JUST CUT

 

SOCCER SOCCER EVERYWHERE : NEVER BEFORE HAVE I LIVED THROUGH SUCH CRAZY SOCCER EVENTS

"Hungary has a significant history in international football, having won three OLYMPIC gold medals, finished as runners-up in the 1938 and 1954 WORLD CUP and finished in third place in the 1964 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP." - Wikipedia

Never before have I lived through such SOCCER FEVER.  Growing up I was entirely ignorant of soccer. Later it seemed to be a sport only played on the grounds of elite private schools. And I never paid attention to it, though in general I'm not much into watching sports, to know that it has become INTERNATIONAL.

This summer, however, I could not ignore soccer.  It seemed everyone else was obsessed with watching the FIFA/ World Cup wherever I went. Streets were blocked off - usually streets that had bars and restaurants with televised programs. Even libraries had the opportunity for fans to watch the games and scream and yell. Local stores were jammed up with team support products - keychains, little soccer balls, whatnot. 

So I watched a few games and was relieved to realize I could follow it and understand it better than I ever have "American Football." I came away with the idea that soccer is more popular than the Olympics, that these events include teams that come from countries that seem to barely participate in the Olympics.

After a month of almost daily exposure to soccer, I must say that I am also relieved that it's over.
There is so much more to do in summer than watch televised programing.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO POST A LINK TO YOUR HUNGARIAN OR HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN CLUB or EVENT PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!

For events, please do so as far from the event than you can!

Thanks!

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

 

JACKS OR KINGS?

 

A HALO OF FLOWERS

 

1926 IN HUNGARY ; FILMED BY PATHE FRANCE : MESOKOVESD, DEBRECEN, KOSICE, HORTOBAGY, CAPATHIA

XPAT LOOP : TAKE A LOOK EVEN IF YOU DON'T PLAN TO LIVE IN HUNGARY!

XPATLOOP.COM 

This is a VERY commercial site, but I decided to post a link to it anyway, knowing that I do not necessarily recommend the businesses advertising on it, because there is some good free information of interest to those who may be tourists now but considering residency in Hungary, in particular Budapest.

Christmas markets, charity events, rental cars, INTERVIEWS.....  

MAY FANTASY

 Where do the apple blossoms bloom in January?

THINK

 

HUNGARIAN SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS - BOSTON HUNGARIAN CLUB

BOSTON HUNGARIAN CLUB   HUNGARIAN SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS

The Hungarian Society of Massachusetts, Inc., is a community of individuals of Hungarian descent, and those with an interest in Hungarian culture who, without regard to political or religious affiliation, and in accordance with their talents, opportunities and interests, support the Society and take part in its activities.

Our Mission and Goals

Foster and impart our Hungarian language, culture, identity and traditions to our descendants and to interested individuals through programs, meetings and gatherings;

Propagate Hungarian culture in as many American circles as possible, thereby developing and maintaining strong ties between Americans and Hungarians

Support one another as we build and sustain our lives in America

Cultivate and nurture ties with Hungary and Hungarian émigrés around the world

Provide moral, spiritual and occasional financial support for Hungarian causes.

ATTENTION

 

FUN LEARNING WITH HUNGARICANA : INTRODUCTION TO A HUNGARIAN HISTORY AND GENEALOGY SERIES

Hungarian Genealogy and History Tips in this series can be viewed together by clicking on the tab Pro Tip Hungaricana Fun

COMING UP!  I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW MY LEAD AND EXERCIZE YOUR RESEARCH SKILLS!

You may not speak the language and many Hungarian-Americans do not. But you can still use the Hungaricana databases fairly well. Some truly amazing archival documents have been preserved. 

Here's the link to the main page: https://www.hungaricana.hu/en/ of the Hungaricana CULTURAL HERITAGE PORTOL.

