Hungarian Heritage Review, 1988 (17. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1988-12-01 / 12. szám
................— jgítufottt JVrtttit ......................... WHY SHOULD WE LEARN FOREIGN LANGUAGES?- By -PATRICIA J. KOVACH Summer’s come and gone again, and it’s back to school. I wish it weren’t over. It went by too quickly! Sounds like a typical student’s complaint! but for me this wasn’t a typical summer. I got a chance to go to Europe this year, and I am grateful to Rutgers University for that opportunity to learn and experience my heritage and in turn to learn about myself and others. When speaking of the United States, it is amazing to realize what a diverse group of people make “America”. Aside from those customs that America as a whole is known for, there is an underlying network of people who still follow their customs from the old country. My family is an example. Both my parents came to the United States from Hungary after 1957. They taught my brother, sisters and me how to speak some Hungarian, about certain traditions, and even how to cook a few national dishes. I for one am proud of my background: even so, I often grew tired of my parents’ stories of what it was like when they were young. Last semester at Rutgers College, I decided to take a Hungarian Language class in hopes of improving the basis I already had. I figured that I could probably “ace” the course, too. It turned out that I needed a lot more practice than I expected. The course, recently re-entered into the curriculum at Rutgers, was one class I really cared about and actually did some extra studying for. It paid off, for by the end of the semester, for what they referred to as “academic Excellence”, members of the Slavic Department offered me a fullypaid ticket to Hungary! The first thought that came to my mind was, “Me? Go to Europe alone?!” I never went anywhere by myself, let alone out of the country. Sanity took over before I said, “No!”, and I accepted. It was great! It had been many years since I saw my relatives last, so I had to be re-introduced to them. They are wonderful people who were happy to show me around. Hungary has thousands of years of history. Budapest, the Capital, is a charming and hustling city. Transportation comes in many forms: subways, cars, taxis, buses, trains, streetcars and trolleys — all clean and efficient. Numerous restaurants echo with the strings of Gypsy music and song which every native Hungarian knows. Butcher shops and bakeries display their delicacies to the Passersby. Museums are plentiful in Budapest and around the country. Sights of Roman ruins are scattered across Hungary. Castle ruins high above the Danube River are monuments of a proud past. They are so impressive in real life as are the shadowy stories behind them. The ancient churches are likewise breathtaking. They can be observed everywhere, with their unique spires and armchair decorations. More glimpses of the past are in the little villages outside of the fairly modern cities. These villages comprise white-washed homes with stork nests on the tops of their chimneys, and colorful vegetable and flower gardens surrounding them. Horsedrawn wagons still lumber about for use on the farms. The areas between the cities and villages host well-kept — continued next page 28 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW DECEMBER 1988
