New chapter

When I started to write this blog in the first entry I mentioned that I was planning to spend sometime abroad during my year-off. At the end of November this chapter began.  

30th November, 2015

I had been planning for months to live and work abroad for a while. Yesterday I left Csongrád at half past 7 in the morning and took a bus to Budapest to meet the guy who drove 4 of us to Baden-Würtenberg, Germany. 

Perhaps a car is the fastest and most convenient vehicle to travel to a little German village in the heart of Black Forest. If there are 4 women who are closed together in a car for 12 hours, it is obvious that we can listen to life stories, get to know peculiar, sometimes pretty hard life situations. The two middle aged women who travelled with us left their families behind to work in a meat factory near the German-French border. They are working 16 hours per day sometimes, live in overcrowded hostels just for making the ends meet, pay the bills and loans they have at home. Here it is a “slice” from the Hungarian and EU reality at the beginning of the 21th century beyond migration problems.

Comparing me and another woman sitting in the car we are privileged. Working in a wellness hotel in a fabulous valley seems to be whipped cream on a cake…however it is not definitely like this... 

Well, my decision definitely has a different background than most people who have chosen to lead this life.

I had a choice. I decided to give up my profession and try myself in a new life situation. It is not the same as it was at the second half of my 20’s. Then, after teaching a few years, I also took a year off. I was so desperate that time. I wanted to escape and explore the opened world where we could travel freely. I wanted to learn English.

That time my personality was still immature. I didn’t know myself. During that year in the USA, NYC finally I learned English and in parallel more or less I grew up. It also became obvious and important for me that I am Hungarian. I am part of a Middle/East-European cultural circle which is mine so deeply.  This life experience in abroad was at least as important as five years university studies.

So when I was sitting in the car on the way here, Black Forest, that much younger me was in my mind. Anyway, I don’t speak the country’s language again but at least I speak English. However, my mother tongue, Hungarian is my forever love, the deepest element of my national identity, learning another language is always exciting and challenging.   

Next morning I’ll start working.  And I will have my first German class here in the evening.

I’ve just forgotten to mention: from my flat, on the 8^th floor the view is fantastic. I can see mountains and always listen to the stream.   

1^st December 2015

My first working day is over. Since being a pioneer I haven’t wore a uniform.  This is the 1^st time in my adulthood when I have to wear it which is basically a pretty one. But something happened to me in the last few months or the German cloths factory made a mistake...? Well, a mug’s witty subtitle “ No school, no job, no problem” has worked at my case in the last few month. But  my size is still M or 38/ 40 according to the European standard. Maybe my ex-boyfriend wouldn’t call me ballerina nowadays according to my shape but I’m not overweight at all...

 To cut the long story short, when I tried on my uniform the size 40 was so tiny… I got size 42 which is too long and a bit loose. Maybe I should have been a plus size model instead of being a chambermaid… J At least I could polish my nails…

I don’t think I should give any info about my job after just one day impression. On one hand, I’m still learning… On the other hand we have an ethical code as any workplace have.

Basically I have practise in working with women, even in international team. I am doing it now, too. After spinning long hours together it is great to relax in my little cozy flat, listening to the stream, checking e-mails, blogging, relaxing. And I’ll have my first German class tonight. Wish me luck! 

2^nd December

I started my day at 6.30 a.m. like yesterday. But today the rainy weather was over. There was no flood in the basement anymore. Even we could have enjoyed sunshine if we had had time. 

While my hands were working my thought were around the German language class. Our teacher is an 80 years old gentleman who is mentally absolutely fresh and physically in a pretty good shape too. In his condition it is really a blessing to reach this age even more. His class was just perfect for me. There were 3 people there. Two of us have pre-intermediate level and me, who is beginner.

I have to say the method was evergreen and perfect. He gave different tasks for us according to our level. Even there was group work. I got a special list of most frequented words we use in the hotel. My colleagues’ practised new grammar structures but I was involved in it too. All of us could follow and everybody learned stg new. It seemed to be very simple and easy. But I know well how hard to reach this effect especially with adults during an evening class. So congratulations. 

I closed this day with a glass of dark German beer. Just because I deserve it.:)

Tomorrow I will have a day-off. I’m planning to go to the neighbouring town and in the afternoon I’ll definitely make pralines. 

