William Penn Life, 2015 (50. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2015-01-01 / 1. szám
Tibor s Take homeland. If you have an older relative who corresponds with the folks in Europe, ask them to introduce you. Exhibit sincerity in wanting to learn about the family in Hungary. No one expects you to have a long dialogue with a person 35 years your senior, but chances are there will be a person close to your age who would be overjoyed to correspond with you. Most Hungarians 35 years of age and under have a computer and the skills necessary to text, Skype or email. Don't let the language barrier discourage or frighten you from establishing a connection. Utilize Google Translate in your written conversations. Remember to include your email address when writing. Sending photographs is another way for your relatives to get to know you better. Transmitting photos via the internet is easy, but I advise you to send only a few pictures at a time; many villages in Hungary have slow internet connections, and sending many photographs in a single email could hinder or disrupt the process. • DECISION: Learn more about what is going on in Hungary. If you rely upon the media here in the states for Magyar news, you will be hard pressed to find out very much. There are several websites that disseminate Hungarian news in English. Use a reliable search engine to find these sites and bookmark them for quick referencing. • DECISION: Cook some Hungarian recipes. This very publication has a regular column written by Chef Béla. He not only offers explicitly detailed and easy-to-follow recipes but also explains the history and nuances of each. Host an informal get together and sample some Hungar-Relatives in Csőt greet us at their kapu. ian wine or spirits. Pálinka, Unicum, Törley, Tokaji and Bull's Blood are all uniquely Magyar and blend perfectly with pogácsa, Pick brand salami or a slice of dobos törte. • DECISION: Become a well-rounded American- Hungarian in terms of history, culture and music. Listen to the rhapsodies of Liszt or the Hungarian Dances by Brahms. Learn to csárdás or dance the gólya or waltz. Read the award-winning books of Kate Seredy: The White Stag, The Good Master and The Singing Tree. Research the Golden Bull and Treaty of Trianon. • DECISION: Become involved with William Penn Association. Find out about your local branch and attend a meeting. Introduce yourself to the officers and other members in attendance. Many WPA members my age have benefited from the WPA's scholarship program. It is time to give back by becoming involved with WPA. Read William Penn Life; it offers a treasure trove of useful fraternal, ethnic, community and common sense information. In less than 10 months, the WPA General Convention will take place. Held every four years, this gathering of leadership and branch-elected delegates will have the important task of forging the future of the largest American- Hungarian fraternal organization outside of Hungary. Before the convention takes place, I will devote a future installment of Tibor's Take to the many challenges the delegates, National Officers and Board of Directors will have to deal with concerning the future of the WPA. By reading William Penn Life, you can be informed of the topics and decisions that will make up the 2015 convention agenda. As the convention nears, personal communications with your elected branch officers concerning those upcoming issues will be welcomed. The preceding decisions are geared for young adults and adolescents, but can be adopted by any WPA member. Modify or alter my suggested decisions to reflect your personal interests. Don't bite off more than you can chew. It is better to choose a moderate goal and succeed. Éljen a Magyar! Tibor II Tibor Check, Jr., is a member of Branch 28 and a graduate of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Law Review. He currently is an attorney working in research at American University in Washington, D.C. When he can, Tibor hosts “The Souvenirs of Hungary” radio program on WKTL-FM 90.7, Struthers, Ohio, on Saturdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. Let's hear your take If you have any questions or comments about me or my column, please email me at: silverkingl937@ yahoo.com, or drop me a letter in care of the William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. William Penn Life ° January 2015 0 5
