Hungarian Honeymoon

Wow, what a month

2006-04-16T02:07:00.000-07:00

I swear that I'll get back to my info blogs, cause I really like doing em. However, there's been all kinds of cool stuff that's happened in the last month that I need to write about first. Ok, so shortly after my last post, a group of students from my husbands school competed in an english language drama competition. He and I were their directors and were at least as nervous as they. SO, the competition was held in Budapest and we were performing on a Tuesday. We departed the local train station here in Nyiregyhaza the previous Sunday morning will 11 high school kids plus all of our props in tow. We spent Sunday and Monday going through lines as many times as we could get the kids to agree to, and taking a bit of time to have fun and relax before the big show, two very important preparatory events. On Sunday afternoon we went to the "House of Terror" which sounds to me like it should be a wax museum........but, oh no, it's very real. The House of Terror is now a museum but it was previously the headquarters for the Communist secret police and before that, it was the headquarters of the Nazi's when they invaded Hungary. Before that, it was used by the Hungarians for some sort of police work, I think.......but the titles of the people who worked there are much less important than what happened there. Under the Nazis and the Communists, political prisoners where held in a jail there under unbelievable conditions. Executions were carried out there as well. The entire building houses artifacts of the persecution the Hungarians experienced under these two regimes but the most bone chilling part of the place is the end, where you walk through the actual prison. It reminds me of the way people talk about visiting a concentration camp. You can talk about it, read about it, look at pictures about it all you want, but there's a way that you understand it through being there that you can never properly put into words.......that's what it was like.
I was quite fortunate on my tour through the House of Terror to have two of our students describing what they knew of the artifacts we were seeing. There were english language pamphlets in each room, but they were for later reading. Having two kids who've grown up with this as the reality of their home country's recent history were invaluable guides that made it an unforgettable experience. I asked them several times what it was like to have grown up with this being the world that their parents and grandparents experienced, this horror, and for them, as you can imagine, it's normal. It's all they've ever known.
The House of Terror taught me something about this country that I hadn't yet learned from 7 months of living and working here: the awesome reality of the hardships these people have endured. There are at least 2 national holidays commemorating revolutions, one of which was in 1956 against the Communist regime. After having seen artifacts of the oppressive police state in which they lived, it made me realize for the first time how incredible such a feat was: how were they to have organized such an uprising when there was nothing resembling free speech? When, apparently, not clapping or smiling enthusiastically enough at the mention of the political party was reason enough to have you shot on the spot?
One of my student tour guides even shared the story with me about his Grandfather fighting in the second world war. How he had been captured and held in a Siberian prison, a gulag, a death camp, and how at the end of the war, the prisoners were all simply released. He walked home. Have you ever noticed how deadly Siberia is?! He walked home. He walked all the way back to Hungary and saw his family again for the first time in years. Two months later the Nazi's came to his door and said, you, soldier, come build a bridge. And he never came home. His family didn't know until the fall of communism in 1989 when official death reports were published that he had indeed been killed. Can you imagine?!?!

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Well, so, the House of Terror was an amazing experience for me. Oh, yeah, and we were there because of the Drama competition. That was great too. The kids did a fantastic job. They ended up coming in 11th place in the semi-finals. The top 9 schools went on to the finals the following month. We were really proud of them......and apparently so is the head master of their school: he's had them perform twice more since the competition. Oh and how Yerik and I giggled at the last performance when we saw for the first time that apparently love has developed amongst our little drama kids. I feel like a real teacher now, having gossiped a bit about how 'this kid is dating that kid,' 'would you ever have expected it??'

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Ok, so, that was all cool, and then my dad and sister came to visit this last week......more about that in the next entry.......

T.G.G.P. Day 5...Answers!

2006-03-23T04:33:00.000-08:00

So, here they are, the first round of geo-quiz answers. Big props out to emily for submitting really good guesses on all questions thus far......I should have some kind of prize for you emily, any requests?

DDDDDRRRRRrrrrrrruuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............

Question 1: How many countries are there in the world?
Answer: 192

Question 2: How many different languages are spoken in the world?
Answer: 6,912 known living languages

Question 3: Which European country has a region wishing to break away and claim independence?
Answer: There are actually 2: The basque region, which lies in both France and Spain and Transnistria in Moldova.

Read on for more detail.....I think the stories behind these answers are more interesting than the answers themselves......

