"The first steps in a foreign country are often the most difficult ones..."
Gives you some security since some questions are better to be ask to a local person. For some exchange people the tandem might be the only local they know. For me it has opened a great opportunity for a long-lasting friendship. (Angelika Peckary - WU-WIEN)
Definitely useful, it's hard to set up a home in a new city so a tandem partner is great to fill in missing knowledge and it's great to have contact with a native student. (Katie Bates - UCL)
Very useful!! It is nice to know there is someone you can turn to if you need help or generally show you around Budapest. This becomes especially important in Budapest because of the clear language barriers that exist. (Cecilia Bratt - SSE)
I think it's nice to have somebody to ask question before arriving and who can help you when you need somebody who speaks hungarian. And of course to possibly hang out together. (Linda Niessen - Tilburg Univ.)
It made me feel comfortable when I came to this country, knowing that I have someone to ask about basic things, and someone to show me the way the first few days. Luckily I had a flat already when I came, but for sure a tandem partner is really helpful in that matter too. (Mona Berg - Univ. of Helsinki)
The first steps in a foreign country are often the most difficult ones; the help from a local student is the best thing that a non-Hungarian speaker can have. (David Fortpied - FUCAM)
If you don't speak the language and are not used to the way things are done here, it's very helpful to have someone who assists you, translates, etc. And of course to go out and meet some hungarian people. (Ruvan Pilimatalauwe - Univ. Passau)