Do you want to volunteer in Budapest? If so, I don’t blame you. It’s an amazing city with so much to offer.
You could easily spend a few weeks there, getting to see beautiful architecture, learning about the history, experiencing the nightlife and so much more.
Many Budapest volunteering opportunities will be helping out in hostels, though you could always check on housesitting opportunities too.
Here are 7 things I learned from volunteering in Budapest!
Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links that will cost you nothing extra but offer me a little commission for any purchases made. I was also compensated by Worldpackers to do this work exchange, but these are 100% my own honest opinions expressed here. These help me continue to offer helpful tips and information. Thank you so much for your support.
1. Try To Not Get Food Poisoning
It’s not great to get sick at any point, but especially when you travel somewhere to do a help exchange.
Unfortunately, not even 24 hours after I arrived in Budapest, I came down with a very bad case of food poisoning.
I’m not sure what it is about Budapest, but both times I have gone (2019 & 2022), I have gotten food poisoning.
Both times, I didn’t get it in Budapest, but right before leaving and then had to deal with it while I was there. Maybe I’ll have better luck next time I go, that’s all I can hope for at least!
Thankfully, the hostel I was helping out at was very understanding that I was sick, but I did feel so bad that I couldn’t help out.
2. Bigger Isn’t Always Better
This is not supposed to be sexual but it sounds like it! I’m talking about the size of the place you decided to do a work exchange.
In my case, I was at a hostel, so it is already the type of atmosphere where you have a lot of people around you constantly.
The place I was helping at was a pretty big hostel, so that means there are quite a few staff and volunteers, plus lots of guests that are always passing through.
When I arrived in Budapest, it was in the evening so I started my work the next morning. Later that day I started to get food poisoning and ended up being out for the next two days.
Well, it turned out that the hostel had been completely booked out for the upcoming weekend, so there weren’t even enough beds for the staff and volunteers.
So we went to a ‘sister’ hostel to stay for the weekend there. This place was a smaller more intimate place, and honestly, I immediately liked the vibe there.
It felt homey and the staff was so friendly. It’s the type of place where everyone gets a super personalized check-in, and it’s small enough that you can remember everyone’s names.
Both of these hostels had the same owner, so it was pretty easy to just ask to switch to the other hostel for the rest of my stay. It ended up working out well.
3. Hostels Take A Lot Of Energy
I already touched on this a bit, but I want to emphasize how tiring it can be! Some people thrive from interaction, but it’s the opposite for others.
I’m kind of in the middle, I do like it but I also need alone time and privacy to recharge my social batteries.
It can be super tempting to look at the Worldpackers’ opportunities and think, “wow I could totally go help out at a hostel for a few weeks or even months”.
In reality, hostel life can be exhausting so you need to be self-aware to make the right decision.
Something to remember, even if you have stayed at a lot of hostels before, it is very different to be part of the staff as you help out!
Being a guest means you get to be carefree, whereas volunteering is a whole other ball game.
Check Hungary volunteer opportunities on Worldpackers!
4. It’s Best To Be Fully Present
This was my first work exchange at a hostel so I wasn’t sure how much free time I would have. Not only did I want to explore Budapest, but I also had online work obligations that I needed to complete.
What I found was that I ended up not having that much time to myself. I would do about two hours of work a day (in the late morning to early afternoon).
As a volunteer in Budapest, I was also expected to hang out in the evenings and go on the nightlife events.
Of course, I wasn’t made to go every night, but you are expected to participate, especially on busier nights.
Now, this didn’t feel like work most of the time since you are hanging out with people and having a nice time. The only thing was that my energy would get burnt out a little.
Also, something to note is that since you go out at night, oftentimes you sleep later and wake up in time for the morning work (around 11 am).
From my experience, you will have the best time if you let yourself be fully immersed.
Especially because volunteering in Budapest isn’t just about what you get (free food and a bed), if you want to know more, read my article about why you should volunteer for the right reasons.
To sum up my thoughts on this, it is possible to work online (if it is flexible) as you volunteer in a hostel. Since my hostel was big on partying, it made it harder.
