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What You Should Know About Hungarians Before You Travel to Hungary

Home » DESTINATIONS » Europe » Hungary » What You Should Know About Hungarians Before You Travel to Hungary

Last Modified: October 28, 2022 //  by Anda //  69 Comments

If you are one of my readers, you probably know that I am not Hungarian. But what you may not know is that I lived among the Hungarian people for many years and I’ve been married to one for more than four decades. I guess this qualifies as an insider. After all, what better way to know a nation than living with one of theirs?

What You Should Know About the Hungarian People and Their Culture

In this post I’m going to tell you a few things about Hungarians that may help you understand them better and overcome the cultural barriers when you travel to Budapest or other parts of Hungary.

1. Hungarians don’t open up too easily

Hungarians are perceived as introvert and quiet people. They are basically friendly, polite, and usually open-minded, but not easily approachable. They are also very straightforward and will seldom hide their discontent. If they dislike something they will let you know right away.

Most Hungarians view foreigners with skepticism and tend to be suspicious of people they don’t know. Part of the reason is the language barrier. Their education system is not as good as in the other European countries, so less people speak foreign languages.

Hungarian People at a restaurant
Hungarian People

Unlike Romanians, who seem very warm and welcoming to foreigners, Hungarians will keep you at a distance till they get to know you better.  But once you gain their trust, they will be the most dependable, loyal and honest friends you’ll ever have.

2. Hungarian People are very proud of their heritage

There is a great deal of nationalism in Hungary. Most Hungarians are very proud of their country, especially the older generation. That is in part due to the fact that Hungary used to be a great nation that ruled Central Europe for hundreds of years.

Hungarians were brave warriors that fought great battles, but history wasn’t kind to them. They believe their country would still be one of the most powerful states in the world, but for the Treaty of Trianon under which Hungary lost two-thirds of its territory.

Young Hungarians in a restaurant

Hungarians have lived through great economic upheaval and most of them, even professionals like doctors, professors etc. can’t afford the same level of spending as foreigners. This somehow affects their sense of pride. Although they secretly admire the western culture and civilization, they are not ready to bow in front of anybody.

3. Hungarians have some good reasons to be proud of themselves

The truth is that Hungarians have some good reasons to be proud of their country. Hungary has one of the highest number of Olympic medals per capita (482 between the winter and summer games). It also has excellent sports teams, especially in water polo, fencing, gymnastics and kayaking.

Throughout its history, Hungary has produced a great number of mathematicians, Nobel Prize winners, great composers (Béla Bartók, Franz Liszt) and artists.

Hungarians have also influenced industries across the world. For example, the founders of both Paramount and Fox Studios have Hungarian roots. Also, Erno Rubik, a professor of architecture in Budapest (Hungary) is the creator of the famous Rubik’s Cube. Even the reputable magician Harry Houdini was of Hungarian descent.

Rubik's cube
Rubik’s Cube

But most of all, Hungarians are proud of the fact that they are still around. With lots of enemies and very few allies, surrounded by nations with languages and cultures very different from theirs, they managed to maintain their culture and identity for more than 1,000 years.

4. Last name comes first

There are quite a few facts about Hungarian culture that may surprise you. One that I found quite interesting was the name order. When Hungarian people introduce themselves, they will say their last name first. For instance, they will say: “Galffy Laszlo vagyok,” meaning “I am Galffy, Laszlo” (Galffy being the last name). This is very confusing, unless you are aware of the name order.

When Hungarian family names first appeared, they served to differentiate between people with the same given name. For example, since in the same village there were more Laszlos, ‘Galffy’ made it possible to tell one Laszlo apart from the other Laszlos in the community.

READ NEXT: Interesting Facts About Budapest That You May Not Know

5. Take my name and take it all!

And speaking of names. When a woman marries a Hungarian, she adopts not only her husband’s family name, but his full name. So when I married my husband – Laszlo Galffy– I publicly became Galffy Laszloné, meaning Galffy Laszlo’s wife.

Getting married

On my passport and official documents I am of course only Anda Galffy. However, when I am introduced to new people in Hungary, I am called Galffy Laszloné (Laszlo Galffy’s wife). Kind of funny, right?

