Egy Kicsit Cognac

'A Little Cognac!'
I was greeted with these words by one of our friendlier porters yesterday, as I entered through the gate to our teachers house. There is this special little holiday called NameDay here in Central Europe. Everyone has a day, in addition to their Birthday, when they are celebrated! So, yesterday, apparently was Gyuri and Gábor Day. Hence, the Little Cognac!
Since I was having a pretty down day, and I was finished with school, and was planning on taking a nap, I thought, well, what the heck? Why not?! Gyuri (George) linked arms with me and led me inside. As I sheepishly peered inside the porters' 'lounge', I was politely greeted by several workers who I knew by sight but not by name. Afterall, we don't speak the same language! However, it was just a good reminder of how important people are. I don"t know why, but it just reminded me of that. There was Jozsef, an man of about 60, who I had only seen a few times but always with a cigarrette in his hand and who claimed to speak German just because 'German' (Német) was his last name! Although when I tried some phrases on him he laughed in response! Then, going around the table, there was Gábor. This man is an older gnomish fellow, who always has a big smile, and the most colourful ensembles known to man! At this moment, he wore an outfit almost entirely blue and green plaid, topped off by a blue berét! Next, comes Zoltan. He is probably in his early thirties, and the do-it-all handy man. He is the one who comes to unplug our nasty drains and change our light bulbs (because we couldn't possibly be trusted by the MAIN dude to do it ourselves). Zoli has kind, trusting eyes and after a while I started giving him knowing glances, as Gyuri continued to drink and speak this loving yet slurred version of the Hungarian to me I already can barely understand, and then assured me that he is a kind man, when he started kissing my head and stroking my hair! Anyway, I like Zoli. Finally,the two cleaning ladies to my right. Bori and Margot. Margot is the MAIN dude's (I'll get to him in minute) spy. I'm serious. Yes, of COURSE, she has to do her laundry at 6am once a week, and she just happens to notice that we had our trash waiting in the doorway, rather than out in the bins, where it BELONGS! But, she is friendly enough, and is helping to pay for her adult son to take speaking lessons with Abi, so she is alright. And I don"t know about Bori, but she is a bit rough around the edges, seems like the folk from the rougher side of the tracks. But one day I saw her leaving with Zoli in these really high heels and short, short skirt. Quite a shocker, but it was fun to think about what was happening there!! (ooh, the gossip! We gotta get it somehow!)
Finally, to the MAIN dude I keep mentioning. Well, his name is Bobak, and he is basically still stuck in the Soviet era. We have had several run-ins with him...including the time he stole our kittens from us and sent them to a 'good home in the country'. Yeah, right. Anyway, he is mainly just a very stern individual with incredible control issues. He is basically like the 'Major' of our little 'City'. It"s like he is afraid that he is growing old and losing his authority, so he has to actually invent ways to maintain it. He should know better than to try to do that to American women! Look out!
So, getting a bit tipsy midday and being stroked (on the head) by one of my student's father (I forgot to mention that!) while knocking back shots of cognac...it's just one of those experiences that you do once, and you are glad you did it, but a repeat performance ? I think not.

i wear my deo at night

So the other night, after I had taken a shower and was just going through those daily motions, I caught myself putting deoderant on. Now, don't get me wrong, I like to be clean and fresh, but I think this is taking it a bit too far. How much of my life am I on auto-pilot? Scary.

A bit of news: the organisation I am working with here in Hungary, ESI (Educational Services International, Teach Overseas) is looking for teachers for the Summer Program. Check out the site at www.teachoverseas.org. It is way cool. I love working with them. Just a generally cheery group of people who really has your best interests in mind. They still need 11 teachers to teach English in refugee camps in different parts of Hungary. My friend Jen did it last summer and really had a good experience. So, pass the word. Word.

weirdness

I'm glad to have sisters. My younger sis, Molly, reminds me time and again how fun life can be. To roll with the unexpected and to somehow make that lemonade out of the lemons in life. My older sister reminds me how important a thing like generosity is. She and her awesome hubby have offered a place for me in their house for a while for when I return to the States this summer. Whit is consistently giving me the literal shirt off her back. I would like to be more like them.
It is good to have people in your life who remind you of how you would like to be. More than pointing out your own weaknesses, I think it is good to have those people who you are sort of 'in Awe' of and feel so blessed to have them in your life. Don't you think? And then there are those that you are so glad to have around because they remind you that we are all, well, special, in our own little way.
I am amazed by my teammate (she is now rather officially my sister, and sometimes feels like my twin) here in Hungary, who puts up with so much weirdness from my direction.
I have decided that a prerequisite for that dreamy future husband of mine will be to hang out with her for a while and ask her how weird I really can be. Then, if he still wants to marry me, after tales of made-up stories about Grovers in the wilderness who make pilgrimages to the top of their mountain in order to harvest a rare type of celery...or if he hears about the endless stream of nonsensical song and banter, and the very strange health-related things that seem to always be showing up on my doorstep (be sure to chew your lettuce thoroughly before swallowing...it hurts the whole way down... and don't laugh too hard while you are eating a sandwich or you could snort little pieces out your nose! And did you know you could get a blocked salavary gland?) well...I think our odds of thriving in marriage would be higher than most these days. A little honest weirdness is necessary to uncover in everyone -or at least those closest to you-...some peoples' weirdness I would rather they kept it to themselves.
But I do think it is safe to say that I am not alone in this weirdness, and that not all of our weirdness is the same. Isn't that GREAT?! I thought so too.
I had attempted to make this blog a semi-serious one, but with the sun shining outside on this Friday afternoon, some silliness just cannot be helped. So, go find some weirdness in someone you love.