Absolutely Fabulous

At the risk of bragging, but hell, why not...the party was fabulous. We ended up with 19 people. Scheduled for 6-9pm, people started arriving at 5:45 and stayed until 10pm. Most of the Fulbrighters who came were probably under 30 with 2 exceptions. All but 2 were non-professors. Two of them brought their husbands. A third was to bring her husband, but he didn’t make it. Two others sent a Yes RSVP, but did not show. It was wonderful to have such a turnout!

Our friend Kat helped out by making prosciutto egg muffins for me the day before. I created my usual artichoke dip, which turned out different (I am guessing it was the Hungarian cream cheese). I wrapped bacon around dates and dried apricots, then broiled them. 

Originally, I was going use a cookie cutter on the pizza dough to make mini serving sized pizzas. The only non-Christmas cookie cutters I could find were hearts, so I went with that. Unfortunately, even after partially freezing the dough, it would not pull away from the cut portion. As a last resort, the pizza sheets of tomato and spinach pesto were cut into squares.

To round it off, we had mango chutney with cranberries over cream cheese, duck liver pâté, peppers stuffed with goat cheese, and then the usual snacks including pretzels, peanuts, cheese sticks, and assorted crackers. Everything was a hit!

Ron had visited TourInform and the transport offices. He had a new transport map, Funzine magazine, bicycle map, culture schedule, and some other things for each person to take home when they left. It was a smashing success. 

Of course, I hardly left the kitchen other than to serve, but I was happiest doing it. My Italian heritage invokes my love to feed people. The food was divided between the living room and the kitchen, so I was able to socialize with those who ventured forth.

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Party Time

Each year we try to host some type of welcome for the Fulbright group coming to Hungary. Generally, we wait until the end of their orientation, but years past have shown this is not the prime time. Not all of the incoming group will be working in Budapest, so after they finish orienting themselves, they take off for various parts of the country. Some, never to be seen again, but us at least. 

This year, we wizened up and are hosting it pre-in-service. It worked. We have 26 people coming tonight. 

Busy times!

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C is for Courtesy and P is for Pariah

I am a bit bedazzled that people today seemed to have lost a good portion of their common sense along with a large chuck of their manners. Case in point - every year we invite the incoming Fulbright scholars for a social. For a number of years, our place was the hub of socialization. 

This year, I was invited to speak at their orientation about cultural differences. A few of the group came up afterward and greeted us with introductions. At the time, we extended an open invitation to visit or contact us if needed.

Fulbrighters are spread throughout the country, so the main time that the majority may be in Budapest is for the monthly cultural trip the commission provides. For November, it was put off until tomorrow. Over three weeks ago, we sent out an invitation for a wine and munchies get-together. We offered to supply some of each, but they were welcome to supplement with their beverage of choice. The invites went to over twenty people with explicit mention that families were welcome as well. 

As days passed we waited for some signs of recognition, so acknowledgment that we had written. Nothing came our way. Finally, one of the group had graciously offered to replace a canceled speaker for the Budapest Creativity Group. I had asked if he were coming with his family, but he was not sure he had received the e-mail. Later, he did respond with the original e-mail as well as a note that he would be in Sweden that weekend.

Ron wants to believe that the reason no one responded was because I did not include RSVP in the note. From years of entertaining in CA, I knew that RSVP was a social custom often ignored by those appearing at the door who never provided a warning there was another mouth to feed.

Statistically, one would presume that whether or not directions were included to RSVP, amongst twenty plus professional people there would be a few at least. Nary a one. 

What was even more shocking was that at the appointed hour of 7:30 pm, not a single tinkle of our doorbell was heard. In fact, the entire night was quiet. Ron and I drank wine and had munchies while we watched TV, wondering if this is how a pariah feels.

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Pizza Party

As an end of the semester treat for my first round of Journalism students, I had all of them over to our place for a pizza party. One of the students took orders, but was supposed to call in the order and have it delivered to our place. Being frugal, with my money, he placed the order, but instead, had it delivered to the university so there would not be a delivery charge. The university, though, twelve minutes away, is in district eight. The pizza place does not deliver free to district seven. They were all due at 1:00, so when 1:30 came around, I thought the joke was on me. At 2:00, my mobile displayed an apology and the reason for their being late. Pizzas take time to cook and be delivered. At 2:15, when the doorbell rang, I was reassured that they were indeed planning on our little festive gathering. Two of the young men were carrying three 62cm (24.5 inches) diameter pizzas. After reimbursing him, we settled into eating and sat around the living room with the sofa, love seat, and the kitchen chairs. As thrilled as I was to have them here, they were so quiet, there was a continual fear that they were not enjoying themselves. They gave me a box of Oreo cookies, a can of Dr. Pepper, and a jar of peanut butter that they found at the high end gourmet grocery store. They thought I may be missing some things from home. After sharing the Oreos, I had remembered how good a simple cookie could taste. Later, I drank the Dr. Pepper. It tasted better than ever. I won't have them next semester, but they will always be my "kids" just like the 150 other students who I have had in the past for other classes.

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Ambassador's Invitation

On the Occasion of the 232nd Anniversary of the

Independence of the United States of America

Ambassador April H. Foley

requests the pleasure of the company of

Dr. Ryan James

at a reception in the garden

on Thursday, July 3, 2008

from 12 noon until 2:00 p.m.

Venue: Budapest XII. Zugligeti út 93.

RSVP: by June 27, 2008 Dress: Business Attire or

Phone: 475- 4283 or Service Uniform

budapestprot@state.gov

*

This invitation is personal and non-transferable.

Please print and present this invitation and photo identification for admittance to the event.

Please note: there is no parking available at the premises during the event.

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