Culture: Kindness and Hospitality

There isn't any way to overstate the kindness and hospitality of our Hungarian hosts. After a pleasant weekend of settling in, adding a few things to the apartment, taking lots of walks, and catching up on sleep, we were ready to get started. Dr. Bertalan Komenczi had been a Louie A. Brown scholar in our department at Valdosta State University in 2004. He's the link that led to this exchange six years later, as well as to the opportunity for me and my colleagues to attend and present at the Agria Media Conference here in Eger in 2004.

Jack and I went to the Lyceum (a more descriptive name for this beautiful 18th century building than the alternative "Building A") in late morning. We were met by Mr. Sandor Forgo, whom I'd also met in 2004, and we started on a long and winding path up many wide and narrow staircases, low passageways, iron gates, and numerous 12 foot high doors to get to the department. Dr. Komenczi was there, in the office they had arranged for me.


Large, beautifully decorated, computer (a promised American keyboard to come soon), and with a window looking out to the courtyard far below. I'm in the tower of the Lyceum, not quite at the small space at the top, but not far from it!

I was presented with a letter of welcome from the Vice Rector, Dr. Lajos Kis-Toth, who will return next week, and a gift of Eger wines. Coffee and champagne were offered--we had the 'kave' from the espresso machine just outside my office...that will be handy! We took a tour of the many segments of the Institute of Media Informatics and the Instructional Technology and Multimedia areas. The faculty and students are spread over three floors, in many rooms, and it was difficult to keep track of who was who.

We visited students who maintain the college website, staff and students who run the college TV station, and department and institute staff and faculty. It's going to be a challenge to learn names and to connect them with where they work and what they do, but it's just going to take time and willingness to ask for help. Bert (Dr. Komenczi speaks English very well, Mr. Forgo does well, but defers to Bert for assistance. Gaby, the department secretary, is very fluent, so that will really be a help to me. Both Jack and I are trying and will continue to try to learn as much as we can, but, realistically, we probably won't get too much beyond the basics. We are going to take a "survival Hungarian" course along with the international students who will arrive next week on campus--should be fun!

After the tour it was time for lunch--after toasting our venture with the earlier offered champagne. Jack, Bert, Sandor and I had a great HBH lunch (same restaurant as on Friday with Sandor), and managed not to overorder quite so much. We did have our first palinka apperitif, though, and felt very honored by the welcome!