How many countries in the world:
from http://geography.about.com/cs/countries/a/numbercountries.htm
A very frequent geographical question is "How many countries are in the world?." Different numbers pop up when one inquires or reads about the number of countries in the world. Each source you use often yields a different answer.
United Nations
There are 191 members of the United Nations. Unfortunately, the number 191 is too often used to represent the number of countries in the world. Although this number represents almost all of the countries in the world, there is still one country (the Vatican City) that is independent and has chosen not to become a member of the U.N. so 191 is not the number of countries in the world.
U.S. Department of State
The United States' State Department recognizes 192 independent countries around the world. Their list of 192 countries reflects the political agenda of the United States of America and its allies. Missing from the State Department's list is one entity that may or may not be considered a country, depending on who you talk to.
The One Outsider
Taiwan meets most, but not all of the requirements of independent country or state status. However, due to political reasons, it fails to be recognized by the United States and much of the rest of the world. If it were recognized, it would be considered a country.
Taiwan was actually a member of the United Nations (and even the Security Council) until 1971, when mainland China replaced Taiwan in the organization. Taiwan continues to press for full recognition by other countries, to become "part of the club" and fully recognized worldwide but China claims that Taiwan is simply a province of China.
Thus...
Your Guide considers there to be 192 countries in the world, which is probably the best current answer to the question, "How many countries are in the world?" unless Taiwan becomes officially recognized by the international community, in which case the answer would be 193.
However...
Recognize that there are dozens of territories and colonies that are sometimes erroneously called "countries" but don't count at all - they're governed by other countries. Places commonly confused as being countries include Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Palestine, Western Sahara, and even the components of the United Kingdom (such as Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England - sorry folks, they're not countries, states, or nation-states).

How many languages in the world:
Considering the arguments that can arise over what exactly defines a language vs. a dialect, there are different answers to this question, depending on where you look. I found numbers as low as 3,000 but more often found numbers around 6,000. The precise number of 6,912 known living languages comes from http://www.ethnologue.com/web.asp which also provides a great deal of statistics about the world's languages. One this that everyone seems to agree on is the language spoken by the largest majority of the world's population. Can you guess? See below for the top 10 most used languages in the world.....

It turns out that 347 (or approximately 5%) of the world's languages have at least one million speakers and account for 94% of the world's population. By contrast, the remaining 95% of languages are spoken by only 6% of the world's people.

and here's the top ten according to http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/toptens/languages/languages.html

10. French
Number of speakers: 129 million
Often called the most romantic language in the world, French is spoken in tons of countries, including Belgium, Canada, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Haiti. Oh, and France too. We're actually very lucky that French is so popular, because without it, we might have been stuck with Dutch Toast, Dutch Fries, and Dutch kissing (ew!).
To say "hello" in French, say "Bonjour" (bone-JOOR).

9. Malay-Indonesian
Number of speakers: 159 million
Malay-Indonesian is spoken - surprise - in Malaysia and Indonesia. Actually, we kinda fudged the numbers on this one because there are many dialects of Malay, the most popular of which is Indonesian. But they're all pretty much based on the same root language, which makes it the ninth most-spoken in the world.
Indonesia is a fascinating place; a nation made up of over 13,000 islands it is the sixth most populated country in the world. Malaysia borders on two of the larger parts of Indonesia (including the island of Borneo), and is mostly known for its capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
To say "hello" in Indonesian, say "Selamat pagi" (se-LA-maht PA-gee).

8. Portuguese
Number of speakers: 191 million
Think of Portuguese as the little language that could. In the 12th Century, Portugal won its independence from Spain and expanded all over the world with the help of its famous explorers like Vasco da Gama and Prince Henry the Navigator. (Good thing Henry became a navigator . . . could you imagine if a guy named "Prince Henry the Navigator" became a florist?) Because Portugal got in so early on the exploring game, the language established itself all over the world, especially in Brazil (where it's the national language), Macau, Angola, Venezuela, and Mozambique.
To say "hello" in Portuguese, say "Bom dia" (bohn DEE-ah).

7. Bengali
Number of speakers: 211 million
In Bangladesh, a country of 120+ million people, just about everybody speaks Bengali. And because Bangladesh is virtually surrounded by India (where the population is growing so fast, just breathing the air can get you pregnant), the number of Bengali speakers in the world is much higher than most people would expect.
To say "hello" in Bengali, say "Ei Je" (EYE-jay).

6. Arabic
Number of speakers: 246 million
Arabic, one of the world's oldest languages, is spoken in the Middle East, with speakers found in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. Furthermore, because Arabic is the language of the Koran, millions of Moslems in other countries speak Arabic as well. So many people have a working knowledge of Arabic, in fact, that in 1974 it was made the sixth official language of the United Nations.
To say "hello" in Arabic, say "Al salaam a'alaykum" (Ahl sah-LAHM ah ah-LAY-koom).

