Everyday life in Szoboszlo

It's been a while since I've written. Not because I've been particularly busy but because it doesn't feel like much has been happening - in the  most wonderful way possible. I am settling in and Szoboszlo feels like home. I teach, lesson plan, shop, go to choir practice, make it into Debrecen for Mass some weeks and others just go here in town, I cook, I watch tv, normal everyday things. It's hard for me to remember that this isn't "normal" for everyone reading my blog because it seems so natural to me.

One of my main goals this year was to figure out if I love living in Hungary or if I just love living in Budapest. I've only been here a month and a half but I know the answer quite definitely. I love living in Hungary. Last Saturday, I got up early and took the train to Budapest for the day to see some of the other CETP teachers. It was very strange because I had never "visited" Budapest before. Of course, I've lived there and I have seen many of the sights and I know my way around, but I had never gone there just to visit. Comparing it to Szoboszlo was bizarre. I love Budapest, it's a wonderful city and I will always be grateful for my years there, but now I can see more of its flaws. The city is big, dirty, noisy, and smelly. I am happy to be this close (2.5 hours by train) and be able to visit every so often rather than live there.

School is going well. Slowly but surely I am learning names (hard when I have ~425 students!!). At this point, I know most of the students who misbehave as well as the excellent ones but I still need to learn the rest. I would venture a guess that I know about a quarter of the names (when they are in class... it's much harder when I see them in the hall and don't have a class to associate them with). Not bad when you figure I've only had five classes with most of them (I was out sick for three days in September with a bad cold)! The kids are sweet, it was quite an adjustment at first because they speak much less English than those at my last school but I am figuring out how to make things work. My favorite classes to teach are 1st grade (they are so so adorable), 5th grade (very small classes and they are bright/hard working kids), and one of my 8th grade classes (they focus better than any of my other classes and we get things done much quicker - which means they get more time to play games - it's a win-win situation!).

I am still playing the "I don't know what you're saying, tell me in English" card and will do so as long as I can. Of course, I slip up every once in a while and respond to something they say but I tend to play it off and be extra "clueless" for the rest of the  class. Even though I don't respond, it is very helpful to know what they are talking about. I would prefer that they not swear in Hungarian in my class but I'm not sure how to deal with that without "exposing" my knowledge. I have given most of my upper school classes a piece of my mind when they have slipped and sworn in English.

Finding creative ways to manage my classes is a bit of a challenge but I'm getting better at it. All of my students need to have a name tag (we made them the first week of classes) so that I can see who they are and I have different tactics for different grades to ensure that they have them. First and second get stickers if they have them and a sad face if they don't; I think I may start recording more closely with rewards if they have a certain number of stickers. Third grade gets an X if they don't have it and after three Xes I'll be talking to their teacher. The fourth graders are getting a taste of my childhood - if they don't have their name tag and/or notebook I assign 15-25 sentences for the next week: I will bring my notebook/name tag to Miss Rose's class. We are having a contest in fifth and sixth grades and the class loses points if they do not have their name tag. In seventh and eighth, I give them time at the beginning of class to make a new name tag if they don't bring one. I count how many minutes of my teaching time it takes them and then I take the same number of minutes from their break at the end of class. In general, stickers are a wonderful reward for anything. I haven't used them in 7th or 8th but even the 6th graders get very excited to get them for a good mark on an exercise in class. All in all, I really love teaching. It's funny since I never expected to be doing it but I can see myself teaching for a very long time.

All my paperwork is completed. It was fantastic, I only had to go to immigration in Debrecen once. And, had the officer not mistyped my name in the form, it would have taken about an hour. As it was, we were finished in an hour and a half. Two weeks later I received a letter saying my residency application was accepted and another week or so later, I received my residence permit. Both of those came by registered mail so I only had to go to the post office and pick them up. The school has been so organized with all my paperwork. I have been very thankful because it saves so much time, energy, and worry that one of my papers will be misplaced.