Excerpt: The purpose of the Hungaricana project is to share Hungarian cultural heritage including contents that have never been accessible before. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone, whether professional or amateur, can explore Hungary's, or even their own history and culture in a clean and efficient way.


READY?

C 2025 Magyar-American BlogSpot All Rights including International Rights and Internet Rights are claimed. 

PAIR

 

CHAOS : WILDFIRES AND DRAMATIC CHANGES IN POLITICS HAVE PEOPLE ON EDGE : IMMIGRATION

CHAOS : WILDFIRES AND DRAMATIC CHANGES IN POLITICS HAVE PEOPLE ON EDGE : IMMIGRATION

As the wildfires have consumed enough property and acreage to equal San Francisco or Miami, we the people of Southern California, are very concerned about the economic future of this part of the United States. Looters, arsonists, and other exploiters and criminals are taking advantage, as are landlords who are upping rents as well as other swindlers. 

But as the physical plant burns down, more concerning is the burning down of America in another way.  Politics.

Lately, some people have been pointing out to me Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, a possible alliance between him and President Donald Trump, and immigration policy. They point out that Orban built "a wall" (actually a fence) and then mention the "wall" partially built between the United States and Mexico. This, and other supposed evidence of alliances are constantly pointed out to me and I sense what is wanted is a reaction.

Well, I have a reaction.

I tell people that Hungary has welcomed thousands of Ukrainian refugees from that war that Russia started and that Orban, in his role with the European Union, has visited both Zelensky and Putin. The Hungarian people have taken in these war refugees, mostly women and children. That Hungary is dependent on Russian oil and that makes things tricky. I tell people that thousands demonstrated in the streets of Budapest for an end to that war and for peace, but Hungary, being a small country, doesn't make world news much, so few heard about it. (I did from a Hungarian relative who lives in Budapest six months of the year.) 

I tell them that two thirds of the Hungarian population were murdered during the Ottoman occupation by Moslem Turks (over 150 years) and that is why Hungary, founded upon Christianity (specifically an alliance with Roman Catholicism) wants only Christian immigrants. I say that between that and the loss of a huge amount of territory known as Hungary after World War I and the 1920 Trianon Treaty, Hungarians are still fighting for national identity.

I also say that there is so much attention on blocking entry into the U.S. from Mexico but none on the much longer Canadian Border. If I were a terrorist I would not bother with the Mexican border. I would have a boat sail me up the coast; maybe in the middle of the night I'd row ashore in Malibu. Or maybe I would go to Canada and walk across the border there. There are lots of places to do so.

I also say that Trump claiming God saved him from a bullet so he could save America was disgusting; is he now claiming the Right of Kings? Himself as Biblical prophecy?

I actually see no link between true Christianity and the Prosperity Gospel or the exclusionary "Protestantism" of people who want to "round up" immigrants, that it sounds just like Germany, in an economic crisis pre the Holocaust and the "round up" of Jews, blamed for the economic problems, that I personally am fearful that is where we are heading.  No I do not want criminals entering the country. Criminality is not the same as people desperate for their lives and the lives of their children and families and we must acknowledge that. I feel the same way when I hear of "round ups" of homeless people. We are edging close to the "othering" that the Nazi's did to the Jews, comparing them to vermin rather than acknowledging their humanity.

Bigotry and discrimination and racism are coming back...

Be it the Ku Klux Klan or the Nazis or the Neo Nazis, NONE OF THIS IS OR EVER WAS CHRISTIANITY.  Remember, please, that the Nazi plan was to exterminate the Slavic people once the Jews were extinguished and to keep going.  

RELOCATION anyone?  FORCED RELOCATION?

"REPOPULATING" Pacific Palisades?

Do I expect everyone to be "Christian?"  Actually, I do not.

Do I know of illegals?  Are they joking?! We have a huge "illegal" population in Southern California, and they are not all Mexican. Over the years I've met illegals from South Africa, from Jamaica, and Germany and Ireland, and yes - one lovely young woman from Hungary who chased love - many who came on a tourist visa and never left.

