Just an average day at the market

This is one of the many things I will miss when I move back to the States.

6 eggs
1 large bulb of garlic
3 big oranges
1 cucumber
1/2 lb beautiful mushrooms
and
1 beeswax candle (from the woman who probably made it)

Grand total - 1260ft ($5.77)

Total without the candle - 760ft ($3.48)

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.

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.

Why I'm glad I skipped 6th grade

Extreme Makeover Home Edition has a profound ability to clear my sinuses. I don't watch it very often but it seems that every time I watch it, I tear up, if not outright cry. Today was no exception. The family getting the new house this week suffered something I can't even begin to imagine. Two years ago, the sixth grade son killed himself as a result of terrible bullying at school. The rest of the family - mom, big sister, younger brother, younger sister, and aunt - have been unable to move on because of this horrific memory which is so deeply associated with their house.

Sixth grade is rough. Things are changing that you don't understand. Old friends may be making new ones and leaving you in the dust. Someone may decide that you're "not cool" and convince the rest of the class to avoid or bully you. That can make all the difference in the world between being happy and miserable at school. Middle school is brutal even without additional problems.

As the title of this post suggests, I never was a sixth grader. I was homeschooled through fifth grade and then begged and begged my parents to let me go to a tiny charter school as a seventh grader the next year. Despite this, I've seen the ugly side of 6th grade. Last year, when I was teaching in Hungary, one of my classes was the 6a class at the bilingual primary school. I saw them twice a week for music and English class. While there was a little bullying in the 5a class and the 7th graders were getting into teenage angst, the 6th graders were well known as the worst class in our program and for good reason. They were wild and uncontrollable, loud and disrespectful, crass and bullying. There was one favorite target; I'll call him Aaron. Aaron is the son of one of the other English teachers and was not adjusting well to living in Hungary. In a lot of ways, he made an easy target for them. The only one in the room who didn't speak Hungarian and so could only participate in half of the classes, he was also quiet, reserved, and unmotivated.

Aaron frustrated me. He was so unmotivated. I could be standing right next to him translating the Hungarian part of the lesson using simple language (fast, slow, etc) and he would blankly stare at me while saying "I just don't know anything about music." Well... with an attitude like that, it's unlikely that you ever will. Despite my frustration, I had immense empathy for him as the odd one out in the class because that was me ten years ago. I was the one American girl in an all Hungarian school. He had it easy compared to that. My classmates weren't nearly fluent in English. I could barely communicate with them. And, yes, I was bullied. While my class was a seventh grade class, there were many of the same problems. Name calling, reading a book during the break only to have the boys slam it shut, it wasn't fun. In fact, that semester was one of the darkest of my life. Although the year before when I was at a "Catholic" high school back in the States was worse at school, the combination of bullying with hating where I was put me the closest that I've ever been do doing something drastic. I don't know why my parents ignored the morbid notes that I left on their bed multiple times, but it's a good thing that I never did anything more than pray I wouldn't wake up the next morning. I know what it's like to be Aaron. The difference was when I accepted that I was stuck in Hungary whether or not I liked it and that I might as well make the best of it. Despite my happy ending (I fell in love with Hungary and have been back twice since that disastrous beginning), it could have been much different and I sincerely hope that things turn around for Aaron too.

Watching Extreme Makeover today, what hit home the most for me was the fact that my baby brother is in sixth grade. When the big sister was asked what she missed most about her brother, she remembered his jokes. Every time I am home, he's got at least a new joke or two. And when one of my sisters hears one, I get texts/facebook messages sharing the newest. John's not in school so bullying there isn't a concern right now (This is NOT a push for homeschooling! If I ever had kids they would not be homeschooled unless that was the absolutely only option) but bullying can take place anywhere. There are enough dangers and diseases harming kids, this is one that is completely preventable. And must end.

How do you know?

People are always asking me about the differences between living in the US and living in Hungary. I tend to have a hard time explaining because most things are small and I've just adjusted and expect different things in each place. This morning on the ride home from the airport, I was looking around and thinking how distinctly European (and specifically Hungarian) things were. And so, without further ado:

