A wonderful Thanksgiving

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with all of my fellow american CETPers. We had wonderful hosts in Jenna and Yerik, and great cooks all around. Harpswell made a wonderful bird and Liz carved it beautfully. I also lovedthe hot wine and that is saying something if I liked something I know. The best part of the whole weekend aside from ditching the highschool chick, was hanging out with good friends. The club was hopping and I couldnt stop laughing at the bar....thanks Harpswell. I am proud of our accomplishments of alcohol consumption......Bravo group. We miss those of you who couldnt make it.

There are some things a person just shouldn't see!!

As many of us do, or all of us I should say who live in Hungary walk to and from their work each day. Well I was doing just that one afternoon after a day of struggling with communicating with my students. I was reflecting on my struggles when I happened across a man doing that as well. He was a man in his fifties or so, and was hauling what appeared to be lead pipes on his bicycle, another key transport. The bike was getting unsteady and so being the good person that I am quickened my pace to see if I might offer him some Stigen assistance. As I closed in on him I noticed that he was spilling some water or something on the ground and i thought it was a weird time to be quenching ones thirst while struggling along so. I just about reached this man when I realized that it was not water that was pouring and splashing where I walk but urine. The man was struggling to releave himself, while carring his load of goods. I was shoked and totally grossed out. I quickly moved to the road so I would not have to step in it. I once again quickened my pace to out walk the man to my street. I have farther to walk on the street than the walking path, and we met in the crossing and in Hungarian he turns to me and asks if something smells odd. Well in my head I had a lot of things to say beins somewhat sarcastic. I did not had the hungarian words to communicate my not so nice thoughts so politely stated yes, but I dont know what it is. This makes the list of things one should not ever see.

The joys of a language barrier!!!

So as many of you may know learning Hungarian is difficult. My town has not quite got that I myself am not a native speaker and rarely understand what they are saying. I when nervous smile which leads them to belive I understand, and I also have a habit of nodding and smiling when I can't hear which also sends this message.
Well having been in Hungary alone in my appartment I also have been known to dance and sing to whatever music I have selected at the time. Doing so I have developed a reputation and my co workers often comment on it on Monday morning. The first mishap for me came when the teacher who sits next to me in the teacher room, Gabi said something to me with the words enekel and tancol in it. These are the words for sing and dance. I thought she was making jokes about my latest moves. I was wrong I accedentaily joined the school choir and will be singing amazing grace in the christmas pagent. I blame the language barrier.
The second event this week was when Liz and I decided it would be entertaining to go to 40 Year old Vergin. Buying the tickets were a challange and the man kept laughing at us stating that we do not speak Hungarian. I was like duh, good thing it is an English film. Well we finally get the tickets and sit crammed like sardines into the last row. Apparently in Hungary movie tickets come with a seat number and they pack you in even it there are only ten of you you will all be in the back row. Anyway we were waiting for the movie to start and boasting that we will be the only ones laughing because the translations will be so bad in the subtitles. Oh no the joke was on us it was dubbed and that is why the man kept stessing that we did not know Hungarian. Language barrier again wins. On my way to walk Liz to the bus stop some little old lady said a whole bunck about Monday, I had no clue I quickely walked away and on the way back I got an earful from another lady about missing the bus to Miskolc and could not tell here they go every half hour. So I leave with the message this language is really hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!