My health card took a little longer to get which was almost a problem when I was sick. I had a nasty cold (just a cold this time... I didn't let it develop into bronchitis or anything!) and had go to the doctor. That was challenging because my contact teacher was in England on a school trip. I ended up calling Hajni, our program director. She called the school and one of the other teachers took me to the doctor after the principal called the doctor's office. My doctor is directly across the street which is great because it only take a minute or two to get there depending on when the lights turn. The pharmacy is around the corner from the doctor - I can still almost see it from my balcony. Despite not having my health card, I was able to see the doctor and got prescriptions for antibiotics (which I took even though it turned out not to be bacterial), nose spray, cough medicine, and vitamin c. The appointment was free and the prescriptions cost about 6000ft (a little under $30) all together. I think the three days of rest which the doctor also prescribed did more than the rest! I've gotten my health card since then so, while I hope I won't have to go back, things should be fine if I do.

As I mentioned above, I'm singing in a choir in Szoboszlo. It's held at the music-focused elementary school for the teachers there and other people from the town. We have a concert this afternoon at my church to celebrate the beginning of the Year of Faith. Most of the members are much older than I am (there are a few in their 30-40s but most are 50-60) but it's nice to have a place to sing. I may be joining a choir in Debrecen as well. My contact teacher's best friend teaches in the music school at the University of Debrecen and I met her yesterday. She invited me to join the Debrecen university/community choir AND is going to help me get set up with a voice teacher from the school for private lessons!!

The mail seems to be great here - I've gotten everything that people have sent quite quickly - so feel free to send me something!

Kovach Rose
Szilfakalja utca 6 2/5
Hajduszoboszlo
4200
Hungary

Itt vagyok Szoboszloban!

(Here I am in Szoboszlo!)

It's been 11 days since I arrived in Szoboszlo and I've successfully made it through the first week of school. One of the first things I learned about my new town (first hand, I read plenty on the internet before arriving) was that, in the area, people refer to the towns by their shortened names ie. Szoboslo vs Hajduszoboszlo or Boszormeny vs. Hajduboszormeny. My contact teacher's husband told me this as we drove across the country from Budapest to Szoboszlo. It was helpful to know because a few days later an older lady at the market used the short form and I knew what she was saying.

Life here is very different from Budapest. While things in BP are slower in general than in the US, life is even more relaxed here. I suppose part of that  is due to the size of the town (~20,000) and the lack of exciting things going on, but it is a pleasant atmosphere. I haven't done much yet besides walk around some, discover a fantastic ice cream place, go to Tesco and Aldi, attend the local Catholic Church, and, of course, teach. Hungarospa, the largest spa in Europe, is only a short walk from my apartment but I haven't been yet. Once my insurance card is processed I'll get a discount on massages so I will definitely be making a visit.

School is going alright. So far I have met 16 of my 21 classes and will meet the other 5 on Monday. It's overwhelming trying to get to know 400+ kids (plus the teachers) but I'm doing my best. The level of English that the kids are using has surprised me because I thought they would be more advanced. Even through all the many problems I faced with the foundation, I cannot overstate how amazing the philosophy is and how much English the kids actually know and are able to use. Many of the teaching supplies and books which I brought from the US will be hard to use with these students compared to those in the foundation.

The other CETP teacher in town, Alli, and I have gotten together a few times and it is so nice having another native speaker so close. We are discovering how much we have in common (two girls of Hungarian heritage, both from Ohio, now working at bilingual primary schools in Szoboszlo) perhaps most notably that we have both spent some time in Hungary before so this is not completely new for either of us.

My flat is amazing. Not being able to chose it for myself was one of my biggest worries about coming but it has not disappointed at all. I am on the main street, near the market, shops, churches, and only a 5 minute walk from my school. The flat itself is great as well - I have a separated living room, bedroom, kitchen, and entryway. The kitchen has a stove/oven, fridge, and microwave. I even have a bathtub/shower which has a curtain after I asked my landlady for a curtain rod. There is plenty of storage space (so I really have no excuse for not being fully unpacked), internet (with a cord that reaches to the sofa so I am not confined to the desk!), a sofa-bed (visit meee!!!), and a balcony -- with a SCREEN door (almost unheard of in Hungary). Suffice it to say, I would have been thrilled to choose this apartment for myself.