Also, this may shock some of my readers, but as a personal note, I have been approached to marry for the purposes of keeping an illegal immigrant in the country four times in my life.  One Mexican, One Guatamalan, One Orthodox Jew from Israel (really!), One Indian from India.  Approached on the street, in a store, or asked outright by a friend. Usually an effort to make me consider such a thing, which I would never do, includes an excruciatingly old fashioned idea that I should be ashamed to be unpartnered and would be desperate to join the overwhelming majority of married women. Or that my rent would be paid.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OFTEN WORK FOR CASH. Now tell me employers are not depending on "casual" workers who are paid cash?  No benefits, no Social Security, no no no. Sometimes Americans pick up a casual laborer, work them all day, and then tell them to go f themselves, unpaid, under threat of the INS being informed of their presence: nasty evil people do that to them. So tell me, do you think so many would head here if they thought absolutely no one would hire them?  Hotels - Restaurants - the Tourist Industry - Cruises - really big on paying cash or extremely low off shore pay.

I'm not FOR illegal immigration, I hate criminality, especially when it comes to gang violence and drug and sex trafficking, but ONE NATION UNDER GOD, must have some empathy for the promise that so many of our ancestors had.

So I ask this question, who or what is your God?

Is it MONEY? Which is IDOLATRY?

C 2025  Magyar-American BlogSpot  All Rights including Internet and International Rights claimed.

I ask you to read this: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-first-they-came-for-the-socialists

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

—Martin Niemöller

The 1,954-mile (3,145-kilometre) border between the U.S. and Mexico traverses a variety of terrain, including urban areas and deserts. The United States (U.S.) - Canada border is the longest in the world, spanning 5,525 miles (8,891 km) across 13 U.S. states and eight Canadian Provinces/Territories (These came up re AI.)

C 2025  Magyar American BlogSpot

All Rights Reserved including International and Internet Rights

WECOME TO MAGYAR-AMERICAN BLOGSPOT !

 

THE FIREPLACE

 

HUNGARY : A GOOD PLACE TO RETIRE? A BAD PLACE TO GO AS A TOURIST?

Are Hungarians burned out on tourists? Unsmiling pessimists? Not willing to work in tourism and letting immigrant workers deal with tourists?

Is Hungary a great place for an American ex-pat to retire on social security? I hear the buying power is three times as much as in America.

These interactions occurred in recent days.

I talked to a Hungarian "cousin" who spends six months of the year living in Budapest, where he owns an apartment. He says he is "at peace" there, which he is not in the United States. In the U.S. he lives in a major city.  He is educated, intellectual, and artistic, and after many years in the U.S. he is also based here - marriage, children, grandchildren.

"You should get your Hungarian citizenship," he said. (He means duel citizenship.)  He urged me to walk into the consulate with my genealogy and I said "But there's a language requirement and I won't pass."  He said no there is not.  I quiet and look it up later - there most certainly is.

How difficult it is to pass a Hungarian language exam in order to get Hungarian citizenship is controversial.  Online you can read every opinion and experience about it. Easy! Difficult. 

Soon after speaking with him on the phone - outside a library where, upon the call coming in, I rushed out with book I had not checked out and sounded off alarms, I came in and apologized for the mishap. I explained I'd been waiting on the call and soon a library clerk came over to me.

"I just came back from Budapest and we had a horrible time."

According to this person, she and her traveling party, four women, had tried to speak Hungarian and thought they had done fairly well. This was a longed for and saved for vacation. However, she said people were not even willing to give them directions to the bus and were, overall, not nice to them. Then she said, "And they are racist." Since this woman could pass for a Hungarian I asked her what she meant. "One of the women traveling with us is from India. I think they snubbed us because they thought she's a Rom...."

Hmmmmmmm.

Any experience or opinion YOU want to share?  Leave me a comment!

A STAR

 

GIVE THANKS

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