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Updates |
On this page we plan to post updates so that family and friends can keep apprised of what we have been doing and how our mission and lives are going. Recognizing that this sounds as exciting for you as watching someone else's home movies, we'll do our best to liven it up a bit. |
May 7, 2006 - As we prepare for our upcoming trip to Hungary, I am particularly aware of the importance of blending in with the Hungarian culture, at least to the extent of not offending anyone with some social blunder. This being the case, I was especially grateful for the opportunity to spend a few hours last month talking with Orshi, a young woman who is a native of Budapest and was just completing a year in Virginia before returning home. We were introduced through a friend. Besides enjoying her company as we sat outside at the Crozet winery where she worked, I was able to learn from Orshi many valuable tips on how to fit in to life in Hungary, especially with regards to making friends. For instance, as she joined me on the patio overlooking the Blue Ridge mountains, Orshi brought us each a glass of something to drink, explaining that the very most important thing I needed to remember was to toast properly whenever drinking with a Hungarian. To fail to do so, she cautioned, would be regarded as an unforgivable insult. With such pressure weighing on me, I listened carefully as she pronounced the Hungarian equivalent of cheers, "egeszegedre" (ehg-eh-SHEHG-eh-dreh), repeating it several times until I was confident that I could replicate it just the way she had said it. "Egeszegrede," I said, with smug certainty that I had nailed it, until I saw the look of horror on Orshi's face. "No, no, don't ever say it like that!" She almost shouted. "The way you pronounced it means all of my bottom." Nothing like a confidence booster. I guess I'll be going thirsty in Hungary. . |