Learning: Snow Day

When I was a child in the midwestern US state of Iowa, the best day in winter was a 'snow day'. That was a day when heavy snow, either the night before, or the day itself, made school bus travel impossible so school was canceled for the day. We would hear about the cancellation on the radio, and be overjoyed that there was a nice long day ahead when we could stay home, and, eventually, be ushered out the door by Mom to play in the snow.

Today I took a 'snow day' and stayed at our flat in the Napsugar Vendégház. Yes, it is snowing; actually more is piling up today than we've seen. The TV weather report mentioned up to 20 centimeters. But the snow is light and fluffy, the wind is calm, and the temperature not too cold. My boots would take me easily through the snow to the office, so there's not really a weather excuse for staying home.

My reason, though, is that the list of experiences, perceptions, and events about which I want to blog has now spilled over onto a second page. I certainly can't complain about having such a full life, but it's also good to occasionally step back and reflect upon what learning is taking place. I want to spend some extended time today writing and sharing some of the events that are forming this faculty exchange experience.

I've learned that a true welcome for a visiting faculty member is not just kind words and gifts, although we've been showered with those. The true gift is invitation for meaningful involvement with the place and people. We've been invited to so many different places and events--lunches with colleagues, formal tours of the library and campus, a dinner party in our rector's home, a water polo match, trips to the pool and thermal baths, a professional educator's conference and reception, Global Cooking night by the International students, a film festival, lunch with a notable young Hungarian film director and a Fulbright Scholar, a presentation and tour of the teacher education practice school, classes and lectures by colleagues, brainstorming sessions, and Hungarian language survival classes.

We've responded to nearly every invitation and suggestion, because everything is a learning experience here. Even going to the grocery store is a learning experience, as we usually bring home what we thought we were getting (although not always!), and, increasingly, we remember to take shopping bags and returnable bottles with us, and fumble less with our forints. So learning is taking place, at and away from Eszterházy Károly Föiskola--and learning to type accents is a part of it!