He has worked as a Financial Planner for 29 years and runs a cross-border financial planning and wealth management business.

“Most people just want to know that they and their family are going to be OK, and that they can afford to live the life they want without fear of running out of money. My job is to help people figure out what they need to do to achieve this and then help keep them on track.”

Richard spends a lot of time walking in the woods near his home. A few years ago, he decided to do something for the local environment by starting a group called Plastic Pick Up. Since then, they have cleared over 250 bags of trash from the woods in Buda. They organise two big clean-ups each year, usually in April and September.

“Plastic Pick Up is about doing something positive for the environment, enjoying nature, getting some fresh air, and meeting great people. We are a mix of Hungarians and foreigners, and we’d like to get as many people involved as possible.”

If you’d like to get involved, the Facebook group is  “Plastic Pick Up Hungary”, or you can email him by clicking here.

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

August 2001. I wanted to live and work abroad, I tried Bangkok. Although Thailand is amazing, Bangkok wasn’t my cup of tea, so I looked for opportunities in my field in this part of Europe. I’d heard good things about Budapest, so I thought why not give it a go? Seems to be working out so far 😊. 

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?

Yes, see above. 

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?

The beautiful architecture. 

4. Friends are in Hungary for a week—what must they absolutely see and do?

Apart from the usual sites in Budapest, I’d take them to the north of Lake Balaton and the Danube Bend. 

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?

Madártej. 

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?

Worcestershire sauce, milk for tea (funny how this freaks out most Hungarians), Cheddar cheese, and majonézes torma is also pretty good. 

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?

Apa (Dad). 

8. What do you miss most from home?

Everyone speaks English. Sorry, this sounds very ignorant of me.
Hungarian is a beautiful language, but it isn’t easy. 

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

Something creative. I’m too old and not cool enough to be a rapper, so maybe I’d become a poet. 

10. What’s a job you would definitely never want?

Working in the tobacco or gambling industry. 

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?

Thailand, my first time back since I lived there in 2001. They don’t call it “Amazing Thailand” for nothing. 

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

We’re thinking about a mountain holiday, so perhaps Austria or Slovenia. 

13. Apart from temptation, what can’t you resist?

If madártej is on the menu, I can’t say no! 

14. If you were to host a dinner party for famous fictional characters, who would you invite?

Tony Soprano, Inspector Clouseau and his manservant Cato, Columbo, Ali G, Borat, Princess Leia, Jane Tennison (Prime Suspect), and Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones). It should be an interesting evening. 

15. Red wine or white?

Red. 

16. Book or movie?

Movie. 

17. Morning person or night person?

Morning. 

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

The environment. We only have one planet, and collectively we need to do more to look after it. 

19. Buda or Pest side?

Buda. 

20. If you had to live somewhere else, where would it be?

I only live in cities that begin with a B. Since we love Spain, and my wife speaks Spanish, so she can be my translator there too, it would have to be Barcelona. 

21. What would you say is your personal motto?

I used to have this quote from Mark Twain on my office wall. I think it’s a pretty good one:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”