multiculturalism and language milestones

Yesterday reminded me of how very international Budapest is. I spent the day exploring parts of Hungary I've never visited, including a rose garden which is home to an Islamic tomb/monument. Then Lisa called to say they were filming a commercial, so of course I had to meet her. When I got there, it was a commercial for Coke, being filmed in Budapest, which was made to look like New York (complete with American taxi and mail box), to air on Israeli television. Then we went to a gospel choir concert at our church, where the South African/Irish choir director led the group in African, American, Hungarian, and Polish songs.

I love living in a big city!

As for language, I had perhaps the most successful day I've ever had. For one thing, at church Sunday night, the service is all in Hungarian, and English speakers listen to translation through headsets. My headset definitely didn't work --- BUT I understood a lot of what was being said! I was really proud of myself. However, my greatest accomplishment thus far was yet to come... I sang, for the first time ever, the one song in Hungarian I've never been able to keep up with. ever. I spent the last two years with the personal goal of singing that song without stumbling. I came close once, only to lose it in the last line -- it's so dang fast! But last night, I finally sang it not once, not twice, but three times through!

I am so very proud :)