Riddhi Singhania, Class XI D
Time flows by,
You don’t know why,A month seems so short,
As if just a week went by…..
Recollecting my trip to Hungary fills me with great memories of the time I had spent there. I didn’t know such a far-off country could be so different, yet so homelike.
My trip, of a month, consisted of going around places in Hungary for the first ten days, and then spending the rest of my month with my host family, MY FAMILY. However much excited I was, to experience a new culture, I was very nervous to actually live with them!
I got a family like my own – two loving sisters and so dear parents. I immediately felt comfortable with them. The only hurdle I faced, which I later realised was indeed fortunate for me, was that my family knew little English. This way I learnt many Hungarian words. Google forditó (translate) is my friend! Language is never a problem when it comes to understanding others, and my family understood me well.
Not only did I learn about their culture and religion, but they were always eager to know about Indian culture or my religion, and respected it. We all cleaned the house on Sundays, watched movies, cooked Hungarian and Indian food, and prayed before going to sleep. They made me a part of all their dinner conversations.My host mother, being a teacher helped me a lot to understand how their education system functions. The schools in Hungary are totally different from what we Indians think schools are. There are no uniforms, no prohibition on mobile phones, and no final exams! The attitude towards academics is not the same as in India, due to the lack of competition there. I had formed a sort of negative attitude towards their schooling but further realised that I was wrong- both are different; they cannot be compared!
I was allotted Grade 10 to study in, and I made a lot of friends in school. My classmates did everything possible to make me understand the lessons. The teachers were also very helpful. My class was ever lively with each student having their own distinguishing qualities. I learnt to appreciate the uniqueness in others. We played and danced, and had a lot of fun.I gained a lot of things from that trip. Saying “thanks” is a thing which a lot of us ignore, thinking it’s not necessary to say at times- but that isn’t the case there. Comfortably and openly sharing our own views and problems with our family and teachers is also a thing which I appreciate of that culture. They love animals so much that almost each family has at least two pets.
I will never forget the one month spent there. I really had an experience to cherish all my life and feel happy to have a family and so many friends in another continent!
You don’t know why,
Not only did I learn about their culture and religion, but they were always eager to know about Indian culture or my religion, and respected it. We all cleaned the house on Sundays, watched movies, cooked Hungarian and Indian food, and prayed before going to sleep. They made me a part of all their dinner conversations.
I was allotted Grade 10 to study in, and I made a lot of friends in school. My classmates did everything possible to make me understand the lessons. The teachers were also very helpful. My class was ever lively with each student having their own distinguishing qualities. I learnt to appreciate the uniqueness in others. We played and danced, and had a lot of fun.
