cultural identity

This was made for a lesson in the university of Gävle, though it's not only a homework - but a testimony.

The most important elements of my identity: I am the creature and child of God , and I belong to the Roman Catholic Church. And after that I am human, and woman and Hungarian, then European, and scout, and art student, writer and travelle.

Me and my family are living in Hungary, Transdanubia, in a small city: Veszprém – this is the very middle of the Earth for me. My ancestors had various professions, and I am proud of them all: they were mostly teachers and doctors, but also carpenters and peasants, warriors and poets. My smaller family (my mum, dad and my two brothers and me) are in the low-middle class in the present Hungarian society – we are intellectuals, but neither of us earns very much. In fact, compare to my cousins and other relatives, we are a kind of 'dud': we never ever will get much money because our priorities more are the family and friends, free-time activities and to enjoy ourselves (in a cheap way); and it is more important to us to work in a place where we want to work – much more than work in a place where we earn money but don't like the work itself. In politics we like the right side but much more prefer to get out of it.

It is very important to me that I am Hungarian but also that my roots are from Poland, Italy, Croatia, Germany and probably from somwhere Asia or from Jews (it's normal in Hungary because there is a lot of other nation here from thousand years). We Hungarians are mixed so no one can say he or she is 'pure-blood' Hungarian (though in the society there are groups making kind of troubles of this).

I believe this is an amazing world, a beautiful country and world full of fantastic people – though I know there are lots of problems in the world and in the country, and I try to deal with them when I need to face them (homeless people for example), but most of the time I choose to build the culture and the beauty of the world.

The most important base in the life: that God loves us and He send his son, Christ to save us, and I can feel or at least know this in every moment of my life. This is my own conscious choice and influenced by my family and later my friends and communities in the University – and later my own relationship with God. I also feel close to the franciscans, I volunteered for them in Italy, Assisi and that experience affected me to get closer to God and to myself.

Other things that determined my life: I am scout from the age 9, I am climbing rock, and I love dance classical or Hungarian folk dance; I love reading, writing and I love literature (poems, novels, tales), I love making handicrafts (carving wood, making flowers etc) and being with friends talking through long evenings about life with a glass of very good wine. I belonged to the university chaplancy as a leader for years, by this and as a scout leader I learned a lot about children, youth, about teaching and organizing. Being a scout taught that we are responsible for others and for our own life, and yes, we are able to solve every kind of problems we face day by day.

I was also influenced by my travellings all around Europe, alone as well as with others. I was in Korea for three months volunteering as a scout, and stepping out of Europe taught me a lot and opened my eyes to other parts of the world – and it also strenghtened my European identity; as well as I have something to do with Asians both as a Hungarian and personally.

As a child I liked to observe things such as grass, sunset, ants, nature, and it formed me very much. As adults I often forget just observe things – though these are kind of meditation and these are the moments when I feel very alive – to do only one thing at the time: like swimming in the lake, climbing rock or mountain, reading, eating, crying, kissing, carving wood, listening to music or listening to somebody who is important to me. These things are really forming.

My grandmother was telling me a lot about her family, especially about her father, who escaped miraculously from the first and then the second world war – these events formed his, her and my life as well. This granny of mine transformed me much because during university I had been living with her for six years and she showed me how to become old in a purposeful and dignified way – she still have a lot of activities in her life. My other grandfather was a very good doctor of children – his life pattern influenced me a lot, and also how he worked in all his 88 years honestly and hard – for others, never for himself.

My parents divorced when I was eight years old, and I realized it not so long ago how much it had hurt me, in my affections to others and my relationships, but I believe that this is something that can be healed by God. However, I love and respect my parents very much, and I know that most of their lives and acts are to be followed – I'm glad that I inherited my values from these wonderful persons.

I remember one moment when as a child I asked my uncle who actually was scout leader as well: I'm a boyish girl, am I not? He said: no, you are certainly a very feminine girl. I did not understand it that time, but I realized that it affected me later to be more sure about myself as a woman. The aspects of femininity also deepened when I had a long-term relationship.

I have a lot of friends and I know that all is important to me and I must take care of the relationship with them, even if we live far away, but one of my most important tasks in this life (I started to unfold this idea not long ago) to bring joy to the life of my beloved and others whom I meet. And this is that should affect my choice of evocation, my work, my job, and also my decisions.

Most of my friends are also intellectuells, teachers, students, poets, nurses, people who are seeking their place (or simply house and food) in the world. However, when I hitch-hike (and I do it a lot because it's a cheap way of travelling) I can meet people from other classes: millionaires or gipsies, politic or workingman, or people who think totally different about the world or the country, and I am always astonised that I live in a kind of cultural bubble, and I might need to change this.

I am definitely the child of the 20th century, (was born in the '80-es), - but I need to build the 21st century, the present– with my personal life, and with what I create with the help of the talents that are given to me