Relocating to a New Country: Facing Challenges and Overcoming Preconceptions
Many people, I believe, face numerous challenges as they relocate from their home country to other parts of the globe in search of better facilities and pasture. Many people must undergo preparation in order to cope with culture shock in a new place.
Preconceptions about Hungary
Hungary has always fascinated me, and some of my preconceptions about the country include:1. Hungary is a horse-riding nation
2. Hungarians complain a lot and are cynical about various aspects of life
3. Hungarians tend to disagree with one anotherAre these assumptions correct or incorrect? Based on the course material, this paper attempts to prove whether the preconceptions are real or false. To me, Hungary plays home to horse riding lovers with most of their visitors being entertained by equestrians. Other than the aforementioned, another preconception of the inhabitants of Hungary is that they do not toast with beer at any single time. The concept of Hungarians having contradictory opinions originates from the fact that most Hungarians are self-centered and don't cooperate easily. This is from my personal experience with the Hungarians. This gains its root from the world of civilization where wars made them not trust people so much. This is one of the residual effects of the recurrent history that keeps on haunting their trust. So much of my preconceptions are rooted in their history as a country and the sweet memoirs I have had with Hungarians.
The Post-Revolution War and Its Impact on Hungarian Culture
The post-revolution war against the Habsburg Empire stands out in the course material. The war started in 1848 and lasted till 1849. The post-war revolution was marked by the death of the Hungarian army generals. The generals were executed by the Australians who celebrated the execution by the toast of beers. This resulted in the adoption of anti-beer toasting by Hungarians 150 years down the line. So the preconception that Hungarians do not toast with beer is based solemnly on the civilization age of the country. According to the book, "In March 1848, a radical Hungarian Magyar group led by Louis Kossuth began a vocal independence movement. Kossuth's fiery speeches were soon printed in Vienna, where they started a sensation and soon an uprising."The preconception of Hungarians having contradictory opinions is true and rooted in the history of the war. "The Serbo-Croatians, who did not speak the Magyar language, rebelled and asked the Hapsburgs for help. In December, another rebellion in Vienna led Emperor Ferdinand to abdicate, putting his son, Franz Joseph, into power. Franz Joseph quickly appealed to the Russians, who marched into Hungary and crushed the Magyars." The Habsburg war has caused numerous trust issues among the Hungarians. The Turks invaded Europe, but Hungarians rebelled against the rule during the 1848-49 war. The Magyar group is recognized for its role in the fight. "In September and October of 1848, Louis Kossuth started a movement to make Magyar the official language of Hungary, even though only half of the population of Hungary spoke Magyar."
