First Impressions

I have a new friend and he greets me at 4:00 every morning, he is a rooster. Something I suppose I have to get used to even though I live relatively close to the center of town. I also heard a clip-clop noise yesterday coming from the street and when I looked out my window it was two horses pulling a wagon. Now I don’t want it to sounds like my town is completely backwards, because it is not this were just some unique things I noticed. Nyírbátor is an interesting place so far. Everyone has been extremely welcoming.
Monday I had to go to a staff meeting and introduce myself to everyone. It was in an auditorium of pretty good size and was almost full. I got up on stage when it was my turn with Olgi, my contact person. This went fine and she interpreted for me everything I said. Then the headmaster handed me a bouquet of flowers and I said thank you in Hungarian. I heard everyone laugh and wasn’t sure why, but Olgi told me once we got off stage that the headmaster was trying to give me a kiss on the cheek. Of course I didn’t pick up on this because we don’t do that, but I felt really bad and embarrassed! So for the first time I meet the rest of the staff I make a stupid cultural mistake and get laughed at, oh well better luck next time! Other than this little mishap everyone was extremely nice and welcoming. I’m looking forward to working with them.
Tuesday evening was the opening ceremony for the school. All of the staff, students, and parents come for an opening ceremony and are welcomed by the headmaster and then go to the classrooms with the teachers. After the ceremony was over and we were walking to the classroom one of the little boys grabbed my hand. It was the cutest thing and then he said something in Hungarian and I just shook my head, but it was so adorable. One of the second grade students also told me “good morning” so I have a little bit of work to do. Olgi told me that I will just observe the first couple of days and that tomorrow, the first day of school, is a free day for me and perhaps we can figure out my schedule. I will probably head to the school tomorrow for lunch and to look over the course books.
I’m learning how to do laundry with this crazy washer and cook with a gas stove. It will definitely be an adventure this year, but so far I am still extremely excited about it!

The Move East

My week in Budapest was great. I met some really cool people and good travel buddies. However, I was really excited to get to Nyírbátor and see where I would be living for the next year. All of the teachers from the program had to walk to a classroom where our contact people were waiting for us. The director of the program, Mary Rose, described this best by saying it’s like you’re an orphan going to meet you parents for the first time. As we walked in the room all of the contact people looked very excited and were coming up and greeting us. My contact person’s name is Olgi. She is really nice. She has three children around the same age as me and is one of the English teachers in my school. We drove from Budapest to Nyírbátor and it took about two and a half hours. When we got to town we dropped my stuff off at my new apartment, which is really nice much to my pleasant surprise, and went to dinner. It was a very nice restaurant and there were not many people there. Not much is open on the weekends here, so I’ll have to do my shopping on the weekdays. Olgi then took me to the supermarket and helped me out, so I’m a little spoiled so far. It was very similar to an Aldi’s. I spent most of my evening online which they already had set up for me! I enjoyed being on Skype and talking to family and friends.

I learned a little bit more about what I’ll be doing. I’m working in two different schools, one is about a block away and the other is supposed to be a 20 minute walk. I’ll be co-teaching with Hungarian English teachers who will be teaching grammar and I’ll be working on conversation skills. My young students will not speak English yet so it should be an experience. I’m excited to get started, but really nervous.

I have a staff meeting Monday morning and the headmaster wants me to introduce myself to everyone. Olgi told me that she will most likely be the one interpreting so she requested that I keep my English simple. I’m a little nervous about this as well since it will be their first impression of me, but hopefully everything translates well!

Budapest!

The flight from Chicago to Warsaw was long. (oh and the Polish Harley Davidson couple was really interesting to watch at the gate before the flight.) I didn’t really sleep much, Polish airlines planes aren’t the most comfortable, so I was really tired at the end of the trip. I sat next to a seventeen year old Polish girl. She was very nice and her English was quite good. She had been visiting her sister, who lived in the Chicago area, for her summer break (holiday). I also made friends with the lady sitting near me who was moving to Switzerland. The three of us all waited together during our layovers. Their names were both Susan and the Polish Susan shared the same birthday as me, weird.
The flight from Warsaw to Budapest was on a much nicer plane, so I was a little more comfortable. I sat next to a younger Polish guy who lived in Norway and he was a talker or I would have slept. The flight was only about an hour long and then I was here in Budapest. What a whirl-wind it has been. The directors of the program Mary and Hajni (pronounced Hoy-nee) meet us as we came out of “customs” and got us onto the buses to the hostel/university dorms. I am quite excited to say that my room has air conditioning. It’s a pretty nice place, much better than I was expecting, and it’s clean so that’s good. The toilet in my room is really strange. To flush it you sort of turn on a faucet that lets out water to push it down the pipe, not really flushing it. It has been difficult trying to live out of my suitcase, but nice adjust with people who are in the same situation. The view from my window is pretty spectacular, so that is nice.
Sunday I explored the city of Budapest with a couple of people and got to see all sorts of things. I put pictures up on facebook. We walked to the castle and around the city for about 5 hours, so we saw a lot. On Sunday night my roommate Emma got here. She is Australian, but mostly grew up in Texas, and we get along really well. She still sort of has an accent, as do others, and I feel I’m starting to pick it up a little and trying really hard not to, but I have been using the word quite a lot.
Monday we went exploring again and hopped on the tram that took us to the center of town. We walked by the Opera house first and as we were walking past we could hear a lady rehearsing, it was pretty cool. Then we went to St. Stephen’s Basilica and it was gorgeous inside and out. They have the mummified hand of St. Stephen as the relic of the church, so we saw that too which was cool but honestly a little creepy. Then we walked down by Parliament which is beautiful and makes our capital building look really boring. It was a tiring day but worth it. Monday night we had our welcome dinner with CETP (the program I’m here with) and it was at a restaurant on the edge of the Danube. The view was beautiful and as it got dark the city started to light up and there was a fabulous view of the castle and the chain bridge (which are two major sights in Budapest). I had paprika chicken and dumplings for dinner and really enjoyed it.
Tuesday we started our orientation. We started Hungarian language classes and a teaching methodology class. So far both have been helpful and both teachers seem to be enjoyable people. We got to know everyone in our group a little bit more today. There are about 40 of us and then 20 or so returning teachers who are not at the orientation. We are a very eclectic group of people. There are several people who have graduated with in the last couple of years, several couples, and people with children, retired people, and those in search of a change in their lives. Some have lots of education experience and then there are those like me with little to none.
My experience so far has been pretty good. The language is difficult, but I am learning. The people are very interesting. I have learned that there are quite a few teachers in the northeastern part of Hungary where I am located, so I will have some company. Orientation lasts until Saturday when our contact person from our school comes and we meet them and they take us to our towns. I am excited and extremely curious to see my town and my flat.