William Penn Life, 2018 (53. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2018-09-01 / 9. szám

by Loretta Nemeth

BOSWELL, Pa. — Lor the third year, the Hungarian Heritage Experience was held at the Sequanota Lutheran Conference Center and Camp. Returning students learned the lesson to expect the unexpected. The first year, students experienced oppressive heat; the next year, unseasonably cool weather; and this year, with rain almost every day, extreme humidity. But, the weather didn't stop the group from enjoying a wonderful week.

Eighteen students came from Florida, Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Ages ranged from 49 to 80. Many students were there for their sixth, seventh or even eighth year. Six students were first-timers. The fact that each year returning students bring friends or family members with them is an indication of the success of the program. This year Patty Soltes brought her sister, Dee Soltes, who said she, "felt a family atmosphere: lots of love, fun and learning not only the language but also the heritage and cooking."

In addition to the sisters, there were also a mother and son and a mother and daughter attending together. Stephen Johnson from Pompano Beach, Fla., brought his mother,

Mary, from Hendersonville, N.C., who was recovering from a stroke.

The language classes were helpful for her recall. She said her father purchased WPA insurance for her when she was seven.

Stephen said, "the week was fantastic. My mother and I came here as strangers, and we left feeling as if we had many life-long friends."

The days were spent attending morning and afternoon classes, learning the Hungarian language from instructors Emery Marcus and Tamás Markovits. They began the week with a history of the Magyar people and continued to intersperse information on history and culture into their classes. Time was also spent each afternoon practicing poems, songs and a dance for the Friday evening program. Student Linda Enyedy taught students a circle dance to perform at the Friday night program, the highlight of the

week. The dance was from Szatmár, with the men stepping out to do a Szatmári legényes (a traditional men's solo dance).

Ursula Markovits, Tamás' wife, was the cook for the week, providing delicious Hungarian meals. She said she enjoyed cooking for the "wonderful group of students, very easy to make friends with, appreciative of everything." She was assisted by WPA National Directors David Kozak and James Robertson. Robertson also cooked the Friday night main course, gulyás, in a big outdoor kettle.

Evenings were spent learning how to make csiga (noodles) and palascinta (crépes), demonstrated by Alexis Kozak, David's wife. Charlotte Sipos, a Hungarian Heritage Experience alumni, helped with the csiga making, and David assisted his wife with the palascinta making. Other craft opportunities included painting wooden eggs (Himes tojás) and making greeting cards, demonstrated by Linda Enyedy and Nancy Martinsen. Lory and Jenifer Nemeth led the group in decorating mézeskalács (honey cookies), but the humid weather turned the cookies into mush.

The Friday night program began with student Nancy Martinsen extending a welcome from the students and thanking the WPA Board for providing this Experience. Martinsen explained that this year's program was dedicated to David Valentine, a long-time student who died last February. Valentine was an integral part of each year's experience, bringing his homemade kolbász and hurka and the equipment for making the csiga and palascinta and demonstrating how to make them. He exuded his love for his Hungarian heritage, its food and culture. Valentine's wife, Elaine, and her sister, Debbie Leyva, were in attendance for the evening.

The students then sang "God Bless America" and the Hungarian Himnusz. This was followed by the students' recitation of a selection of Hungarian poems and singing of traditional folk songs, including a solo by Theresa Girhiny. Next, students Linda Enyedy, Vicki Loesch, Nancy Martinsen and staff member Ursula Markovits performed a skit, singing "Three Blind Mice" in Hungarian.

10 ° September 2018 ° WILLIAM PENN LIFE

Photos by John E. Lovász & Dolores Soltes