the rehearsal

Sunday was not that interesting. I was basically just waiting for the rehearsal.

However, I did "give a speech" to Manpreet about my nutrition and eating habits. they don't want toleave me alone with this.

The rehearsal today was more like a get-to-know each other thing, plus the reading of the play. I am starting to like my part better.

the Uninvited

This morning I was to meet Nadjera, a girl form Hawaii with whom I have French and Hollywodd classes together, to see the movie for the Hollywood class in the library. We could enter the building, and even get into the media section - but there was no-one here. We, however, ha d a gret time talking - even though we are from two different worlds, we agreed on a lot of things. I enjoYed it!
The movie's title is uninvited, and so were we uninvited at the library this morning!

otherwise, it was a quite easy day! I had a fast sleep in teh afternoon. and at night, I mean right now I am abou to check a concert, teh concert of the fall here on campus.

400 envelopes

I am over my first test at college. This French test was interesting. We had verb conjugation, feminine\masculine adjective formation, and we had to make up a dialog. we'll see!

Work today was crazy again. after tons of photocopying I was sent to do some envelope stuffing for the international week. There were 400 envelopes!!! First you just see the pile of the envelopes - it pretends to be just some pieces of paper, but, as you keep putting one brochure into the envelope after the other, you come to hate any type of paper! :)

We went out with Dan, our advisor's son, tonight. Well, first of all I fell asleep after getting to bed at 6:30am - I could not sleep -, I overslept the meeting hour! Zsolt said he knocked on my door and called me, but not only I didn't respond to those, but I cannot remember them at all.
We had a conversational evening in an Italian cafe. The thing is that for me this doesn't at all resemble an Italian cafe (with some definitely not-Italian waiters and waitresses who don't know what kind of stuff they have in the cafe) .

peanut butter

A very strange thing happened to me today: I had close encounter both verbally and physically with some peanut butter.

In French class we were talking a bit about the popularity of peanut butter in European countries (it's not that popular, actually, in Hungary we do have it but it's not such a treat for kids, they go for Nutella or Milky Way, instead).

And then on my directing class, I was asked by m fellow director-classmate Kevin to put some peanut butter on myself (I was to become a pine cone) and thus attract the birds (the other girls). It was strange, the girls actually asked me why I agreed to do that - but for me it was just part of the work we are doing, the work which requires a lot of our selves! I would be glad to have the people do what I ask them to. I know ther are limits, but come on, it was just peanut butter! and, mazbe, it's good for the skin! :)

good day, worse evening

I had a quite good evening yesterday concerning my readings. I fell asleep only aftr I was done with the 75% of them. My monring class was okay. My problem with French is making the liasons between two words. I need some more practice in speaking, but unfortunately at the time of the French club meetings I am working.

I was a bit afraid of the directing class, for I was not 100% sure about my scene. Before class I spent three hours to listen to the music piece I chose already and to rehearse the scene by myself alone. I'm glad the shades were pulled down.
I felt the most comfortable at today's class since the beginning. I felt relaxed and almost tension less, however, the sceenes the others staged and to which the cjose me to play were very much different from what I was used to being comfortable with - a woman crazy in love with a man not paying attention to her. I don't mean that this non-attentive part bothered me, rather teh fooishly and love and portraying this love. But the directors found my performance okay!
my scene went well, too. only, the movements of my actors were a bit more broken than I imagined, but it worked well. I asked Mitch, the professer, why he didn't make any comment son my scenes, while he did do it with the others'. he said it was becasue he liked how I worked with the people, and he saw I was comfortable with them.

the evening was not that relaxed. a kind of communication problem has resulted in our small Hungarian group's exclusion from a program. well, well...

I am in!

My weekend was almost full of studying. Sunday went by so fast, I dunno what had happened. Anyway, I did some of my readings, and was prepared for Monday.

My neighbors were partying all night long, they even ordered a pizza at aorund 4 in hte morning!!! I wonder how they could eat it! The problem is not in the pizza, not even in the parting - I can handle and understand mthose, but what really bothers me is that they cannot shut the doors! Why do mthey always have to let if bump?! It is so annoying, as if htey didn't know what the latch is for! I mean, I know it's easier this way, but still!

French way okay, Prof. Kehres asked me about my coat having the BUDAPEST sign on it! I answered yes to the "Are you from Budapest?" question. I must have been still sleeping! :)

I enjoyed the Leach class a lot - we delat with Gilman's Herland, and I think I could contribute to the class. I liked it.

