Occupational Status Update

Well, the time has come. I can officially change my occupational status from "Unemployed dirtbag" to "Substitute Teacher". I can just see my mom reading this saying "Awww, you're not a dirtbag!" And really, for being unemployed, I was somehow quite productive and busy (I swear I missed a few episodes of the Today show in the last two months...ok, at least 2 episodes). When I got the call on Friday that informed me I was "Ms. Nichols" again, I almost danced around and did cartwheels at the thought of money actually entering my bank account. Then I got to thinking...shoot! I have to actually go to WORK! What will happen to Maggie without me to give in to her cute doggie eyes and walk her every morning? My bed will surely be angry with me for neglecting it after all the love it has gotten recently. The endless web chats and smileys with a certain cute boy overseas will surely decrease a little. And God forbid! What will happen to my fashion sense after I miss the Today show and all of their updates on the latest trends?! If it weren't for Today, I would have been titled "Trend-less & Unemployed Dirtbag". I would have never gotten the memo about plaid button-ups being the thing this season (well, I guess all I would have had to do was walk into any mall to see that, but that's not the point). In the end, I suppose that Maggie will just have to wait until after work, days will go by faster, and thus Christmas will get here faster, meaning boyfriend gets here faster (woo hoo!). AND luckily, I have already purchased one of the coveted plaid shirts that are SO in this year. So, I guess I'll wake up on Monday and go make some dollar bills ya'll.

My first attempt at homemade Csirke Paprikás

One of the most traditional and famous Hungarian dishes...and I was able to make it (and do a good job!) right in my home in the States. Mom and I hung out in the kitchen today and made Chicken Paprika and dumplings (from scratch!). I got the recipe from an amazing cookbook I picked up while in Hungary. It's called Culinaria Hungary by Aniko Gergely. It's been translated into English (with American conversion measurements), and it includes a history of almost all the foods included in the book. It's like a textbook and a cookbook all in one! The recipe turned out GREAT, and I've included a couple pictures for you to marvel at.

Here is my mom, whipping up dumplings like a champ!

Here is the finished product...not bad, eh?!

The Yellow Rug

"The Yellow Rug", or who is more commonly referred to as Magnificent, Maggot, Margaret (said in a British accent of course), Mags, The Magster, Maggie...etc., etc. is my family's puppy. Not only is she our puppy, she's a great source of exercise, a good listener, and her behind always wiggles with excitement to the point of almost falling over whenever you walk in the door. Even when I abandoned her for a whole year to go to Europe, she never forgot who I was. Walking down the stairs when I woke up the day after I got back from Hungary, I could hear her waggly tail smacking the wall before I even saw her. But here's the thing...I've been trying to get back into a consistent work-out regiment since I got home to offset all the extra cookies and Hot Tamales I've been consuming. In the morning after my "unemployed but upbeat" regiment of coffee and The Today Show, I head upstairs and get into my running clothes. With tennis shoes in hand, I come downstairs and perkily get ready. Before I come downstairs, Maggie can smell it. She can smell the trail which I rustle up with my shoes and clothes. Sure enough, it's not long before Maggie's in my face, tail wagging, putting on her cute "Can I go too?" face. Now, I'm sure some people would just pop the dog a treat and be on their way. Maggie however, has powers beyond what most dogs have. I finally get to the point where I give up my run and just take Mags for a walk instead. Why not run with Maggie, you ask? Oh, I've tried. But bless her heart, my dog loves to stop and smell the roses....then another rose...and then that excrement left behind by one of her friends...oh, don't forget that little speck of dirt touched by a rabbit 3 days ago! Today I walked downstairs and she was in the backyard, away from the sight of me and my shoes...freedom! Yet, somehow when I got in the car and looked in the rearview mirror, I was mildly brought down when I didn't see those yellow ears flapping in the wind...

Life After Hungary

So, back by popular demand (popular meaning pleads to keep writing by 7 out of the 10 people that read this), I have decided to continue contributing to the blogging world. Considering my life in the United States is probably not going to be as full of crazy stories that inspire awe and jealousy in the minds of readers as my stories from Hungary, we'll see how this goes. But, if there is a little less of homeless people pooping on buses, running from transportation officials, and men hunting children with rifles in schools, maybe it will be all for the better! Coming home has still been quite the adventure. Since being home, I have become an auntie of a beautiful baby boy, visited 4 states in one day, seen Howard Stern walking through Central Park, and experienced wanting to die from food poisoning (luckily I had a cute male nurse around to encourage my will to live). So as it turns out, life in the States isn't entirely uneventful! Aside from seriously missing a cute face or two (along with the 180 small faces back in Budapest) every minute of the day, I think I'll manage...for awhile anyways :-) Below are pictures of my nephew Cam the Man, along with a picture of myself with the cute male nurse I mentioned earlier.

