Prior to joining the Museum, she worked for various telecommunications and advertising companies and enjoys very much being out of the corporate world. She holds a B.A. in Russian History and Language from Wellesley College, and also speaks Hungarian and French.

Originally from Florida (U.S.A.), Christina is married to a Hungarian. They have three children aged 11, 8 and 5.


1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
Adventure brought me to Hungary in January 1992. I knew someone living here and came to visit. The city had such a happening vibe then that I immediately wanted to move here and thought that if I could find a job, I would. And that's what happened. Then I fell in love with the man I went on to marry. So I lived here from 1992 to 1998, and then moved back with my family a little over two years ago.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
Yes: Latvia, France, Singapore and Hong Kong.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
What surprised me most of all was when I learned to speak Hungarian and realized that people are not always angry with one another! The language sounds so harsh when you don't understand it, and it always sounded like everybody was arguing all the time. How funny is that?

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
A perfect day would be to take a free guided tour in the Museum of Fine Arts, enjoy the area around H?sök Tere, then have a lunch at Bagolyvár, admire the entrance to the Állatkert, walk all the way down Andrássy út to see the beautiful buildings up close, meander over to check out the lovely Szent István Bazilika, then make their way over to the Parlament for the guided tour there and finish the day with a cocktail at the Gresham Four Seasons - they'll need the drink after all that walking!

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
My hands down favorite is "sólet". It is the ultimate comfort food.

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Champagne chilling happily away waiting for a nice excuse to be opened...life is too short not to drink champagne on a regular basis.

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Rettenetes!

8. What do you miss most from home?
The ocean, sandy beaches, pelicans and palm trees...I grew up in Florida.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Philharmonic conductor.

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Pre-school teacher.

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
At my cousin's chateau in France. Sounds much posher than the reality, but it is pretty cool nonetheless.

12. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
See above. That's how we can afford to keep champagne chilling in the fridge! It's so much cheaper in France than it is here. We drive there and then stuff the car with as much wine as will fit around all the kids.

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Soft Cell (who could resist "Tainted Love"?), "The Breakfast Club" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (it's a tie), and reading vampire books with my best friend. We are vastly amused to see how trendy the whole vampire thing has become. Back then our parents were seriously worried we'd end up in some sort of whacked out cult!

14. What can't you resist?
Dark chocolate anything.

15. Red wine or white?
Does it sound too bad to say "both"?

16. Book or movie?
Book, definitely.

17. Morning person or night person?
Night, definitely. Having kids has almost done me in. The little monsters wake up so early - it's uncivilized really :)

18. Dog person or cat person?
Dog person, but not the floor-mop variety.

19. Buda or Pest side?
I like the whole package.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
If you can't run with the big dogs, then better stay up on the porch.