Sports in Hungary

Swimming and rowing seem very popular here in Hungary.
Football/scoccer are very popular here, The Golden Team is a legend in Hungary.
There in my opinion is not enough swimming pools for the population with a price range for the average everyday worker.
Think the cheapest places are between 1,500 to 2,000, not crazy pricey for a westerner but for a family of 4 even with a child's discount it can set some people back.
I think a sport should be practiced everyday  or at least no less then 3 times a week.
So many parks in Budapest with nothing but benches and bums, would be nice to see more swimming pools with water classes like we have in the US. Community center pools with low costs which are gov. paid for.
I know places, really nice pools that are very, very low cost in Las Vegas and have modern well kept pools with plenty of staff for safety and very low cost swim and exercise classes held daily.
$3. a day for an adult, $1. for anyone over age 50.
If you buy a monthly or family pass it is even cheaper, water slides in the summer outside so that lap lanes are used for what they were designed for, swimming laps, no water tubes and balls allowed , only swimmies for beginners.
Free use of fins, water boards for learning to swim etc.
Hungary needs more low cost sports centers for preventative health care.
My fave sport is one I have physical restrictions on, due to weak knees from birth, tennis, loved it but not so much fun to play when you are running one way and your leg is dislocated and going another direction.
I was a health club daily member for over 30 years, went to gyms in Budapest for awhile until my knees went bad again.
Now I still do 40 to 60 mins of yoga every morning, 20 25 mins on an elliptical machine then some sets of general exercises with light weights and a Swiss ball, then a series of PT exercises just for my knees.
Dumped my post surgery cane by doing PT work daily.
On swim days just to get out of the house early, I just do the yoga before spending the day doing laps. Usually I do 20 mins of swimming every 90 mins to 2 hours for 9 hours of being pool side.
At age nearly 62 I am slowing down.
Doing the breast stroke is easy, can do that all day long, the free style strokes are killers , try to do several laps of that form in the 20 min. sessions, I guess I am a bit of an exercise freak.'

Hungary does very well, considering its population -- on a per capita basis, it's 5th in Gold medals per capita, or 6th in overall medals -- in the world!
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_sta … -2016.aspxhttp://www.medalspercapita.com/

Traditionally, Hungary does well at swimming, water polo, canoeing/kayaking, and fencing.  Historically, Hungary has the best football record.  From Wikipedia:  "Hungary has won more Olympic medals than any other nation that has never hosted the Games. Hungary is also the most successful football team in the history of Olympics."

So congratulations Hungary!!  Keep up the good work!

Vicces1 wrote:

Hungary does very well, considering its population -- on a per capita basis, it's 5th in Gold medals per capita, or 6th in overall medals -- in the world!...

So congratulations Hungary!!  Keep up the good work!

They even seemed to be doing better in football.  i.e. European championship.

BTW, anyone see the news articles on the Hungarian lady competing in Judo for Ghana?

Think she got a bronze.

Amazing!

Vicces1 wrote:

Hungary does very well, considering its population -- on a per capita basis, it's 5th in Gold medals per capita, or 6th in overall medals -- in the world!!

The Kingdom of Hungary use to encompass a vast number of ethnic groups as well as their diverse cultures. Historically, Hungarians were very tolerant and accommodating and considerate of different cultures -- very multiculturalism in their world view before that even became "in vogue" (basically showing that "multiculturalism" does work if the state supports it properly). And because of intra-national migration and concentration in large cities like Budapest, many of those ethic groups persisted in the post Trianon Hungary, and thus do so today as well. Genetics 101 basically. More diversity is good for a population in general.

Watch out, duck, because here it comes, the political commentary: In other words, the current nativism and ethnocentrism is bad for Hungary long term. And is a very new development. Not historically a typical Hungarian behavior.

klsallee wrote:

....Watch out, duck, because here it comes, the political commentary: In other words, the current nativism and ethnocentrism is bad for Hungary long term. And is a very new development. Not historically a typical Hungarian behavior.

