Xpat Interview: Rebecca Young
- 4 Dec 2006 11:00 AM
Rebecca was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1981. After graduating with a B.A. in English from the University of Baltimore in 2003, she helped her sister move cross-country to Washington state and wound up staying for two years. The travel bug hit for roughly the 15th time and she hopped on a plane to Greece to try out the whole Teaching English as a Foreign Langauge thing.
After completing a 4-week certificate course in June, she made her way back to the States in September and was stuck temping for a year, daydreaming of moving abroad to teach English. Finally the chance came in early August when The Central European Teaching Program contacted her about working at a small school in the southeastern Hungarian town of Szarvas.
She absolutely loves teaching and in her free time travels all over the country (including a trip to Transylvania and two visa-related jaunts to Kossice, Slovakia) over the past few months and is so happy to be here! She would love to relocate to Budapest in February, employment-permitting. Fingers crossed! She has a blog located at http://madyarmission.blogspot.com/ and a forthcoming website, www.herstrionic.com
1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
I came to Hungary in late August 2006 to teach English through The Central European Teaching Program.
2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
I studied abroad in Copenhagen in 2001 and wound up "summering" in Crete, Greece in 2005 after taking a 4-week certificate course in Teaching English as a Foreign Language in May.
3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
That it is no different from anywhere else in the senese that the people make the place; I have been fortunate to meet some great people here (Americans and Hungarians alike). Additionally, I still can't get over how absolutely stunning Budapest is at night.
4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Castle hill and the little museum inside the Mathias church with St. Stephen's crown. Then they must see Gyula, a small town near the Romanian border.
5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Borsodi. Woops!
6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Kefir, Sole yoghurt, Pista erõs.
7.What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Boldog
8 . What do you miss most from home?
My little Pekingese, Tenby Manorbier Young.
9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Screenwriting
10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Janitor
11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Greece - though it was an accidental vacation.
12. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
I am going with some friends to Slovenia over Christmas Break. Hello, Paragliding in Bovec!
13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
The Beatles, I guess.
14. What can't you resist?
Helping stray dogs.
15. Red wine or white?
Either as long as it is very dry; an Egri bikavér / an Irsai Oliver.
16. Book or movie?
Book
17. Morning person or night person?
Night!
18. Dog person or cat person?
Dog!
19. Buda or Pest side?
No opinion
20. What would you say is your personal motto?
"Assume platonic".
She absolutely loves teaching and in her free time travels all over the country (including a trip to Transylvania and two visa-related jaunts to Kossice, Slovakia) over the past few months and is so happy to be here! She would love to relocate to Budapest in February, employment-permitting. Fingers crossed! She has a blog located at http://madyarmission.blogspot.com/ and a forthcoming website, www.herstrionic.com
1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
I came to Hungary in late August 2006 to teach English through The Central European Teaching Program.
2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
I studied abroad in Copenhagen in 2001 and wound up "summering" in Crete, Greece in 2005 after taking a 4-week certificate course in Teaching English as a Foreign Language in May.
3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
That it is no different from anywhere else in the senese that the people make the place; I have been fortunate to meet some great people here (Americans and Hungarians alike). Additionally, I still can't get over how absolutely stunning Budapest is at night.
4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Castle hill and the little museum inside the Mathias church with St. Stephen's crown. Then they must see Gyula, a small town near the Romanian border.
5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Borsodi. Woops!
6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Kefir, Sole yoghurt, Pista erõs.
7.What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Boldog
8 . What do you miss most from home?
My little Pekingese, Tenby Manorbier Young.
9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Screenwriting
10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Janitor
11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Greece - though it was an accidental vacation.
12. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
I am going with some friends to Slovenia over Christmas Break. Hello, Paragliding in Bovec!
13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
The Beatles, I guess.
14. What can't you resist?
Helping stray dogs.
15. Red wine or white?
Either as long as it is very dry; an Egri bikavér / an Irsai Oliver.
16. Book or movie?
Book
17. Morning person or night person?
Night!
18. Dog person or cat person?
Dog!
19. Buda or Pest side?
No opinion
20. What would you say is your personal motto?
"Assume platonic".