How I know I'm in Budapest

1. Windows - first floor have bars, blinds on the outside, no screens.
2. Speed limit signs are circles - red on the outside, white on the inside, just a number no kmph or anything.
3. Balconies... especially ones with the yellow/orange plastic wall.
4. Yellow churches.
5. Those buses from ~1960 that haven't been shipped east yet. (Not all of the buses are that old)
6. The hustle and bustle of the city. (of course that's only because I've never lived in a city in the States)
7. "Köszönöm" and "Elnézést" come out much quicker and more naturally than "Thank you" and "Excuse me."
8. Milk comes in a liter box (or bag) and never gets completely cold.
9. Cars with "sharp" backs - they just end with no trunk space. (Compared to the first times I've been here there are many more sedans but the little "European" cars are still everywhere)
10. Women with reddish/purple hair.
11. No cheddar cheese :( and bland cheese in general. (I was really excited when both dinner and breakfast on the flight came with a little packet of medium cheddar - granted, I prefer sharp, but even medium is hard/expensive to come by)
12. Paper money has all kinds of different colors and coins are MUCH larger/heavier than American.
13. The ceiling in my flat is ~4m tall.
14. Communication - or lack thereof. I arrived home to find someone still here finishing the work of replacing my windows because my landlady didn't tell them I would be home today.
15. Internet blocks -- to watch American tv, I have to turn on my VPN because the websites won't let you watch from outside of the US.

Yes, I will blog about my exceedingly bizarre summer... I just owe a few friends the full story in person first before I post a recap here.

On writing...

... which I don't do nearly as much as I would like.

I have so many things running through my brain these days. They're on all sorts of different topics. And usually aren't related. So often, I'll start pondering something and think "gee, that would make a great blog post." But, almost without fail, I get home from where ever I was or finish what I was doing and end up on Facebook or checking my email repeatedly or wasting time on any of a half-dozen or so "time wasting sites" like cakewrecks or foodporndaily. Or, of course, I could be on Skype :) In any case, so many of these blogs just don't get written. And it frustrates me, because once I finally get around to writing, the things that inspired the post are weeks past.

Like the post I meant to write about life. That one was inspired by a comment made by a coworker that she didn't know why a special needs child hadn't been aborted. Add in the fact that Osama bin Laden was killed that next weekend and it could have been a great post. About the fact that ALL human life is sacred: whether it's Marko (the mostly blind and deaf - I think that's what is wrong - little boy that we see at the swimming pool) or a mass murderer or the innocents who are closer to being protected by the Hungarian constitution or the baby about to be born with a condition that will allow her to live only a few hours or the boy who develops severe autism after too many immunizations in a short period of time (those last two are from books I've read in the past few months the others are from "real life"). All of them deserve to live.

Seen in the subway station:

"I understand if you aren't ready for me, but give me up for adoption - LET ME LIVE!"

Or the post that I wanted to write about the play I saw last weekend: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged, and how funny I found it. But then I had to deal with the harsh reality that I would have reacted differently had I been there with different friends. With some people I would have been (and was) laughing at the, shall we say "less than family friendly" jokes, language, costumes, etc. With other friends, I feel like I would have been squirming uncomfortably. And I realized how much I don't know about who I am. Just me - not compared to or with anyone else. What does Rose actually think about that? Who am I, really? And how can I relate to others if I don't know who I am?

Then, there's the post about Hungary and changing the names of things. In April when I was on my way to the airport, I realized that the airport had changed names in the month between going to Sweden and going to the US. I was actually on the bus going to the airport before I realized that it wasn't Ferihegy Airport anymore but Liszt Ferenc International Airport. Then I heard about a number of squares in Budapest which have just changed names. Our main transportation hub the second time we were in Hungary is now Sze'll Ka'lma'n te'r (too lazy to actually put the diacritics in at the moment) rather than Moszkva ter which it had been for the past 60 years. A square somewhere in the 8th district (known as the seedy part of town) is being renamed for Bl. JPII - oh irony. And then, I came across this tomb while visiting the cathedral in Esztergom.

Literally it translates to

Kovacs Mrs. John
Born: Oswald Margaret
(Worth noting that Mr. John was nowhere to be seen)

I know this is common in Hungary... but it bothers me. I'm no angry feminist and I fully intend to take my husband's LAST name when I get married someday, BUT, until the day I die, I will still be Rose. If we're being addressed together (especially for things like mail and such), Mr. and Mrs. Hisname Whatever is fine, but when I'm alone, I'll still have the same first name that I've had my whole life.

Finally, I went to the market yesterday and bought oranges and strawberries from one stall. After asking for what I wanted in what I'm sure was understandable, if probably not perfect, Hungarian, the guy responded to me in English. I HATE when people do that. So, I paid with the biggest bill I had in my wallet knowing how much Hungarians hate having to make change. When I got home, I looked at the strawberries he had sold me and wished that the bill had been much bigger (more annoying for him). Out of a half kilo (just over a pound), the ones on the far right were all that were good after I chopped them up to salvage as much as I could.