After the class I went to check the results of the audition. I got it! My role is the very role I read for at the end of last week's audition. I am sooooo, I do not even know what I am. I met Mitch before I left and he let me know that the directors have a good opinion about my performance. It makes me feel so good. I mean, having the chance to be involved in a play again, which will be done by professionals this time and we're gona perform it to a wide audience!!! I have no words for that! :)

We went to a mural dedication in the afternoon. Teh mural was done by 20 kids in the memrory of a boy, who drowned last summer while saving his brother's and a friend's life. The family was ther. It was so touching to see one ide of the square being populated by the joyful muralists (kids btw 8 and 12) and hte other side with the mourning family! I almsot cried!

Then we had some pizza and watched the videos about the arts preorientation! :) they were nice!

workin -working -working

My Friday was mostly about working. I finally had some sleep the day before (remember, I missed a class), so I could get up a bit easier than before, therefore I was a bit more "alive" at class. We had a quiz: it was not difficult at all. Only about conjugation.

Then I began my day at work. I was supposed to saty there for 4 hours - I did almost 7 hours! There were a lot of copying, printing, and labelling. Ann, the head of office, was not feeling okay, so left eralier, which left me there with the telephone calls, the appointment registrations, the "can I help you?s". I hate handling the tepehone, especially becasue they ask me things about the programs I have no idea at all, which makes it very difficult to be helpful.

there was the Welcome back party in the evening. It was held in a gym, the weather was really bad. The over-21 people were given a sticker, so that they could drink. The alcohol was free, the music was horrible. There were interesting interpretations of the semi-formal attire. from nice dresses to jeans skirts, from blouses to tops, from high-heels to flip-flops.

I cold not stand the bad msuic, so Olga and I left and we were talking for almost 4 hours! it was good. on my way back to my room I saw three strangely behaving people. They wer trying to get into the cathedral and then later marched through the long walk - I guess it was kind of a probe, trial for new fraternity\sorority people.

I had a huge sleep today. but is was good! :) I will be reading all day. I want to get most of my things done this weekend, so that I can loosen up a little bit next week.

overslept!

My not-sleeping, not-eating properly "schedule" for this week took revenge on me this morning. After being up until about 4 am, I could not get up and thus missed my French class! I got so nervous and angry at myself that after I did get out of the bed, I alsmot fell because I got dizzy! I'm feeling better now, and thankfully, it was a repetition class for tomorrow's quiz, and becasue I know most of the material we weill have the quiz on, I don't apnic. however, still I hate having missed this class!!!!

The reason why I stayed for that long was that I was preparing for the directing class with the music(al) scene! and in the end, due to the failure of the technical equipment in the studio, we did not get to direct our scenes! Good, huh?! although, now I will have some more time to, kond of, smoothen the piece.

Of course, they did not announce the results of the audition today! I'll have to wait till Monday!!!!

We finished directing class earlier, given the technical problems, so I had some time to eat before I left for the presentation of the Citizen and Immigrations Director's speech. I thought he would give more details about their exact work, but instead, he just told us about his ca reer and some minor details about his job!

audition!

Yesterday I watched the movie for the Hollywood class. While I was in the video room, two guys wanted to come in, they asked if they could join me. First I did not know what they want, but then they told me they are, as well, attending the class only they did not show up last week. so, we watched it together. The movie was Hitchcock's Rebbeca. I have read the the book by Daphne Du M., The Lady of teh manderley MAnsion (I'm not sure baout the title), so I knew the story. It made it a bit difficult, therefore, during the class to talk about jst the piece of movie and not the book. but, I had some good comments.

What I feel now is that there is a kinda tension in me. it may be because of mhy family, or because of the environment. Olga, the Russian girl says that I only need some time. I hope mshe is right!

anyway, I got to direct my scene at Directing class yesterday - I habe bad and good impressions about it. The actors were not that sensitive to my scene as I thougth they were going tobe, which made it quite diffuclt for me to let loose of my frustration, but . . . I dunno, I am not satisfied with my performance. There is a new scene to be prepared for tomorrow's class. this should include some musical piece. Yet, I dunno what I'm gonna stage. I lended Valentin (a sophmore from Bulgaria, who last year lived with the other Hunagrians during the summer) my Hungarian CDs, though I woudl have liked to have some of that music.

I don't sleep that much, neither do I eat regularly. Olga told me that she was going to punch me if I skip an other meal!

I had my first work-day today. I got to the office on time, but they had a meeting so I had to wait - thus I got the time to proceed with my reaidngs. Anne showed me around the office. I have my own desk, well actually, not my own becasue I share it Hilary, who is working on the days I am not. I did some photocopying today, I did some mailing and filing as well. I was so happy to fugire out how to make a good copy of a paper Ann was trying to have done before. It is going to be a nice job.

