Xpat Interview 2: Frank Hegedűs, Chaplain, St. Margaret's Anglican Church

  • 26 Apr 2019 1:58 PM
Xpat Interview 2: Frank Hegedűs, Chaplain, St. Margaret's Anglican Church
Frank Hegedűs is the Chaplain and Area Dean at Saint Margaret’s Anglican Church in Budapest. Originally from Michigan, he served churches throughout the US Midwest and California before coming to Budapest in 2011.  His father was born in a small village in Eastern Hungary before emigrating to the US a very long time ago.

1. What’s been happening at work and at home since your first Xpat Interview (2014)?
It is hard for me to believe that I will have been here in Budapest for a full eight years as of April Fools’ Day 2019.   Some of the happiest years of my life.  No joke.

2. On a scale of 1 to 10 how happy are you with life in Hungary, and why?
Well, since I am now a Hungarian citizen and in keeping with the national character, I feel obligated to choose “1.”  But as a priest, I cannot lie and so must go for “9” or even “10.”

3. What’s the best party you’ve ever attended, and why?
It would be hard to beat the annual ExPatLoop fund-raising parties.

4. What’s your favourite drink?
Hungarian wine, of course.

5. What hidden talents do you have?
I can bend my knuckles flat all the way down into the palm of my hands.

6. What was the most interesting travel trip you have ever taken?
To visit Spiekeroog, a small island off the north coast of Germany.  It is worth seeing, I decided. But probably not worth going to see.

7. If you were given a wish that could come true, what would you ask for?
Peace, good will, among humankind.

8. What’s the last book you read, and movie you watched?
I am reading Hungary, A Short History, written by prominent British historian, Norman Stone, a parishioner of Saint Margaret’s, Budapest.  The last movie I saw was Crazy Rich Asians on a flight to Singapore, of all places.  I recommend both.  But for different reasons.

9. If someone wrote a biography about you, what would the title be?
Priest-in-Charge: An Oxymoron.

10. What is the perfect pizza toppings combination for you?
Sonkás, sajtos, gombás. (ham, cheese, mushrooms) 

11. If you could trade places with any other person for a week, real or fictional, with whom would it be?
Myself at age twenty-five. But only for a week, please.

12. On a scale of 1 to 10 how unusual are you, and why?
“10.”  Because I just wrote down “10.”

13. What’s the best website you’ve ever visited, and why?

www.anglicanbudapest.org.   It is the website of our Anglican community here in Budapest. Second choice would be: https://www.xpatloop.com/ for very obvious reasons.

14. Who do you admire the most, and why?
Pope Francis.   Because he has a heart for the poor and marginalised of society.

15. What do you like best and least about living in Hungary?
Usually, the People.  Sometimes, the People.

16. What has made the biggest impact on your life so far, and why?
Becoming a priest.  It changed everything.

17. If you won USD 30 million, what would you do with the money?
First, I would count it, just to make sure.

18. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
I Did It My Way.  Not………

19. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Budapest, of course.

20. In ten years from now what will you be doing?
Still breathing...  I hope.

MTI Photo: Szigetváry Zsolt

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