Hungarian Village | 10 things... - Neverending Brunches

I lived in a Hungarian village for about the first half of my life; then spent five years in a larger city attending college before moving to New York. I loved my town while I was very young – the freedom we had, roaming in the countryside, was priceless. I was not a big fan as a teen and as a young adult. It was a love and hate relationship. Spending some time in my hometown twice a year the past decade, made me love it again, in my 40ies.

Along with many other things, I learned to appreciate my village. I am done longing for new, experienced the lively, crazy city life, my thirst was satisfied. I also started to see the value and charm of the countryside that could be easily missed when taken for granted. Back then, it didn’t seem remarkable, today I look back, and everything is illuminated.

Not knowing how life will unfold in the next couple of months, I am holding back on planning my usual summer trip to visit my family overseas. The pause in planning made me think of the things I look forward to every year. Is this another reminder not to take anything for granted? Perhaps. And it is a good reminder.

❤️ Here are some of my favorite things I may be missing this summer: ❤️

My parents, Dad’s cooking, and Mom’s neverending patience
My sister’s warm welcome
All my nieces and nephews – the bi-yearly in-person reports
Family gatherings with tasty foods and plenty laughs
The chance to see my 93-year-old Grandma
The opportunity to spend time with my goddaughter
Seeing childhood friends, and the rowing trip we take down the river, every summer – my favorite kind of quarantine
Rozi, the sweetest Bernese cattle dog I know
The smell of the air in the countryside
The silence that sometimes keeps me up at night