Riding the Train

Heather took this picture of me on our way back from the retreat in Vajta. We had a great time just being together and enjoying the peace and quiet of the country side.

Mac'n'Cheese Night!

Some students from my 12e class came over for some good ol' American Mac'n'Cheese. Of course, there's nothing like it in Hungary (they don't go much for the chemical-cheese-powdered stuff.) We had a good time. It was intended as a "good-bye" for the class, but only 4 (out of 12) could come. We had fun anyway...and they really liked the M'n'C!
Anita, Szidi, and Andi

Tamás

Balagás

So, what exactly does that mean? In Hungarian it means to walk or to stroll. It's a tradition in Hungary for the graduating students to walk through the school with their classes. They sing songs and carry loads of flowers from friends and family. It's a very important rite of passage to them. The interesting thing about it, is it's done before the students even take one exam! But, I guess the reason is that exams are so stressfull students tend to burn out towards the end. So they get the Balagás in before exams, otherwise, it might not happen. That's just what I think.

Well, here are some pics from the 2007 Balagás. (I don't have any from last year because my camera died just as they were starting.)

9a Class trip to Pécs, Hungary

Beautiful old part of Pécs. Those are my students in the group.



Waterfall by the entrance to the underground museum of an ancient Christian burial ground.



Inside the museum...very cool!



Waiting for the museum to open

Easter Trip to Venice

Sorry these are late getting up but here are some pics from our trip to Venice, Italy. Tracey, Rachelle, Heather, and I went for Easter.

(Top to bottom)
Heather and me on a canal with the Bridge of Sighs behind us.

Here we are on our gondola ride. Our gondolier was named Fabio.

Nice night shot of the Grand Canal

Latest update

"Miss Barrett! I was at my job this weekend, and I had a customer who was American. I told her that I speak English, and she was so happy! She said that she almost never finds waiters that speak English in Budapest. It was really good for me to talk to her." Tamás was supposed to be working on a dialogue with a fellow student, but he had some exciting news he just had to tell me. At times, that can be annoying to me, but in this case, it just reminded me of what kind of service I'm offering to my students.

Most of my students will wind up working in a restaurant. Maybe abroad, but most likely in Hungary. But for those that learn English, they have a better chance of traveling.

This month, the leavers (graduating seniors) are taking their written exams and preparing for orals in June. Each part accounts for half of their final mark, and that mark determines the rest of their lives. There is a lot of excitement in the air at school! The non-leavers are effected by this time of year too. The hallways are less crowded, the weather is much nicer (80 today!), and they are getting restless and ready for summer. They still have a month left of school. So I'm having to come up with clever and interesting lessons to keep them from going crazy (and driving me crazy!)

It's hard to believe I'm almost done with my second year teaching at Gundel school. I've grown so attached to my students and colleagues. I will have some of the same students next year, and there will also be a new batch of anxious language learners. This year, God has taught me the value of relationships. That's what this ministry is all about. Sharing Christ's love through my relationships with my students. I don't know what it is, but native English speaking teachers have a different relationship with their students than do the Hungarian teachers. Maybe it comes down to teaching style and philosophy, or just personality. Whatever it is, God has used it to allow me to bless my students.

A couple of weeks ago, I went on a class trip with my 9th graders. While the leavers are taking their big written exams, the rest of the school got 3 days off to travel around Hungary and have a break from the books. We went to Pécs (pronounced pay-ch), in southern Hungary. This was my first time there. The kids were so much fun, and really took care that I was enjoying myself. They are first year English speakers, and I was still impressed with their willingness to translate for me and help me understand all that we were seeing. It was as much a blessing for me to be with them.

So, as I wrap up another year, and look forward to next year, I ask that you join me in prayer. Teenagers in Hungary have many of the same worries and concerns at those in the US. Sex, drugs, alcohol, peer-pressure. All of it. As a Christian teaching in a public high school in Hungary, I may be the only person praying for my students by name. What an awesome blessing.

I'm going to be returning to the States for a couple months this summer. I'll arrive in Seattle on June 27th. I'll be going to Alaska sometime in August (around the 12th, I think. No definite plans yet.) They I fly back to Budapest on August. 27th.

If you're in either of those areas, please look for me and I'd love to see you and share in person the joy that I get from pouring into these students' lives.

God bless!
Erin

**Note about support.
Like any mission endeavour, it takes not only the prayer, but financial support of God's people. If you'd like to contribute, you can send a check to:

TeachOverseas.org
444 East Huntington Drive
Suite 200
Arcadia, CA 91006

Make checks payable to Teachoverseas and please put "Acct. 205125" in the memo line to reflect on my account.

Thanks!

Alaska Quarters

Finally! Alaska was the second to last state to join the union, so we got to wait for years until our quarters came out. Well, they haven't come out yet...below are the choices. Personally, I like number 2! I read on another blog where someone asked "Where are the oil rigs?" Funny!

Good Eats at Gundel

Tonight was the annual Gundel International Culinary Competition. Culinary students from all over Europe (Germany, Finland, Croatia, Norway, and, of course, Hungary...to name a few) spent all day creating wonderful goodies. The judging was this afternoon, and this evening, we got to help the chefs fulfill their purpose..feeding people.


The place was packed with wonderful creations and delicious works of art. It was a pitty to destroy some of them, but they were yummy!