3^rd December

Life sweet life when I’m having a day-off. I could sleep till almost 9 a.m. When I woke up I was welcome by this view on my balcony. 

The morning flew away doing some house chores. In the afternoon I took a bus to visit the neighbouring town. I travelled with some primary school pupils. They were around 8 years old. Two little twin sisters having dark brown eyes and thick shiny beautiful dark brown hair. And some boys, some of them looked like little ones in Turkish “Suleiman” soap opera. One of the boys offered me his seat when I gave mine to an elderly couple. Hm, all of them were calm, not tired at all, well behaved and absolutely cute. And one of the girls was looking for stg the same way in her pink school bag as my niece always does. 

When I arrived at the town first I went to the tourist information centre to get some free maps. One of the ladies had perfect English. She was nice, helpful and informative. In the office there is an impressive collection of cuckoo clocks. Next time I’m going to take photos of them.

After then I took a walk and after a while decided to look for a supermarket. But where…? An Asian boy came in front of me.  It was a good idea to stop him and ask info in English. He gave clear info in great English. Anyway, it seems people usually speak some English in this Schwarzwald area and give info nicely. Late afternoon I made some pralines with ginger-lemon filling. I’d like to say thank you and gives them as little present to those ladies who are working in the office in the hotel. Especially one of them was so helpful and made my start here smooth.    

4^th December

One more day-off.  I hope my housedame keeps it as a habit...

In the afternoon I’m going to a swimming pool with a colleague of mine.

5^th-6^th December

My timetable was different during these two days. On Saturday I worked between 9 a.m. -13:30 p.m. and 16-21 p.m. On Saturday it was a bit different. From 9 till 14 and from 17 till 21. I was afraid of working till so late. However, it was not as awful as I expected. It depends on the company. I liked my co-workers both days. On Saturday two young Portuguese girls, one Croatian and 2 Hungarian formed a group. On Sunday there were three Hungarian and 2 Portuguese women together in the evening group. Both days tired but laughing women left the hotel at 9 p.m. And I assume I had some role in it :)

I’m still waiting for the mechanic who will install my internet box. The box is here for days, the guy is nowhere… It is not urgent for them. It was promised they would come within 3-4 working days. Well it was said on Wednesday and today is Tuesday. So far I haven’t experienced that legendary German punctuality. The streets are clean, garbage is collected selectively. There are many solar panels on the roofs. People are not in a hurry except at my workplace.

In the last 15 years I have already been to many hotels as a guest. In the USA, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Check Republic, Greece. I had great time in simple guesthouses, was amazed from the Portuguese wellness hotel and got dirty bathroom in the heart of Brussels in Hotel Marriot.  A five star hotel, any of them is about luxury. I like nice, cosy interieur,  pampering wellness centres with jaccuzies   and   thermal water. But the way how a five star hotel like this working is pretty far about let’s say “sustainability”.  It means wasting water, energy etc. 

Why shall we change the guests’ bedclothes in every second days? On the first day – just carefully – I asked one of the Hungarian colleagues whether we are green here I mean we use environmentally friendly cleaning materials and change just those towels which are on the floor as I experienced in some hotels. The answer: What? Forget about it. The magic chemical in Germany is spiritus. Like Windex in America. To be honest I haven’t felt the smell of spiritus since my childhood. Our chemistry teacher used it in Bunseng-heaters.

In the afternoon I looked for a touristic path. While I was walking up I realised I packed my old pair of sticks instead of the new one… I can’t believe it… one of them doesn’t work well. But finally it didn’t influence me admiring the beautiful fur/pine trees, the landscape and enjoying the fresh air. 

Today, on 9^th December I have started my full working week. Thanks for the last evening German class more or less I know those words which are the most frequently used during making the rooms ready. One of our housdama was so happy and satisfied with me when she realized it while she was checking us. 

It is getting late. I won't start early tomorrow morning but still should learn some new German words... Chüss!