5. Russian
Number of speakers: 277 million
Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, and Yakov Smirnoff are among the millions of Russian speakers out there. Sure, we used to think of them as our Commie enemies. Now we think of them as our Commie friends. One of the six languages in the UN, Russian is spoken not only in the Mother Country, but also in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the U.S. (to name just a few places).
To say "hello" in Russian, say "Zdravstvuite" (ZDRAST-vet-yah).

4. Spanish
Number of speakers: 392 million
Aside from all of those kids who take it in high school, Spanish is spoken in just about every South American and Central American country, not to mention Spain, Cuba, and the U.S. There is a particular interest in Spanish in the U.S., as many English words are borrowed from the language, including: tornado, bonanza, patio, quesadilla, enchilada, and taco grande supreme.
To say "hello" in Spanish, say "Hola" (OH-la).

3. Hindustani
Number of speakers: 497 million
Hindustani is the primary language of India's crowded population, and it encompasses a huge number of dialects (of which the most commonly spoken is Hindi). While many predict that the population of India will soon surpass that of China, the prominence of English in India prevents Hindustani from surpassing the most popular language in the world. If you're interested in learning a little Hindi, there's a very easy way: rent an Indian movie. The film industry in India is the most prolific in the world, making thousands of action/romance/musicals every year.
To say "hello" in Hindustani, say "Namaste" (Nah-MAH-stay).

2. English
Number of speakers: 508 million
While English doesn't have the most speakers, it is the official language of more countries than any other language. Its speakers hail from all around the world, including the U.S., Australia, England, Zimbabwe, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Canada. We'd tell you more about English, but you probably feel pretty comfortable with the language already. Let's just move on to the most popular language in the world.
To say "hello" in English, say "What's up, freak?" (watz-UP-freek).

1. Mandarin
Number of speakers: 1 billion+
Surprise, surprise, the most widely spoken language on the planet is based in the most populated country on the planet. Beating second-place English by a 2 to 1 ratio, but don't let that lull you into thinking that Mandarin is easy to learn. Speaking Mandarin can be really tough, because each word can be pronounced in four ways (or "tones"), and a beginner will invariably have trouble distinguishing one tone from another. But if over a billion people could do it, so could you. Try saying hello!
To say "hello" in Mandarin, say "Ni hao" (Nee HaOW). ("Hao" is pronounced as one syllable, but the tone requires that you let your voice drop midway, and then raise it again at the end.)

Wishing for Independence:
The story of Transistria is quite incredible.....just to imagine what it must be like to live there.....if you get a chance, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnistria to read the rest of the story.....
Transnistria or Trans-Dniester is a region of the Republic of Moldova in Eastern Europe. The unrecognised state has been de facto independent since September 2, 1990, when it made a declaration of independence from Moldova and, aided by contingents of Russian, Cossack and Ukrainian volunteers, and the 14th Russian (formerly Soviet) Army, successfully defeated Moldovan forces, in the War of Transnistria. While a ceasefire has held since 1992, the Council of Europe recognises Transnistria as a "frozen conflict" region. The sovereignty of Transnistria is an issue of contention. Transnistria continues to claim independence and maintains sovereignty over its territory with the assistance of Russian forces.

Reading about Basque Country independence is a little trickier....I haven't found many articles outlining the dispute in simple terms.....but here are a few places to read more about it.....

This is a personal narrative of one Basque family:
http://homelands.org/worlds/basque.html

Here is a Washington Post article from last year:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55430-2005Feb1.html

And another article describing the EU's response....
http://www.realitymacedonia.org.mk/web/news_page.asp?nid=2440

And here is a little of what Wikipedia has about the Basque Country:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_Country

Day 4: Brownie-tastic!!!!

2006-03-15T14:17:00.000-08:00

Today is the day that I finally succeeded in making (drummmmmm roooollllll)......homemade crinkle-top brownies!!!! They're still not quite perfect......but this is a huge leap forward in the attempts to create this uniquely American styled treat while living abroad in Hungary.......

So here's today's country of interest: Trinidad and Tobago

I actually knew a guy in college from Trinidad, he was really cool. Let's read about Adrienne's home country.....

Oh yes, and one I forgot last time......today's quiz question:

Name a country in Europe that has two smaller regions within its borders that are currently attempting to claim status as an independant nation.......

ok, submitt your responses via comments......and read on.....this place sounds pretty slick.....

Map of Trinidad and Tobago

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a nation in the southern Caribbean Sea, situated 11 km (7 miles) off the coast of Venezuela. It is an archipelagic state^[1] consisting of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 smaller islands. The larger and more populated island is Trinidad, while Tobago is smaller (303 square kilometres; about 6% of the total area) and less populous (50,000 people; 4% of the total population). Citizens are officially called Trinidadians or Tobagonians or Citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, but are informally referred to as Trinis or Trinbagonians.

Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago is a primarily industrialised country whose economy is based on petroleum and petrochemicals. People of Indian and African descent make up almost 80% of the population, while the remainder are mostly mixed race with small European, Chinese and Syrian-Lebanese minorities. Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its pre-Lenten Carnival and as the birthplace of steelpan and limbo.

The capital city Port of Spain is currently a leading candidate to serve as the headquarters of the Permanent Secretariat of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA-ALCA).

Culture

Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its pre-Lenten Carnival. It is also the birthplace of calypso music and the steelpan, which is widely claimed to be the only acoustic musical instrument invented during the 20th century. The diverse cultural and religious background allows for many festivities and ceremonies throughout the year. Other indigenous art forms include soca (a derivate of calypso), Parang (Venezuelan-influenced Christmas music), chutney, and pichakaree (musical forms which blend the music of the Caribbean and India) and the famous Limbo dance.

The artistic scene is vibrant. Trinidad and Tobago claims two Nobel Prize-winning authors, V. S. Naipaul and St. Lucian-born Derek Walcott. Mas' designer Peter Minshall is renowned not only for his carnival costumes, but also for his role in opening ceremonies of the Barcelona Olympics, the 1994 Football World Cup, the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 2002 Winter Olympics, for which he won an Emmy Award.

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago


(In Detail)	(In Detail)

National motto: Together we aspire, together we achieve

T.G.G.P. Day 3

2006-03-14T03:59:00.000-08:00

Today's Topic: Bonaire

(oh my gosh, this place sounds like paradise......)

Bonaire is an island in the Netherlands Antilles, and as such, is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Together with Aruba and Curaçao it forms a group referred to as the ABC islands. While English, Papiamento and Spanish are commonly spoken, the official language is Dutch. Bonaire means "Good Air".
Bonaire has a land area of 288 km² (111 sq. miles). At the 2001 Netherlands Antilles census, the population was 10,791 inhabitants, which means a population density of 37 inh. per km². In 2004 the population was estimated at 10,185 inhabitants. Uninhabited Klein Bonaire, nestled in the western crescent of the main island, is 6 km² (2.3 sq. miles). Bonaire is served by Flamingo International Airport.
The structure of the relationship between Bonaire and the Kingdom is being considered for change under proposed legislation.

The only generally recognized towns on the island are Kralendijk and Rincon. Kralendijk has many suburbs/neighborhoods (on an island with such a small population, the distinction is not always clearcut).

Salt
Exploiting its natural topography, Bonaire has been a major supplier of salt to the USA for many years, and continues to do so through the flooding of flat-lands with sea water. Bonaire was originally settled by the Dutch in the late 15th century as a source of salt, using the same evaporative methods used today, albeit on a small scale. Much of the early population of the island was in the form of slaves used to work the salt ponds. Today the slave huts remain as a historical site, and are the names of two popular dive sites "Red-" and "White Slave Huts." Salt production today covers much of the southern half of the island, and is run by the industrial giant Cargill.

Diving and Other Natural Features

Bonaire is one of the best places in the world for both shore diving and shore snorkeling.
Bonaire is world renowned for its excellent scuba diving and is consistently rated among the top shore diving and Caribbean diving locations in the world. In fact, Bonaire's license plates carry the logo Diver's Paradise in English. The island is ringed by a coral reef that is easily accessible from the shore along the Western and Southern sides. Furthermore, the entire coastline of the island has been declared a marine sanctuary, preserving local fish life. Bonaire is also consistently recognized as one of the best destinations for snorkeling.
The coral reef around uninhabited Klein Bonaire is particularly well conserved, and it draws divers, snorkelers, and boaters.
In addition to its rich marine preserve, Bonaire is also famed for its flamingo populations and its donkey sanctuary.
Washington Slagbaai National Park, located at the north side of the island, is an ecological preserve. The highest point of Bonaire, Brandaris, located within this preserve has a complete view of the island.
Lac Bay on the eastern side of the island is a windsurfer's paradise. Locals Taty and Tonky Frans in 2004 were ranked in the top five of the world's freestyle windsurfing professionals.

T.G.G.P.: Day 2

2006-03-12T11:30:00.000-08:00

Category: The Caribbean
Today's Topic: Curaçao

Oh my gosh, this place sounds wonderful. Ever been snorkeling or scubadiving? I've only dabbled my fins into this breathtaking passtime........and it sounds like Curacao could be a place to really get your feet wet!

