Hungarian Thanksgiving In A Box

Given that I was in my homesick phase of living abroad, I was V to E happy when my friend Susan offered to host Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment.

I offered to bring desserts and hit up Tesco on Monday night. Learning from previous experience, I opted to print out pictures of the "unusual" ingredients I needed rather than play charades to try to mime baking powder. I had mixed results - shortening and nutmeg are not sold in Hungary, but I did finally locate the brown sugar.

I picked up the remaining ingredients at Whole Foods when I visited Alexis had a b-school interview in London the next day. However, Gatwick security did not agree that my pumpkin puree was a solid and unfortunately confiscated all three cans at the airport.


I had a lot of fun cooking / baking the next night. I originally thought this was squash but it tasted like a giant sweet potato.


Who needs shortening when you can use the metric system equivalent of 3 cups of butter?


Catered by The Marriott, Thanksgiving dinner literally arrived in a box. This was a huge improvement over Susan's first Thanksgiving in the 'Pest when she bought a six-inch turkey sub from Subway, disassembled the sandwich and ate the turkey with a side of frozen veggies.


Susan assembled a motley ex-pat crew of a German, a Brit, another American, and an Australian-Hungarian.


Dinner was delicious and, more importantly, a lot of fun. However, I was taken aback by post-dinner comments about how full everyone was. I was full too; but this is THANKSGIVING, people. At home Mama Bochicchio goes all out for Thanksgiving every year. This is a woman who shops at BJs for three people, so you can only imagine the quantity of food she prepares for a full-on family gathering. Combined with being an incredible cook, my mom prepares enough food for 40 (there are at most ten), and everything is too delicious not to try. My sister Krista literally has an annual routine to maximize Thanksgiving consumption, waking up early to have a sizeable breakfast to "stretch out her stomach" before going back to sleep.


Thanks for a great night, Susan!

Good Blogger

We had our company holiday party last Friday night, and it was everything I could have hoped it to be...

But first, let's take a trip down memory lane to last year's M/C holiday party. Given that all of the associates had played instruments at some point during childhood, we decided to provide the evening's entertainment by seranading our colleagues with holiday songs.


Ed played the guitar and sang (and was GOOD!), Hoop did the same (ditto), Nate played the drums, and I played the keyboard. The songs were simple, but we had to practice. A lot. The highlight of the night was when one of the wives approached me and asked if I had learned the piano solely for this performance (I took piano for 12 years). However, the night was a success, including the fact I didn't demolish anyone's pool table.


This year's company holiday party was billed as a night of "eating, drinking, salsa and poker." Actually that is a lie - I have no idea how it was characterized as the invitation was in Hungarian.

Upon arrival, the Hungarian CFO took me aside, reached into his jacket pocket and offered me a shot of his homemade pallinka. I had known Hungarians trump Americans when it comes to drinking, but BYOP to an open bar takes the cake.

My social confidence fortified, I had a fun dinner with coworkers. Salsa dancing began around 9 PM when dancers in figure skating outfits started pumping the crowd. I was feeling good from the pallinka - but not that good - so I left the table before one of the dancers could grab me. I want to learn salsa; I do not want to learn salsa in front of 300 Hungarian coworkers.

A few drinks later, the finance team was ready to dance. The dance floor was for at least 100; there were 12 of us. But it didn't matter, and when Balazs requested Lady Gaga, it REALLY didn't matter.

I made it home around 1 AM for a good four hours of sleep before my flight to Frankfurt in the morning.

Hungarian holiday parties - I am Q to V impressed!

Bad Blogger

Since everyone is just now receiving my postcards from my trip to Rome in early November, this is a good place to start...


I met mom and dad in Rome; mom had a conference there and dad joined her. Our hotel was behind the Spanish Steps, the site where Alyssa once spotted Scar Jo, and I bought the my Universita di Roma t-shirt - which I still wear today - during my sophomore Latin class trip.


Trevi Fountain was less than a ten minute walk from our hotel, but we never took the same route twice. Once we even took the metro because Dad was determined to get our money's worth out of the "Roma pass."


The Colosseum was spectacular. Considering the criticism Americans receive for insensitivity to violence, it is amazing to think that a fun day in Rome was a trip to the amphitheater to see thousands of gladiators, crimials and animals fight to the death.


I can almost picture Marcus Aurelius bringing Marcus and Sextus to the games and admonishing Sextus for throwing hard boiled eggs at the lower balcony. Meanwhile, Cornelia is sulking back at the house while helping Aurelia prepare the late afternoon meal. Uncle Titus (sporting his pink shoes) has made up an excuse to skip the games and is cruising the baths for men. Life is as it should be in "Ecce Romanae Vol. I."


One of our funniest meals was at a small restaurant near Piazza Navona where we befriended a bunch of rowdy, middle-aged Germans. At one point, mom gave one of them her phone number, and they promised to visit us during next year's Boston Marathon. Stranger things have happened. And my parents do like "German people."


Dad contemplating life and religion in the Vatican.


Dad's coworker directed him to her friend's restaurant, a local place we never would have found on our own. The food was authentic and delicious - and so plentiful that we didn't even make it to the main course, which is saying a lot for the Bochicchios. I am not sure why I look much boozier than my parents in this photo.

Rome is a cool place - friendly people, great food and wine, and a Roman ruin down every street. I am diggin' my last name right now.

Slovak Punk Band or Super Mario Character?