Flooding in Budapest

So there has been a lot of rainfall along the Danube, particularly in Austria. Then it all comes here to Hungary! We did have quite the rainstorm hit Budapest the other night however, taking down some trees in my neighborhood and making it a river...All of this rain along the Danube has made the river very high in the past week or so...to the point of the road going along it being underwater. Here are some pictures Alvin and I took the other day on our walk by Parliament...the one of our feet is on the steps that usually lead down from Parliament to the road!

Viszontlatasra, Magyarorszag! For now....

So yea, after almost a full year of living in Hungary, I can't believe the time has come for me to head back home. It seems like just yesterday I was sending off my visa papers and psyching myself up to live away from home for a year. It's been quite amazing and there are so many things I will miss about Hungary. Some things, like my students and islers, go without saying. But here are a few other things I will really miss about Hungary as well:

• The incredible public transportation. Aside from buses breaking down randomly, being pushed in and out of doors by angry neni's, the public transportation thing is so impressive and spectacular.
• The consumption of white bread and pastries as being socially acceptable. Is that stuff even legal in the States anymore? :-)
• Eating veggies and not having to consider whether they were treated with pesticides, or how long they took to arrive from the ground to your mouth. I've even eaten vegetables that came from less than 20 feet away from where I sleep and still had traces of dirt on them.
• Wine. Cheap wine that still tastes better than any $40 bottle you can find in America.
• The sounds of the metros, buses, and trams. The little jingles will be in my head for life.
• Seeing pieces of history older than my home country every day.
• Sitting at a restaurant for hours at a time and not being hassled by the waiter/waitress every 2 minutes.
• The overwhelming excitement that came every Friday on the train rides down to Kaposvar to see my partner in crime.

With that, here are some things that I am SO excited about going back to the States for:

• Air conditioning!!!! As I write this, I am sitting in a coffee shop with the backs of my legs sticking to the leather chairs and sweat on my forehead.
• Seeing more than tall buildings and cars in my immediate field of vision at any given time. Show me some mountains!!!!
• Driving my car. Yes, I LOVE the public transport here...but there is nothing like hoping in my car and singing at the top of my lungs with the windows down.
• Family and friends
• Having stores that stay open past 5pm. Woo hoo!
• Riding my bike
• Understanding more than 1/2 of what's going on at any given time. Although, when I went home for Christmas...I kept feeling like I was eavesdropping on conversations, simply because I understood what was being said.
• Maggie lovin'!

Of course, these are very small lists...they could both go on forever. But this can give you a little glimpse. I have so many heartfelt and mushy things I could type too...but those are stories you can hear in person if you wish. For now, I will say, "Szia later" to Hungary and enjoy being home for a little while!

Ladies of The Night...or Mid-Afternoon...

Being that I am from a little suburb of Denver...heck, being that I'm from the U.S., "Ladies of the Night" are not something I've encountered in any way, shape, or form in my lifetime. The closest I've come to it is watching "Pretty Woman" and feeling uncomfortably antsy at the "sexy" parts. Anyways, with that said and my larger, more intellectual views on the subject set totally aside...my experience from yesterday is newsworthy. Let me preface the story by explaining that this occupation is technically legal in Hungary...with some limitations on where the exchanges can take place (i.e. not near schools, restaurants, etc.). So, Alvin and I were in a little town outside of Miskolc, Hungary exploring and gearing up to watch a bike race today. Our Hungarian friend Greg was driving us around and showing us things. Here is how this experience went down, as I remember it...

• Greg: "Over there is a nice lake, and oh! We have &#%#$*'s here!"
• A & H: "WHAT?"
• Greg: "&#%#$*'s...you know, #@**&(!"
• Alvin: "Wait, beaches or peaches?"
• Hanna: "Horses? Waaiiit, not HORSES....you mean c^%va (Hungarian word for the explitave that rhymes with horse...think about it...)
• Greg: "Yes! They stand on the side of the road and wait for cars to stop!

At that moment, sure enough...at 3:30 in the afternoon, we drove by a woman standing suggestively on the side of the road, another walking towards a car that had pulled over. They were not dressed as my Grandma Helen would approve of. Me, being the sheltered American jumped with delight and this sight and almost felt the need to take a picture. Greg then honked and made another comment I will leave out of the blogging world and up to your imaginations to fill in. Oy vey.