6. Food is a serious affair not to be taken lightly

Hungarians take food very seriously. They are driven by it! Food elevates the spirit and comforts a broken heart. It accompanies political discussions, concludes a business deal, or helps celebrate a happy event. Food may even cure an illness! In Hungary, food is culture and truth be told, Hungarian food is absolutely delicious!

Meat Pancakes a traditional Hungarian dish
Meat Pancakes (Hortobagyi Palacsinta)

Hungarian People think a lot about their next meal. “Mit kapunk ebédre?” (What’s for lunch?) Sunday lunch is sacred and is almost always a three-course event.

You’ll likely have a soup, then a main course (usually meat stewed in onions, garlic and paprika, accompanied by pickles or sauerkraut and served over egg dumplings). You will always finish with desert, which can vary from strudel, to pancakes with jam, to walnut cake, or chocolate cake).

Hungarian restaurants are so much a part of daily life in Hungary, that not even the perils of war or the collapse of the economy could keep their tables empty!

7. Table manners are very important!

When Hungarians invite you to their house for a meal, they will serve you a certain number of dishes. You are expected to try them all, so take small servings.

Starting to eat before the host/hostess is considered greedy and ill mannered. Also, politics and business are not considered good table conversation.

8. Hungarian people can’t live without paprika and sour cream

Sticking with the topic of food, there are two ingredients that Hungarians add to almost any dish: paprika and sour cream. Paprika, Hungary’s piros arany or the ‘red gold,’ is an essential part of Hungarian cuisine and it is the dominant taste of their food. You’ll find paprika on any restaurant table as a condiment, next to the salt and pepper shakers.

Hungarian paprika

When visiting Hungary, you will immediately spot the sour-cream-love of the Hungarians. They pour it on almost everything, even on bread. They eat it with onion, with cucumbers, with potatoes and yes, even with dessert.

9. Hungarians find it hard to believe that you can’t learn their language

You don’t need to speak Hungarian to get around in Budapest. English is spoken in most tourist places, like museums, hotels, bars and restaurants. But if you travel outside the tourist area, there is very little chance that you’ll get by with English (or any other language by this token).

You may find a young couple of people who will struggle to give you directions if you look really lost, but that’s about it. Outside the tourist shops, you won’t be able to buy anything unless you know a few Hungarian words.

Despite living around Hungarians and being married to a Hungarian, I still don’t speak their language. I know a lot of words and some basic phrases, but not enough to communicate.

In my own defense, Hungarian is not an easy language to learn and will pose a challenge to anybody who tries to learn it. That’s the reason why Hungarians are very appreciative of people who learn their language or at least try to say a few words. Nonetheless, in my Hungarian relatives’ mind there’s really no excuse for me not to speak Hungarian after all this time!

10. Hungarian Etiquette

Hungarians etiquette is very similar with many other European countries. A handshake is a normal greeting, but gentlemen must always wait for a lady to offer her hand first. You will still see the older generation bowing as a greeting, or kissing the ladie’s hand.

Hungarian etiquette
Hungarian etiquette

If invited to a Hungarian’s home for a meal, bring a box of good chocolates, flowers or a Western liquor. Do not bring wine, as the Hungarians are proud of the Hungarian wines and they consider themselves experts in picking them. Arriving late is considered rude. In most cases, you are expected to be 10-15 minutes early.

11. Hungarian People and Transylvania

Those who travel to Hungary are expected to have some basic knowledges about the country’s history. One thing that Hungarians have a hard time getting over is loosing Transylvania to Romania.

This was the result of the Treaty of Trianon in 1920, when Hungary lost about two-thirds of its territory to its neighboring countries. It it not so much that Hungarians think that Transylvaniais theirs, but that it WAS theirs for centuries. And many Hungarians have a very hard time “letting it go.”

12. What you should never say to a Hungarian

Hungarians are very proud of their wines and spirits. Surprise, surprise! Is there anything concerning themselves they aren’t proud of?  Refusing to drink a shot of pálinka when offered one, or telling a Hungarian you don’t like Hungarian wines, will surely be considered a big offense.

The second thing that will piss them off is assuming that life is better in Hungary since the fall of Communism. When the Berlin Wall crumbled, some people in Hungary thrived, but many still feel the effects of loosing the steady work and pay that Communism provided. 

Hungarians are proud of their cuisine, so going to their country and not eating local food will definitely trigger disapproval.

