From Chilean Law to a Korean Skincare Shop in Budapest
I have known Brenda since 2022, and it took me far too long to learn that she is a qualified lawyer from Chile. This year she decided to start a business in Hungary, a Korean skincare shop called Areumi Lab. Her story answers a question I hear at almost every event:...
KATA 2027 Hungary: What Could Change for Freelancers
Last verified: 6 October 2026. PROPOSAL, NOT LAW. The government put this draft out for public consultation on 6 October 2026. Parliament has not voted on it. Today’s KATA rules still apply until a law says otherwise. Freelancers keep asking me one thing: what...
How Long You’ll Really Wait for Surgery in Hungary
October brings the first proper Balaton fog and my annual reminder that I’ve put off a check-up again. This year it also brings a real change to Hungary’s surgery waiting list. On the public hip and knee list, the average wait as of September 2026 sits at...
Card Machine Tipping in Hungary: When Should You Say No?
Last verified: September 2026 Andrew and I spend a lot of time travelling between Budapest and our little place near Balaton, so we see very different versions of everyday Hungary. We eat in city restaurants, stop at small countryside places and grab coffees on the...
I’m Anikó Woods, a Canadian-Hungarian who’s been knee-deep in life here since 2017 - bureaucracy, culture, and everything in between.