There were about 7 or 8 different pools to choose from including a big slide and baby pool and very hot medicinal pools. I even got to have a proper swim! We were there all day in and out of the water. I'd blab to my cousins, then play with the kids in the water. Lots of fun! Had snacks of lángos again - the girls had palacsinta (pancakes) with chocolate... We got home late. Rox wanted more ice cream (her ice cream passion is way out there at the moment! - she's really desperate for lots of it...I think I know why. Will briefly mention later...) so we stopped at the local Tesco store to get some. It had started to storm and thunder just as we left the store. Again! Anway, we got back to Gyöngyi's place and of course she had prepared a huge Hungarian meal for us. Húsleves and chicken in sour cream sauce with galuska. And ice cream for dessert of course. Anyway it wa a fairly relaxing fun day.
I've had headaches everyday here!!! I think it's the heat and speaking mixed languages (makes my brain swirl and squish!!) and possibly not enough water ( I'm working on that one...!)
But we 've been having a problem. It's to do with food/manners thing. Roxie is having a really, really difficult time of the meal times. She doesn't like a lot on offer and certainly dislikes being mainpulated or talked into trying to eat what she doesn't want. Unfortunately it comes across as ungrateful, demanding, fussy, bratty, spoilt and wastful. I feel sad seeing Roxie in this position, and I also don't like seeing our hosts feel that Roxie's ungracious because she's not but doesn't express herself hmmm...conventionally... I certainly don't relish defending myself and Roxie, but I do defend her.
The Hungarians are very forceful with the whole eating thing. You're a 'good' or 'clever' child if you eat your entire plate of food or if you try all the of variety of things on offer!!!!! This is awful for Roxie. I think her idea of hell perhaps! And she gets soo soo grumpy and impatient at the slightest hint of adult expectations that she feels she cannot fulfil (fair enough too!). There was also praise and lavish attention for April who happens to eat anything and is full of demonstrative love and connection. Roxie is defiant - she won't parrot the please and thank yous in Hungarian that everyone is suggesting she try as a way of 'learning' the language. I dont blame her. On the other hand I feel like we're not guiding her at all well or helping her navigate through this foreign, food/manners thing successfully at all. Darren and I have decided that at this stage we need to avoid the big meals by being more assertive about what we want to do. They'll probably be relieved not to have to cook if we say we're going out. We've also decided to make sure I word up Roxie about what's on offer and see if I can explain enough for her to understand the whole mealtime tradition...In a way it'd be much easier not staying in someone elses home. One can't completely relax. Especially the children. I could offer to cook a meal myself and purchase the ingredients to do it. Maybe I ought to make a risotto?? Or just tejbe griz for the kids?? Cheese toasties?? But they'd probably shoo me out of the kitchen and feel upset, almost insulted if I buy anything (which happened for breakfast bits!!!) "You're our guests! Let us cook for you!" It's lovely, but unbelievably hard for Rox. I think she's also really mssing her friends, familiar things and familiar communication
I've had headaches everyday here!!! I think it's the heat and speaking mixed languages (makes my brain swirl and squish!!) and possibly not enough water ( I'm working on that one...!)
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