undergraduate students from North America to study mathematics taught, in English, by Hungarian professors. More information about the BSM program can be found at the American website (http://www.budapestsemesters.com/) or the Hungarian website (http://www.bsmath.hu/).