It's all rather ridiculous. 

We're all immigrants one way or another. 

It's the way the borders are drawn which are arbitrary.

That, and the demonisation of some groups for no good reason other than narrow self serving  interests - colour, language, dress sense, gender, whatever.   Just more grist for the political mill.

BTW, I had to read that again because I thought you were calling everyone "duck" which is a regional slang word in the UK for a person you are familiar with.  Seemed unusual.

fluffy2560 wrote:

BTW, I had to read that again because I thought you were calling everyone "duck" which is a regional slang word in the UK for a person you are familiar with.  Seemed unusual.

National and regional colloquialisms are always difficult to anticipate if one is not aware of them.

In this UK case, I had no idea that is what "duck" meant.....  But, now knowing that, I will try to incorporate and learn from it.

And similarly, this is why I find Hungarian "Wizz Air" really..... well.... odd... 

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

BTW, I had to read that again because I thought you were calling everyone "duck" which is a regional slang word in the UK for a person you are familiar with.  Seemed unusual.

National and regional colloquialisms are always difficult to anticipate if one is not aware of them.

In this UK case, I had no idea that is what "duck" meant.....  But, now knowing that, I will try to incorporate and learn from it.

And similarly, this is why I find Hungarian "Wizz Air" really..... well.... odd... 

Indeed.  Ryanair had at one point an idea to charge for the toilets.  Not sure if that was for real or just a publicity stunt.  But seems to me there would have been rather a lot of fizzy drink bottles with odious substances in the backs of seats and just a lot of wet floors.  Ryanair would be then, the real Wizz Air.   One of the stupidities of Ryanair - never use them myself.

If you had used "duck" in the way I misread, you would have been in good company - Dolly Parton, Angelina Jolie etc have had a go  See here:Ay up me Duck

Also the fruit juice brand in Hungary called," Hey Ho "is a bit rude in English.
I could go on with the words with double meanings in HU and Eng. but don't want to be too offensive, just saying the word for ," Little kiss "in HU got 2 Hungarian men in Las Vegas a slap in the face by our cocktail waitress.

The one that always makes me smile is the WC paper brand called , "Oops!"
Really makes one feel, "covered and confident"!

I do believe  the term in the states, " That's just ducky" was a very popular expression back in my mother's day. It's meaning was to express frustration.
I know back in the 1930's using the term " what a tuna" meant "what a jerk."
This subject is about sports so I suppose we could consider word play a sort of sporting event.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Also the fruit juice brand in Hungary called," Hey Ho "is a bit rude in English.

I thought it was because of Snow White and  the Disney song: "Hey Ho...it's off to work we go....".

Or perhaps, "Hey Ho"....meaning "That's Life...." or "Whatever...."

I think your right, all innocent and all, of course I lived in Vegas for a long while, always see the darker meaning... On every street corner if you get my drift...
I have a "dirty mind", can't help it!

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

I think your right, all innocent and all, of course I lived in Vegas for a long while, always see the darker meaning... On every street corner if you get my drift...
I have a "dirty mind", can't help it!

"Ho" is not really a phrase that we would use in Europe but those of us who like American cop shows would of course know it.  It's not as though there aren't streetwalkers here. I mean, easy  enough to see them encamped next to most major roads.

Funny story, sort of.
14 or so years back our son was a cards dealer at the casino where he is now a manager.
He was young and at the time we all worked and had our own cars. His had broken down and we couldn't loan or drive him to his job, he worked rather a long distance from home.
He took the bus to work for a couple of days while his car was in the shop.
One hot night when he was not wearing a jacket and his casino uniform shirt could be seen, another  person waiting for the bus started chatting him up.
It was a young women, she just openly said to him, you have a job, you can be my boyfriend! That's Vegas, really crazy.
Thankfully his car was ready the next day or who knows what sort of person would approach him next!