In my spare time (which is so much more than when I lived in Budapest - advantages of a 5 minute walk over an hour commute!), I've been watching tv. One of my 40-something channels is TLC. Toddlers and tiaras and Jon and Kate Plus 8 are even more ridiculous when dubbed into Hungarian. I also try to watch a show in the evenings on one of the Hungarian channels. It's a docudrama called "In the Shadow of Suspicion" and has really interesting real-life scenarios like a white woman trying to convince her white husband that she did not cheat on him (which she didn't) after giving birth to a black baby or a teen arrested for a murder he did not commit. Then the show goes about finding the real story.  I find that I don't understand everything but enough to get most of the story.

Except for a quick trip to the immigration office, I haven't been to Debrecen yet. I will probably go next Sunday when the English Mass starts up again for the semester. I am definitely hoping to meet people through that as I haven't made many friends here yet.

One of my current projects is deciding which VPN (or similar) service to purchase so I can watch Downton Abbey when it starts on the 16th (in Britain). After seeing the latest, full-length trailers (Sybil and Branson FTW!!), I really cannot wait for the new season to start!!

I am not abandoning this blog and I do promise to write more often. I spent a while this morning reading through old journal entries and stories I've started and realized how much I need to get back into writing. As some of you know, I started a book this winter (a memoir of crazy college stories) and I want to continue working on it. I am beginning to explore the possibility of some online writing courses to further develop my writing skills. It's funny to remember how much I thought I hated writing when I have always been so creative and loved telling stories. My biggest task is learning how to effectively translate my knack for story telling onto a written page. College seems to be a good place to start since so many crazy things happened in my four years. All names and places will be changed, of course, to protect the "innocent, awkward, irritating, and/or guilty" but I cannot let more time pass without setting down my memories. Whether or not it gets published will be up to fate but I want to do my part in at least writing it.

As always, I would love to hear from you! Thoughts, comments, rotten tomatoes, etc are all welcome in the comments and if you want my address to write me a letter just drop me a note asking for it. I LOVE mail and will do my utmost to return the favor.

I'm Baaaackkk! (and Hungarian)

Apologies for dropping off the face of the Earth. I've been getting ready and moving to Hungary and, as is not unusual for my life, I wasn't comfortable getting excited until I was actually here. I arrived about ten days ago and spent a few days with some friends before starting orientation.

Being back in Budapest is amazing. I alternately feel as if I have been gone forever and as though I just left a week ago. Just arriving in London, after a changed flight schedule and an extra night in the US (in a hotel in Dallas which terrified me to no end), I felt so relaxed and peaceful. Even having my luggage lost and not getting it until the next day didn't faze me. This is Hungary after all.

Orientation has been fantastic. I'm making new friends - surprising myself how much I am going out of my comfort zone to introduce (and reintroduce) myself to people - and learning a ton. I'm skipping the Hungarian lessons because I already know enough to get around but the rest of the classes are proving to be very helpful. So many of the cultural differences between the US and Hungary which I was aware of are being explained in ways which I could have never put into words. The thorough (albeit not always perfect English) lectures are fascinating. I am taking more notes than many people simply because every facet that is explained and can be transferred from inarticulate experience into something I can actually describe makes me very happy. And with nearly every facet, I find parts of myself mirrored in the culture.

I am Hungarian. Not that there has been any doubt in my mind through the last ten years but now I have "proof." Hearing explanations for the pessimism that runs in my blood, the tendency to have very little privacy about my personal life (far too many people know far too much about my life and I care far too little about this fact... clearly, I belong in a culture where people would be asking me about all of this rather than my awkward over-sharing of unnecessary blather), the generation gap (although, I often feel on the "old" side of it) while still being able to socialize with a wide variety of people, the list could go on and on.

These things don't usually bother me but occasionally I feel them highlighted and outside of Hungarian culture it can feel uncomfortable. I guess there are simple solutions (largely revolving around keeping my mouth shut when the urge to over-share strikes me... or not blogging about it) but I'm like an addict that can't seem to break the habit.

Because the majority of the new teachers have never been to Budapest, I have been playing tour guide quite a bit answering questions, giving directions, and leading expeditions. Although I make it known that my advice is not "official" CETP advice, there have been a few spats when returning teachers who are helping with orientation strongly disagree with me. While I don't mind differing opinions, it is frustrating to be told I am wrong by someone who has been in the country, not to mention Budapest itself, much shorter of a period than I have.

