Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The bank, the bus and the water

I finally have a Hungarian bank account and there is no money in it! I have to figure out how to deposit money so I can transfer it. After meeting up with Marci and Judit in Nyiregyhaza she got one of the women in the Great Hall, part of the OTP bank, to open the account for me. I do not have a card yet so I currently just have an account I do not know what to do with. Supposedly my salary will go straight into the account but I do not really know yet.

My big question about the bus system here is why are all the men drunk while riding it or reek of alcohol. I have mentioned my experiences while waiting for the bus before, but I just do not understand when the men start drinking if they are already far gone when riding the bus at 10am. I went into Nyirbator this morning because the water was shut off in town, once again. This is the third time I have been told this is going to be happening, and it appears that it will continue every week at least once. Anyway, after getting on the bus in the morning at 9:55, I walked down the aisle and every man that was on there looked like they had passed out and quite a few had a distinct odor to them. I guess this would be understandable if it was 12 hours later, but bright and early on a Wednesday morning? It was worse when I was coming back. The bus stop was full of people, many of whom smelled like they do not bathe, at all, and we all crowded onto the bus. I sat beside a man who did smell of alcohol, but not too strong because I was unsure how bad some other people were. I was watching a man talking to a girl and her sister, and it was quite interesting. I am positive that he was drunk, he was slurring, and even though I did not understand what was being said, I am nearly sure it was not appropriate. All the people surrounding him were giving him weird looks, and I did hear him mention sör (beer) a couple times. I felt bad for the girl, but she did keep talking to him even when he stopped, so she must have liked talking to him. I really hope that the old drunk men will avoid talking to me while riding the bus. I have had enough encounters for the year and do not like repeating no, nem beselek Magyarul, my leg. It just is not right.

As for the water. What can I say? Three times it has literally been shut off within the entire village. Luckily, it is only shut off between 8am and 12pm so it doesnt cause much problems for me, but really, why do they cancel school? Now I have to go in and teach 7a and see how bad they really are or if Ili is just saying they are bad. Is water really a central part of the four hours that the school could not function without it for the first four hours of the school day? Why can't the classes just sit down and read or write. Oh, wait, that is right, then the first and second grades would be doing nothing since they are not taught to read or write until third grade, but that is another issue I don't really feel like adressing. I just dont understand why the school cannot save up some water and then use it during the mere four hours they go without, but it is not my choice. I will go now. I have to be feed to the wild animals of 7a, but I have a feeling that it will be mostly me talking for 35 minutes and the kids just staring at me a little confused.

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