If you enjoyed reading this this post, please pin for later:

What you should know about Hungarian People

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Category: DESTINATIONS, Europe, Hungary, TRAVEL GUIDESTag: Budapest, Travel Tips

About Anda

Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Zsanett

    May 6, 2022 at 11:07 pm

    As a Hungarian born and moved to the US at the age of 14 let’s not talk about education lol, education in the US is a well, i don’t know how can i say it in a nice way sucks lol specially now Seeing my poor children struggle specially in math ! When i went to high school i cannot tell you how many times i corrected my teacher cause she said all the wrong dates in history class ! They learned stuff in HS that i learned in 5th 6th and 7th grade !
    And we did have languages to learn and it was Russian or German it wasn’t until my little brother was in school who was able to pick English ! But then again we learned English here better or i like to think that ! But other than that it’s pretty accurate!
    Hey I’m still learning after 20+ years !

    Reply
    • Anda

      May 6, 2022 at 11:19 pm

      Thank you for commenting on my post, Zsanett. I’m glad you agree with me at least on some of these issues.

      Reply
  2. Attila

    July 22, 2021 at 1:31 am

    Hi
    As a born Hungarian I have to tell that there are not just a few overstatements here in this article.
    1. Hungarians don’t open up too easily…+bad Hungarian education system?
    The first statement is a vast generalisation and isn’t even true. Yeah, compared to the manners in the States Hungarians less trusty of aliens and also do you expect different manners in rural Spain, rural Germany, rural, Poland?
    The education system is far better still than the western one. I’ve seen hundreds of Americans not knowing what Europe is, unable to perform very basic math operations and adults who do not have a clue about science(excpet cooking meth… maybe).
    This is just not a thing in Hungary. Here the children have to learn it all.
    Language barriers? Well, the fall of communism happened 30 years ago so before it there was just no chance to learn English. However immediately after it it became mandatory so everyone under 40 has to speak English(or German) at some level.
    The elder generations rarely have this luxury.

    2. question of national pride.
    Which nation(except today Western countries) are not proud of their heritage?
    Is this indeed so special?

    5. ‘When a woman marries a Hungarian, she adopts not only her husband’s family name, but his full name. ‘
    This is simply not true. This is an option form the many.
    You could also keep your name, pick only his surname, combine your and his surname in any form.

    ‘Hungarian people can’t live without paprika and sour cream’
    This is again overstatement and generalisation.
    We can live without these things and we do not put them into every food.
    We have a very good variety of food but there is indeed one speciality of the Hungarian cuisine which is called ‘Pörköltalap’ which means stew-base. It is only about how you start making the food and if it contains combination of fat/oil, salt, onion, garlic and paprika, you are using the pörköltalap.
    The sour cream is a potential ingrediant only and does not fit to all food. We do not use it more extensively than for example the French do with the Crème fraîche.

    The notes about the Hungarian etiquette is the worst, by far.
    No one will be offended if you do not accept liquor or food. You can always say you are good and no one will chase you out through the borders…
    It is rather an expectation towards the host to be able to offer food and/or drinks to their guests, but is this again something custom Hungarian? I’d bet it isn’t.
    Refusing a shot of Pálinka or local wine?
    We do drink lots of foreign drinks: beers, whiskeys, spirits and yes, wine too. We know our wine but it doesn’t mean that every single house has his own Pálinka destilled locally or own winery.
    I never accepted every pálinka as I can’t stand it. No one every kicked me out from their house.

    You depict Hungarians in the article just like if it would be in medieval.
    For everyone else’s sake: we do have internet, cars, electricity and women are not kept ni chains or covered by burka. We have decent schools and they produce quite appreciated workers for the world.
    Hungary isn’t different at all from Slovakia, Poland,etc.

    Reply
    • Anda

      July 22, 2021 at 3:16 pm

      Dear Attila,
      Thank you fo the detailed and sensible comments. You just made me realize another thing that I didn’t notice about Hungarians: not all of them have a sense of humor, hahaha!

