New Year’s Eve in Hungary always sounds simpler than it is. But after eight of them here, Andrew and I have learned that Szilveszter rarely follows a script. We’ve done it all. Properly dressed-up nights out. Quiet evenings at home. Loud Karaoke nights. Plans changed...
It’s 19 December, and Budapest has slipped into that familiar pre-Christmas state where everyone seems to be doing three errands at once. Andrew and I are trying to wrap things up before the pace slows. Christmas Eve will be at my mother’s, as it always is, and...
A few days ago, I posted a short video on social media about the new employment rules in Hungary. It was filmed quickly, between meetings, after reading the announcement and trying to interpret what it meant for families already here. I promised I would follow up with...
Last weekend’s XpatLoop Charity Gala had that unmistakable community energy I’ve grown to love here. Andrew was DJing, so we arrived early, and by the time the room filled, it felt as if everyone had brought half their village with them. We saw friends who had driven...
No Santa in Hungary? That line still makes people blink when they visit in December. Technically it is true for Christmas Eve, but the story is much better than that. Growing up in Canada, I managed to get both Mikulás on December 6 and Santa on the 25th, which meant...