Because May 1st is a holiday in Hungary and school is closed, I headed to Kalocsa this weekend to visit Harpswell among others! What’s better is that I have no lessons on Tuesday, so I automatically won a 4 day weekend. Getting to Kalocsa is a bit of a haul: it’s 2 and a half hours from Szerencs to Budapest by train and then another 2 and a half hours from Budapest to Kalocsa by bus.
Because of difficulties beyond my comprehension in the Szerencs train station on Friday afternoon, I had to take a later train which would subsequently give me a mere 25 minutes to race from the Keleti train station to the Népliget bus station. Twenty-five minutes sounds like a lot of time, but with two metro lines to take and hoards of people hovering about like video game obstacles, I didn’t think I’d make it. I’m only writing about it, because I’m so proud of myself for navigating it and managing to be the 2nd or 3rd to last person to board the bus before it took off.
Relieved, I saw Gaines and Nicole on the bus. Some time later, we finally arrived in southern Kalocsa and grabbed some pizza for dinner. All of us were exhausted and we called it a somewhat early night. It was great to catch up and talk full speed to natives again.
The next day, we debated on going to Pécs or Szeged, bigger cities in southern Hungary, for a day trip. After consulting bus schedules, we realized that we wouldn’t have nearly enough time to explore the cities, so we came up with Plan B.
Plan B was wonderful…the four of us headed to the Kalocsa Saturday morning market to retrieve sausage, vegetables, and apples for a picnic later in the day. I had my first Hungarian hamburger for breakfast (wasn’t exactly impressed) and Harpswell started to call her Hungarian friends/acquaintances who might loan us some bikes. Miraculously, we were able to find three bikes plus Harpswell’s. After packing sandwiches and a lunch, we rode to the Danube on our bikes.
I haven’t been on a bike since June 2005 in America, so it felt great to pedal again. It was about a half-hour bike ride on a country road, a tree-lined country road…we had become successful in our re-enactment of Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On” music video and basked gloriously in the sun on our bikes. The only thing that was missing was red ribbons in the trees! We reached the Danube, parked our bikes, threw down our towels and hung out on a sand volleyball court next to the river for about an hour.
To most Hungarians, it was still too cold to sunbathe in swimwear, but we were ready to soak it up…that is until the mosquitoes and flies launched their attack and we had to race outta there.
On the way back to Harpswell’s apartment, we picked up Jenn at the bus station and watched some “Sex and the City” DVD’s and Hungarian music videos, must haves for a csak lányok evening. For dinner, we went to the scene of Kalocsa’s September dinner with Hajni and Mary Rose. Harpswell, Jenn, Nicole, Gaines, and I had a satisfying dinner with plenty of red wine. As usual, good food, company, and spirit spark great conversation. That night, we met Harpswell’s friends Gábor and Zoli who have both spent a good amount of time in the States.
One of the highlights of this weekend was the progression of my Hungarian. Ironically, I attempt more Hungarian on the weekends when I’m out of my small town. My colleagues don’t seem to think it’s necessary for me to learn that much, even though I try with them. Maybe it’s just not enough, but in any case, they seem to prefer using their English on me.
As Harpswell’s Hungarian far exceeds mine, I usually store words that I hear in my head until I see her and then ask for meaning. Between Harpswell, Gábor, and Zoli, I accumulated a wealth of new Hungarian vocabulary this weekend and I’m officially back in love with the language as of today! I found myself able to understand and pick out more meaning in conversations than I ever have before. More importantly, this fueled my motivation and desire to learn more.
On Sunday, Jenn and Harpswell made csirke paprikás (paprika chicken) and I did the dishes!
Overall, this weekend was very low-key and much needed (as all weekends usually are!)
….and even better is the fact that it’s not over yet.
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1 comment:
Kat,
I am so glad you haven't given up on Hungarian! I remember when I began learning it, so many funny bloopers, but with determination and the desire it can be learned. Once you can speak and understand Hungarian, a whole new layer of understanding about the country, it's people and culture is visable!
I saw in your other posting, as I was catching up with your newest blogs, since the time I commented before, that you are going to be teaching in Budapest next year. Congratulations! (I actually came across your blog when I was searching for Hungarian schools, and it was how I ended up starting my own).
I will also be teaching in Budapest this coming year. My husband who is Hungarian landed a job with Hyndia motors in Hungary and we are moving back after all these years. So I want to thank you again for your blogs as it is a way for me to connect with my past and now my future!
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