DeKalb Corn!

As promised, here is a picture of a DeKalb corn sign in Hungary:



Ah, the comforts of a familiar face! :)

Saturday Market

Every Saturday there is a huge open-air market in Kalocsa. Yesterday I splurged and bought a wicker basket for my weekly shopping trips.

My apartment

Front Door

View from Front Door
(entrance is onto a porch overlooking a courtyard)



Front Hallway

Kitchen

Front Room



Living Room

My Little Paprika Plant



View from Living Room Windows



Bedroom



Indoor Porch



Bathroom





Old Washing Machine







My Bicycle

Teachers' Conference in Budapest

At the conference with Ágnes, our principal
The morning after I arrived in Kalocsa, I boarded a bus headed back to Budapest for a national teachers' conference. I accompanied the two women I had met the night before, Ágnes and Annamária. Someone else from our school could not attend, so they offered me her place at the conference. It was held at a huge convention center in the city and every region of Hungary was represented.

It was an all-day affair with breakfast, lunch, and even a "brown bag" dinner for the bus ride home. The event was put on by the major Hungarian educational materials publisher: Apáczai Kiadó. The morning session was a series of speakers and the afternoon split off into different topics. Unfortunately my Hungarian language skills were not proficient enough to really understand the content, but I certainly benefited from listening to it all day. As the day progressed I learned a few more words, but for the most part this is what I understood:

"-------to teach--------important-------that-----------------in Hungary------------very---------teachers and students---------------naturally------------work--------true------------every day-------------books-----------children--------------- etc."
(I think you get the idea)

The day concluded with a musical performance. The stage was transformed and we were treated to scenes from ballets, operas, musicals, and a fabulous solo violinist. What a treat!

violinist Zoltán Mága

August 28 - "Orphan Pick Up Day"

(My name is on blue paper toward the bottom)
After less than a week of crash courses in Hungarian culture & language and English teaching tips, the day came for our group of American teachers to split up and move on to different cities across Hungary. Thursday morning we all sat, with our luggage in piles behind us, waiting for a contact from our school to claim us. The CETP directors refer to it as the "orphan pick up." We had been given approximate times, but as each van pulled into the parking lot, we wondered whose "parent" was arriving.

I was the last to leave. Peter, the P.E. teacher from my school, had been lost for hours in construction traffic. As soon as I was in the car, he handed me the map and informed me that he was not sure how to get out of Budapest. Thankfully I am familiar enough with Hungarian pronunciation that I could identify the streets he called out as we drove south toward Kalocsa.

Once we were out of the city it was a pleasant drive through sunflower and corn fields. Peter speaks decent English, so thankfully we did not have to rely too much on my Hungarian for conversing. The most surprising part of the drive was passing DeKalb corn signs!!! (I promise to take a picture when I have the chance.) Apparently they grow Illinois corn in Hungary. Who knew?!

Two hours later we arrived at my apartment in Kalocsa. After lugging my bags inside, Peter and I met two school administrators for dinner at a local restaurant. It had been a long day of waiting and traveling so I was quick off to bed once back at my new home.

Budapest

View from the hostel


Chain Bridge with Ashely and Hanna (fellow CETP teachers)



Chain Bridge at night


St. Stephen's Basilica


Gellért Hill


Parliament


Vienna Gate, entrance to Buda Castle


Buda Castle

Buda Castle

View of the Danube from Buda Castle

Matthais Fountain