      Reply
      • Tibor

        November 24, 2021 at 5:53 pm

        Don’t be rude and please don’t pretend like you know more about us than we know ourselves.
        If you really knew us, you’d know that being disrespectful is considered extremely rude in Hungary. You can’t just say he doesn’t have a sense of humor, just because he corrected some of your statements.
        You don’t even know him.
        And as a fellow Hungarian I say Attila was right about everything he said. After all, he is a Hungarian.
        There’s something you probably forgot or never learned about us. We – with or without a reason – are a proud nation. It takes a wrongly said word or a suspicious move to offend a Hungarian. And If somehow you do make that “mistake” be ready for a very honest reaction from us. It might even come off as rude as blunt but hey, we are Hungarians. If we have the slightest problem, we will let you know straight away.
        Be nice, we are trying hard too…

        Reply
        • Anda

          November 24, 2021 at 6:43 pm

          Oh, come now, Tibor, don’t be so upset! I actually love Hungarians. So much so that married one and stayed married to him for over 45 years now. How much more proof can I give that I appreciate their qualities?
          Neither one of the points I make in this article are negative or intended as a critique. They are just simple observations from someone who has lived among Hungarians for a long, long time.
          The way you see yourself in not always the way others see you, so toughen up a bit!

          Reply
          • Tibor

            November 26, 2021 at 9:41 am

            Hi Anda,

            We love everyone who loves us.
            I had no bad or hostile intentions when I wrote the first comment.
            I was just trying to draw your attention to the fact that the person who’s correcting you may not be doing it offensively.

            P. S.; Is that you, your husband and a friend of yours on the top picture?

          • Anda

            November 26, 2021 at 9:45 am

            No,that’s not us. If you want to find out more about who we are, read the About section of this blog.

    • Grzegorz

      October 15, 2021 at 1:39 pm

      You are of course right but keep in mind the fact that the article is not entirely serious. Nevertheless I think that people in Western Europe and (especially) in North America do consider us (by “us” I mean people from Central and Eastern Europe) to be rather backward. Perhaps it’s a result of propaganda from the time of Cold War. Anyway, greetings from Poland!

      Reply
  3. Melody

    March 22, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    Hello,
    Such an interesting article! I took a DNA test and found out I am Hungarian. I really want to visit but don’t even know where I would start! I live in California and have never been to Europe. Any tips or advice I would so greatly appreciate! 🙂

    Reply
    • Anda

      March 23, 2021 at 3:30 pm

      Hi Melody, thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ll be able to visit Europe soon. If you want to do some further reading about this incredible continent, this blog can be a good resource for you and it is quite easy to navigate: just hover over Destinations (at the top of the menu bar) and click on Europe. You can then select what country you want to read about. I was born and raised in Europe, so I write extensively about it. If you are interested in building a European itinerary, you can start with these suggestions: https://travelnotesandbeyond.com/2-weeks-in-europe-itinerary/. I also have a lot of detailed information about Budapest. There are individual posts about what to visit, where to stay, practical tips, day trips, etc. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

      Reply
  4. Susan Mundt

    November 26, 2020 at 8:23 pm

    I visited Budapest in 1983 as a 22 year old Australian, enjoying an extended European guided tour. It was organised by GlobusGateway, and was the only tour company that would venture behind the “Iron Curtain” at that time. I enjoyed it then, and now believe I should return for another visit once this Covid 19 business Is under control. Thanks for a very informative article . It reminded me I still have an adventurous streak that needs to be fed. Best wishes .

    Reply
    • Anda

      November 27, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      Thank you for taking time to read my post. I’m really glad you found the information I provided useful.

      Reply
      • Lisbeth Jensen

        August 2, 2022 at 11:24 am

        Very interesting post Anda and thank you for that. My husband and I are taking a trip in September flying( from Manchester UK) to Vienna and will end our trip in Budapest where we will stay for three days.My grandfather came from Budapest ( a long time ago) and I remember him always having soup when he came to visit us .I always wanted to see the city he came from and so looking forward to our trip.

        Reply
        • Anda

          August 2, 2022 at 1:38 pm

          Thank you for taking time to comment, Lisbeth. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful experience in Budapest, especially since you are of Hungarian descent.

          Reply
    • Vera

      April 29, 2021 at 3:20 pm

      Buy a plane ticket and go. You will love it and you will have no problem getting around or being understood. Lots of people speak English. Go have fun.Eat a lot of good food.

      Reply
  5. Marianna

    September 19, 2019 at 5:22 am

    Dear Anda,

    I was born and raised in Hungary and living in the US. I found – and thoroughly enjoyed – your spot on article on my people while searching for getting in touch with Hungarians in Hawai’i, where I currently reside.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 19, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Thanks, Marianna. You probably won’t find many Hungarians in Hawaii, hahaha!

