Adoption STAR Founder and CEO Michele Fried recaps an important leg of her travels this summer.
I had the very special opportunity to visit Budapest, Hungary again this summer. As a COA Hague Accredited adoption agency, Adoption STAR takes the responsibility of personally touching base with our Foreign Service Providers seriously. In addition to frequent electronic forms of communication, such as telephone, Email, Skype, etc., we make it a point to meet in person and aim for an annual visit.
Adoption STAR is very proud of our Hungary Adoption Program.
Hungary is a country close to my heart. My brother Dan moved there over twenty years ago and just a few years ago, my second oldest son Jordan chose Hungary as his home. Today my son runs his own 
business and lives in the Budapest. He is learning the language quickly and loves living there. The trips to Hungary are now even more special as I get the opportunity to also visit with Jordan and Dan and his family. I never get tired of the amazing views, different experiences and delicious food!
Hungary is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Ukraine.
Hungarian is the official language and most of its residents speak Hungarian. There are a growing number of expats from the United States, Germany, and the UK. Within the country, there are 19 counties, 23 cities and 1 capital. The capital of Hungary is Budapest. Budapest is divided in two
parts. Buda – which is most known for it’s beautiful hills and countryside views and has many more “suburban” type neighborhoods. The Pest side is city living. The city is divided by the Danube River and is known for its amazing cityscape featuring architectural landmarks.
I love the many bridges linking Buda and Pest. There are actually eight bridges!The oldest and most famous is the Chain Bridge
- The Elizabeth Bridge is named for Queen Elizabeth.
- The Liberty Bridge was once known as Franz Joseph Bridge after the Emperor. A mythical Hungarian bird stands on a golden ball on the Liberty Bridge.
- The Petofi Bridge is named after a poet and the Lagymanyosi Bridge is the southernmost bridge and the youngest of all the bridges, opening in 1995.
- The Megyeri Bridge is the longest of all the bridges.
- Margaret Bridge allows access in the middle of the bridge to Margaret Island. Margaret Island is a 2.5 km long island in the middle of the Danube and consists of parks. It is a very popular recreational area where you can picnic, swim, run, bike, etc.
One of the many special aspects of our Hungarian adoption program is the personal attention our clients receive in country. Additionally, the amount of time spent in country allows for adoptive families to learn so much about their child’s country of origin. Hungarians appreciate visitors and the country is a most affordable place to visit.