Hectic!

Things have been semi-hectic recently, and I apologize for the lack of regular posts and any correspondence-related negligence. Business school apps are starting to eat up a large number of my waking hours (and some sleeping hours), but the good news is they'll all be turned in next month!

After Saturday's race, I went with my co-workers to a 450-year-old Turkish bath. While normally single-sex, it's open to both men and women on Friday and Saturday nights after 10pm. I was with an all-Hungarian crew, and it never ceases to amaze me how they seamlessly switch to English for 95% of the time that I'm around. I was glad to be with people who knew what they were doing: the general game plan seemed to be (1) hang out in the warm pool, (2) go to the dry sauna, (3) go to the freezing cold pool, (4) go a warmer pool, (5) go to the steam sauna, etc. It was a beautiful place, and we got gyros afterward so it was a fantastic night.

The next day, I went on an 8K run through the Buda Hills with the Hash Club. Needless to say, I was pretty sore after the race and the hilly run. I got singled out and assigned punishments (cups of beer) for my transgressions of missing last week's run, wearing a headband and - because, they couldn't think of any more excuses for me to drink - having a "bizarre name." I attempted to tell them that "Jennifer" was one of the top two US girls names in the 1970s and 1980s, to no avail. It's a silly group. :)

Pro athlete moment: Switching my membership from USA Hockey to the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation is going to cost~$750. The team will take care of most of it, but it's fairly hilarious that I get dinged with this regulation presumably intended for professional athletes.

Language barrier moment: There was a sign on the door to my apartment with today's date and "VIZ" (water) in capital letters. I stopped a woman in Hungarian to find out what the heck was going on (were they metering water usage? turning the water off?). She spoke English well enough to help me out, and we talked on the way up the stairs. (I live above a salsa studio.)

Finally, I've always been amused that other countries have so many national cheers and songs to employ at sporting events and pubs. (In Athens, I had a lot of fun learning all the Greek chants and starting them at the arenas.) As Americans, we have the "U-S-A" chant and nothing else. It makes sense: we typically play intra-America. As such, the Ryder Cup is of no importance to our athletes.