Saturday, April 20, Global Volunteers

Today was a very laid-back day, meeting up with the group at the airport and then riding in a van to Hodmezovasarhely.

Got up early to catch the mini-bus at 10am back out to the airport. It was raining which didn't seem to slow the city down one bit. Yesterday was a planned transit strike, so comparatively, it was quite busy this morning. In fact, I wondered if my clock was wrong because at 6:30, the square across from the hotel was quite busy -- even saw tourists taking pictures! Ok, I like to get up early, but out sightseeing at 6:30?

Upon arrival at the airport, there were already two volunteers and the team leader, Milt, who is also a volunteer. We waited as more volunteers arrived. The last person didn't arrive until 3:30, so I and two others had to wait at the airport while the first van left with those who had just arrived. (The three of us that stayed had all been in Budapest a few days, so weren't as dead tired as those who had just arrived.) Waiting with us was Szolts, the municipal employee from the Mayor's office responsible for the Global Volunteers partnership. We had a fun time talking to him about the workings of the program and the mayor's office and cuss words!

There are 11 women and no men on this team, other than the team leader. The oldest is 90 years old and I think I am the youngest. About 3 or 4 are retired teachers, one has been on about 20 volunteer programs with Global (!), and most have not been in either a volunteer program or in Hungary before. Half are from Canada, including a travel agent who was raised in Hungary and emigrated to Canada. She made the travel arrangements for two of the team members as well.

I hit it off with a gal from Colorado, Annie, who is a retired federal worker and is traveling through Europe for three months. She just came from an Italian Language School along the Italian Coast, south of the Cinque Terra. The other woman who stayed at the airport is Peggy, and she is from Alberta. She just spent a week at the Gelhert Hotel and Baths in Budapest - and I think paid about the same for her hotel as I did mine!

The countryside on the drive down was very flat with some fields of a yellow flowered plants and a number of sheep herds. The driver did not speak English, so did not get much of an explanation of things.

After arriving here, we had a bit of free time and then dinner together at the hotel. Milt went over the schedule for the week, but I am not going to repeat it here as he was very clear that it is not set in stone and there are a number of decisions to be made. What is different than expected though is that Thursday, May 1 and Friday May 2 are holidays. So, we will teach on this coming Saturday, have just Sunday off, and then teach Monday through Wednesday. This on top of the change to another village about 5 km from here (supposed to be quite picturesque and inspirational for artists and poets) for this coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday. They probably could have picked a better two week period for this program, but really no big deal to me.

Walked around a little after dinner and got a little lay of the land - all flat of course. Will head to the market in the morning to check out the goodies and probably pick up a few fruits and veggies, although all food is included. Last nights dinner resembeled chicken cordon bleu, with mashed potatoes and a salad. Had a glass of red wine with it -- will have to write down the names of what I am drinking cause there is no way I am going to remember.

I am sharing a room with Annie and we really lucked out. I said something about snoring while we were still at the airport, so Milt put us in the room that is really for a family: a single door into the room and then two bedrooms with their own doors, with a shared bathroom inbetween. The hotel is a small family run place, and there doesn't seem to be many others here. They do have free Wee-Fee, as the desk clerk called it, which of course is nice.