The gas crisis is real...school is canceled!

I've had a few people ask me about this, and not until yesterday did I hear people talking about it. Now discussions from this morning are irrelevant and who knows, maybe this afternoon's local decision will be reversed tomorrow.

If you haven't been following this issue, Russia has cut off the gas supply coming to the EU through the Ukraine. Hungary receives over 60% of their gas supply through this means. It's been cut off since the first of January. Many but not all countries have reserves. Hungary's reserve is not a lot - the amount being reported changes daily. In any case, this gas is used to heat buildings and there is not enough to last very long - probably a few weeks.
Here's BBC news link on this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7817043.stm

Today's local decision is to close the schools in Kisvarda all of next week, to help reduce use. There are three secondary schools here, but quite a few primary schools. Two of the secondary schools have dormitories that must be heated and cafeterias that use gas for cooking, in addition to the class room buildings.

The staff room was quite load and animated late this afternoon when this decision was announced. There concerns run on two levels: first, academically and then of course the issue of no gas. On the academic level, next week is the last week of the semester with exams in many of the classes. Momentum will be lost of course, and the semester will be extended another week.

Istvan told me he will be buying milk to stockpile since he has two young boys at home and the processing plants are already on slow-down because of the economy. And he will be buying a wood stove - the house already has a chimney and they will need to have someone come and install the stove and clean the chimney. We talked about the trickle down effect even closing the schools will have: the parents of the primary school kids will have to stay home with them, so that is even more loss of work production. There is an expectation that petro fuel will also rise... and on it goes. I wouldn't say people are in panic mode, but they are highly alert and watching the news closely.

I am awaiting tomorrow to see what new news arises. I was thinking, "Man, a whole week off! I should go somewhere!" But, at this point since I have been ill all week, I think I won't plan anything and just stay home. I have 4 new books and Hungarian to learn!