MY FIRST TEACHING MOMENT

TI wasn't teaching in Hungarian and I wasn't teaching a Gospel program (discussion) but I was teaching in English and I was teaching a sewing technique.  Teaching Elder Anderson how to fix the hem of his slacks makes me wonder if I taught my boys how to sew on a button.  His family will be proud.  

This is a picture of a Bread Truck.  Yup you guessed it.  They play music just like American ice cream trucks.  Guess what else?  People run out to them the same way.  They have wonderful things stuffed full of yummy stuff with chocolate dribbled on it.  I started buying bread from him.  I want to clarify that I do not buy the white fluffy bread you buy on American grocery store shelves.  I buy real bread.  I am hoping I can develop a relationship with him.  He doesn't speak English but............well we'll see.  

This was a beautiful tree I saw this spring.  It is called a Tulip Tree.

You can put your mail in this postal box there are several around town or you can go to the government post office, if you don't have the correct postage.  Be sure to go early because you have to take a number and wait in line.   Check out the beautiful window frame on the outside of this commercial building.  

I finally made it to the government Hivatala office to apply for residency.  I think that is the same thing as a Visa. The office opens at 1300 (1:00pm).  We were only there for 2 hours.  Once I get my residency card I can apply for citizenship, I think.  

Have you heard of name dates?  

I discovered name dates when I purchased a birthday card.  If your little girl was born on August 15 that would be her birthday.  However if you wanted to name her Klara her name day would be August 12th.  This list of names were produced by the Soviets and it was mandatory.  Even though they are no longer under Communist rule, Hungarians like to use the name date calendar because it is their tradition.  If you don't want a name on the name date calendar, you can chose a foreign name but it has to be in line with the Hungarian pronounciation and alphabet.  For example, if you wanted the name of Jennifer, which is not on the calendar, you would spell her name Dzsennifer.  Then it would have to be approved by the name date institution.  I bet the genealogy experts love it.  Here is the official information:

Hungarians not only have birthday, but nameday as well. Birthdays are usually celebrated just in immediate family. Namedays, however are widely known and celebrated. Each acceptable first name is assigned to one or more days of the calendar, based on religious traditions, historical events, birthday of a famous person who had the same first name, or on other facts. Well, in Hungary there are official first names to choose from, there are 365 or less names to chose from. 

Another interesting fact is that in Hungary the first name is the last and the last is the first.  

Finally, the name of a woman can be confusing to those unfamiliar with this custom. The bride has a chance to choose from 3 possibilities. 

1. She may keep her maiden name in the marriege.

2. She may keep her last name (that is first in English) and uses her husband's 

first and last name. This is becoming more and more popular.

3. By the old Hungarian custom, the bride got the entire name of her groom with a -ne suffix at the and. Even though she was called by her previous first name no one could find it out from her official name.