Curaçao (pronounced [kura'são]) is an island in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. The isle is the largest and most populous of the three so-called ABC islands (for Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) and belongs to the Netherlands Antilles, a self-governing part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Curaçao's capital is Willemstad.

Curaçao has a land area of 444 square kilometres (171 mi²). At the 2001 Netherlands Antilles census, the population was 130,627 inhabitants, which means a population density of 294 inhabitants per square kilometre. In 2004 the population was estimated at 133,644 inhabitants.

Curaçao is renowned for its coral reefs which make it an excellent spot for scuba diving. The beaches on the south side contain many popular diving spots. An unusual feature of Curaçao diving is that the sea floor drops off steeply within a few hundred feet of the shore, and the reef can easily be reached without a boat. This drop-off is locally known as the "blue edge." Strong currents and lack of beaches make the rocky northern coast dangerous for swimming and diving, but experienced divers sometimes dive there from boats when conditions permit. The southern coast is very different and offers remarkably calm waters. The coastline of Curaçao features many bays and inlets, many of them suitable for mooring. Curaçao lies outside of the hurricane belt and has a semi-arid savanna-like climate. Curaçao flora is unlike the typical tropical island vegetation and is more akin to the Southwestern United States. Various forms of cactus, thorny shrubs and evergreens are prevalent. Curaçao's highest point is the 375-metre (1,230-ft) Christoffelberg in the northwestern part of the island. This lies in the reserved wildlife park, Curaçao Christoffelpark, and can be explored by car, bike or horse or on foot. Several trails have been laid out. Curaçao has many places where one can hike. There are Saliñas, salt water lakes where flamingos fly out to rest and feed. South-east 15 miles off the coast of Curaçao lies the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ('Little Curaçao').

(wow, there's some sad history here though......)

The original inhabitants of Curaçao were Arawak Amerindians. The first Europeans to see the island were the members of a Spanish expedition under the leadership of Alonso de Ojeda in 1499. The Spaniards decimated the Arawak. The island was occupied by the Dutch in 1634. The Dutch West India Company founded the capital of Willemstad on the banks of an inlet called the 'Schottegat'. Curaçao had been previous ignored by colonists because it lacked many things that colonists were interested in, such as gold deposits. However, the natural harbour of Willemstad proved quickly to be an ideal spot for trade. Commerce and shipping became Curaçao's most important economic activities, and Curaçao came to play a pivotal role in one of the most intricate international trade networks in history: the Atlantic slave trade. The Dutch West India Company made Curaçao a center for slave trade in 1662. Dutch merchants brought slaves from Africa to the trading area called Asiento. From there, slaves were sold and shipped to various destinations in South America and the Caribbean. At the height of the trade large numbers of slaves were traded here. Later both the English and the French briefly occupied the island, adding to the mix of languages spoken on the island. The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863. Curaçao features colonial architecture that blends various Dutch and Spanish colonial styles. The wide range of other historic buildings in and around Willemstad earned the capital a place on UNESCO's world heritage list. Landhouses (former plantation estates) and West African style 'kas di pal'i maishi' (former slave dwellings) are scattered all over the island and some of them have been restored and can be visited.The end of slavery caused economic hardships, causing many Curaçao people to emigrate to other islands, such as to Cuba to work in sugarcane plantations.

Because of its history, the island now has a diverse ethnic background. Contemporary Curaçao seems the poster-child for multiculturalism. Inhabitants of Curaçao have diverse and often multiple origins. There is a Afro-Caribbean majority, which includes multi-racial peoples who are identified as such. There are also sizeable minorities of Dutch, East Asian, Portuguese and Levantine. In addition, there are also many recent immigrants from neighbouring countries, most notably the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Anglophone Caribbean and Colombia. In the past years the influx of Dutch pensioners has increased significantly, dubbed locally as the 'pensionados'.

Curaçao

National Anthem: Himno di Kòrsou

Official language

Dutch (Official), Papiamentu

Political status

autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Area
- Total
- % water

(Not ranked)
444 km²
Negligible

Population

- Total
- Density

173.400 (2006)
391/km²

Guilder (ANG)

UTC -4

+599-9

Quiz Question of the Day:

How many different languages are spoken in the world?

The Geek Goes Public: Day 1

2006-03-11T01:28:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, in a college far, far away, there lived a girl named Me. One day, she approached a Professor and said, "Professor, I would like to get a minor in your subject. Would you be my advisor for that?" Professor turned to Me and replied,
"What is the purpose of getting a university degree?"
"To learn stuff," replied Me.
"Right," said Professor, "but what it REALLY means is that you learned HOW to learn stuff, get it?"
"Um, I think so," said Me.
"So," continued Professor," if you really want to learn my subject, you will know how to learn it on your own by the time you finish your education here. If you're still interested in it, you can learn more about it anytime in your life."
"Aaaaahhhh," said Me, the lights dawning on her finally.

