Living in Hungary - why?
#46
Re: Living in Hungary - why?
Popping in from Spain. Avoiding other Brits is often due to wishing to live with the people of the country that you have chosen to live in. Living within a British enclave is not for everyone. When my husband and I were buying here one of the questions that we asked the estate agent was whether there were any Brits in the town that we had selected, she apologised and stated that there were none and did not understand why we were happy about this situation. For us it was of great importance whereas for others it is imperative that they live with other Brits. Each to their own.
Rosemary
Rosemary
We are currently living in our 3rd house in Hungary, in a small village of around 600 people. When we moved in we were the only permanent Brits here. Shortly afterwards quite a few more moved here and there are now about 11. We actually don't like most of them and never speak, although we rarely see them. There is only one couple who we get on with and they've been thinking of returning to the UK and don't get on with the other Brits here.
#47
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Re: Living in Hungary - why?
Because (round here) people don't cut their grass (or use other machinery) on Sundays!
​
Funnily enough, in the UK, for years we lived on the border of town & country, edge of the New Forest and the noise of mowers, chain saws, pressure washers, etc on Sundays used to drive us mad. Then we moved into the town for our last 18 months and the peace was bliss!
Don't know if the law is local or national (& can't find any references) -
​​​our "Hazi rend" have prohibited such activities for years.
​
Funnily enough, in the UK, for years we lived on the border of town & country, edge of the New Forest and the noise of mowers, chain saws, pressure washers, etc on Sundays used to drive us mad. Then we moved into the town for our last 18 months and the peace was bliss!
Don't know if the law is local or national (& can't find any references) -
​​​our "Hazi rend" have prohibited such activities for years.
#48
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 413
Re: Living in Hungary - why?
Can agree with you Paulin Eger, some are strange here but suppose the world over its the same, its probably because we are relatively squashed together in a smaller area with less choice to who we get on with..
#50
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Re: Living in Hungary - why?
And of course Hungary is one of those Countries where you can, to a greater or lesser degree depending on locale, get away with speaking the language & where locals, if they can, are more than happy to speak / practice English.
Try that in France, for example!
We have found that when we speak Hungarian to English speaking Hungarians we confuse them & they tend to insist on speaking in English (mainly of course because of our lousy accents!) - & we are grateful at the apparent willingness to switch to English.
Try that in France, for example!
We have found that when we speak Hungarian to English speaking Hungarians we confuse them & they tend to insist on speaking in English (mainly of course because of our lousy accents!) - & we are grateful at the apparent willingness to switch to English.
#51
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Re: Living in Hungary - why?
A bit different from when we first came here, when I walked into a shop the assistant would immediately start speaking (bad) German. Even now in shops where I am not known sometimes I still get spoken to in German and I reply (in Hungarian) No, just Hungarian or English please, whereupon with some relief they switch to Hungarian
#52
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Re: Living in Hungary - why?
A bit different from when we first came here, when I walked into a shop the assistant would immediately start speaking (bad) German. Even now in shops where I am not known sometimes I still get spoken to in German and I reply (in Hungarian) No, just Hungarian or English please, whereupon with some relief they switch to Hungarian
#53
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Re: Living in Hungary - why?
There's 4,000 Hungarians living in Brighton according to a Hungarian woman we met on our return flight from Hungary last year.
#54
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Joined: May 2008
Location: Hungary
Posts: 306
Re: Living in Hungary - why?
Often get asked the question Why? The real reason was for us that due to ill health we needed to retire but couldn't do that in the UK so came here. I actually think for various reasons that I live a much healthier lifestyle here.
As to the political situation here I always remember that I am essentially a guest in Hungary but it is also good to sometimes suggest an alternative view albeit in a respectful manner. I have great faith in the current generation of 20-30 years
olds many of whom do want to stay.
The reality is that there is good and bad in every country.
As to the political situation here I always remember that I am essentially a guest in Hungary but it is also good to sometimes suggest an alternative view albeit in a respectful manner. I have great faith in the current generation of 20-30 years
olds many of whom do want to stay.
The reality is that there is good and bad in every country.
#55
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Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: Living in Hungary - why?
In Central and Eastern Europe German has been a major "lingua franca" for centuries... Your average Anglo Germanophobe may not like this, but fact it is !
#56
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Re: Living in Hungary - why?
The peace & quiet at weekends & public holidays, marvellous!
#58
Re: Living in Hungary - why?
And of course Hungary is one of those Countries where you can, to a greater or lesser degree depending on locale, get away with speaking the language & where locals, if they can, are more than happy to speak / practice English.
Try that in France, for example!
We have found that when we speak Hungarian to English speaking Hungarians we confuse them & they tend to insist on speaking in English (mainly of course because of our lousy accents!) - & we are grateful at the apparent willingness to switch to English.
Try that in France, for example!
We have found that when we speak Hungarian to English speaking Hungarians we confuse them & they tend to insist on speaking in English (mainly of course because of our lousy accents!) - & we are grateful at the apparent willingness to switch to English.
#60
Re: Living in Hungary - why?
And of course Hungary is one of those Countries where you can, to a greater or lesser degree depending on locale, get away with speaking the language & where locals, if they can, are more than happy to speak / practice English.
Try that in France, for example!
We have found that when we speak Hungarian to English speaking Hungarians we confuse them & they tend to insist on speaking in English (mainly of course because of our lousy accents!) - & we are grateful at the apparent willingness to switch to English.
Try that in France, for example!
We have found that when we speak Hungarian to English speaking Hungarians we confuse them & they tend to insist on speaking in English (mainly of course because of our lousy accents!) - & we are grateful at the apparent willingness to switch to English.
Having just popped in from the French forum, having read and re-read the above comment, I'm having difficulty in understanding it.
In so many French cities, I've found the locals more than ready to reply in English, whether I address them in French or English. After all the years here I'm pretty fluent, but my Bristol accent of course is a dead giveaway that I'm not a French local, although rarely experienced any reluctance on their part to try out their English if they're capable.
Not surprisingly I've picked up the local SW France accent too, which tended to horrify my French Parisian work colleagues for a few years at Orly and Roissy/Charles to Gaulle. A bit like a country bumpkin addressing a group of Oxford or Cambridge intellectuals.
Last edited by Tweedpipe; Jun 10th 2019 at 5:25 pm.