6-26 Kishegyes

6-26

Today we have to register with the police. You have to know where those foreigners are and how to get your hands on them, you know. Of course, this is, at least partially, a way of "putting you in your place." As evidence, I offer our last experience with trying to register (see July 10, 2006 in the blog). The short version is, you have to get a card, the card has to be filled out correctly, and signed by the police. You have 24 buisness hours to do this, or you get a hefty fine. How much of a scavenger hunt and grief you get depends upon how much they like you, how much grief they got from their boss that day, or a whim. The card, of course, is in Serbo-Croation, a language which is not always that dependable. Vera came with us today to run through the scavenger hunt and did pretty ok. She past the card test, and lucked out by getting the son of a neighbor as her police officer. Fourty-five minutes and we were out - a record!

**********

Our "home and away" visits start later this morning with a trip down to see Imre and Kati, and shortly joined by Emese after handing out report cards and sending her 6th grade homeroom class on vacation. It is always nice to visit with these folks, as they are friendly and outgoing. Emese is working on her English, and I am happy to be a guiney pig. We'll have pictures of all these folks as soon as we can get a cord for the camera!

Greg appears to be going through a bit of culture shock as we converse. (When I say "we" I mean Z, Kyra, and the locals. Jaden is out playing with Emese' son Arron and not being bothered by little things like language.) When asked about it later, he says he is OK, just thinking. We'll have a lot of time for that over the next few days.

**********

Afternoon finds me on the deck practicing Clarke Studies - in a thunderstorm. Even nature is commenting on how out of shape I am, sheesh!