So, there you have it.... four mini posts for the price of one. And, while I'm making no definite promises, I hope to post something more about my trip to Esztergom soon.

Beauty and the Beast and Our Lady of Hungary

Of all the Broadway shows I have seen/listened to/been exposed to, there are three that I really don't like: Chicago, Avenue Q, and Beauty and the Beast. That's not to say that I love all of the rest, but those three are ones I wouldn't be at all likely to listen to or watch. Except for one thing in each of them. In Chicago, it's the innocent Hungarian girl who gets hung because they don't understand her honest defense. In Avenue Q, it's the song "Fine, Fine Line" which I've turned to many times in the past when frustrated with a relationship (or lack thereof). With Beauty and the Beast, it's "A Change in Me."

There's been a change in me
A kind of moving on
Though what I used to be
I still depend on
For now I realize
That good can come from bad
That may not make me wise
But oh it makes me glad

And I-- I never thought I'd leave behind
My childhood dreams But I don't mind
For now I love the world I see
No change of heart a change in me

For in my dark despair
I slowly understood
My perfect world out there
Had disappeared for good
But in its place I feel
A truer life begin
And it's so good and real
It must come from within

And I-- I never thought I'd leave behind
My childhood dreams but I don't mind
I'm where and who I want to be
No change of heart
A change in me 

No change of heart
A change in me

I can't describe this past year in Hungary any better than this song does. Or, more generally, my feelings throughout the years about living in Hungary.

Ten years ago, I thought my parents were trying to ruin my life. I honestly believed they had concocted their plan to move to Europe simply to make me miserable. I went kicking and screaming. I had no intentions of enjoying it. And, until my attitude changed, I didn't enjoy it at all. Part way through that year, however, I realized that I was stuck here and might as well make the most of it. After that, I fell in love with Budapest. The food, the culture, the public transportation, actually being able to communicate somewhat in the language, etc. When we moved back to the US - ironically on July 4th - I dragged my heels even more than I originally had about going in the first place.

For the next three years, I hated living in the US. All I wanted was to go back to Hungary. I was known to wear all black on July 4th (as the commemoration of our return from Budapest), make up pitiful excuses to avoid saying the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the Star Spangled Banner, and relish singing "God Bless the USA" due to the double negative which makes it technically say "there is doubt that I love this land."

Then, after graduating from SHS, I had the option to go back to Budapest with my family for the year. I jumped at the opportunity, especially when I got a part-time job working at a bilingual kindergarten. Unfortunately, the first few months were a rather rude awakening. Budapest was not the utopia I had remembered through my rose-colored glasses (lol... no pun intended... I didn't even wear glasses yet). Despite my disappointment, the year went well. At the end of the year, I had come to terms with moving back to the US and was actually happy - especially to be starting university.

Four years passed... time alternately flew and dragged. And I found myself moving back to Hungary this past August. Thrilled to be going "home" again. It's been good. But, just like the BatB song says "there's been a change in me." Moving here, I planned to stay for a long time. Years, even decades maybe. While I can't say for sure, that doesn't seem so likely anymore.

I was going to Szent Matyas Templom (St. Mathias Church at the Castle) quite regularly earlier in the year for their Sunday morning "smells and bells" NO Mass. At the end of Mass, they always sing the hymn to Our Lady of Hungary and the Himnusz (national anthem... a hymn asking for God's protection). Singing along with everyone (I've known the national anthem since high school), I would feel such a sense of "home" ... this was where I was supposed to be. I didn't feel like I would ever leave. For various reasons, I haven't been to that particular Mass for months. However, last week, one of the daily Masses I attended ended with the hymn to Our Lady of Hungary. It was strange, singing along because I didn't have that same sense of "home."

A number of things, from good to not so good, have changed my perspective in the past few months. I'm making no definite statements about the future, but the prospect of teaching next year is getting more and more daunting. On top of that, I miss singing. To a painful degree. And I miss my friends, family, people in the US. More and more, it looks like I'll be moving back to the US the year after next -- hopefully for grad school. Would that mean I'm giving up my childhood dream of living in Hungary? Maybe. BUT, if that's what happens, it will be "where and who I want to be."

I'm Thankful

I'm thankful for the privilege of having known Mamma Sue.

I'm thankful for the way the Internet allows me to stay connected with people in the US.

I'm thankful that no one I talk to regularly lives in MST or PST.

I'm thankful for my dear friend and "twin," Jen, and for the many ways God has made her a blessing in my life.