Haven't blogged in a while....

...so what's up?

Not much. Same ol'e same ol'e. Teaching, teaching, teaching. Oh yeah, I'm a student too. I started a pre-DELTA (Diploma of English Laguage Teaching to Adults...kinda getting tired of typing that!) and it's going well. Next year I'll do the full 10 month DELTA course. I'm hoping this will open up opportunities to be able to do teacher training in TEFL.

Heather and I have been cooking a lot lately. Our new favorite thing to cook is soup. Real, home made, from scratch soup! We've made a chicken soup...used a whole chicken, and this week a ham and potato soup. We've almost finished the ham and potato soup. Heather bought a huge pot and we've been making double and triple servings.

I went to Prague a couple of weeks ago, with my friend, Tracey. It was a short trip and we stayed with a friend. We had one hardcore day of sightseeing. Then, the second day we were planning to go to the castle, Tracey got sick and my neck was hurting. So, our second day in Prague was spent at our friends' flat! Bummer. But we made it home and still have fond memories of the weekend.

Not sure what else to write about. When I'm going through my day, I often have moments of reflection and contemplation that I think about blogging, but they don't last too long and then get forgotten. Oh well...I'll get something written some day.

Drop me a line and let me know IF you're reading this blog.

Blessings,
Erin

My New Cooking Show!!!

Future in Cake Decorating???

My friend Jan is moving to South Africa. I made her a cake for her going away party. It was fun and I wasn't sure how I would do it, until the day I made it.

Heather also made a greek salad (her new specialty.) We didn't have a serving bowl large enough to serve 25+ people, so we took this tub from our cupboard. We usually use it to store smaller tupperware-type containers and lids.

The disappearance of distance

I was just on a Skype video conference with my nieces. I live in Budapest, and they live in Puyallup, Washington. Tori read her award winning poem, Aimee showed my her new dolly, and I got to hear a live performance of a minuet by Bach...all over the Internet.

I wonder if I'm missing out on the true overseas experience, by having such easy access to my family via the internet. I really don't care. We now live in a connected world. I know missionaries from ages past didn't have Skype and Internet video technology, and I can't imagine how hard it was for them. I guess it could be one of those "if you don't know what you're missing" things. I just know that I love those little girls and hate to miss anything about their lives.

Some day, there will be technology that will allow my brother to be filming my nieces live in the theater and I can be watching via satellite, or cell, or whatever, sitting at my desk in my flat.

What a (connected) world we live in now.

Random Entry...with pictures :-)

We had an awesome sunset the other night. Of course most of it is because of air pollution, but I still think it's pretty.

Recently I was reading a Hungarian English text book. I was reading an article about contradictions in Hungarian culture. The one that I can remember the most is about the contradiction in food. It seems that there are countless fruit and vegetable stands and fresh food markets in Budapest. But when you go to a nice restaurant in Budapest you mostly see nothing but fatty fried food on the menu...and THAT'S "high society."
Below is one example...fried boar!

I Spy!

Remember that book when you were a kid. You had to find certain items in a picture of massive amounts of random items.

Well, this is a picture I took on my dest at work. It's something I look at every day, but thought I'd share it with you and see if you can find any of the following items:

Palm tree
Ruler
Kite
Hand lotion
Cassette tapes (2)
Bandana
Scotch tape
Kleenex
Vitamin C



Well, hope it was fun for you!

Erin

FREE HUGS!!!

OK, I'm too addicted to YouTube.com! But check out this video...

Merry Christmas...grab a hankie

You'll need one when you watch this!

It's a video of little Heather Martin singing a song that her mother wrote about her brother serving in Iraq.

Below are the lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVFF98kNg8Q



Lyrics

You were almost sixteen when I came into the world.
Mom and Dad had you first then 3 more boys I'm the baby girl.
I sure have a lot to look up to in you, you're really smart and funny with a big heart too.
After one year of college you knew what you had to do.
It's just like you wanting to help with the war.
So you joined the army when I was only 4.
This time of year we talk of big plans but you're over seas in some distant land.
You can't be here for Christmas, I don't understand.
Chorus:
When are you coming home, Shaun?
When are you coming home?!
We lit up the house like we always do but it doesn't seem bright 'cause we can't have you.
In my prayers I ask God to keep you safe.
And I'm trying to be really brave.
Tell me that the fighting's through.
Come home!
I really miss you.

It's hard to enjoy the holidays without you.
But we're so proud of you and all the red white and blue.
Remember that Jesus is your best friend,
And someday our families will be together again.
Wow! You know we'll have a great big party then.

Chorus

I want to show you how tall I've grown and introduce you to my new friends at school.
Maybe we could go and get some ice cream together but I really don't care what we do.

Chorus

I'm gonna have to try this....

Living in a foreign country can get frustrating...this might bring some laughs into MY life...

Happy Thanksgiving

Here's the picture from the 2006 Teachoverseas.org Central Europe Thanksgiving Retreat.

We were a grand total of 57 persons! We had a great weekend of food, talent, and of course...TEFL.

Another quote

Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"/ Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."
- Charles M. Schulz

Snow...sort of

Heather knocked on my door this morning and told me "It's snowing!" That got me out of bed really quick! You can't really see it in the pictures, but you can on the leaf of the plant outside our window.

YEA! SNOW!!! Not sure it will stick though.