AUskola - November

Since Halloween had taken place the evening before, our day began with a roundtable discussion: who had what kind of costume, how much candy they collected, and whether they celebrate this holiday at all. Hanna arrived shortly afterward, so we could also go through the wall calendar together—we definitely wanted to wait for her, as we know it’s one of her favorites. And although from November 1 it might still seem like Christmas is far away, since this was our last school day, the rest of the day was very much spent in the spirit of this holiday. First, we got creative by making Christmas cards. The children could choose from designs featuring pine trees, bells, reindeer, snowmen, and elves, but of course everyone was free to let their imagination run wild. After the arts and crafts session, we began preparing for our Christmas surprise performance, with shorter and longer breaks in between. At noon, we joined the older group again—this time for communal singing and listening to a story—followed by lunch and time at the playground. The rest of the day was spent continuing the rehearsal process.

Edina Kuki

On the November school day, after the warm-up game, we watched and listened to a performance by the group from Pécs, after which Tamás, the choir conductor, had us sing. Every child enjoyed it immensely; in the end, everyone was singing together. The older boys watched in amazement, mouths agape, realizing how cool learning a song can be—not everything is about gadgets… Maxim even asked for a photo together with Tamás; it was very touching to see them. After the well-deserved pizza and free play in the courtyard, everyone practiced enthusiastically for the last school day, the picnic—but perhaps that’s all that should be said about it for now. Let it be a surprise!

Dóra Lenihan

The November school session at the Hungarian school was rich in experiences. In the morning, the children tuned in to working together through dance and singing; both the music and movement reflected a sense of liberated playfulness and childlike mischief. Guest performers made the program even more memorable, and the children happily joined them, singing familiar melodies together. The afternoon session focused on creativity: the children made figures wearing traditional folk costumes, while learning about the colors, shapes, and characteristic motifs of Hungarian traditional dress. The arts and crafts activity not only developed their manual skills but also helped deepen their connection to Hungarian culture.

Erika Andrell

On November 1, the final Hungarian school session took place—at least for me. The day was made special by the arrival of two guests from the University of Pécs: Dr. Ákos Jarjabka and Tamás Schóber, who gave presentations on connections between diasporas and opportunities for further education. The delegation introduced how international and diaspora relations are built; what the World Hungarians Network Program offers; what opportunities are provided by the Hungarian World School; how one can study in Hungarian—even abroad; what to know about the TEMPUS Higher Education Diaspora Scholarship; how to apply to the University of Pécs and what happens behind the scenes; and how the inspiring story and latest initiatives of the Pannon Music and Cultural Program came to life. The children also experienced the joy of singing together through the Kodály method, led by conductor Tamás Schóber during a music workshop. In the afternoon, we worked with the older group on situational exercises. One group of students had to create tableaux—frozen scenes—from The Paul Street Boys, while the other group had to guess which scene was being depicted based on the “photographs.” This exercise promotes cooperation and helps children learn how to convey situations and characters without words, using only movement and facial expressions. Activities like this help reduce anxiety and stage fright and make it easier for children to express themselves in front of an audience. At the end of the day, play took center stage: this time we played “football basketball,” where everyone had to kick the ball into the hoop. After the day ended, the school said goodbye to me, and I even received a signed envelope. The love and dedication of these children will remain a lifelong memory for me.

Áron Darvasi

KCSP Scholarship Holder