St. Olaf Budapest Interim 2017: Embrace the mod-ness

Despite the fact that Hungary starts its week on Monday, and the U.S. starts its week on Sunday, Tuesday is always prime. And today, life is only happy if you're prime (unless you are Leonhard [Euler (pronounced: oiler, not Bueller without the "B")]).

We are nearing the end of our trip, so everyone is attempting to balance studying for the final with exploring the sights that remain unseen. The mornings have been starting earlier for some, as we are trying to maximize our time here. A few of us spent the morning studying at local cafes, others explored the city, and still others chose to sleep for as long as possible.

We had our third to last math class today. This morning's lecture included what was called the "Big Mama or Big Daddy" theorem, otherwise known as the quadratic reciprocity law. After class, we had a break for lunch. Three students went to The Box, a donut shop that specializes in square donuts. They insisted on trying 12 different flavors, note that 12 is congruent to 0 modulo 3. Other students returned to what have become favorite lunch stops: The Cat Cafe and Bors Gasztrobár.

After lunch, we enjoyed an exciting math lecture by Csaba Szabo, who is an algebraist at a nearby university. His talk corresponded well with the material we have been learning, and his passionate teaching style left its mark on the chalkboard. Once the lecture was finished, some students searched the market for souvenirs, while others chose to do laundry, take naps, or start (or finish) their homework. Dinner plans included Szátyor Bar, Nemo Fish & Chips & Salad, Vapiano, and Aroy Thai & Sushi, amongst many others. A few students also went ice skating at the beautiful rink in city park. Now, we are working on homework, with the help of a few European chocolate bars within arms' reach.