I think if it was a chill hostel, I would’ve gotten a lot more of my work done!
5. Different Approach To A City
Something interesting that I noticed while in Budapest was that it was a different experience compared with the first time I visited as a regular traveler.
I think when you are a backpacker staying only for a few nights in a city, you treat your surroundings differently. You notice and perceive your surroundings differently.
Doing the work exchange, it was like the pressure was off. I felt relaxed because I was going to be staying for a while and didn’t have to worry about paying for accommodation for the two weeks while I was there.
So basically, in my eyes, traveling in Budapest and volunteering in Budapest are not the same experiences!
Want to see what a day in the hostel looked like? Check out my TikTok video about it.
6. Like-Minded Humans
Volunteering in a Budapest hostel means you will get to meet a lot of travelers that are passing through, which can be nice but fleeting.
As a volunteer, you’ll get to know the other volunteers and staff. They will probably be a bit different since they are normally more experienced travelers.
If you’re a pretty open person, it’s easy to connect and make lifelong friends. Normally, I am based in Albania, but during the winter it can be a bit quiet.
Budapest is a short flight away, so I thought why not?! It was great to have that social interaction I had been missing.
7. Being Seen As ‘Old’
For me, I don’t feel old at all. Sometimes it’s still weird to think that I’m an adult.
I remember back when I first moved away from the US and went to Edinburgh, Scotland to study for a Masters of Science degree.
I was one of the youngest students going for an MSc., so almost everyone was in their late 20s or above.
There is a specific time burned into my memory when my Canadian friend casually mentioned that he was 26 and I immediately thought, “wow that is so old, I’m so glad I’m not 26 yet”. Well here we are, I’m 26, but it feels like that was just yesterday!
When you stay in hostels, you can find people of all ages, though most of the time it will be younger people. Of course, some hostels do have an age limit though.
If you are going to a destination that is known for partying, the hostels will have a different vibe with mostly younger people. This is the case with Budapest, as it’s a massive party spot.
After spending two weeks helping out in a party hostel, I noticed a majority of our guests were 18-21 usually.
I got some interesting reactions if my age ever came up, many were the same as my reaction a few years ago. “You’re 26?! – so old”
I know many people would be offended or start to feel subconscious about it. And to be honest, I’m surprised I wasn’t.
But I think was due to this theory I have – as you age, you learn more about yourself and the world.
You learn how to read people better, how to tell when someone is lying, trying to manipulate you, or just talking complete nonsense.
So these young travelers that would say something about my age – I would ask them questions about their lives, getting to know them a little, as you do as a hostel volunteer.
But the funny thing is, there wasn’t much to know, because they simply haven’t done anything interesting yet. That’s okay, they have so much time ahead of them to grow and progress.
Essentially, I had this realization that yes, I might be 5 or 7 years older, but I’ve had so many amazing (and crazy) things happen to me.
I have incredible stories to share at dinner parties. I did impressive and prestigious internships. I have studied and graduated with two degrees.
I have lived in 5 US states & 4 countries. I’ve matured so much and I’m glad for it.
It made me realize that I don’t want to be 20 again because that would mean going backward!
Not only does this have to do with me though, because as an experienced solo female traveler, I felt like I had a unique position in the hostel to encourage/help other travelers (and oftentimes naive young women).
I think no matter what – it’s hard to not be vulnerable and naive when you’re an 18-year-old woman just starting to travel.
Final Thoughts
If you’re thinking about volunteering in Budapest, I hope this article helped give you a better picture of what it will be like.
Of course, how it goes will depend on what work exchange platform you use and the hostel job in Budapest. If you are new to travel volunteering, I would suggest using Worldpackers since they have ‘WP insurance’.
This ensures that if things don’t work out, they will help you find another volunteer opportunity or pay for a few nights in a hostel nearby.
You can also use my code ‘MAPTREKKING’ or use my link to get $10 off your Worldpackers membership. Happy volunteering!
Still trying to decide if Worldpackers is for you? Check out this Worldpackers VS Workaway comparison!
Love This Article? Pin For Later!