Lest you think this is all gloom and doom, things are going great. I'm so happy to be back in Hungary. I can't wait to move to Hajduszoboszlo on Tuesday and get acquainted with my new town. I have so many teaching strategies and ideas that I am itching to try out and I am learning more everyday during our sessions on Teaching Tips. Those are especially good because they are taught completely from the understanding that we are Americans who don't know much about the Hungarian educational system. While I have a better understanding of the Hungarian system than most of my classmates, I know much less about education in general than some of the rest. I'm so thrilled to have this opportunity (yes, even to the point of being thankful for all the crap that happened with Szoloto which lead to my leaving and ultimately coming back) and cannot wait to see what the year will hold.

Why Hajdúszoboszló?

So how did I decide to move to a small town that I had never even heard of? This is the beginning of my journey to Hajdúszoboszló (hi-doo-so-beau-slow).

Since I first started thinking about going back to Hungary my course of action has evolved though several scenarios. The first was that I try to reapply with the foundation I was working for last year. I soon realized that wasn't a good plan since I am still not over what happened eventually causing me to leave. After I decided to apply to CETP, I began researching other parts of Hungary. Through consulting the website for the Catholic Church in Hungary, I discovered that there were two cities (outside of Budapest) where Mass was celebrated in English every week. These were Szeged and Debrecen. Once I started contacting the CETP American director, Mary, I asked if there were any availabilities in either of those cities. While there were not, she suggested Hajdúszoboszló  which is only a short bus ride from Debrecen. The more I thought about it, the better of an idea it became.

By this point, I am very excited to be moving to Haj. not just to be moving back to Hungary. It will be a very new experience and I think that will be good for me. Each time I have lived in Budapest has been a different experience but I have always compared them because it was the same (relative) location. This time, I will be in a completely new setting. I've never been to the eastern part of the country. I've never lived in a small town. I've never been completely on my own. I am looking forward to getting to know another part of Hungary. Although Haj. is a spa town, I'm sure that there will be fewer people who speak English which will, hopefully, force me to improve my Hungarian. I have already found a choir right in the town which I plan to join. The town is large enough (~23,000) to have enough shopping for everyday needs -  Tesco (similar to Walmart), Spar, Profi, and ALDI. There is one main city bus and my commute shouldn't be too bad. There are two Catholic churches in town and a bunch more in Debrecen (including the English Mass community). Being a spa town, there are thermal baths and water parks. Having finally gone to one in Budapest the week I left (after living there three years without going!), I am sure I will go more often next time. I'm not entirely sure at what school I will be teaching but I think it will be one of the two bilingual primary schools (1-8). I know it's not one of them so I'm guessing the other. The town is known as the "sunniest town in Hungary" which is excellent for someone like me who has had problems with getting enough vitamin D.

One of the lessons I learned the hard way last year was that I cannot put off making friends and other connections. This time I will be forcing myself to join the choir, go out and do things, be more active, so that I can build up a good support system in the area. I am hoping that the English Mass in Debrecen will help with that also. Plus, there will be other CETP teachers in the area and I'll have gotten to know them through orientation.

Speaking of, orientation starts four months from tomorrow. Longer than I would like but at least I know the end (or beginning) is coming. I'm eagerly awaiting my new passport (I had ZERO empty pages so I renewed it three years early) so that I can buy my plane ticket. It still hasn't really sunk in that I'm going back. Going home is more how it feels. I've had a number of people from those close to me to acquaintances point out that Hungary is really where my heart is and I couldn't agree with them more.

See new blog title :-)

As you can see, I've got big plans for next year!

As of today, I have officially submitted my application for the Central European Teaching Program and, baring any unexpected disaster, will be teaching ESL in Hungary starting in the Fall. I am thrilled to be going home and so thankful that CETP is providing the way for me to get there. My placement isn't definite but I am most likely going to be working at a bilingual elementary school in a small city (~25,000) called Hajdúszoboszló in Eastern Hungary near Debrecen (the second largest city in Hungary). After such a rough few months, it is hard to express just how happy I am to have a direction and something to work towards again. As I get more information, I will continue to share it but for right now, my plan is to arrive in Hungary between August 13 and 20, bum around in BP for a week or so before CETP orientation starts on August 23rd, then head east to begin teaching.