Life and Times of an English Language Doctor

Christmas 2022  This is my second Christmas in Hungary. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I was initiated into the Hungarian perspective of Christmas: the best food, the best song, the best movie, and the best gift. I made some interesting discoveries. First, although the songs were by popular American artists from the 80's and 90's, I didn't recognize them. I had heard of the most popular Christmas movie (Home Alone), but have never watched it...and don't plan to watch it.  They also know about the Grinch, but in our debates, it was usually the "Home Alone" crowd that could offer the most convincing evidence (to their peers, anyway). The other surprise was Christmas food. The first class thought of gingerbread (both sides), which I could relate to. Most of the other classes debated whether fish soup or stuffed cabbage was the best Christmas food. It seems that Hungarian teenagers associate these dishes with family time. They eat fish soup together and th...

  Kindergarten in Hungary vs. Preschool in the USA One of the most interesting field trips this semester has been to the oldest kindergarten in Szeged. It was established in the late 19th century, a generation before the 1879 flood which destroyed 80% of the city.  We met with the headmaster, who also teaches on of the classes.  She told us many interesting things about this first part of a Hungarian child's education.                                                                                                                                          In Hungary, kindergarten is compulsory for all children from the ages of 3 to 7. ...