Language School..

Well, we are about to embark on our second week of intensive Hungarian. We made it through the first week with our class, and although you could nearly hear the rusty gears turning (2 others are "in our age group", Lol), we all made it through.

What is Hungarian like? Well, one of our teachers was going to do this:    dzsesszklubban


 Can you guess what it is?

Sure you're ready?






Jazz club!  No wonder when people want a Jeep, they think of DZSIP!  That's how it would be spelled!

 Are we ready for week 2 yet? I really don't know but we will find out tomorrow.

Szeretlek!

 Szeretlek means "I love you" in Hungarian... no one said that more to us than Jesus, Himself.

  Every season is a season of love to share with others, to let them know that God has CHOSEN them before time began, and wants fellowship - personal fellowship with them everyday. All we need to do is ask Him to come into our hearts and desire to follow Him now instead of our own selfishness. That's okay - our selfishness just gets us into trouble anyway.

  We have had the opportunity to share this in the Hungarian schools all ready! We have been invited in and asked to come back more! Who would have thought we would have created interest? Certainly not I! It is only by God's grace that we are here, and the prayers and support of those in the States and around the world who are allowing this to transpire. For this we are deeply thankful and love you to help us love these Hungarian people in different ways everyday!

Whew!

  Here we are after climbing up Gellert Hill in Budapest with some other Americans we met.  We not only climbed up, but also down the hill (most people take the bus).... aspirin and ibuprofen have been our friends with all the walking we have been doing lately. The weather has been a bit chilly - in fact it was snowing intermittently during the day and we had some accumulation that night, (Monday).

  Monday was a milestone in many ways - we learned how to get to and onto the bus (Busz) to get to the metro station where we could buy a book of tickets (saving $), then negotiated our way in our (English/Magyar) to the correct subway that took us in to meet our new friends.

  We were able to walk around a lot of part of Budapest, see the HUGE market building they have, see some other lovely buildings and then hike up Gellert Hill where there are some large monuments near and dear to Hungarians' hearts that overlook the Danube (behind us in the picture) and a few of the bridges  (Elizabeth, Liberty & Petofi) linking  the Buda side to the Pest side. (Pest is usually the flatter side). The famous cave church is in the Gellert Hill as well.

  After saying "Viszontlátásrá!" to our new friends, off we went, back to our little town.

  We have been getting out more on our own, and thankfully today I remembered to bring the "Angol/Magyar" dictionary with me on my way walking across town to wash clothes at a friend's house. I needed to buy some washing soap, so I went into a small ABC (local small/tiny store). No soap to be seen, but the lady came inside as I drug my airline bag of dirty laundry in the store as well.  Of COURSE all of my long practiced Hungarian left my brain as I was trying to ask if they had some laundry soap. So, breaking out the dictionary, I fumbled my way through... but she still was confused. We both started laughing then & I was trying not to go into the oh no, I-am-getting-so-I-can't-breathe stage". Holding a hand up, she went to the register area & produced a laptop w/ mobile wi-fi (called "wee fee" here). She brought up the equivalent of google translate and we were off... except for the different keyboard! It all worked out, they didn't have any but she directed me to where I could find some that wasn't miles in other directions.  I was practicing the words in my head... and of course they fled again when I drug my suitcase to the next ABC! Thank Heaven for dictionaries! She actually knew a couple English words, but I need to practice my Hungarian desperately & am really looking forward to school starting in a few weeks!  I said the words needed to find what I need - (dish soap & laundry soaps look amazingly similar!) and voila! Mission accomplished! I really appreciated how helpful both ladies were - and told them so...as much as I could.

 

First Week

   We have been reminded many times as we walk the streets of Hungary the emptiness of life without Christ in your heart, in this culture. People appear 10-30 years older, faces lined with no hope, alcohol or other tragedies endured.  Our determination to learn the culture and language so much more focused in understanding so we can share the Good News!
 
