Xpat Interview: Andrew J. Smith
- 1 Sep 2006 12:00 PM
Australian, born Yarrawonga, secondary school in Melbourne, with background in agriculture, food technology then 7 years in the Australian Public Service working in management consulting and IT management for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Now fifteen years in international education in UK, Turkey, Taiwan and CEE, including teaching at RMIT University, market research for IDP, setting up International House Centre in Istanbul, worked at IDP’s Australian Centre for Education ACE Budapest and various training and consulting projects. Cert Business Systems Analysis, Cert. IV in Workplace Assessment & Training, B. Bus. (Bus. Management), RSA Cert. TEFLA, Grad. Diploma Education & Training, and Master of Education.
1.When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
Late 1998, wanted to live in Central Eastern Europe for a year or so…..some blood from region i.e. grandmother born Iasi Romania
2.Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
Taiwan and Turkey
3.What surprised you most about Hungary?
Strong (obsessive) sense of national identity and physical similarity to south east Australia, without the coastline….
4.Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Baths, wine and coffee houses
5.What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Jókai bableves
6.What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Yoghurt
7.What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Hosszú lépés vörös üveges száraz jéggel
8.What do you miss most from home?
Temperate climate in winter and quality/variety ethnic food
9.What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Hospitality catering without long hours
10.What's a job you would definitely never want?
Service where telephone rings continuously with problems to be solved immediately…
11.Where did you spend your last vacation?
Sinemoretz, Bulgaria Black Sea near Turkish border
12.Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
Melbourne and regional Victoria Australia
13.What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Peter Gabriel, The Last Wave, Reading….
14.What can't you resist?
Fruity yoghurt drinks
15.Red wine or white?
Red
16.Book or movie?
Book
17.Morning person or night person?
Night
18.Dog person or cat person?
Dog
19.Buda or Pest side?
Pest
20.What would you say is your personal motto?
Personally lifestyle development, and professionally human development, i.e. lifestyle development for the masses.
1.When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
Late 1998, wanted to live in Central Eastern Europe for a year or so…..some blood from region i.e. grandmother born Iasi Romania
2.Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
Taiwan and Turkey
3.What surprised you most about Hungary?
Strong (obsessive) sense of national identity and physical similarity to south east Australia, without the coastline….
4.Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Baths, wine and coffee houses
5.What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Jókai bableves
6.What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Yoghurt
7.What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Hosszú lépés vörös üveges száraz jéggel
8.What do you miss most from home?
Temperate climate in winter and quality/variety ethnic food
9.What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Hospitality catering without long hours
10.What's a job you would definitely never want?
Service where telephone rings continuously with problems to be solved immediately…
11.Where did you spend your last vacation?
Sinemoretz, Bulgaria Black Sea near Turkish border
12.Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
Melbourne and regional Victoria Australia
13.What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Peter Gabriel, The Last Wave, Reading….
14.What can't you resist?
Fruity yoghurt drinks
15.Red wine or white?
Red
16.Book or movie?
Book
17.Morning person or night person?
Night
18.Dog person or cat person?
Dog
19.Buda or Pest side?
Pest
20.What would you say is your personal motto?
Personally lifestyle development, and professionally human development, i.e. lifestyle development for the masses.