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

.... That's Vegas, really crazy.
...

I've been to Vegas with Mrs Fluffy.  We thought it was the strangest place we've ever been to. Disney land for adults.  It was OK to visit but I think living there for any length would be really weird.  It seems so utterly divorced from reality.  Something for everyone and everything for sale. Just bonkers.

I resisted moving there to Vegas tooth and nail, I lost obviously...
In reality, if one moves to a nice neighborhood and doesn't visit the casino's or the Strip you would think you were somewhere else.
Some really nice interesting people live and work there with a mix of the oddest, most strange one would ever wish to find.
It can be a great place to live for a short time, if one spend years there you might find yourself changed and not always for the better.
You get hard, and jaded if not careful.
Seriously how many places does one have to first do hours of yoga, pray, meditate and then do personal chants before going into work just so you may leave after 8 hours without being too scarred for life. Even with all that a bottle of beer afterwards in mandatory for mental health?
Almost forgot to mention the hot shower after exposure to the public!

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

....
You get hard, and jaded if not careful.

Isn't that just "30+ years working life?"

Now I think of it, I'd add cynical as well.

Gosh, honestly overall I may of done about 7 years time in all.
Lucky me, 30 years of work and I would be more then jaded, I would be "postal"!
Think my longest run was 18 months at a stretch, always leave them wanting more... Got rehired at just about every job I ever had though, once at age 19 I quit  my job in a very dramatic style ( the only way to go) I entered the inside of the restaurant where I worked, I was a carhop a Outside waitress, a total American thing, anyways I walked inside on a busy Friday night, Screamed F... Bob's ( worked at Bob's Big Boy) and pulled my hairpiece off and threw it at my boss and walked out.
A year later, I crawled back and asked to work there again, they made me a manager of the crew!
Always got rehired at all m y hairdressing jobs and was a record holding 3 time rehire at one casino.
Of course I never made a big display when quitting after that first time.
I am either the most charming person when I work and they love me or I am so over qualified they forgive my outbursts.
Makes me always wonder why someone says they can not find a job, I always have been hired but I have a hard time actually being there to do the job.
If I didn't have such a hard working husband I might of become a bag lady....
My last trip to Vegas my main goal was to break my new Japanese DIL into the working world.
( mean ol me) I taught her some card games for months, took her to a audition at a small casino, and guess who they hired, me! I didn't take the job but it was nice to be offered.
I also got hired when taking her to a part-time job working at large conventions in Vegas, they never called her up but I did the Gun Show, 4 days of work was enough to remind me why I never had a big "career" just hate having to be at a job, period.
My friend in Vegas has told me she has lined up a nice little job where you are pretty much your own boss. She has already told her boss about me and they are waiting, so she says for me to return so I can start work with them.
It is running the gaming rooms inside small mini-malls , tips and only 18 hours per week,  get to travel to different locations every week,maybe this is finally a job suited for me, still in HU however . At nearly age 62 it is about time to not even think about work again really.
My husband will no longer listen to me when I say I have a job, he knows it could last a year or a day, I get bored way too fast.He says I never have any trouble finding a job, just keeping the job.
The only job that ever got away from me was trying out as a flight attendant for American Airlines, thought i had it in the bag when they sent me tickets to meet them out of state, never knew there was only one job for the 500 of us who showed up for it.

You got me thinking about jobs.
I wonder why it is some people can't find a job and others do without trying very hard.
It must come down to attitude more then even being qualified.
My niece has always had great jobs,she never went to college but had a mentor at one co. where she worked in her 20's before marriage.
Her grandparents owned their own small business and had all the grandkids work there during the summers when they were growing up. Maybe those experiences gave her an edge?
She is a young widow now with a 10 year old child.
Just got back into the work force less then 2 years ago in her mid 40's and is a facilities manager in SF who also runs the office in Las Vegas.
Bad economy etc. but she still got a really fun, well paying job with tons of perks.
No higher education or degree either.
She is very tall and fair, I wonder if appearances and a big smile matter after all.
Hate to say it but many good looking and seemly smart people here in Hungary just seem to have a negative attitude, never smile much.
Maybe that has allot more to do with landing a job then actually even knowing anything.
I was glad I didn't get the airline job after I thought it over, I had a 12 year old, a house and a family, it would of been way too much for me in the long run.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Gosh, honestly overall I may of done about 7 years time in all.
Lucky me, 30 years of work and I would be more then jaded, I would be "postal"!