      Reply
  6. Catherine Q.

    September 12, 2019 at 11:22 am

    This was very helpful. I am going to Hungary next week to retrace my father’s steps. I am visiting family I have never met before and want to make sure I don’t offend them. I am bringing tea, chocolates, silk scarves (one for each of the women) and linen tea towels with Canadian prints on them. Do you think I need to bring anything else? Smoked Salmon? I am taking a carry on so I can’t bring Maple Syrup.

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 12, 2019 at 12:35 pm

      I’m not even sure they will appreciate Maple Syrup that much. Smoked Salmon yes, everybody like that. You don’t need to carry a lot of stuff. Just a small something, to show them that you care. Thanks for reading why post, Catherine. Have a safe trip.

      Reply
    • Vera

      April 29, 2021 at 3:25 pm

      No, Catherine, you don’t need to bring anything. Since Hungary is a democratic country, people from other countries have businesses here, so you can buy almost anything in Hungary.

      Reply
  7. Suruchi

    May 8, 2019 at 8:58 am

    Thanks for sharing these points. You surely understand Hungarians quite well. Interesting they are referred by husband names only. They actually sound likes masters in picking best wines. Completely enjoyed your post.

    Reply
  8. Nicole LaBarge

    May 7, 2019 at 11:46 pm

    I got the sense that hungarians were proud when I was there. I had no idea that the guy who invented the rubik’s cube was hungarian. Very cool

    Reply
  9. Cat Lin

    May 7, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    I find it shocking that married women take the husband’s full name, not just the last name. I have not tried the Hungarian food before. But I know I will like it because of the paprika!

    Reply
    • Hungirl

      June 5, 2020 at 1:25 am

      No they don’t. They surely used to in the past, until approx the late 80’s, but not anymore. I am 45 years old but know basically no one in my generation and especially in the younger generations who have taken their husbands full name. Women either take their husbands last name and keep their first name or take their husband’s name and also keep their own, using both, usually with a hyphen (e.g. Kiss Anna marries Tóth Peter, she may be called Tóth Anna, Tóthné Kiss Anna or Tóth-Kiss Anna) but quite a few women nowadays chose to not to take their husbands name at all

      Reply
  10. Rosemary

    May 7, 2019 at 9:42 am

    Thanks for sharing these cultural insights about Hungary. I’ll be visiting this Summer and perfect timing for this article. Learning about their pride especially over food and wine is quite interesting. I love paprika, so I’m looking forward to having this condiment with my dishes. Great article.

    Reply
  11. Trisha

    May 7, 2019 at 5:28 am

    You have a very keen observation of the Hungarians! I think this is the most detailed list I’ve read about them. I kinda laughed at refusing to drink palinka. Definitely not me! Also a bit surprised that they are into paprika too, as most of my European friends don’t like spicy food. Would really love to visit this country in the future.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      May 7, 2019 at 10:36 am

      You shouldn’t be surprised that Hungarians love paprika. They ARE paprika!

      Reply
      • Tősér Csaba Dominik

        February 25, 2022 at 11:54 am

        Hahaha we aren’t paprika but it is a good joke

        Reply
        • Anda

          February 25, 2022 at 1:32 pm

          I’m glad you didn’t take it personal, Csaba! Most Hungarians who read my post got really offended by some of my observations, hahaha!

          Reply
  12. Linda (LD Holland)

    May 6, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    I would have to agree with you about Hungarians being proud of their heritage. When we visited, everyone wanted to share their stories with us. We certainly saw that food was king when we visited. We were always surprised to see big groups eating out in public. And they were very loud. When we ate in Hungary, I was good with sour creme. But quickly tired of paprika. There were a few other things in here that were new to me. But good to remember if we ever visit again.

    Reply
  13. Carol Colborn

    May 4, 2019 at 5:52 pm

    Lots of good stuff about Hungary here. Like I didn’t know the inventor of the Rubik cube comes from there. And that you get your husband’s full name when you marry him. And that Transylvania used to be theirs.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      May 5, 2019 at 8:51 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed reading it, Carol.

      Reply
  14. Jody Robbins

    May 4, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    Some solid tips in here. I used to travel to Hungary for work and I wish I knew these. So interesting about ceding Transylvania.

