my new way of learning Hungarian

I find it a bit tricky to learn Hungarian I must admit. Or not only tricky but actually very difficult. Other languages I tried I have learnt relatively quickly, but maybe I just don't match with Hungarian. Sometimes I'm thinking of how fast I would probably have learnt the language if I would have been in almost any other country.. Anyway, now I somehow feel more motivated to learn. This doesn't mean that I will learn but at least the attitude is the right one.. :)

The good places to practice..
So far I liked to practiced at the market on Saturdays. There, the topics are limited to "are the apples good" "how much does it cost" or asking for something that I cannot see directly on the table... Even if I really like to practice with these small and friendly ladies, the topics are limited however.

Lehel market - quite a good place to learn Hungarian

I also practice with the taxi drivers and the people working in my little shop down the street. and other friendly people I come across. Maybe I should take a course, I have been thinking of it, but my level is so strange. I know many words, I understand quite a bit, but my capability of putting together sentences is limited... so which level to join??

A new way of learning
Anyway, the last month I found the perfect way of learning!!! I go for manicure and pedicure every week and this is my hour to practice Hungarian. The girl is really friendly and she doesn't speak English which makes it the perfect occasion to do conversation practice and the topics are more varied than at the market. She is also very patient, and together we do communicate quite well I must say.

my nails are not as nice yet.. but soon soon! :)

Today we were speaking about my trip to Frankfurt and she asked what I bought. I didn't know the word for candle so I told her that I bought a "kis naturel lampa" :) :) and imitated how to light a candle with matches. She smiled alot and told me the Hungarian word: gyertya. I then could tell her that I found those wax candles at the market that we use to have at home when I was a child and we continued speaking about many other small things.. like weekend plans, company christmas parties, and more..

I feel very happy about this new way of learning. Of course some studying would also do good, but right now I'm quite satisfied with my little progress I'm doing at the Szepsegszalon ...:) As she is listening to me, repeating and talking in a comprehensive way I'm gaining confidence with this Magyar language. Also she is very friendly and the best is that my hands and feet are being taken care of at the same time...:) so I think 8 euro is well worth the money!!

like a love story..

Today, coming back from Sweden, I fell asleep as usual as soon as the engines of the plane started. Then for some reason I woke up, and half asleep half awake I was listening to the neighbors' conversation for the rest of the flight.

Amazing what you can get to know just sitting next to someone..:)

Budapest - a beauty

There were four Swedish persons apparently going to Budapest for holidays. One of them had been before, and she described the city in such a beautiful way, like someone in love: What to do, what to see, what to try and also what is strange there.

Very positive adjectives accompanied the more factual information describing the baths, the view from the Margit bridge, the thermal baths, the interesting architecture which is in many cases hidden, the sunset over the Buda hills, the Danube, the flowers on the Margit island, etc etc. Of course she also added some historical stories as they are always told to foreigners; the tragic story of loosing big part of the country, the braveness of the Hungarians and how they have suffered throughout history...

Hungarian to know..

She knew Budapest so well, and the girl asked also to learn some useful sentences; The women said with a smile in her voice; "You can always learn köszönöm, kerem egy sőrt, you will not need anything else. You know, probably nobody will speak with you, and even if you try, they are likely not to understand you; it is not just that type of country, but you will get around easily anyhow."

In a love story, you accept the less favorable part of the other as well, often even turning them into something positive. Like; yes, nobody speaks with you, but they also leave you to be how you want to be..

the luck to live here..

I smiled internally, thinking that this lady and I, we have the same understanding of this place. And hearing her vision of Budapest, made me feel happy to be on my way home again after some traveling, even if it means that I cannot use my new winter coat for a while..:)

Again, I realised that I'm lucky to live, at least for a while, in this beautiful city - somehow it compensates for its small mistakes. Today, I even kept the smile when discovering that the sky today is grayer here than the one I left in Sweden a few hours earlier.

Maybe, tonight I'll go to see the view over the Margit bridge..

szerviz or the pleasure to go to the dentist

Szerviz is one of the few words that is similar in Hungarian and Swedish and theoretically it should have the same meaning. However in practice it is quite different; where ever you expect to receive a service here, (shop, post office, the baths, etc) you can instead expect a completely bored and unpolite person doing as little as possible to help. Ok, there may be some language barriers and cultural misunderstanding, but most Hungarians would tell the same. However, in this big beautiful city there are exceptions - my mission to find them! Little by little I'm discovering different places for different needs.

One of those places that I like very much is the dentist, I went there earlier this week. In addition to being professional, my dentist has two main features; being friendly and cheap. Interestingly it always costs the same; no matter what he fix or not fix - I always pay 10000 forints. Thinking of it, it's a good deal; 10000 for healthy and clean teeth including the reminder that it is actually possible to get good and friendly service in Hungary.

Some people are scared to go to the dentist, it is normal - quite often it's at least a little painful. However, me I’m not scared, I actually like it and moreover I’m impressed..:) At least my dentist seems to know what he is doing; dealing with all those cables and instruments in a very confident way. The cooperation between the nurse and the dentist is also fascinating, even without speaking they know what the other will do in a prefect harmonized way. Amazing.

So if you ever need one or if you are scared or find it expensive to go to the dentist, visit Hamid! He is a cool guy with friendly eyes doing a good job for a very good price. What more to ask from a dentist?