William Penn Life, 2013 (48. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2013-08-01 / 8. szám
Point to Ponder.... I mentioned the Hungarian/Birmingham section of Toledo, Ohio. Why not attend the two-day festival that coincides with the Feast Day of the patron saint of Hungary, Stephen? This Tibors Take year, the the gala event is on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 17 and 18. Many WPA members attend this wonderful event. Why not be a part of it? - Tibor apa was surprised that my conversation with the group was so short. I felt that they were all enamored with the awesomeness of the amusement park, and that valuable time was being wasted in idle conversation. For the next four hours, my family trooped its way from ride to ride. Finally, my mom said: "It is time for supper. Smorgasbord!" As a family, we do not like to stand in line very long. Fortunately, our wait to be seated for an endless array of meat, desserts and beverages was only 10 minutes. Once seated, we began to enjoy a vast array of complex carbohydrates and animal proteins. After 45 minutes of non-stop consumption, we were filled to capacity. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the Flungarian boys and girls along with their escort Lidia being seated by the restaurant hostess. The Magyar group noticed me and waved as they carried their loaded plates of various foodstuffs from the buffet line to their table. I decided to stretch my legs and peruse the sweets table for the possibility of snagging another piece of red raspberry pie. That is when Lidia came over and invited me to sit and talk a bit at their table. During the ensuing half hour of give and take, I gained a new perspective on how Hungarian youngsters think about their own country and the world in general. These young Magyar visitors were only six to seven years younger than me. Most of our dialogue centered on life here in the States. Their verbal and facial reactions told me a story of disbelief and doubt. Each query presented to me had something to do with American culture or abundance. For instance, they remarked that there are so many big luxury cars and fast sports cars. They also noted that so many drivers here are young, which is a rarity in Hungary. They thought the price of gasoline at $3.89 was much more than in Hungary until I pointed out that the price was not for a litre of fuel but for a gallon. They then realized our petrol is a great bargain compared to Europe. They were surprised that more rap music was not seen and heard. One young lady was troubled by the amount of food left on the plates by patrons at the restaurant. I explained that this is a common occurrence. They were also surprised that the television at their motel was void of German and French channels. I learned that this group of students came from the area of Pécs and were on track to attend the university there. Ultimately, each had a goal of getting a higher education and moving to England. Surprisingly, I saw little desire to come to America. I was interested in why they would want to leave Hungary in pursuit of a career outside of the homeland. They were adamant in the belief that nobody makes money in Hungary. Interestingly, I sensed no animosity towards Communism. They seemed to be indifferent towards my questions concerning the government of Hungary prior to 1992. Since each them was born around 1996, they had no experience of living under total governmental control. Unless they were taught that part of Hungarian history in school or were informed of it by family members, the concepts of Stalinism would be vague at best. They loved our ice cream, multiple pizza choices, Taco Bell, coffee shops and huge grocery stores. One young lady asked me if Americans cook at home, or if we eat out at restaurants all the time. A young man named Zsolt innocently commented on the number of big Americans he sees. The bigger they are, the more he sees them eating. Another young lady commented on how it seems people drive cars everywhere and very few people use the sidewalks. Yet another lass noted that even the very young have cell phones, and wondered if the government gives one to each citizen. As you can see, my brief encounters with a group of transient Magyar students turned out to be a lesson in how foreigners view us and our lifestyle. As she did earlier at Cedar Point, Lidia snapped her fingers and the group began to assemble by the exit. She thanked me for the cultural lessons about America and quickly directed the youngsters out the door. I did give her a souvenir. My apa or anya always carry a spare copy William Penn Life. I gave her a copy of the June 2013 issue. I pointed out that I write in this American-Magyar magazine and asked her if she would peruse it in her spare time and let the students see it as well. I informed her that my email address is on page 6, and if anyone would like to correspond, please do so. We will see. Éljen a Magyar, Tibor II Translation Notes: (1) sweet Grandfather Cseh; (2) cream pies, struedel and scones; (3) chicken sausage; (4) family; (5) mother and father. Let's hear your take Tibor Check Jr. is a member of Branch 28 Youngstown, Ohio, and a student at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He serves as a host of the “Souvenirs of Hungary” weekly radio show broadcast on WKTL-90.7 FM in Struthers, Ohio. If you have any questions or comments about “Tibor's Take,” please email Tibor at: silverkingl937@ yahoo.com, or send him a letter in care of William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. William Penn Life 0 August 2013 0 7