    Reply
  15. noel

    May 4, 2019 at 10:10 am

    Interesting insight into the Hungarian culture and the people of this country. I knew very little when I first visited Budapest, but learned a lot more from visiting the museums and cultural attractions. I definitely need to visit the other surrounding cities and countryside.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      May 5, 2019 at 8:52 am

      You’d enjoy the rest of Hungary as well, I’m sure.

      Reply
  16. Milijana

    May 4, 2019 at 10:00 am

    I am so glad you have written a post about Hungarians, Anda! As a Croatian, I am familiar with Hungarians and Hungarian culture, but didn’t know all these details. And I must say I have absolutely enjoyed reading this well written and straight-to-the-point article. Great job, Anda!

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      May 5, 2019 at 8:53 am

      Thank you, Milijana.

      Reply
  17. Ian Alfred Nasong'o

    January 3, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    Hello, Anda,
    I am a 20 year old Kenyan and reading your article was very eye opening. I am hoping to get a chance to study in Hungary and I have to say this was very helpful.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      January 3, 2019 at 3:54 pm

      I hope you’ll get to see your dream come true. Hungary is a very beautiful country and I’m sure you’ll have a great time there.

      Reply
  18. Leila

    May 26, 2018 at 2:17 pm

    Hi Anda!
    I’m a Hungarian girl and it was so funny to read about my country and my culture from your view.
    And these things are totally true. Haha!
    Thank you very much for write them down. I really enjoyed it.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      May 26, 2018 at 2:29 pm

      Thank you Leila. This is a true compliment coming from a native Hungarian.

      Reply
  19. Linda Bibb

    October 5, 2017 at 7:37 am

    Haha – I loved how you compared your husband’s culture to yours. (So I should assume Laszlo is hard to get to know?!)

    We were in Budapest a couple of years ago and bemoaned how we couldn’t see more of the country. Based on your article, I wonder how easy it would be to navigate around. What do you think?

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      October 5, 2017 at 12:44 pm

      Not really sure, Linda. I always travel there with my husband who obviously speaks the language. Depending on how touristy an area is, you would probably be OK getting around.

      Reply
  20. Anisa

    September 28, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    I think being married to a Hungarian definitely qualifies you as an insider! I can understand why they are so passionate about the food there! I remember the goulash it was so good there. I also found a Hugarian restaurant in London that I really like.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 28, 2017 at 4:38 pm

      There are many Hungarians in England, Anisa. I’m not surprised you found a good Hungarian restaurant there.

      Reply
  21. Lara Dunning

    September 24, 2017 at 10:44 pm

    As someone who got their degree in anthropology, I found this fascinating. I don’t know much about Hungary or Hungarians and this gives a great start to learning about the culture and knowing etiquette when you visit and meet other Hungarians. I would happily sample Hungarian wines and food!

    Reply
  22. Jim ~ ReflectionsEnroute

    September 24, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    I will never turn down an offer of a free drink, especially palinka! Thanks for linking in this week, Anda!

    Reply
  23. Melinda Crow

    September 24, 2017 at 10:40 am

    What a fabulous story, Anda. Thank you for sharing your years of insight. Maybe I am part Hungarian—I can’t live without either paprika or sour cream!

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 24, 2017 at 1:05 pm

      Hahaha, who knows, Melina? Maybe you are.

      Reply
  24. Lolo

    September 24, 2017 at 1:15 am

    So many interesting facts! Thanks for introducing me to them! Makes the country that much more interesting! How strange though about the names!

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 24, 2017 at 1:06 pm

      It is, isn’t it?

      Reply
  25. Esther

    September 24, 2017 at 1:04 am

    I must say, I have a thing for the Hungarians. They’re such a true and stern people, I like that a lot. And they’re still a lot warmer than for example most Czech people who are really shy and ‘to themselves’. And I love Hungarian wines and think that Hungarian cuisine is one of the most underappreciated kitchens in Europa, which is a shame!!

    Reply
  26. Michele {Malaysian Meanders}

    September 23, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    Very enlightening! My husband will be in Hungary in a few weeks for business, so I need to pass this post along to him. He tells me that the food is always so delicious when he visits. We had dinner with some Hungarians who were visiting Texas last month. Indeed, they brought me chocolates as well as a DVD of a children’s traditional dance school program. I swear that one day I’ll get to go along with my husband on one of this trips there.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 24, 2017 at 1:07 pm

      You really should go with your husband, Michelle. And you should take your kids too. They are going to love Budapest.

