Classes Have Started...

... but just for us CETP teachers. Ha, got you there!

Tuesday night we had the welcome dinner at Dunacorso, a beautiful restaurant on the Danube (Duna in Magyarul, Magyarul is the Hungarian language). I had a goulash (gulyás) that was amazing. It was warm and well seasoned without being spicy.

Lindsey, Me, Kristen and Natalie at Dunacorso

The funny story from that day is slightly painful to remember. I got the gulyás dish and marveled at the delicious aroma and pleasing plating before digging in. I, of course, went straight for the gulyás and had a lovely little moment of 'Hungarian food rocks!'. Unfortunately, I next noticed what I thought was a green bell pepper on top (it's behind the parsley and tomato in the picture below). I happily crunched into it, only to have a five alarm fire spring up in my poor, unsuspecting mouth. Rudely spitting out the pepper, manners fall second to burning tongues, I grabbed a piece of the bread we had been given and tried to sooth my tortured mouth. A whole piece of bread and some of the Hungarian noodles (the round things on the left of the dish in the picture) later, I managed to take the flames down to a slow burn and was able to resume enjoying my meal, but I have definitely learned my lesson about making assumptions with regards to Hungarian peppers!

Gulyás! with an evil hidden pepper

We walked along the river for a bit to take pictures. This picture is random, I just laughed when I saw the name of the pub.

I thought I left Cbus

 We ended up going as a group to a bar area that was kind of like a little park. It was nice but I was too tired to want to drink anything so I just hung out talking for a bit. On the way back I wasn't paying attention while boarding the tram and smacked my knee on the edge of the step. When I got back to the hotel and pulled my pants up I realized I had a chunk out of my leg (through my jeans) luckily it doesn't really hurt and hasn't bruised too badly.

Me proving I am a klutz in any country.

 Wednesday and today (Thursday) were the first two full days of classes. CETP feeds us breakfast in the mornings (bread, butter, jam, fruit, coffee!, yogurt, etc). We then have culture class (which was actually practical suggestions the first day) at 10 am with the entire group of teachers. Next we split off and my group, the high school teachers, goes to the Teaching Tips class with Maria Santha. Maria (Maa-ria, like Maria in English but the a is longer/more open and the accent is on the first syllable like it is for every Hungarian word) is a wonderful teacher and I am taking a lot of notes in her classes. She is also the teacher for the morning culture class, and is helping us learn to navigate cultural differences and be aware of our Hungarian neighbors traditions. My group goes for lunch afer this and I have eaten in the cafeteria in our hostel both days. The food is pretty good and relatively cheap.

Thursday's lunch = 980 ft

Today I ordered the menü, which Maria had explained is the restaurant (or in this case cafeteria's special meal of the day type thing). It was a rice and pork? dish, I only put the question mark because I don't remember not because it was mystery meat. Also included was a cream of broccoli soup with these little round, almost crouton like additions that I wish there had been more of!

We had extra time between lunch and our next class so Bobby, Kellie and I headed down to the Spar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar_(retailer)) which is a grocery store, to grab snacks. In Hungary you have to grab a basket when you go into the grocery store and you must put everything you are purchasing into it. No wandering around snagging snacks and just carrying them to the check out. Also, everyone brings bags or baskets to the store to put their purchases in after checking out because you have to buy bags in Hungary.

Pumpkin seeds, chocolate and dried mango to munch on.

After lunch my group has Hungarian lessons with a different teacher for an hour. The language teacher is nice but she speaks very quickly and I am sometimes afraid to speak up and ask her to repeat. I need to get better at that because I cannot expect my students to be brave when I am not. I am starting to get it a little. My roommate Kristen and I noticed that when we listen to Hungarian speakers it's becoming easier to hear the sounds and less like the adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon.

At five we all come back together into one big group for our "CETP practical suggestions" class that goes over a variety of things about Hungary, work, the bank, the store, etc. These classes are helpful and it was much better today because we were in an air conditioned room instead of the hot auditorium. It's just too easy to zone out when you are tired in a warm room.

Once classes are over for the day a group of us head out for dinner. Tonight it was Bobby, Kellie, Kristen, Jenna, Skye and I. We took a tram (where I got checked by Kontroll!) and the metro to get to a different part of the city and then we walked around for a bit.

Captivating architecture on our way to the Parliament building/food.

 We got to see the Parliament building, which has a crazy amount of spires and looks much cooler than the Capitol building (sorry America).

Parliament before we went to dinner.

 The restaurant we ate at had excellent service, cheapish beer and filling food. I had a Dreher beer and chicken breast (csirekemell) stuffed with camembert, apples and nuts. Our waiter was patient with our fumbling Hungarian and even helped us out with some pronunciations and took a picture of us at the end. I'll get the name of the restaurant from Bobby later (they gave us a card) and put it in, incase enquiring minds want to know.

Parliament after we got out of dinner.

The building was beautiful all lit up! The architecture is gorgeous on many of the buildings in both Buda and Pest. Our hostel is in Buda and the Parliament is in Pest. Apparently a good test of whether you are in Buda or Pest (separated East - Buda and West - Pest) is that if it is hilly, it's Buda!

Random communication note: Skype definitely works (thank you Ashley Howard) so if you want to chat we shall find times for that just let me know!

I have to go do homework now, and I thought I was done with that when I graduated in the Spring!


Viszlát!