And so, in recognition of that moment in history when the concept of education was forever changed for Me, I am upping the efforts of my recent attempts at expanding my general knowledge base. How will I do this, you may ask? Well, by creating a bit of accountability in making my efforts public on the anonymous world of the web......and, by using some of the free resources the web has to offer.

To begin this ambitious quest, I have moved from simply staring at all the maps on my walls to taking a few on-line geography quizzes (if you're interested, give it a try yourself by going to www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz) coupled with a bit of reading from Wikipedia, the free on-line encyclopedia. All of the following info is snagged from Wikipedia....it's sweet. If you've never tried it, check it out at www.wikipedia.com.

Oh yes, and just to see if anyone out there in webworld is interested and actually reading any of this, there is a quiz question at the end of the post. If you want to offer a guess, post a comment with your submission.

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TOPIC 1: The Caribbean Islands

Today's topic: Aruba

Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea, just a short distance north of the Venezuelan Paraguaná Peninsula, and it forms a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, it has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape. This climate has helped tourism, however, as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm, sunny weather.

History

Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th-century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.

Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles on January 1, 1986, and became a separate, self-governing member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence by 1996 was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.

Culture

The origins of the population and location of the island give Aruba a mixed culture. Dutch influence can still be seen, even though not much of the population is of Dutch origin. Tourism from the United States has recently also increased the visibility of American culture on the island. Queen Beatrix International Airport, located near Oranjestad, Aruba, currently serves the whole island of Aruba. This airport has access to various cities across the eastern U.S., from Miami, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta to New York. It also connects Aruba with Europe through the Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.

The holiday of Carnival is an important one in Aruba, as it is in many Caribbean and Latin American countries. Carnival is usually held from the beginning of January until the end of February, with a large parade on the final Sunday of the festivities.

Language

Language can be seen as an important part of island culture in Aruba. The cultural mixture has given way to a linguistic mixture known as "Papiamento". However, islanders are known to speak many languages. Islanders often speak Papiamento, English, Dutch and Spanish. In recent years the government of Aruba has shown an increased interest in acknowledging the cultural and historical importance of its native language.

TODAY'S GEOCULTURAL QUIZ QUESTION:

How many countries are there in the world?


(In Detail)	(In Detail)

National motto: One Happy Island

Official language

Dutch

Political status

Dependent area of the Netherlands

Area
- Total
- % water

(Not ranked)
180 km²
Negligible

Population

- Total (2004 est.)
- Density

(Ranked 187)

110.000 (2005)
363/km²

UTC -4

+297

Ma nagyon Magyar............. es Americai vagyok!!

2006-02-15T03:30:00.000-08:00

Translation: Today I am very Hungarian......and American!

So, I'll start with the Hungarian part, since that is what inspired me to write this entry. Today, I am very Hungarian: I bought a budmil bag! Actually, it's a purse and I got a wallet too. For those of you who don't know, budmil is this sport-esque brand that the hungarians seem to love. I assume that because I see the brand all over their bags and jackets. I'm not sure how popular it is in the rest of Europe, but it seems pretty well established here. Mind you, I think that most of the designs on the budmil products are pretty dorky so I've generally avoided it. But as I've longed for a highly functional purse and come up from the "taska bolts" time and again empty handed, I finally looked to the budmil. And suprise, suprise, they have exactly what I've been wanting! And, it seems to be really good quality, which makes me think that is why I see the brand everywhere: it lasts a long time, so once you got it, you got it for a while. Woo hoo! Here is a link to their website for your exploring pleasure: www.budmil.hu

Ok, and so I'm also really an American today. Here's how......
We have a student at one of my schools who will be interviewed tomorrow for a scholarship to study in America for a year. How cool! I was taken out of teaching three classes in the last two days so that I could work one-on-one with this student to help him prepare for his interview. It was really fun to feel like I really could help someone while I'm here. It is helpful for my kids to practice their english, of course, but sometimes, seeing as how there is a difference between American and British english, (and the british version is preferred by the examiners), I worry about confusing them, and never really feel like an 'expert' on the language they are studying (ie: some international version of english, which represents a conglomeration of the versions used in all the different english speaking countries). BUT, when it comes to living in America, I AM an expert. I know all about that! And, it turns out, that the program he is interviewing with only puts students in 3 states, two of which are Minnesota and Wisconsin, two states I know best!! So, it was really cool to try to help him, and I'm really excited for him. The whole school is rooting for him to win the scholarship. Oh, and it was really wild trying to explain some of the stuff to him that the scholarship group wrote about on their website. Leadership, for example, is something that is used much differently by Americans than by the Hungarians as they understand it in translation. As you can imagine, this formerly communist country still has some negative associations with what it means to be a leader. He told me in his mock interview that he is not a leader and doesn't want to be one because they act like they know everything and that they are better than everyone else. I stopped the interview at that point, laughed, and said," ok, I know what you mean, but don't say that in the interview!"

