Four Blurts of Happiness

Two of my German-speaking colleagues, Tamas and Adel, had a baby last weekend! (Adel did most of the work.) It's the first time I've ever had a co-worker or nearby friend have a baby. Everyone at school was so excited, in their own Hungarian sorts of ways. A true European, he weighted in at 3500 grams and was 55 cm long. His name is Marci.

In one of the greatest events ever to hit Heves, Wedding Crashers will be playing in the movie theatre this weekend! I think that fact, alone, is enough to encourage me to stay here this weekend, alone.

And walking past the theatre last night, I peeking into a wind and saw a list of English prepositions!! Never before had I been so excited to see grammar!! I walked through the culture building and knocked on the meeting room door before bursting in with a smile and a hello. A half-dozen adults sat around a table, learning English with a teacher named Agi. Apparently they do it every Tuesday, for two hours. They were quick to invite me and I very seldomly refuse friendship.

Most promising, in terms of friendship in my mind, was a cute blond in one corner of the room. But today, one of my students, a rather pretty blond-haired girl herself, came up to me and asked if I had met some English learners the night before. I said I had, and immediately pieced together the connection. Alas, Erika informed me that her older sister was a married student of the English language.

And yesterday, I was a substitute geography teacher. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, as I love maps. Except, of course, we're in Hungary. Class 10B, the dancing kids, is divided into three groups. Two study English - I work with the better group once a week. And then another third is a German group, I work with them, too. I had to speak first in English, then repeat myself in German (relatively tough, but getting SO much easier!), so all the kids could understand.

On the spot, I invented "trilingual tri-orshag geography-erdkunde game." I drew a map of Hungary (a pretty good one at that) on the board, and gave three pieces of chalk, one to each linguistic group.

Then I shouted "Hol van Mezobereny?!" I expected a mad dash to be the first to pinpoint THE MEZ, the little city where another American teacher lives, on the map. I was disappointed. The kids sat there twirling the chalk, thinking "huh?" so I repeated myself. "Mezobereny varos van. Hol van?" Nothing. Finally one kid came up to me. "Mezobereny hard. We should with big city play."

Oops.