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This is what you’re going to miss about Hungary if you move abroad
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Éva Zsuzsa Trembácz spent the last ten years of her life abroad: she lived in Beijing, Washington, Sarajevo, Dakar and she moved to Kanton a few months ago. Her homesickness is always a bit different in every place. She told wmn.hu what she misses the most about Hungary.
In the West African Dakar, she misses the four seasons. In the 28° Celsius degree winter days she thought about the cosy, cuddling November nights, the sound of rain drops knocking on the gutter, and the intimacy of Advent.
In the USA, she missed the expertise of Hungarian beauticians, the fresh vegetables of market vendors, bread without preservatives, and the affordability of theatres.
In the smoggy grayness of Beijing, she fantasized about the twittering of birds, cheese, while in Sarajevo she yearned for the non-smoking restaurants of Budapest. Besides the changing factors, she constantly misses the following elements (after family and friends, of course).
Sense of home by flavours
Her list is quite long and includes quite a few things besides the favourite Túró Rudi, which she tried to make at home several times. In the end of spring, she craves after sour cherry, and she’s been on several Walks to Canossa for cottage cheese.
She always stocked up on chestnut puree at home, and one of her favourite days was when she received a package full of sausages from Gyula. Distance also taught her that no one can pickle cabbage like people in Veresegyház. She misses these for the smell and flavour “of home” they create.
Hungarian dishes taste different when made abroad, even if you use your grandma’s recipes.
You can blame it on the different or missing ingredients, but one thing is for sure: stuffed cabbage is the best at home, and no matter how hard you try, your meat soup won’t smell as characteristic as your mom’s did.
Theatres
Watching a performance in your mother tongue, understanding every gesture, glance, the meaning behind words and tones is a matchless experience. Every play is different when put into cultural, social, political and historic context.
No, I won’t miss my country.
I will put Viktor Orbán’s portrait in my room to remember every day why I left Hungary and why I don’t wanna come back EVER AGAIN.