I was also at the library today - I feel like I am harassing the lady there with my questions about the job, but I would relly like to work at the Media section. She keeps telling me that she sends out the email about the hours, but she is not doing so. I don't want to find any other jobs until she write, but I cannot wait for ever! :)

There were the auditions for the Turandot play today! I brought my monologue from Somin Rolfe's Spider with me, however, I did cahnge it becasue I could not really recall the lines. the monologue part was quite short form me, but it was not only a show what you can do-type of casting. Frst we kinda physically prepared for the things, then we did some improv (be an animal, then a human with the animals characteristics!, get the person off the chair) I could not really let loose, probably also because I had a short sleep just before I left for the audiotns, which lowered my energies. however, I felt more comfortable when we actually had to read the parts form the paly. I have always been better in that part than in improvs. Well, we'll see tomorrow. they will poster the results by tomorrow.

emergency call

I have heard about the dangerous nature of the round-campus area, but I always thought that the territory of the campus is safe. However, it is open, so I dunno what I thought. From the very beginning we were told not to take walks alone, either make use of the escort sevices provided by the Campus safety or use the shuttle bus if we need to go somewhere. Hartford is the second poorest city in the States, and the capus itself, according to even some local peopel, is in the middle of a ghetto. well, there are some "interestingly" looking houses in the neighborhood, however, I belive that there are people of vicious will in hte best neighborhoods, as well.
Anyway, we received a note form the director of cmapus safety that reported on an incident on capus: a girl was insulted by a most allegedly fellow college student while she was crossing the parking lot. Fortunately, she had no serious injuries, but still. Sadly, this incident must be connected to the presence of alcohol on campus. Mine is the only dorm, in which alcholic bevereages can be kept, drunk, etc. This is an over-21 dorm, however, I do find soft-cups in other buildings of campus after a long night of partying!

I realized another phanomenon, which is rather ear-tearing (if there is a word like that at all, I'm sorry). This is the first time that I am exposed to the American young people's vulgarity. Of course, I have heard peole cursing before, but if I should tell you how many times I have heard the f-word and its variants in just the last two days, you would be surprised, too. I mena, I am not a hypocritical person, I do swear, it's just the density of curses which sort of bug my ear!

I am anjoying my classes yet. The French is kinda interesting. for there are quite a couple of words that I do know form previous studies, I opften realize during the lesson that in my head I am using three languages: Hungarian, English and French. a whole lotta conversations in one head! :)

wednesday is the audition for the play. today Michael, the director, whose class I visited last week, shouted at me from the window this afternoon while I was browsing my letters. FIrst I did not realize that he was calling after me, but after I heard my name I looked p, and there he was. he was so kind to ask, whether I am coming to the audition! I will!!!! I would so much like to get into the play! so, keep your fingers crossed for me!

This nice walk basically connects the center and one side of the campus (the side I live on). The college has its own chapel - there are many different congregations, btw. Behind the lamp post you may see a smaller post - that is the emergency call!


The Walk and the Chapel

This is what I can see if I start for classes every day. This place is just in front of the Vernon Social Center, a hall for social activities, which is the part of the building my dorm is in.


A bit blurred dorm yard

the end of the first week

I have learned the eternal truth again: if there is something you have to to, do it as soon as possible, otherwise, you'll only be nervous all the time. right now I am worried about not being able to finish the assginment for tomorrow. I will have some hours between two sessions, so I know that I will have the time to finish it, it's only that beforehand I planned otherwise.

anyway, today was a closed day. I, as so many of the students here, was locked up in my room adn tried to get some work done! Olga, a Russian exchange student whom I became good frineds with, told me that this strange feeling is only that I would need more time to get accustomed to the environment. She must know it for she has been here for almst thrice the time then I am.

I tried to get the recording from my camera toa tape withthe help of Jose, our preorientation group's cameraperson, but he did not have the wires, as well, so we'll see when we get to see the talnet show! :)

before I left for the library at 11 pm, I let Zsolt know where I was going, because in the morning we received a mail that some guy insulted a girl in the parking lot, sowe should be more careful. there is an escort sevice on campus, adn the campus safety is always available. still, I felt safe while wlaking through campus. I should not feel that way?