       

Chefparade, avagy a bonbonkészítés fortélyai némi francia ihletéssel

Régóta terveztem, hogy elmegyek egy profi bonbonkészítő tanfolyamra. Nem mintha elégedetlen lettem volna eddigi „tanárommal”. Ötvös Zsuzsi Praliné Paradicsom elnevezésű blogja volt az alap, ahonnan elkezdtem tanulni ezt a nem egyszerű, de sok örömet adó tevékenységet. A másik kedvencem  a „Bonbon mánia” fantázianevű blog lett, de néztem angol nyelvű oktatófilmeket, megvettem a témába vágó könyveket, folyóiratokat. És persze utazásaim során sem hagytam ki a „csokis” helyeket. De Csiszér Dóri, a Chefparade csokiműhelyének háziasszonya tudott újat mondani, és elsősorban sok hasznost fogást mutatni. Mert bár tudjuk, az IKT eszközök használatának számos előnye van az oktatásban, egy tanár már csak tudja… de a személyes kapcsolatot, az együtt gyakorlás élményét nem helyettesíti semmi. Szóval éljen a „ learning by doing”, eddig sem tagadtam ezt az elvet. 

Chinese Tea Festival in Budapest

Tea or coffee? – asks the flight attendant when we are travelling by plane. I usually prefer coffee but I don't say no for a refreshing green tea on a gloomy day or an aromatic herb tea on a cold winter day. So I didn't say no for an invitation of a nice friend of mine to the Chinese Tea Culture Festival which took place in Asia Centre in Budapest. 

  

The programme was varied. It consisted of cultural elements and of course much information about tea. 

What tea ceremony means and how it looks like, what kind of effect it can be on one's health.

 

 There were colourful dance performances, mini concerts and Kung Fu show as well.

 But of course tea had the main role. We tasted many kind. 

Different type of green and black spiced with jasmine or just plain one.  As for me I prefer plain green or black tea. 

 The festival had commercial purpose as well. It was organised by CECZ, Central European Trade and Cooperation Zone. It is dedicated to support companies both in China and Europe. 

Father and his daughter. They are having 20 tea stores in China. Their organic tea is from beautiful mountainous areas and tastes exceptionally mellow. 

 And something peculiar: 50 years old, pressed tea: 

Last but not least: nobody is in a hurry who are having tea. They have time for chatting. Not online or offline but sitting around a table, filling up the little cups again and again with golden tea. While we were there, three languages were mixing with the music which came from the direction of the stage.  

My situation was privileged. Mircea, who invited me to go there, speaks Chinese well. Even he assembled the Chinese-Romanian dictionary. 

So we had hours for conversation with different people. Chinese who came in the hope of making business in Hungary. Hungarian people who are running tea houses in Budapest or just like tea. The most peculiar one was that middle aged guy who came to our table at around half past 8 p.m. The cleaners almost swept us out but he still was in the mood of tasting one more tea. And during that ten minutes we became the witnesses of a rich, interisting life story. 

So tea is able to bring people closer. It doesn't matter green or black one, with jasmine or without jasmine.  Anyway, please, without jasmine:) 

 

     

Nagyváradi hétköznapok

Egy város változásának, szépülésének szemtanúja lenni mindig izgalmas. Én több, mint tíz éve kísérem figyelemmel Nagyvárad újjászületését. 

Ez a hosszú folyamat 2015 őszén fordulópontjához érkezett. Év végéig több mint 20 futó projektet kell lezárnia a város vezetésének, a renoválási munkálatokat -  EU-s projektek lévén - be kell fejezni.   

A végéhez közeledik a vár több éves felújítása,

 megújul a Piata Unirii vagy régi nevén Szent László tér,

 újjáépül a Neológ zsinagóga, 

Ilyen volt...

ilyen lett.

 valamint számos, a századforduló szecessziós stílusában épült palota. Köztük a város egyik legismertebb épületegyüttese, a Fekete Sas, közelében a különleges, kerámialapokkal és sgrafittókkal díszített  Moskovits Adolf és fiai-palota, http://oradea.travel/hu/?p=1887

valamint idősebb és ifjabb Rimanóczy Károly számos, szemet gyönyörködtető épülete. 

Egész oldalon keresztül lehetne sorolni, mi minden. 

