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Events, parties, workshops, book clubs and more are regular features at the Budapest chapter of Girl Gone International. There are monthly after-work chit-chats with wine and food – often hosted at the Közkincs Library. Any member is welcome to organise an affiliated party in their own home, says one of the group’s admins, Christiana. She hails originally from Portugal, and came to Budapest after living for some time in Central America. “I didn’t know much about the city,” she admits. “But from my experience as an expat, GGI has been an opportunity to make very good friends, connect with like-minded and different-minded people, and not feel lonely.”
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This is a sentiment repeated by the other women involved in managing the GGI Budapest branch, Lindsey, Ewa and Martina. “GGI is all about connecting people,” says Lindsey. “When I travel for work or pleasure, I know I can always check the local GGI group of the city I am visiting and join their events. GGI is a way of life, it is a family away from home.”
The Budapest chapter is particularly vibrant. “We try to have one event per week,” says Lindsey – and that can include picnics, brunches, international cuisine dinners, movie nights, games nights, cultural events, visits to the Christmas Markets and even a regular book club. Some sub-groups also exist within GGI, such as the Young Sisters (women 30 and under) and Big Sisters (over 30s) where ladies can connect to those in a similar age bracket. Ewa currently organises events every month for the GGI Young Sisters. “It is a cosy group,” she says, “usually eight to 12 people, so it’s a friendly environment”.
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When asked who can join, Christiana replies, “Every woman and non-binary person can join GGI – newcomers, travellers, expats, digital nomads, third-culture kids, anyone who knows what it feels like to live abroad”. Membership is free, but when requesting to join the community, interested women are asked some introductory questions and asked to browse the community guidelines.
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“My stay in Budapest has become richer in purpose and meaning since being a part of GGI,” says Christiana, and the other women agree. “I’ve made good friends through the group,” says Martina, “and talked to interesting women from all over the world.” The insecure and the homesick also benefit from having a community where they can talk openly about difficulties faced when living abroad. “It’s about creating a safe forum where people have respect for each other,” says Lindsey, “and they are not afraid to reach out for help”.
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“Life abroad can be really demanding,” says Ewa. “If you at least have a few people to hang out with or spend a nice afternoon together, it makes a huge difference.”
Girl Gone International-Budapest is always open to new members, and can be joined via the Facebook page. Events and general discussions are updated regularly. Additional information can be found on the official GGI website.
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