Course-wise I am allset by today. During the add-drop period I had to make some changes in my schedule, for the courses I wished ot enroll in still had some available seats. so: my classes are the following: Intensive Elementary French, Sr. Seminar: Critiquing America (with tons of books), Homosexuality and Hollywood, Directing. I am working in the Ofifce of International Porgrams, and I would also like to get into the Cinestudio (hte campus has its own cinema, where student employees get free tickets).

there are tons of programs ot attend on and out of the campus. However, even after the first week I had to cancell some meetings with friends ON CAMPUS because of readings. the worldload here is very different from the Hunagrian one. but not imcomprehensible! :)

On the other side of the room, there is my desk and my drawer. In the back corner you may see the treasures the previous Kellner scholars left for us.


the study place

I made some pictures about my room beforeI do some changes on\in it. Remeber, it's gonna be different, well, not that different, just a litlle bit. My mum sends me some decor materials and I will put some pictures on the walls, too.


My room, before the decoration

The Long Walk 'entrance'

On my way to a class

Here come some photos about the campus. I'm trying to make more and some better ones, probably. :)


The Bistro and its foreground

Where is Mate? 

This is how we started! 

We were invited to a Real American BBQ at our international program advisor Jane Decatur. She has a lovely house, and the dinner was great. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, and, of course, sweets: brownie, and s'more! the latter was way too sweet for me! :)
BBQ at Jane. From left, standing:Jane, Zsolt, Vera, Me, Jamie, a girl from Hong Kong, Mate, dowm: Olga and Alex

I met a lot of intersting and nice peeople from all Nepal thru Bulgaria and to the USA. I will not mention names, because I don't want to hurt anyone by skipping their names.

hello - and read! :)

I'll try to catch up with myself in creating these post for you.
As you may see from the dats it's been two weeks now that I am here in the U.S. and at Trinity.
Just some notes on why I am here and what I am doing:

I earned a scholarship from the Kellner Foundation in May. Kellner Pal (Paul) is the founder and father of the foundation. He fled Hungary during WWII, and he esteblished a life with his family in the States. He, upon hearing about the formation of the American Studies Department at ELTE, he welcome the idea with a scholarship first to the students of the department, and then later to all the ELTE sutdents. The scholarship offers a place at either Trintiy, CT or Bard College, NY for 7 students this year. Four of us are American Studies majors, the other three people are form the other departments of the university.
I am in a five year program in Hungary, at the end of which I'll be given an M.A. degree. Being an American Studies major I have to take 4 courses throughout the academic year that in one or in an other way correspond to my major, but my stay here will not be counted as a year back at home, so whne I go home, I'll still have to more years to attend university. I don't mind this because I am also doing the teacher's program, which will authorize me to teach in high schools and I am involved in a program which delas with cultural management.
so, here I am after a long procedure of selection. first we had to submit an application packet with an essay of 'motivation - a plan, basically - an application form which asked us to enlist our areas of interest, transcripts and an academic essay. after the department reviewed the applications they drew up a list of people, whose applications they sent to the Kellners. They later made their own list, and the last phase came: the interviews. We were asked questions about our motivation, about our goals.
the previous scholars formed an association which kinda serves as a protecting net for the new shcolars and a fine base for prospective travels in the country. right now there are 5 of them doing somthing in the States, and we're kindly invited ot visit them, so it's great.

our travel did not go smoothly - our flight in Budapest was delayed, which meant that we had to catch a different plane in London. finally, we arrived at 4 am! and we had programs starting at 9am. I, myself, did not sleep at all. I tried to unpack my things, so that it would feel a little bit of home. I was a bit unsuccessful in my attempt - I'm getting used ot it.

the first day was about checking-in, which, btw, we did at three different locations during the next few days, however, each and every time under some different name (first arrival check in, first day check in, check in check in). we received our computers on the very sam day, but because we were not yet registered in the system, we could not use the internet for three more days.
we had our IDs done - after hours of non-sleeping! NICE try! but I still have the same one, which means that I did not hate it as much as to break it and get a seond one done! :)
the first three days were dedicatd to the P.R.I.D.E. preorintentation prgram (promoting respect and inclusivity for diversity in education), which is basically a program for students of color, minority and of foreign countries. this is exclusive inclusivity, I htink. we had smoe interesting speakers who expressed their opinions about the stand of the school in the respect and inclusivity of minorities.
the next preorientation was a program of choice for me - I did Arts and Cretivity. I got to know the artistic sites and centers of Hartford and also got a glimpse into the cultural life of and on campus. We made a talent show (in two hours, basically) for those in the other preorientation programs. I recited (okay, read out) two poems by two Hungarian poets, both in English and in Hungarian. The audience liked it.