  Evidently things just take more time to get done here, so if a couple items on your to-do list is accomplished, it is a successful day. Apparently they think we are the energizer bunnies from our first week! We looked for rentals and found one; negotiated the indoor and outdoor markets (truly - a booth that sells household cleaners and wine - that's it!); Learning that pictures really do make a difference in language assumption as we discover new things; Walked some of the streets of "our" town without getting lost (the names change at the corners); Attended worship and prayer meetings; Started our residency permits; Attended a Hungarian birthday party; Got to meet our team; Learned how to use different appliances; Kind of figured out how to understand the exchange rate; Tried new and wonderful foods - all while fighting jet lag.

  Seeing familiar faces again has been an especially encouraging joy - truly friendship is a gift from God! He is so faithful to provide. I have wondered many times this week as we greeted these sweet, joyous believers, if this is what Heaven will be like or if it is just a sweet taste of the eternal. I know we are missing those from home, but we just need to concentrate on what lies before us, and do our best to remember that His family is always only a prayer away. That alone is great gain.

We are being spoiled!

  Our hosts are letting us stay in their guest cottage while we look for housing. This is the lovely kitchen in this sweet space... yes, we are being spoiled!  I don't want to get too comfortable with such nice accommodations, so we are looking as often as we can at places (not much is available). What we had seen was interesting, to say the least and evidently not a normal situation.

  Meanwhile, God is SO good! We have been able to get around thanks to our team members, had a chance to get to Calvary Chapel Budapest's service (it's in English and Hungarian), plus a tour of the city, walking around our town, and a lot of things were accomplished yesterday - like we were able to find a great map!

   Please be in prayer for an apartment or house in a safe place, but inexpensive.  Also, please pray for some bicycles in good shape or a car that is really cheap or free, since there is snow on the ground (and will be for a while) as well as it will be necessary for many reasons.

Family changes!

In just a few days, sniff, I won't see this set of "kids" for a while, but will be having the opportunity to expand my family of "kids":)

Kurt calls it PMS = Professional Mom Syndrome!  I find myself trying to help everyone.. in the post office (just ask the man who got a heart bandaid from me when he cut his hand), in the airport (if I have time, I will walk you to your gate to make sure you are ok), in the grocery store (you can imagine), and the list goes on.  My sons would just roll their eyes as they grew up, or helped with ideas, too. Now they are helpers as well.

This PMS continues to work in life - the above bunch are only a few of the ones who call me "mom". Oh, they have mothers, but they have at least an extra mom (me), as well. Soon I will be PMS-ing some new kids as we struggle with language barriers, but the challenges will be somewhat the same, no matter where you go. Boyfriend/girlfriend problems; family challenges; relating to another person challenges;  school; directions to go; where does God mesh with it all?

It is always nice to know someone cares... that's where I come in...PMS!

12 days!

Wow - twelve days left before we head out to a life we can’t imagine what will bring forth minute by minute.  Here in the states, if you move from one part of the country to another, you can at least expect similar people, reactions, transportation, housing, heating, traditions, shopping experiences, language and cultural nuances.

Where we are going, you emphasis only the front of the word in speaking, you go grocery shopping everyday, pay bills differently, look differently, don’t smile or laugh as you go through your routine (they will think you are drunk or insane), live minimally, speak a different language, and greet everyone in the restaurant as you enter and leave.

I feel as though I will be a mute/deaf person - unable to communicate with most people. While I know mentally that most jobs in Hungary require a good working knowledge of English, I also know that unless the people speak it very well, they would rather not because it isn’t perfect.... until they will hear me speak my Hungarian - small and halting as it is so far. I am also afraid my German will be flowing right back in rather than Hungarian, creating a really muddled mix. Hmm, maybe I should add my minimal Spanish to it as well?? No, I think I will just keep up with my Hungarian.

Then just getting around.... without mountains to guide us with directions, street signs will mostly have "utca" at the end, transportation challenges - a car is highly recommended, though we haven't been able to raise enough money for one, so we are praying in one (feel free to join us on that!). Meanwhile, different schedules, time reading (24 hr. clock), which tram to get... you get the idea. I wonder if we will feel like toddlers again, wanting to stay really close to our teammates so we don't get lost. 

Then, all the details to wrap up here.  I (Carrie) am saying goodbye to my mom and sister & friends right now before we are gone for a long time, so Kurt is getting the fun job of continuing to sort.  Yeah, pray:)