[Amy Buz]

Endre! Thank you so much for your story and your musical gift. I am new to Hungarian culture (I just married a magyar a few months ago), and music has been my biggest connection point – a worldwide language, if you will. I am enjoying learning about all of the traditional instruments, and am drawn to the cimbalom everywhere we go. It was so much fun to hear about how you connected to the instrument and the community, and then to hear you play and be able to watch it up close. I look forward to your longer-form video as well to learn more about the history. Thanks so much for your time and energy to present this wonderful session.

[Amy Buz]

Timea, it was so fun to watch you create the pattern on your egg. I have had a bit of experience with the batik process in Ukrainian egg decorating (pysanki), so I was curious to see how Hungarian decorating compared. I was surprised to see how easy it was to create such a beautiful design, and now I think I might want to try my hand at it as well. I wish you were wearing a different color shirt so the egg would stand out more when you held it up, but it was still really beautiful. And I agree – I like the color contrast of the brown egg just a little better. Thanks so much for your time and energy to put this together and share.

[Amy Buz]

Zsofia, we really enjoyed your presentation of the varieties of vizsla. One of the things that has surprised us is how many dogs in Budapest are off-leash and well-behaved; you don’t see that much in the States. We have a vizsla we dogsit for, and she is a joy. That’s why I wanted to tune in and learn more about her breed. I enjoyed seeing all the pups and hearing all of the interesting facts. Thanks for your time, and your energy.

[Amy Buz]

As someone beginning to sort world religions, this was a very clear description of Unitarianism & the Hungarian roots of UU. Thank you.

[Amy Buz]

Zsófia, as a native English/American speaker, I am struggling to learn Hungarian, and now I have a better understanding of why. No one has ever clearly laid out for me the idea of prefixes and suffixes to go along with the conjugated verb. Math and logic are difficult for me, which is likely why Hungarian is difficult for me. But with your expert use of color-coding on your examples, I was able to visualize the prefix, the conjugated verb, and the suffix as parts of a sentence, not just one long word. Having you pronounce it while I looked at it was also super helpful. I have a much better idea of what I’m doing now, and I’m actually excited to continue my learning journey. Thank you so much for your time, your teaching, and your passion.

[Amy Buz]

Scott – thank you for sharing your art and your stories. We especially enjoy the movement you capture in the dancing series, and will be checking out your website to see all the things you’ve explored in brushstroke.

[Amy Buz]

One of the things I love about Budapest is the number of music schools I encounter on any walk. Especially in the warmer months, you can hear music pouring out of the windows, which is simply marvelous. I took piano when I was little, and it was torture. I found the flute in middle school grades, and fell in love with music again. Musicians fascinate me, with all of the different “methods” they use to teach. So, of course, I had to check out your presentation. And it was wonderful! Since I’m such a kinesthetic learner, I wish you had included some video examples of children or adults learning via Kodaly or even offered a little mini lesson, but your photos, quotes, and examples were all great. And, I appreciate your passion and joy. Thank you so much for sharing your time and energy.

[Amy Buz]

I’m Amy Buz, and I attended the Expo last year as Amy Claprood. In the last year, I married my Hungarian husband (Joe) and moved to Budapest! He is a first-generation American (both parents are Hungarian – one from Budapest and one from the Őrség area) with dual HU/US citizenship. He is fluent; I am struggling with the language. But I love the culture that is adopting me, and the community that surrounds us here.

[Author]

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