I'm thankful for getting to see a long awaited flower begin to blossom... even from thousands of miles away.

I'm thankful that I have never had to deal with a serious injury or illness.

I'm thankful for the people in my life who make me want to be a better person.

I'm thankful for the ways I've grown this year (both the past 12 months and 2011 so far).

I'm thankful that I have a job.

I'm thankful that I live in a city I love.

I'm thankful that I have health insurance.

I'm thankful that I speak enough Hungarian to (usually) get by.

I'm thankful for my "commute" which provides Rosary time built into my day.

I'm thankful that it is so easy to get to daily Mass.

I'm thankful for my imagination and for my will and reason which help keep it in check when it tried to run wild.

I'm thankful for God's sense of humor... yes, even in those times when I feel I'm the punch line of His latest joke.

I'm thankful that it's been warmer this past week, especially since I turned my heat up because I'm sick.

I'm thankful that I was raised in a Catholic home but also that I've had the chance to choose it for myself.

I'm thankful for Skype.

I'm thankful that I decided to write this list rather than complaining about some corollaries of these statements.

I'm thankful for (and excited about!) my upcoming trip to Sweden with Deb :)

I'm thankful for my family and friends (yes, I know this is basically a "given" but still good to state).

I'm thankful for movies that are available online and for the work my Dad is doing on finding a proxy or filter so I can watch American TV.

I'm thankful for my Mom's health and that we have gotten closer in the past few years.

I'm thankful for the perspective Teresa often gives me when we talk (is she really three years younger?).

I'm thankful for fun "Watching Biggest Loser via Skype" times with Miriam.

I'm thankful for the colorful, funny letters Helen has sent... and that she hasn't complained when I've not responded :(

I'm thankful that John is being a pen pal with my Year 5 students.

I'm thankful for the girls I met in college who are still my closest friends: it's true what people say - I didn't go to college to meet my husband, I went to meet my bridesmaids.

But, most of all ...

I'm thankful for all that God has done and is doing in my life, for the way that He always provides what I need, and for the many ways He constantly reminds me how much He loves me.

**** Please pray for my friend's family as they mourn the loss of their amazing mother ****

X-mas in three sentences... or less

Trying something new... rather than rambling for hours and leaving out so many things I'd like to say, today's post is a number of short thoughts - as the title suggests, three sentences or less. Obviously, there is more to each story, just let me know if you're interested. Look, even this introduction is only three sentences! :)

Break

I'm so thankful to have a break from work for almost two weeks. It is especially nice since my schedule is changing yet again come January. I'll be teaching my regular two days at school, one day at the Pomaz kindy, one day at Daisy - the other foundation kindy, and one day at school writing three music curricula.

Hungarian Christmas

This year marked my first "Hungarian" Christmas. The other times I've been here, Christmas was always celebrated with my family so it was decidedly American, even though we were living in Hungary. My friend, Edit, and her family invited me to their house for Christmas Eve/Day so I was able to experience an actual Hungarian Christmas.

Christ and Family

Christmas is very family and Christ centered here. I was completely welcomed into Edit's family for the time I was there, from dozens of puszik (greeting kisses on each cheek) to even getting a present from what the Angel (not Santa Claus) put under the tree. Between the Christmas Eve Pastoral Play, reading the Nativity story by the tree, and Midnight Mass, approximately 2.5 hours (at least) were spent focusing on the real reason for Christmas and only 20minutes (tops) was spent on presents - quite a shift from the traditional American Christmas.

Presents

Compared to what I'm used to, presents were a meager affair - but not in a negative sense; from my observations, the socks, candy, books, and other small items were just as (if not more) appreciated than the massive piles of stuff common in the States. I received a beautiful, Hungarian pottery candlestick holder and two candles. The Angel (parents) brings the presents so there is no "need" to buy extravagant presents for your family.

Fish

Christmas Eve is still considered part of the Advent fast (even though it takes place after the reading of the Nativity story and presents), so the meal is traditionally fish. We had salmon which worried me a little because I hadn't tried it since I was a kid and had hated it then. I needn't have worried - it was delicious: much less frightening than fish soup could have been as it often includes "delicacies" like fish brains.

Feast

Dinner on Christmas Day is a huge family affair - we had 13 people, after a couple of last minute cancellations, including Edit, her parents, her sister and brother, her boyfriend, an aunt and uncle, a cousin and her boyfriend, grandma, great-grandma, and me. Between what Edit's family had made and the things her aunt brought, there were at least five types of meat, rice, potatoes, a couple of salads, cake, begli (nut/poppy seed dessert rolls), and various wines and liquors. Everything I tried was wonderful.

