Why is Hungary a great place? - Westerners living here tell us about our country

Hungary is unique in that it gladly welcomes conservatives from all over the world and ensures that they can voice their convictions without constant persecution, writes Catalan political scientist Sergio Veslasco on The European Conservative website. But Veslasco not only reveals the reason for his own decision, but also that of two Americans, a Spanish and a French conservative who also chose the Hungarian life.

I first came to Hungary in 2017. I had a special relationship with Budapest, I loved the city. Four years later, in 2021, I came on vacation with a friend, but by then my political career had already started. I was surprised because for the first time in a long time I felt like I was really in Europe. By the way, I come from Catalonia, I used to live there, but sometimes I felt like a stranger walking through our own streets. However, when I came to Budapest in 2021, I saw a European city with young, white couples with children, pro-family and pro-life messages. What I saw disproved the lies that the Western media told about this country, writes Veslasco about the story of his move.

It became clear to me that I had to live in Hungary. In 2022, after graduating from political science, I decided to come here. And then I saw that I was not the only one who left his country and started a new life in Hungary. People came from all over the world to build their lives here, sometimes alone, sometimes with families. Below I would like to explain why.

Rod Dreher

I heard about Rod Dreher in 2021 that he moved to Hungary; that he is an American conservative living in Hungary. I asked him why, and he replied:

"Hungary caught my attention in 2019, when I started researching former communist Central European countries for my book Living Without Lies I visited Budapest and found it beautiful and charming. In the same year, I spoke at a conference here, and I was invited to a private meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who wanted to talk to the speakers of the conference.

It turned out that Orbán is not at all as negative a figure as he is portrayed by the Western media. At the end of the meeting, he said he hoped that the conservatives would see Budapest as their spiritual home. I found this sentence interesting, but I didn't think about it any further.

Then in 2021 I came to the Danube Institute for a three-month journalism scholarship. My boss, John O'Sullivan, said there were no strings attached. They simply wanted me to explore the city, the country, and write about my impressions. And I quickly realized that the real Hungary has very little to do with the Hungary that the American media and academics of the ruling elite claim."

According to Dreher, this is a normal country, but because of the protection of normality, the Western political elite labels people as haters, bigots, and tyrants. And this is very effective, because few people outside the country speak the Hungarian language, so it is at the mercy of foreign media.

When asked why he settled in Hungary, he answered:

“I believe that we are fighting for the survival of what remains of Western civilization and Western Christianity. I want to see what's going on here and write about it. And I feel at home in this foreign country where I don't speak the language, but I feel less and less at home in my own country since the Great Awakening."

Veslasco also asked him what he found in our country that he did not find elsewhere?

"I've only lived in the United States so far, that's my basis for comparison. And the difference is simple, so much so that I'm almost ashamed to talk about it. Things are normal in Hungary. Hungary is rumored to be conservative, but I'm not sure that's so accurate. Hungary, for example, is not so religious, and of course there are plenty of liberals here.

The bottom line is that while the rest of the West collectively lost its mind, Hungary (and Poland) remained sane. Twenty-five years ago, what is now called conservative was more or less the norm throughout the West. Today it is not…

Moreover, Hungary is blessed with a political leadership that is intelligent and combative in protecting the country and its interests. The United States has had twelve years of conservative government this century, but that has made zero difference in the decline of our culture and society.”

So, did you think that Hungary could be an attractive country for those who feel that their own country is no longer the same?

I encourage European conservatives – who do not need to speak Hungarian fluently to make a living – to consider moving to Hungary. This will not be a solution for everyone, but it can be a good choice for many. It is a culturally stable country. If Europe understood its interests, it would learn from Viktor Orbán, not demonize it. Simple European conservatives who are fed up with living the lies forced upon them by their governments and left-wing institutions should consider what Hungary has to offer.

Rodrigo Ballester

Academician Rodrigo Ballester lived in several countries, so I was curious why he came to Hungary? Veslasco asks.

"In my case, the decision can be traced back to family reasons, but also to the fact that I wanted to find out more about myself after seventeen years in Belgium. During my life, I have already lived in four Western European countries, and the curiosity to live in a Central European country also put a lot of pressure on me, especially in a country that I already knew, and whose media perception is completely opposite to the reality I know. "

What is the main difference between Hungary and the other countries where you have lived so far?

“First of all, I felt that this is a country that is moving forward and whose economic and social dynamism is evident. In France, Spain or Belgium - countries that I know first hand - for more than ten years one has had the impression that they are stagnating or regressing. These are countries that are not progressing, whose social structure is becoming more and more dynamic, and their governments are only maintaining the status quo.

Hungary, on the other hand, is making progress. The last ten years have been a wonderful decade not only for the big cities, but for the entire country, the economic development is palpable. I am also surprised by the social cohesion, Hungary is a country of patriots, which has been lost in Western Europe.

People on the street are also clearly more reserved, and above all, there is a very high sense of security, compared to what I observed, for example, in Brussels or during my trips to France."

Thibaud Ghibelin

One of the most surprising cases was that of political scientist Thibaud Gibelin, who came to Hungary with his pregnant wife, and his son was also born in Hungary. Veslasco also asked him what was the main reason for his move to Hungary.

"I first discovered Hungary as part of a university exchange program in 2012, and I was particularly interested in it, as, say, a political laboratory in Europe. Personal affinities and political interest complement each other. As a European, I love Hungary; the differences challenge and encourage the French that I am. And I'm French through and through. So there are shades of my personality that I can only briefly express abroad. I strive to serve as a bridge between France and Hungary, and as such to be fully French and European. But my everyday and family life is fulfilled in Hungary, and I really want to spend many more years here."

Gladden Pappin

I finally met legal and political theorist Gladden Pappin in 2022, writes Veslasco, at a Sohrab Ahmari conference at MCC. I was surprised that an American university professor wanted to come here to Hungary, so I asked him why?

"Before I visited Budapest for the first time in December 2020, I had already been active in European conservative circles for years - among other things, I collected issues of The European Conservative samizdat from the early days. Since I am a political theorist, I became more and more interested in the conservative government approaches of Fidesz and PiS. When the Mathias Corvinus Collegium reopened in 2020, I was proud to be the first international guest and decided to return for a longer period from September 2021. According to my plans, I will contribute to the educational work in Hungary for years to come.

What was the main difference between Hungary and the other countries where you lived so far?

"Hungary is a peaceful and pleasant country; unfortunately, many big American cities can no longer say that about themselves.

It is peaceful because Hungarian society has ensured the really important things, such as family and work; and it is pleasant, because Hungary is on the rise, regaining its identity and sense of mission. Unfortunately, in many Western European countries and in many parts of the United States, the opposite is happening: the peace and unity of society is breaking down.”

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