Learning about Hungary

Hi everyone!  yes I'm considering moving to Hungary.  I need to know about the school systems there , as well as cost of living and the people themselves.  I have a history in teaching and counseling.  I'm from the U.S.A . I wish to visit cathedrals and historic places and be welcomed with a smile.

Do you want to teach in the school or send your kids there?

Do you speak Hungarian and are you an EU/EEA citizen?

Hi yes, was about to ask the same questions but Mr. Fluffy beat me to it.
Without trying to stir up a hornets nest, you will not be seeing too many smiling faces over here, at least not in public. Everyone walks around wearing their "game face".
If you are thinking of trying for a teaching job, I have no idea how much they get paid and without speaking Hungarian your options would be limited.
My SIL teaches chemistry at a Budapest unvi and was doing house cleaning on Saturdays to supplement her income. This was 10 years back, not speaking to her these days... Just to give you a hint about how friendly it is over here...
Not sure why she turned on us but I have my thoughts on it.
Her father was also my husbands father, his younger half-sister. His dad never paid child support after his parents divorced after WW11, husband was only 18 months old when his dad was out.
So he later remarries another  lady and has a daughter with her, the women had another girl before their marriage.
He fully supported those 2 girls but not his 3 kids from his first marriage.( Dead beat dads are everywhere in the world)
He bought a nice apt. in the 5th district with his new wife , his name is still on the door ringer...
He passed away and I think they are "afraid" my husband and his 2 other siblings could possibly have a legal claim on the flat. They just pulled out from being friendly  shortly after he passed away.
For awhile my husband's step- mom was nice, they even went together to visit the graveside and my husband took her to tea afterwards and they had a nice chat. She refused to take his invitation for lunch at his dad's old fave eating place but his step-mom is Jewish and he thought maybe it was about her diet or something, didn't want to pry into it more.
Greed makes people do dumb stuff. My husband is not interested in getting anything like that from anyone, of course they don't really know him well enough to know that.
Too bad, at least our holiday gift list is short!

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Hi yes, was about to ask the same questions but Mr. Fluffy beat me to it.
Without trying to stir up a hornets nest, you will not be seeing too many smiling faces over here, at least not in public. Everyone walks around wearing their "game face".


I am wondering if it makes a difference how old you are?

I'm presently in the UK and older people tend to be rather smiling and chatty here - at least in passing. 

Haven't seen anyone particularly unhappy about anything - even in Hungary.  But Mrs Fluffy always seems to be able to engage the locals in HU but she's got a very good engagement technique.  I'm more a silent partner.

Sounds like my husband and I , he has "banned" me from talking to strangers because I can get anyone to crack a smile and talk, it embarrasses my husband half to death.
When in Roman , I do as the Roman's do but get me on my own turf in the US and it's a free for all...
I used to walk daily to a local gym here in Budapest a few years back, one day when my husband was with me on my walk he was shocked at how many people on the street said hi to me and asked how I was etc. Freaked him out because I don't even speak Hungarian. Met a old man in his late 80's who I would often stop on the st. and chat with for a long while, he had a Doberman like I used to have and he spoke perfect English, found out he used to teach English in the UK years back. No one would of noticed some old guy walking his dog but I did, we talked about wine and dogs..

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Sounds like my husband and I , he has "banned" me from talking to strangers because I can get anyone to crack a smile and talk, it embarrasses my husband half to death.
When in Roman , I do as the Roman's do but get me on my own turf in the US and it's a free for all...
I used to walk daily to a local gym here in Budapest a few years back, one day when my husband was with me on my walk he was shocked at how many people on the street said hi to me and asked how I was etc. Freaked him out because I don't even speak Hungarian. Met a old man in his late 80's who I would often stop on the st. and chat with for a long while, he had a Doberman like I used to have and he spoke perfect English, found out he used to teach English in the UK years back. No one would of noticed some old guy walking his dog but I did, we talked about wine and dogs..


Ah! the doggie icebreaker.  I am amazed how much a dog generates these impromptu chats.  I agree, being on your own turf, in your own language certainly changes the gameplay and overall mood of positiveness.

on target wrote:

I wish to visit cathedrals


Then consider Italy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c … s_in_Italy

Not so much Hungary:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c … in_Hungary

klsallee wrote:
on target wrote:

I wish to visit cathedrals


Then consider Italy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c … s_in_Italy

Not so much Hungary:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c … in_Hungary


Don't forget Austria ;)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c … in_Austria

in the Uk older people tend to smile and chat more. Especially in the North. In Hungary people tend to be less smiley but the younger generation show more interest. They often want to chat to English speakers to practice their skills.