In 2008 she came with her husband to Budapest and continued her urban planning work with a masterplanning project for Timisoara in Romania, Temesvár for Hungarians. She also taught Dutch at the Dutch school in Budapest till her son (now 2 years old) was born. She started a photography study at MOME, the Moholy Nagy University of Art and Design and works at the moment as portrait, wedding and event photographer.

She is a DSLR photography teacher as well and organizes photography field trips. See www.marietteharms.com.

1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
April 2008. The work of my husband brought us here. Budapest is also the place where his mother comes from and where he used to spend many holidays with his grandparents, so an extra special place for us.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
No. But I did some voluntary work in Guatemala, Borneo and New Zealand.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
Their food (not necessarily a positive surprise).

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Visit one of the ruin pubs.

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Kürtöskalács.

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Yoghurt for our yoghurt-muesli-apple breakfast and cheese (like a real Dutchie).

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?
Menedzser, szendvics, rákkendroll, sofőr, etc.

8. What do you miss the most from home?
Being able to ride my bike everywhere, without climbing steep hills and the fear of being swept of my bike by a car.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
None.

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Jobs I dislike the most are the ones with endless, often useless, meetings.

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Skiing in Austria.

12. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
I hope Brasil, Indonesia, Fiji... But it will probably be camping in Austria.

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Nirvana, Pixies, the Cure, Bad Religion, Tom Waits, Underworld... My taste of music was and still is quite diverse.

14. What can't you resist?
Taking pictures.

15. Red wine or white?
Red.

16. Book or movie?
Book.

17. Morning person or night person?
Morning, but not too early.

18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
Environmental issues and animal rights.

19. Buda side or Pest side?
Buda to live, Pest to go out, visit musems, meet friends.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Never put your happiness in someone elses hands.