We’re on our way. At this very moment, I’m using a computer on power I’m not even positive I can replace. We’re soon to be flying over the British Isles.
We shared a house with Tibor, Katalin, Kata and Lili or a few days and felt their excitement and warmth, and shared much of their exhaustion. They had experienced a double dose of jetlag and had been living out of suitcases for a week, their daughters exposed to much unfamiliar food, and Kata and Tibor had prepared with untold packing, organizing and cleaning; and yet they embraced everything and forgave everything, as Stephanie and I scrambled with last minute packing and errands of our own and even some clutter.
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We went on a few walks and errands together, but, as I told Tibor, I had intended our time together to be the first priority. It turned out to be the second priority. Here is one of our quiet moments, in Cowen Park:
Some of our major preparations included a new roof, fridge, back deck (thank you, Ben), and restoring a ceiling in a bathroom; and Stephanie bore a large portion of the work while I was in Washington, DC, at the Fulbright orientation: the final organizing and cleaning and packing fell entirely with her; and because ordinarily life made its usual full time demands (work, camp, playdates, potlucks, taking the kids to get a TB skin test with a nurse whose idea of good pediatrics is lots of warning about how much pain they will and experience and when), Stephanie did much of this late at night and with out stopping to eat. Meanwhile, I wasn’t sleeping much either because I was out with exchange teachers from around the world, laughing and dancing and drinking ‘til close.
The children at first played very shyly in their separate corners--in fact, on separate floors for much of the first two days. Each set needed to face their fears about communicating with someone who didn't speak their language, and who better to engage in that first step than their counterparts in the exact same situation? Eventually, the girls found a way to interact, as you can see in the half-minute video below:
One of the things I had done to welcome the Devais was try to make a few connections with the local Hungarian community in Seattle. This included attending a meeting at the Pécs-Seattle Sister City Association, where I met some very friendly men and women a few generations removed—several with stories bound to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution—and where I picked up a kind of rolled pastry for a dinner with friends later that evening. Before I left, I felt very warmly embraced and was given several pointed pieces of advice (you don’t have the right of way as a pedestrian, so watch out—no one’s stopping for you), and an invitation the next day for a breakfast and further advice. The president of the association and her husband welcomed me into their home the next day. On their coffee table was a copy of a Hungarian book, and another, in English—War and Peace. First conversations began with how fine a book was the latter; conversations later detailed histories and experiences that fueled a deep anger and disgust for the Russians, the Count Leo notwithstanding. They also talked to me about the gypsies in Hungary—assimilation attempts made by various governments that have failed for 200 years. I nodded my head and silently countered everything they said with my liberal upbringing; but on what truths and knowledge do I do so? I am very happy to have met this Seattle community, and I hope it is something Tibor’s family might put to use.
Our last and most joyous preparation was saying goodbye; and while there were moments where I caught a whiff of enormity and dislocation, the farewells felt entirely like appreciation and love. Below are pictures from our welcome-farewell party and one from a planned former student gathering after a Shakespeare-in-the-park.
Here are Tibor and his new colleague, Tom.
On the right are some of the students who showed up for a great production of As You Like It in West Seattle. Pictured are, from left to right, Ava, Elaine, Amy, Ariana, some guy, Sonja, Andy, Allie, and me. Not pictured include Allie D., Gabe, Jessa, Michi, Roman, Sarah, my sister, Lauren, her husband, Jeff, the unborn baby growing in Lauren's belly, and my parents -- Dad and Wendy.
Louise is talking to Lauren in the middle of this picture. My father is on the right. On the left, Kurt and Amy, whose water broke during the party and... Amy, did you have the baby?
Many people here, foregrounded by kids.
Dad and Lauren with our old friend Doug are pictured at left. Cora and Janine, also new colleagues for Tibor, are here on the right.
Tibor meets the Hungarian Honorary Consul of the Pacific Northwest, Helen Szablya, and Maria Kramer, President of Seattle-Pécs Sister City Association.
Neighbors Pauline and Chrissy and baby Frankie welcome the Dévais to our block.
Our goodbyes finally concluded, we departed for our voyage across the continent and Atlantic, over the British Isles and part of Europe. The trip was a smooth one, but there was a traumatizing hiccough in Germany, where we needed to pass a security checkpoint to get to our gate, and, as it turns out, the United States for all our long lines and complaining have nothing to compare to the vigilance of the Fatherland. I set off the metal detector, something I have never done before, and was wanded, which was a very ticklish experience--the first time it happened. Because I did go through the experience again, when I was told I had to dispose of the water in my bottle and could only do so in a bathroom outside the checkpoint. I didn't know that emptying this water was also going to drain my sense of basic calm. But it did. Because then I had to wait in line again, and every bag was a careful study, and three of every five people were setting off the metal detector, through which no one could pass until each wanding was also complete, and most of all, I couldn't see Stephanie and the girls. All this is to say our trip was fine, except for this excruciation 40 minute separation, whose moral is, Jews don't like it when agents of the German government and separate them from their families.
On the plane at left. In the airport in Frankfurt on the right.
August 12, 2010. Arrival
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| Jetlag, exhaustion. Túl fáradtak. |
Much love to all of you. I hope Maisie is feelng better - no fun to be sick in a strange place.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Susan