Oh yes, and one more way I am a Hungarian: I got a beautiful, artistically constructed floral bouquet from my husband last night for valentine's day. It was complete with cala lillies, something Yerik, apparently, had to ride all over the city to find......but that he insisted I have since I 'looked so beautiful the last time' I had them. :)

Mrs. K -out

Got Yarn?

2006-01-05T01:54:00.000-08:00

I do!

It occurred to me recently that I really want to do something with my hands. I've tried a few handi-crafts that I have readily available, and that just hasn't seemed to satisfy the urge. And then I realized last night that I could probably pick up with the skill I just learned last winter: knitting!
I had no idea where to find knitting supplies but I have a bit of a break between classes on Thursdays and just happened to be passing a small fabric shop on my way to my second school of the day. I popped into the shop knowing nothing of how to ask what I was looking for and found only one not-so-desirable bundle of yarn to use as a visual aide. Fortunately, my mimicing knitting needles with my fingers helped convey my desire more quickly than I thought they could have and-voile-I have three balls of decently good yarn and some pretty ok looking needles. Sweet.

:)
I took a picture of my silly grinning self holding up my new treasure but still don't know how to get pics from the camera into the computer. Will add later, perhaps......

I Heart IM......& Madonna

2005-12-29T07:33:00.000-08:00

Despite it's seeming conveniece, email can be slow. People's address can get lost as accounts get flooded by junk and have to be abandond; access to internet can be intermitant (especially when living in a new country) creating unintended gaps in communication; when access to internet is abundant, it often means that it's part of the work environment and it becomes near impossible most days to look at the computer as a tool for fun and not work;and when messages do get sent, how do they stay personal? How does the conversation stay fluid? This has been the crux of my love/hate relationship with email.......but now, I've discovered that email has a cool young cousin who circumvented the ugly end of the electronic communication gene pool....instant messaging. It's wonderful! I can sit from half-way across the world and have a real time conversation with friends and family. I can send pics and whatever else while we're talking-it's almost better than a phone in that respect! But when we do feel like a phone call, we can now do that too over the net for free. I love it!

Now I know there are plenty of you out there in cyber land who already know the wonders of these technologies, and don't get me wrong, I did know they existed......I just didn't know how cool they are! And, via this newly discovered source of wonder, I have obtained permission from a friend of mine to share a bit of one of her emails. This next excerpt is best enjoyed while listening to Madonna's new tune "Hung Up"( I happened to be doing just that as I read it. If you don't have it or haven't heard it, go to www.madonna.com. In the lower right corner of the screen there are several little boxes and the furthest right one on the bottom row will say "disco"when you hold your mouse over it. Click that, and it will start playing "Hung up.") Enjoy.....

"......I swear, I've spent 80-90% of my waking hours this past week thinking about that silly boy, daydreaming about it, having imaginary conversations, and all of that nonsense. But, no, Santa did not bring me that phone call. Funnily enough, I made a little 'deal' with Mr. Santa before I went to bed on Christmas Eve. I said, 'okay Santa, for Christmas all I want is one of two things: either the phone call, or to wake up 10 lb lighter.' As you can see, I was not asking for much, certainly he would deliver. So, when I woke up and looked in the mirror, it was obvious that Santa had decided to give me the phone call.

Has anyone ever told you that Santa isn't real? Well, he must not be........"

Sweet! I just got a call on my computer! Gotta go!

Szolnok Christmas

2005-12-23T06:58:00.000-08:00

Here we are......in Szolnok with Laura and Emily. Whoo hoo!! Nothing more really to report than that.....I just felt like writing.......and that it's almost Christmas! Oh yeah, and tonight we're having tacos! And forolt bor!

We're hangin out watching animal planet and we wonder to ourselves:

"Do they have large talons?"

Look at how hot Napoleon Dynamite is when he's not our favorite dancing greek hero!

2005-12-21T14:22:00.000-08:00

Birthday weekend in Budapest. While Yerik was diligently preparing for his big test to be held bright and early on Monday morning, I was representin the two of us with our pals livin it up in the big city. Little did I know at the point this picture was taken that the night was still oh so young.......this of course was night number two of such rambunctiousness......the likes of which will not be repeated here.....