Small World

Edit's aunt, uncle, and cousin used to live in Columbus, OH. Even stranger, Goci, Edit's boyfriend, attended Szent Imre Gimnazium, where I went to school the first time we were in Hungary. In fact, we were both in 7th grade that year and he said I seemed familiar, although we must have been in different classes.

Family

I had to leave before Christmas dinner was over so I could hurry home for a skype date with my family to open presents. It was really nice to "see" them, even with the usual squabbling and such. In a way, it was hard though; it's easier to forget how much I miss them when I don't have such a tangible reminder of how far away I am.

I'll Be Home for Christmas: 2010 Ex-pat version
I'll be home for Christmas
You can wave at me.
Please share snow, I've got none, though
You'll see my tiny tree.

Christmas Day will find us
Ocean in between.
I'll be home for Christmas
But only on this screen.
(OK, that's four sentences, I guess)

English Mass

I've often thought that Fr. Lajos, the main priest for our Saturday English Mass community, could be very good friends with FSH from Seton Hill. Sadly, Christmas Mass proved that once again with a homily that included gems such as "I feel bad for anyone who believes Christ was born in a manger," "We need to discover the humanity of Christ so we can discover our own divinity," and "God doesn't put us in situations we don't like," along with an ad-libbed Consecration. Only God knows if it was even a valid Mass.

Friends

After Mass was our regular tea gathering, this week including an impromptu carol-sing. Then I went to South Budapest with some family friends for a rousing game of Monopoly, pizza, and rebroadcasts of Christmas services from Britain.

"Choir"

Sunday Mass was trying to say the least. The problem with the "choir" seems to be getting larger every week. If I hadn't already decided to leave, Sunday would have helped make that decision.

Tenor Gorgeousness

One of the highlights of my break has been the Attila Dolhai Christmas Concert on Sunday afternoon. Of the many things that struck me, the strongest was "it's really fun to watch a performance when the performer is having fun" - something I need to remember more when I sing. The music selection ranged from Christmas songs (both Hungarian and English) to pieces from various musicals - a Sing-along version of "Zene az vagyok en" (I am the music) from Mozart! was fun but Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar was unreal - and then the second half was "original" songs. (OK, this paragraph is going to be longer... sorry ... haha) I can honestly say that I have sung with Attila Dolhai (well, along with the other 100's of people who were at the concert but I'll leave that part out). After a couple of encore pieces, the 2.5 hour concert finally ended with a simple, quiet arrangement of Csendes Ej (Silent Night) - too beautiful for words.

Well, that's all for today. I'd love to hear from you if you're reading this... what you like, what you don't like, thoughts, anything really (no rotten tomatoes though please... I only like fresh ones). Merry Fourth Day of Christmas!

New Chapter - New Blog

Since things are changing so dramatically in my life right now, I figured a new blog might be a good idea. I'll be moving to Budapest semi-permanently at the end of the summer so this is one way I can share my adventures with everyone back home.

The reality of having this job is still hard to accept (in a good way). More and more details of what it actually means to move half-way across the world are hitting me. Sure, I've looked online for plane tickets and flats dozens of times, BUT it was always a wishful-thinking-because-I'm-really-frustrated-and-want-to-run-away action. Now, I'm doing those things for real. I've dreamed about going back to Hungary so much that now that it's becoming a reality I'm still not sure I believe it.

Having lived in Budapest twice before, I figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal to go back. What I hadn't realized was how much planning and preparation my parents had to put into the project. In addition, when we went before it was always very defined - we are going for 10 months and then will be going back to Steubenville. This situation is completely different. I have less than four months to pack my entire life into 2-3 suitcases and assorted boxes to stay at my parents house. Daunting to say the least. And that's before I start worrying about paperwork - visa, health insurance (I think this exempts me from Obamacare? Of course, I'll have to have some sort of insurance either way), residency permit, work permit -- all in Hungarian most likely.

Speaking (HAHA) of Hungarian... that's got to be my biggest project this summer. Well, that and teaching myself to teach elementary school (unless I'm just in kindergarten). I've already started making mtv.hu (the main tv station), BartokRadio, and various Hungarian videos on youtube part of my daily life. The more I can at least get it in my ear, the better.

Right now, my biggest worry is this summer. Tentatively, I'm still going back to Glimmerglass, but that depends on the TEFL course I have to take. Hopefully, I'll be able to figure all that out in the next few days. Please pray that everything works out!