      Reply
  27. Michelle

    September 23, 2017 at 9:28 am

    Very interesting read (as usual), Anda! I met a Hungarian girl while travelling in Colombia, but she had been living in Germany for a number of years. Maybe it’s her expat experience, or maybe it’s a generational thing, but I found her very warm and friendly. I was blown away by how many languages she speaks – Hungarian, German, English and Spanish, and I’m sure she’s able to get by in a few more languages! The way she explained it to me was: when your native language is as difficult as Hungarian, you find it easy to pick up other languages. Which makes sense! So I absolutely don’t think any less of you for not learning more Hungarian after all these years of marriage.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 23, 2017 at 3:34 pm

      Hungarians are very warm and welcoming, Michelle, especially after they get to know you. But in the beginning they are very reserved.

      Reply
  28. jill

    September 23, 2017 at 4:44 am

    My best friend’s dad is Hungarian – and moved to the US when he was in his 20’s. And your first point is dead on for him- he definitely is reserved but doesn’t hesitate to tell you exactly what he thinks. He gets into lots of arguments with his Austrian wife and her family. Too funny.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 23, 2017 at 3:35 pm

      Yea, they can argue pretty loudly, Jill. I know that first hand, hahaha!

      Reply
  29. Ruth

    September 22, 2017 at 10:18 pm

    Anda, there is so much I want to say about this post. I enjoyed it a lot. I know you say Hungarians are a bit reserved but I found them friendlier than people from their surrounding countries (do not want to mention the countries). I totally felt Hungarians nationalism. My tour guide almost cried when she talked about how the country lost their ancestral land. A guy told me Dracula was really Hungarian. If you do not mind me me asking, how is the current situation between Hungary and Romania?

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 22, 2017 at 11:02 pm

      Hungary and Romania, as states, are in good terms. Hungarians and Romanians on the other side, are not. The situation is pretty complicated because the animosity between these two groups started many generations ago and got from bad to worse during Communism. Ceausescu tried to spread out the Hungarians population in Transylvania sending them all over the country. At the same time he moved large groups of Romanians to that territory hoping to break the Hungarian groups. The result was disastrous, as both nationalities hated this situation.Currently, there are no open fights and peace is maintained pretty well in Transylvania, but the Hungarian population continues to complain that they are unfairly treated by the Romanians. Very sad.

      Reply
  30. Mary {The World Is A Book}

    September 22, 2017 at 5:34 pm

    This was such an interesting read! I learned so much from this, Anda. We’d still love to visit Budapest one of these days so I’m sure this will be useful then. I have a Hungarian friend but she was mostly raised here and I’ll share this with her 🙂

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 22, 2017 at 11:03 pm

      Thank you, Mary. I’m curious what your Hungarian friend will have to say about my article.

      Reply
  31. Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields

    September 22, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    Hi Anda, I have been to Hungary once and thought it was a beautiful country. It is definitely on our list to go back to. The ‘taking your husband’s name’ thing used to happen in Australia but it has died out with my generation. For my mother’s generation it was not at all uncommon to receive letters addressed to Mrs David Lindfield, for example. As far as the food goes, I believe you should always try the local food. What is the point of travel if you just stick to the things you do back home.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 22, 2017 at 11:04 pm

      Yea, I agree with that, Lyn. I love to try new foods (except for the ones I am allergic to).Hope you’ll go to see Hungary again.

      Reply
  32. Rhonda Albom

    September 22, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    That’s a lot of interesting perceptions about Hungarians. I was not aware of the Treaty of Trianon. It sounds like it was devastating to the Hungarian people.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 22, 2017 at 11:05 pm

      It was indeed and they still can’t accept that they lost Transylvania.

      Reply
  33. Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats

    September 22, 2017 at 12:39 pm

    I didn’t know you were married to a Hungarian man. I went to school with a woman from Hungarian and some of these definitely fit her except she was very friendly and open, making friends very easily. But she was college educated and teaches at a local college so this probably made her feel more comfortable as her English was already very good.

    Reply
    • Anda Galffy

      September 22, 2017 at 11:07 pm

      There are always exceptions to the rule, Jessica. Many people from the young generation in Hungary became more open to the Westerners and like to make new friends. Not the older generation though.

      Reply

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