Well, that's still 30+ years of existence as a potentially working person, i.e. life experience.

I've been in my own industry for 30 years although not in the same places of course. It's just deja-vu all the time. 

Subject matter of work is getting a bit old and some days (like today, yesterday and the day before), I just cannot be bothered to do anything.  That and the cat's away on vacation.

I spent most of yesterday cruising the internet and chatting to my colleagues online and in the office when I should have been on the job.  I feel somewhat guilty but then again, I might be able to catch up before the cat comes back to see how the mice have been playing.

It must be nice to be able to work at home and in Hungary.
You are lucky that way.
I suppose I have worked more, slightly more then 7 years in total, must of to be able to collect SS soon.
I know years ago, my husband thought it best if I just stayed home and played housewife because the taxes on the two of us would of not been worth me working.
He had a good job , self employed with a home office so I always was included in our yearly payment to the IRS, guess that covered me for making up lost years of actual work time.
The sad thing I think is my husband worked very hard in Hungary for 9 years not enough to collect anything here. What gets me is they were the best years of his life, from age 14 to 23.
6 day work weeks with 5 days being 12 hours long, Sat. were half day.
Every once in awhile his boss would announce that everyone was giving their pay for the day to the Vietnam efforts of their comrades. No choice in the matter, couldn't say no to that.
Think the min. number of years in HUngary to collect any SS even the lowest amount is 15 years time in.
'

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

It must be nice to be able to work at home and in Hungary.
You are lucky that way.....
Think the min. number of years in HUngary to collect any SS even the lowest amount is 15 years time in.
'

I have to travel a great deal.  This year has been pure hell with hardly enough time at home to do anything and short visits been yet another long flight to somewhere.  Cannot tell you how sick I am of sitting in airports. Things just do not get done at home. Took me 6 months to fix my car.  I hadn't ridden my bike for 6 weeks.  Very dangerous for my health. I keep hoping for workloads to drop off but they never seem to.

I think you can improve the SS situation in HU by paying voluntarily back amounts.  Don't know more than that. I suspect it's possible to increase contributions over the limits quite a way. Enough to get income perhaps.

In the UK you can do the same but the maximum amount you can pay for missing amounts is 7 years.  Years ago they encouraged people to opt out the state system.  It wasn't a good plan because commercial funds did not do quite as well as hoped and they ripped the consumer off on commission, leaving the state to pick up the tab on those with insufficient pension contributions. The unfunded fall back to social security.   

That said, the US SS system is just redistribution and there is no "social security fund". I remember my US colleagues all complaining about it back in the 1990s.

Sorry dude, it is hard to be the breadwinner.
My son is just about to chuck it all and take off to SE Asia to recover from working too much.
If I or better yet my much smarter and wiser husband were elected into office there would be some serious, life changing  real changes world wide.
Alas... same ol same ol, no real change ever happens in the system now in play.
We actually believe there is no good reason why anyone on earth with all the tech out there ever has to actually do a full 8 hours of dummy work.
People should only give to society perhaps no more then one  to 12 days per year if even that much.
Let the machines do the heavy lifting and let humanity be human again.
My husband has actually sort of worked it all out but  again, alas, he is not up for election.
First off the  entire world needs to give up the monetary system, don't think too many out there would like to start from Zero.
There is no need for hunger or lack of any sort on earth, we have more then enough just need to reprogram society to get rid of greed and ego trips. Call me a dreamer...