Xpat Interview: George Offord

  • 3 May 2011 12:00 PM
Xpat Interview: George Offord
I was born in the Northeast end of the Bronx in NYC on a cold wintry morning in February 1951. I grew up playing 'Skully', 'Kick-the-can', 'Stick-ball', and a variety of other typical games such as stealing pickles from the Deli's pickle barrel, bullying kids for their Lunch money, sticking chewing gum in pretty girl's hair, and so forth!



Actually I was a calm, harmless and quite frightened little boy. At age 19 I ran away from NYC; I entered the World. After much travelling, broke here and broke there - I ended up in Budapest where I shed my early years of misfortune and struck out on a bold new carrier as an Engineer!!

And here I am, an engineer in the pioneering telecommunications industry.


1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?

I arrived in April 2009 for a Telecommunications related Conference.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
Yes, in Sweden & Denmark.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
The majesty alongside the shambles.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
See the Palace, the Parliament and go to the Baths (Gellért).

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
I don't know the names!

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Lots of things! Milk, fruit, cold cuts ..

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?
I don't have any, I don't understand Hungarian.

8. What do you miss most from home?
Nothing

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
No idea!

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
No idea, it's more the people than the job that's the deciding factor.

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Israel

12. Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
Thailand

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Band? ... there were many, likewise films. I never had any real hobbies.

14. What can't you resist?
Unicum

15. Red wine or white?
Red

16. Book or movie?
Movie

17. Morning person or night person?
Both

18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
Social inequality

19. Buda or Pest side?
Pest

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Keep on truckin'

  • How does this interview make you feel?