Hungarians

backslashbaby said:

It happened before I got there, but it had become a running joke by then. Every new person who didn't speak Hungarian (we had a lot of folks from the former Yugoslavia) was told to ask that boss something about cookies

I constantly asked the wrong people words in Hungarian, too. At first, I forgot that a huge proportion of the folks there didn't know Hungarian, either. We were very close to the border, during the conflicts. OTOH, many of them spoke Hungarian from their grandmother, maybe. All of those historically moving borders brought together some very different languages!

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Ah, too bad! Must have been hilarious as a bystander! But at least you could tease him about it

What were you doing there so close to the border?

My dad got asked to work for an American/European startup over there, and I came over and worked there part-time after he'd lived there a while It was a great experience! I love, love, love Hungarians

It being Hungary made all the difference in the world. It wasn't unsafe at all. It was amazing meeting so many folks who fled the fighting -- that's what the proximity to the border brought.

Nice! I'd love to work in another country for a couple of years or something. Try it out, learn about the culture. Have you returned on vacation then?

Must have been a great feeling for the fledgings to be able to find security in Hungary.

Unfortunately, no But I couldn't get as far west as the UK and Ireland when I lived in Hungary, and I have been able to do those trips since my time in Eastern Europe.

Prague is incredibly lovely, too. I always recommend a Vienna/Budapest/Prague loop to folks if they can swing it. At very least Budpest if you're as close as Vienna!

Well, you still have time to go back and visit

I'll definitely go see all those Eastern European countries at some point. I have heard so many good things about the three capitals you mention, as well as the ex-Yugoslavian countries.

OMG, I would love to go visit some places in the former Yugoslavia that were too dangerous (well the trains, roads to them were) while I was there. Some of the beaches, particularly, are recommended by so many people.

Next would be Africa, though. Or Greece I love me some Eastern Europe, but there are so many places I've never been! Like Canada, lol

Oh, Africa for sure! I have so many places I still need to see before I die - but I am the adventurous type, so hopefully it shouldn't be a problem

Sounds like you've seen a lot of places already though

Where are you from?

I'm just from regular old NC But folks in my family were given what I saw as awesome opportunities to travel and/or work abroad through work, so I used every ounce of nepotism I could muster to tag along once I got old enough to prove useful in those places

And I traded in a big wedding by my folks for $$ for travel to study, lol. I have my priorities

If it weren't so expensive to travel, I would have been around the globe twice by now

NC as in North Carolina? That's so funny, I'm just considering going to North Carolina on exchange next year. You wouldn't happen to know anything about the campuses (e.g. Chapel Hill)?

Nepotism, good one! Sounds like you contributed to something. Where else did you go/work?

Travel instead of big wedding, good prioritization! Wish I had that option So you've been to Eastern Europe but not Canada?

Ah! Chapel Hill absolutely rocks Look up Duke, too... very close by and my favorite of the two.

I did a shorter stint in San Jose, Costa Rica, because my Aunt and Uncle lived there My undergrad school had a term set aside for internships, so I interned at Motorola de Centroamerica. I do speak Spanish (not fluently/really bad fluent, lol).

I totally wish I could've taken Hungarian while in Hungary, but there was so much going on at the plant that there was no time I did learn a ton about Hungarian workers -- so great at science and math and those sorts of problems. They invented the Rubik's Cube Mostly, I hung out with folks

Yeah, no Canada! It costs the same to fly there on frequent flier points, lol. I did do Tech Support for the French Canadians at my old job So I 'met' a bunch of them

But as far as 'hanging out' goes, I adore the Hungarian people, and their magical places Even if I have to speak in English or German instead of their beautiful language.

Oh, the big music my Hungarian friends gave me/had at parties at the time? John Cougar Mellencamp and Sade! I can't hear either one of them now without thinking of home-brew red wine and wild boar roasted over a slow fire Good times!

I will definitely look up Duke, but it depends whether or not my university has an exchange agreement with the campus. Thanks!

You've been really lucky living at so many different places in the world How was South America?

Hungarian workers sound like fun! What do Hungarians do when they 'hang out'?
Do they generally home-brew or was it just a singular case?

OMG, Costa Ricans are awesome. Really, really lovely people and of course a gorgeous country

In Baja, we were great friends with a family that ran the pension where my dad lived for about a year when he first moved to Hungary. I love that they were like a second family, so quickly! We with our Southern roots really enjoy huge family get-togethers, and we were welcomed right in with this extended family

Istvan (who has since died but I still have a big ole cuddly dog named after him) was known for hunting wild boar, and roasting it well enough to challenge our Southern BBQ or Memphis ribs He was also known for his wine.

The folks from the plant were mainly younger, and they were much like Americans (in a good way, lol). Movies, music, hanging out dancing at parties. Trying to look cool All the same. Whether they were Serbs or Croatians, Hungarians or Transilvanians.

Strangers in Budapest are more reserved, kind of like New York without the propensity to tell you off Like Dubliners, I thought, or Parisians. Just more mind-our-own-business kind of folks than here in the South. But if you need something, they are right there and lovely to you. Just awesome

Sounds like you didn't experience much culture shock in Hungary? With the young Hungarians acting somewhat like Americans, and the big family gatherings.

BBQ *drools* Wait, you lost me there for a moment!

I'm still amazed at how much you've traveled.

Wink wink.

a-vee said:

Hallo Hungarians, sziasztok Kanadából

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Szia!! I take it that's 'from a Canadian,' but Hungarian word endings are not my forte

Oh! Those are so good to know I miss my Hungarian pals -- it's been several years now. I'd love to try a couple of those on some of them and have them wonder how I knew it!!

And I do love Hungarians so much. People in Budapest always thought I was Hungarian until I opened my mouth That's a compliment for me! The women are so pretty, too, lol

My big dog Istvan says hello, btw Zolte the dog and Galushka (sp!) the kitty are in the better place, but aren't their names so great ?! The real names are after real, dear people, and I like to call kitties 'dumplings' because I'm Southern and we do that, lol!

I had a German shepherd dog named Sarvar, but we had to put him to sleep because he lost the use of his back legs and was in pain. He was a good dog.

na jó, félig magyar vagyok apai ágon s Pesten éltem 5 évig, szóval valamennyire még megy a magyar. I do miss the place and am plotting my return as soon as possible and this is from someone living in Finland . Having said that, I still somehow manage to get my Hungarian fix here (though there are three Hungarians I'm dying to meet and talk to). I do miss those times in Hungary though. They also happened to be during my college years so double the fun. But if anyone has questions, feel free to ask. I'm sure there are people more qualified than I am but I'm willing to lend a hand where and if I can (and that just really sounded Hungarian as well).

Hungarian thread

Hey, I'm from Budapest, currently living in Reykjavík Iceland writing in English. any other Hungarians?

There were a couple floating around at one time, but I haven't seen them for a while. I'm not Hungarian, but I have a very keen interest in your country. Welcome to AW!

One additional Hungarian reporting (from the US).

That explains my question in your welcome post in the newbie room.

I lived in Baja and Budapest (weekends) in the 90's I love Hungary and Hungarians so much. Jo napot!

Is Icelandic really like Hungarian? That was the closest language, wasn't it? I am afraid I couldn't ever grasp Hungarian very much. I used a lot of German instead, lol

It is one of the hardest languages to learn, so I've heard.

It is indeed hard because it does not resemble anything. I don't think I would have learned it had I not been born there.