I’m wicked tired but I wanted to just write about 2 things quickly. This morning as I walked to the crosswalk just outside the dorm where I’m staying, I met up w/ an older Hungarian woman who said something to me in Hungarian. Of course I didn’t understand her and I wasn’t even awake enough to say “I don’t speak Hungarian” but I think she got the picture. She then put her arm out as if I should take it and help her across the street. Fine, I thought, no problem. But clearly this daredevil granny was NOT willing to wait for some ridiculous crosswalk green light to tell her when she could go. She yanked me into the street in front of oncoming traffic (from both directions) which mercifully stopped, as did my heart. When we made it to the other side and my heart started up again she looked at me wryly as if to say, “that’s the way it’s done, sister!” Go granny, go granny, go granny go (but don’t take me with you). Our Hungarian admin. assis. confirmed for me later that this is common practice among the elderly female set. They are the Sophia Petrillos of Hungary and I hope I get to see some of them beating people w/ their handbags too!  🙂
I interviewed a PhD student today whose focus is socio-economic/human rights in Kenya, his home country. I was really moved by our conversation and by his commitment to social justice. He has been an activist for years and has worked as a program coordinator at Kituo Cha Sheria – Kenya (The Centre for Legal Empowerment) which is, as he explained it, a lot like Legal Aid in the U.S. Thanks to his and his colleagues’ hard work, the new (2010) Kenyan constitution has set up the framework to eliminate many archaic colonial laws that discriminate against Africans. There are so many people at CEU doing amazing work like this. It is really inspiring.
In lighter news, I did more sightseeing yesterday and I’ll post pics when I can keep my eyelids open sans toothpicks.
Goodnight from enchanting Budapest!
C
Booty Pest 
Mrs. Nagy (sort of pronounced Nahhjjjjj in your new neighborhood) lived across the street from us when I was really little. She took care of me and was like my 3rd grandma. She was born in 1900 and came to the states from Budapest to start a new life in the early 1920s. She told me a great story about speaking no english and going to work in a laundry when she first came to Cleveland. The Cleveland born girls that she (and the other Hungarian girls) worked with offered them chocolates one morning. Mrs. Nagy thought it was a very sweet gesture of worker camaraderie and ate a couple of pieces. Within an hour she and the other Hungarian girls were running to the bathroom, all of them doubled over with… uh…um… stomach distress. It seems that the chocolates were Ex-Lax.
Welcome to Cleveland!
If Elizabeth Nagy were alive today and living in Budapest, I know she would be swingin’ that handbag around!!
She taught me how to make spaetzels for paprikash.
She was so cool — and had hair that usually sat in a tidy bun on the back of her head. But when she took it out of the bun, her hair hung down to her ankles.
If she were alive today and could speak to you, Colleen, she would warn you to steer clear of Gypsies. “Get some eyes on the back of your head!” (This was something she’d say to me quite often!)
Go Granny, Go — indeed!
Love this post! Funny AND moving at the same time!
The Sophia Petrillos of Hungary!
When we were in Rome they told us the best way to get across streets was to grab the arm of the closest nun and walk her out into traffic, thus stopping even the most jaded and reckless drivers. Whether the nun actually wanted to walk across the street wasn’t quite as relevant, apparently.