1. Konflikt
2. Hammer Bros.
3. Chain Chomp
4. Genius
5. Goomba
6. Problemy
7. Bob-omb
8. Cenzura
9. Zona A
10. Lakitu

Slovak Punk Band: 1,4,6,8,9
Super Mario Character: 2,3,5,7,10

An Idiot’s Guide to Hungary Part I: Politics

I have been here way too long not to understand the difference between Hungary’s Prime Minister and President or why Hungarians have a telecom-like affinity for political acronyms. This is by no means a comprehensive analysis; rather it is an exercise for me to string together a few coherent sentences sourced via Wikipedia about the current political situation in Hungary.

Since its transition to a multi-party political system in 1989, Hungary holds Parliament elections every four year. There are no major ideological differences between the main two political parties, both of whom contain ex-communist members and seem to concentrate on attacking each other rather than verbalizing or executing their platforms. MSZP, the socialist party in power since 2002, unsuccessfully campaigned against extending Hungarian citizenship to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries, advocates free markets, and includes former communist party leaders.

The majority believe Fidsez, the conservative party, will gain control of Parliament following the April 2010 elections not because they inspire confidence or are less corrupt than MSZP but simply because the public is tired of MSZP. Many ex-communist countries have experienced a similiar power flip every four years; it is believed the Hungarian socialist party extended their reign to two terms only by buying votes. Given the 2006 election turnout of 40%, elections are yet another forum in which Hungarians evidence their apathy.

Elected by Parliament, the current President, Laszlo Solyom, has no official party affiliation. Serving largely as a figurehead, the most interesting things about Solyom are that he refuses to visit the US as long as he is fingerprinted at the border, and Slovakia belligerently refused him entry this summer, heightening the ongoing tension between Hungary and Slovakia.

The office of the Prime Minister is more interesting and legitimate position. Ferenc Gyurcsany, of the ruling socialist party, made an unexpected announcement in March to step down as Prime Minister due to plummeting popularity. In addition to being criticized for his handling of the country’s economic crash and KGB ties, Gyurcsany's reputation was badly damaged in 2006 when state radio broadcast a speech in which Gyurcsany admitted lying about the state of the economy to win elections a few months earlier. The broadcast sparked weeks of protests and riots that left hundreds injured (perhaps caused by Hungarian Masculinity?). The non-controversial entrepreneur, György Bajnai, succeeded Gyurcsany in a so far successful attempt to avoid scandal until the next election.

Relative to other aspects of their lives, Hungarians can get riled up about politics. However when I asked one coworker why she did not vote in the EU Parliamentary elections this summer, she responded, "It was raining."

Part II to come: the Hungarian economy.

Along For The Ride

I have been delinquent about updating the blog because I have been feeling rather apathetic - apathetic about Budapest, Europe, and life in general. I should have known this was coming since upon my arrival in Hungary seasoned ex-pats warned me about the cycle of emotions caused by moving to a new country.

1. Honeymoon period (June through August)

Everything was so NEW and INTERESTING! I began Hungarian lessons to embrace the culture and attended weekly couch-surfing dinners to meet “real” Hungarians. Being badly treated by a waiter wasn’t annoying; it was an authentic Hungarian experience! Oh those Hungarians, and their complex, pessimistic attitudes shaped by trying years under communist rule. Spurred by Hungarian suspicions of Americans and people in general (a recent survey found that 2/3 of Hungarians view others as “untrustworthy” while the majority view themselves as honest), I was determined to prove I was an empathetic, humble, socially-conscious American.

2. Annoyance (September through October)

It is no longer quaint that dry cleaners are not open on weekends or dairy goes bad after three days due to lack of preservatives. Hungarian is very difficult to learn and, frankly, an ugly and dying language – so why bother? It is not funny and deserving of a blog post when the gym randomly decides to open at 10 AM on a Tuesday, and I arrive at the office at 6:45 AM sans shower and in my gym clothes. And I do not always appreciate my coworker’s Hungarian honesty, which includes remarks such as “you look terrible” or “you look glum.” I do look glum – I just received a notification that my electricity will be shut off unless I pay my bill – the same bill I paid three times both online and at the post office.

3. Homesickness / Apathy (November)

So, things take three times as long to get done here – whatever. The best advice a fellow ex-pat ever gave me was to be patient; the advice has been spot-on but difficult to follow given my type-A personality and fondness of checking items off of to-do lists. I knew I was homesick when in London last week I got ridiculously excited by the familiarity of the Starbucks red snowflake holiday cups and Christmas lights in the department stores. Unsuccessfully having tried to lengthen my time home over the holidays, I am counting down the days until Christmas.

4. Zen (Here’s hoping)

Not exactly zen-like by nature, I am hoping the emotional rollercoaster will culminate in acceptance and enjoyment of a new culture and increased appreciation for the US. Or at least that is what my b-school essays said. I mean, if I cannot enjoy a culture in which people peace out of work at 5:30 PM to concentrate on their personal lives, I have issues.

Throwback

(Actually written November 4th)

My relationship with my bff Nina can be traced back to our mutual love of lists, abbreviations (abbrevs), and emails written in haiku. As such, here is a life update in the aforementioned Japanese art form.

Going to London
Although it is a work trip
Must spoon Alexis*

The Brits really love
Their little gold pinkie rings
They look kind of fem

Would Thanksgiving din
Survive if mailed to the ‘Pest?
Let’s give it a try

I apologize
This blog entry really sucks
Not life exciting

*Alexis Ettinger who currently resides in London