A few of my Favorite things

2005-12-20T05:05:00.000-08:00

There is some way that I am supposed to be able to put links and pictures of things that I like on permanent display in my blog, but I don't yet know how to do that......so, instead, I'm making a post with links to things I like.....for example:

http://www.newsociety.com/
This is a cool publishing company that makes books about "solutions and social change." I get their e-newsletter which has great exerpts from books and links for learning more. They make their books using eco-friendly techniques.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/
This is another organization whose newsletter I enjoy reading. In it, they provide short summaries of stories on a variety of issues and links to read the full story. It's good to know what's going on with our food supply!

http://www.rawganique.com/
I've only recently stumbled onto this site but really like the looks of it. They seem to have thought of everything. My favorite pair of undies is one of the brands they sell here-and they only sell two-so it gives me more faith that they are as selective as I am.
And, their jeans look sweet! I've been looking for a pair of jeans that won't be loaded with pestisides and garbage and yet will look and feel great on......as if finding jeans wasn't hard enough. BUT, these look promising......I'll let all you all in blogger world know how it works out once I get around to buying them....

Da-who-Door-Aye

2005-12-20T04:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome Christmas!

The last two days' lessons have involved watching the original cartoon of "The Grinch who Stole Christmas" with my kids. How I love Dr. Suess! This is not something I fully appreciated until I discovered that the Hungarians do not know of this great humourist and teacher. Two weeks ago we started reading through the text and during this last week before Christmas, I've shown them the film. They seem to love it and it does give me some sense of how well they can comprehend what they're hearing.......and I just love watching the film!

It snowed today. Hurrah! I hope it sticks around and we have a white Christmas. I got my first present .......check that, second present today: a hungarian cookbook written in English and from my friend Rita. Yea! I'm hoping to successfully attempt a few recipes for Christmas. My first present was yersterday: I got a bonus from one of my schools, plus chocolates, plus (my favorite part) my teacher travel card! SO travel is now much more feasible, at least from the monetary standpoint........ugh, I want to sit here and write all day, but I must be a good teacher and write in all the registers before the holiday starts.....at least I have some yummy nut bread left over from lunch to inspire thoughts of Christmas cooking....!

Christmas Countdown

2005-12-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a week from today. It will be my first Christmas away from my family. It will also be my first Christmas as a married woman. In many ways, it seems it will be my first Christmas in a foreign land.....

Although this strange version of this beautiful and beloved time of family gathering makes me a bit nostalgic and a bit home sick, I am, at the same time, looking forward to this first major holiday with just my husband. Our little family of two will ring in the holidays with very little of the trimmings and trappings that usually mark the coming of Christmas. All I want for Christmas is a working internet connection that will let Yerik and I call our family for free and tell them how much we miss and love them.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
my little sister dressed as a toy soldier.

:)

New Damn Blog

2005-12-15T05:08:00.000-08:00

So, apparently my previous blog is lost forever from the edit-able end....go on and keep viewing it, it won't change. So, here it is, my new damned blog. Ironic, it seems, that when I am finally truly resolved to be content without so many new items in my life (I actually have NO desire to shop anymore, even the second hand store seems like a waste of money!) I have to go and get a new damned blog. I'm only crabby about it cause 1.) I had to yell at one of my classes last period. This is a class at my good school: I've never had to yell at any of the kids here. That really put a damper on the joy of teaching them the "Rusty Cheverolet" version of Jingle Bells and 2.) we presently don't have internet at home so who knows when I'll be able to update this again......

I think I would like to do something other than just write my thoughts on my blog.....I think I'd like to post some of the emails I receive from friends and family here too. There are some damned funny ones......and I'd like pictures and such.....we'll see where it ends up......

Plans for Christmas are also still at this point ("we'll see where it ends up") however, I would like to put more planning into it than that. After being in Budapest for only a few hours and not knowing much of anything about where I was in the city, I realized that it is quite nice to know a bit about a place so to be sure to soak up what you can in any short amount of time you have there.....for example, I would really like to see Sopron and Vienna over Christmas. I've heard that these two cities are lovely and are quite do-able in a joint trip. I do not, however, know much of anything about times and places and events....and again, I will have to plan some internet time carefully.

The good news is that Yerik took his GRE and did well on it! Now, the challenge for tonight is that he must put the finishing touches on the essays and get the app sent out to the first of several schools he's applying to this winter. There is bound to be singing and dancing following that sent email!

OK, here it is, my first new post in over 2 months. Stay tuned for this blog to be much more interesting than the first.......

Jk out.