További információk:  oradea.travel 

Ezt a változást napról napra látni, a főtéren az építkezési törmelékek között átsétálni vagy éppen átbiciklizni számomra történelmi pillanat. Szerencsés vagyok, hogy ennek az időszaknak egy hétre a részese lehettem. Belehallgathattam a munkások beszélgetésébe, az építkezés közepette bementem a megszépülő zsinagógába, ahol négy éve ősszel az őr még néhány ott tanyázó macskát etetett, és közösen azon búslakodtunk, hogy pénz hiányában nincs remény a Körös-part egyik meghatározó épületének megmentésére.Most ilyen belülről: 

Jó turistának lenni, de egy országot, egy várost igazán csak úgy lehet megismerni, ha ott élünk, felvesszük a helyiek, a város, a település ritmusát, alkalmazkodunk az ottani szokásokhoz, szabályokhoz. A mondás szerint: „Rómában úgy élj, ahogy a rómaiak!” Én Nagyváradon próbáltam úgy élni, mint a nagyváradiak. Része lehettem egy belvárosi, fiatal értelmiségi nő családjának, hétköznapjainak. Közben pedig bejártam  a  város különböző részeit, rendezvényeken vettem részt, nagyokat bicikliztem, felkerestem számos turisztikai látványosságot. A következő néhány bejegyzés hétköznapi történetekről, találkozásokról szól. Elsőként egy kora esti séta történéseit elevenítem fel. 

      

Ioana barátnőm a városi értelmiségi nők hétköznapjait éli. Több nyelven beszél, az ő nevéhez fűződik a város turisztikai honlapjának angol nyelvű, kiváló minőségű fordítása, elkötelezett környezetvédő.

 Nem mellesleg két tündéri kislány anyukája. Szofi öt, Teo három éves. Egyik késő délután, anyát otthon hagyva, hadd dolgozzon egy kicsit a számítógépen, hármasban sétára indultunk a folyó mentén, pillangószárnyakkal megerősítve. 

A cél a Piata 1 Decembrie-n  található játszótér volt. 

 A szárnyakkal önmagában nem volt semmi baj, bár Teo tervével ellentétben csak némi segítséggel volt alkalmas arra, hogy a folyópartot övező téglafalról le lehessen szállni, mint a madár...

Egyébként is…Két hegymászó gyerekével nem hétköznapi vállalkozás egy játszótéren töltött délután, főképpen, ha az egyik lányka azt hiszi, hogy tud repülni… De épségben megúsztuk a kalandot. 

Már sötétben botorkáltunk hazafelé a Fekete Sas oldalában, kátyúkat kerülgetve, lefedetlen csatornalyukba nem beleesve, figyelve a közeledő villamosra, mikor mindhármunk számára egyértelművé vált, hogy a közelben palacsintát sütnek. Egy teljesen új, még megnyitás előtt álló kis elárusító helyen próbasütést végzett a hölgy, kb. 20 palacsinta volt feltornyozva. Az ajtó nyitva volt. A két gyerek megállt, Teo jelentőségteljesen rám nézett átható kék szemével és ellentmondást nem tűrő hangon közölte velem, hogy „plăcintă”. És a nyomatékosítás kedvéért egyik lábát már kezdte is emelni, hogy amennyiben én másképp gondolnám, itt olyan toporzékolás lesz, hogy azt is megbánom, hogy megszülettem.  Én, mivel ebben az esetben még nyelvi akadályra sem hivatkozhattam, mert hát a palacsinta az palacsinta, megadóan bementem a két gyerekkel, anyuka által preferált reformtáplálkozás ide vagy oda… Mondtam „ una plăcintă”. Amint az elárusítónő felénk nyújtotta, a palacsinta abban a szent pillanatban Szofi kezében, pontosabban már a szájában is landolt. Mielőtt Teo kétségbeesetten rám nézett volna, rögtön mondtam/mutattam is, hogy „one more…”please. Vészhelyzetben hogy milyen nyelven szólal meg az ember lánya, már igazán nem számít. Bár már este 9 felé járt, éles elmével pillanatok alatt felfogtam, hogy nekem még csak megkóstolni sem lesz esélyem ezt az általam is szeretett román palacsintát, ha nem módosítom a rendelést gyorsan háromra.

Az este végül mindenki számára megnyugtatóan zárult.  A sétától és a játéktól kifáradva, palacsintával jóllakottan, két elégedett gyerekkel tértem vissza a lakásba.