Happy Spring!

Hello everyone!

I wasn't intending this to be a seasonal blog, but it seems that it has been working out that way, at least for the past going on a year or so. It's not so much the international travel and weird hours so much as the 'TOO CHEAP TO PAY FOR MY OWN INTERNET ACCESS." This is joined by the fact that Husband Finn (You betcha, we tied the knot!) (The picture is of the two of us at the Humber Bridge, Hessle Foreshore, near Hull, England) and I also decided that we are too cheap to pay for cable either. We get our internet access in one of the American Fast Food McConglomerates, because the access is faster, and the barrel ceilings don't interfere with my family hearing me via Skype.

However, this lack of convenient entertainment has led to large blocks of time spend alternately shivering and looking at the thermometer, and shaking our heads in disbelief. Well, not for too much longer, since it seems that spring has finally finally finally sprung! Finn and I walked to Marsz Ter today, and I actually TOOK OFF MY COAT. Those who understand the level of my hatred for cold will understand what kind of progress this has been.

Here in the Szegedi area, it seems that once it gets to mid-February, there is a festival every weekend. I'm loving it. Last weekend was Independence Day...from the Habsburgs, not the Soviets. The weekend before that was the Pig Killing and Palinka Festival. And just a couple weekends before that was the Busojaras Festival in Mohacs-- where people dress up ike giant wooly devils to chase away the winter. (If only it had worked the first time!!) This weekend, it's the Bridge Festival. Szechenyi Ter is lined with vendors selling Pick Salami, palinka (insanely potent fruit brandy, with flavors ranging from apricot and strawberry to elderberry and sour cherry (don't be fooled by the fact that it's fruit flavored, it can HURT YOU!)), ceramics, folk crafts, and one of my favorite things: Langos. Langos is deep fried bread dough, covered with sour cream and grated cheese. Yummy!

While there are many things to love about Hungary, I am looking forward to when Finn and I will return to the US (it's amazing to think that it will be in just a couple months now!) To be honest, I'm not all that homesick. I am, however, terribly people sick. I miss my family and friends a great deal, and since I am six to seven hours ahead of them, it's tough to get in touch.

However, it's tough to dwell on things like that when the weather is fresh and the flowers are blooming, and tomorrow Finn and I will go for a walk in the beautiful weather, and enjoy the festival along the Tisza River.

Hooray for Springtime. Hooray for Hungary.