Hunglish.orgTime sure does fly. I’ve been living in Budapest, Hungary since 2001 and have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly that the country has to offer.
By Graham Calvin Pearson - Head teacher at MagnaLingua Business English Language School
Time sure does fly. I’ve been living in Budapest, Hungary since 2001 and have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly that the country has to offer.
I began as an English teacher at a small language school in a rustic neighborhood and then became a Head Teacher at a larger institution that caters exclusively to businesses. Now, apart from the occasional English lesson, I conduct workshops for our corporate clients in a range of disciplines.
When I first arrived in Hungary, everything was fresh, new and exciting - all be it very different to my native Canada. The beautiful women, good food and spectacular scenery were a treat for the senses. It was an adventure and I was loving every moment of it. This euphoria continued for a couple of years as I adjusted and adapted to the cultural differences. The minor quirks I encountered were met with a simple shake of my head and a sigh. It didn’t really matter to me, as I was just a visitor.
However, it soon became apparent that I was in Hungary for the long haul and a very interesting thing began to happen. As the seasons passed, so too did my willingness to accept that which is typically referred to as “normal” Hungarian behavior. Comments such as “Oh, what a quaint traditional restaurant” soon gave way to “Is there a Hungarian word for customer service?” The realization that up was down, left was right and forward was backward became evident in every aspect of my life from shopping to paying taxes.
I often feel that there is a total disregard for the existence of other human beings here. The concept of waiting your turn in a line-up is completely foreign as is being polite to a customer who is about to spend their hard earned money in an establishment. The government needs more tax dollars, so they make it even more difficult for young entrepreneurs to start their own business. I could go on…
“Why are you still in Hungary then?” you may be asking. Well, despite gripes about the odd way of doing things (strictly my personal opinion), my overall life seems to be strangely better here in all the ways that really matter. A stable and loving relationship, a beautiful home, and a decent job definitely outweigh most if not all of my grumps.
I’m not at all suggesting that I have now suddenly seen the light, nor am I willing to agree that having a huge graduation ceremony and celebration before you write your final exams is in any way a chronologically rational procedure. What I am saying is that it’s just the way it is and I ought to just grit my teeth and deal with it. Not an easy task I can assure you.
On occasion, I’m overwhelmed with guilty for my apparent intolerants of a way of thinking that clearly has historical roots and “are”, regardless of my two cents worth, the standard and norm of this once great empire. And if the truth be known, in my short stay here I have actually noticed a slow but steady acknowledgement that things could be different someday. The younger generation has the opportunity to travel and explore all the possibilities that the world outside of the Carpathian basin has to offer. There is hope, and more important than that I sense that there is a willingness on the part of the young to adopt new ideas.
So long as we don’t loose the core Hungarian values that kept me here in the beginning - namely family bonds, the enjoyment of food and the knowledge of how to have a good time – then all will be well and I too will be able to grow along with the nation in my new home.