well this is it

heading out of eger tonight and a long flight tomorrow morning.

back to ny, back to "real life" and back to everything i left.....


so long hungary, it's been real.

the transition has begun

I've begun to muddle through this mess of our room to separate my things....and boy is it fun!  Hope you can note the hint of sarcasm there.

I've had to make room in my luggage for gifts and new clothes, so I'm deciding what exactly I can leave here and what I can't live without.  School bag from 2005, sorry, you're out.  I will miss your green courdoroy and you have served me well.  Mom's tupperware? Probable out (sorry mom!)  300 Forint skirt?  You're nice, but not that nice, and you fit me a little weird.  Hiking boots--I REALLY need you, but why must you be so bulky?  Ugh. Get in the suitcase.  Jorts?  I will wear you until next Thursday, but then you ugly raggy little things are out of my life! 

So that's this morning.....Conversing with my clothes.  Picnicing this afternoon in the park (how I will miss this--Just me, my ipod, a blanket, icecream coffee, my drawing pad, my novel and my Hungarian notes).

Yesterday was a sad goodbye at school.  My colleagues have been really great and my students proved me wrong:  I never thought I could teach high school and enjoy it.  Or get as attached to my older students as I did...I will really miss my school and everyone in it.  Luckily, there's facebook, and although I originally told them we couldn't be friends on facebook...now that I'm leaving, (slash now that they are no longer my "students") I changed my mind.  I am actively interested in where they will go to college and what they will do with their lives!  And unlike my preschoolers I don't need to wait 13 years to find out!  Soooo I'm about to get like 200 teenaged "new friends."  Oy.



Soon I have to leave my cute little out-of-a-story-book-looking city....

...Thank goodness I get to come home to the Hamptons, crabs, outdoor movie nights, and the beach.  Admittedly, I do miss these things, and I'm not sure what summer would be without them.

weird things that happened this week

1) A man walks down the street in seriously short shorts.  I'm talking Nair commercial short.  He was in his 50's.  (EDIT--6/6--Worse. While waiting for the bus at school, I saw an old man wearing NO pants, just a shirt, tightie whities AND he was wheeling a wheelbarrow.  Does it get much better than that?)

2) The "cool" boys in school have gotten new haircuts.  The "half mullet" is no longer popular, but seemingly blow dried long bangs, and a back mohawk (a bo-hawk) are now the new 'do.  Also wearing sunglasses inside (haven't you heard the news? The sun never sets on a bad ass).

3)  While picnicing/reading/drawing in the park, I got approached by a group of Hungarian 10- year olds.  My hungarian is getting better, but I couldn't understand anything except they wanted me to do something with my bicycle.  I replied politely, as usual "Angolul beselek" (I speak English).

Well, no sweat for the 10 year olds, they switched right over to english (better than some of my highschoolers!) And explained that their ball was stuck up a tree and they'd like to throw stones at it, so could I please move my bike.

This is a very strange happening here....not many people speak english! Especially 10 year olds. I complimented them, of course!

4) I randomly got Friday off and found out today (thursday).  "Oh, we forgot to tell you, there won't be lessons tomorrow because the students will be on a school trip.  So don't come in"

...Okayyyy, don't have to tell me twice!

the red pen is out

I am grading my 9th grader's final exam essays with the topic " a memorable vacation." 

If I were in 9th grade, it would be like camping at Lake George, or Cape May N.J. or camping at Smith Point beach 10 minutes from my house or maybe Hershey Pennsylvania. 

These kids get to write about Italy, Greece, Egypt, Germany, England, Spain....etc.  You get the point.  I waited out my entire childhood and college career, only visiting the East Coast of my own country, until I could get out of the U.S. and go explore different cultures.  These kids are just traipsing over Europe, checking out Gaudi in Barcelona, German Countryside and eating enough Italian gelato that they get brain freeze.

And they are all 15!  Lucky Europeans....

My favorite boutique is closing

And it feels like the end of an era. 

Once filled with adorable blouses and skirts, the little shop is now emptying out.  There are no new shipments in, and big signs everywhere saying "50% off Minden" (everything).  The little store near the square that I visited 2 times a week sometimes, to get rid of spare change, is only filled with teeshirts hanging half off the hanger and clothing I've already rejected 7 times. Too-ugly dresses I don't think I would even wear to a theme party and some clothes large enough that I would be swimming in them. 

I stopped in yesterday for one last look around and was able to find a pair of jeans-to-cut-into-shorts (Or "jorts"--aptly given name by Aylene) for half price.  But really there is nothing left.  It served me well while it lasted...But to be honest, I really would have missed this little shop after leaving. 

Saying goodbye to the store and my students and my colleagues this week and next is my first step West again. 

the big visit

So, amazingly enough, we had some friends from NY visit lil old Hungary this past week.  The week was full of LOTS of wine, LOTS of sun, LOTS of laughing and LOTS of adventures.

I think we really fit everything in, visiting Budapest, then Eger, then "the weekend house," and finally the mountains.  All the food that I've been loving these past few months were tried and tested by the NY-ers and they LOVED it as well (--Sometimes so much that someone was ordering 2 meals in one night!)

me, ay and ben's mom enjoying a mid-afternoon wine break

out to a delicious dinner with a little froccs!

jumping shot in the pest square

that dingy hole-in-the-wall BEAN place that I cant get enough of!

Wine tasting down in the "Valley of Beautiful Women"

It was so great that they got to come visit.  We were talking about how pictures and words on this thing can never compare to actually being here in Hungary.  Pictures and words can't really do it justice--there is an unmistakable vibe here.  Pictures don't let you taste the food or admire all the architechture at once, and pictures don't always show the beautiful pale colors of the buildings. 

They said they never would have thought Hungary had so much culture, food, and life to offer.  Back in the states, we don't hear very much about this tiny little country because they stay out of the news and out of the drama!  People here just want to enjoy their wine, drink their ever-flowing mineral water, and "enjoy the life." 

I'm just really glad I was able to share this experience with them, because now someone else gets it.  They understand why it will be hard to leave after living here, and they were here to feel and get to know this little city for what it's worth--which is so much more than I can type through my blog.