Today was my first day of school at Eotvos Joszef Egysegyes Gimnazium. It started off like any other first day of school would have. I picked out an outfit that I thought would be appropriate for the first day of class. Gray slacks, white top, kelly green cardigan, and of course, my pearls. I excitedly walked to school trying to hide the grin plastered across my face because Hungarians don't exactly mess around with a polite smile in passing after awkward eye contact, and I didn't want to stick out any more than I feel I already do. I arrived at school at 7.45 for the opening of the school year ceremonies and waited for Gotti to arrive so she could show me where to go.
I was unaware of two things this morning. The first was that it is tradition to wear black and white on the first day of school, and second, that the headmaster was looking to formally introduce me to the entire staff and student body. I didn't realize until I was standing in front of 600 pairs of judging eyes, all fixed on me in my kelly green sweater standing on stage next to the vice principals. I felt my ears and then my face immediately turn bright red as he said my name and something about 'Amerikai' in his funny Hungarian accent, in true Chelsea style.
At the end of my last class, after the students left and the door to classroom 10 was closed, I regained the same smile from earlier this morning and couldn't help but audibly exclaim, "I was just an English teacher!" After class I had to go to the Immigration office with Gotti to get my residence permit, and after an hour and a half I was in the books as a resident of Szeged! I made my way home, still on my high from my spectacular day and as soon as I walked in reality hit.
Brenna's Hungarian friend Anti from Lindenmere circa 2005 (?) was sitting on our couch and her bags were all packed at the door. I tried to make small talk and avoid the subject of her leaving by talking about my first day teaching, but it could only last for so long. I walked them downstairs, gave her a hug, and watched as they drove away. I returned to my 2 bedroom flat, turned on the tv for noise, and came to the realization that I live alone in a city where I know 2 people, and sat. Reality is tough when you don't have anyone to talk to.
I sat there with my computer on my lap trying to keep myself busy as BBC Entertainment blared into the emptiness of my apartment, and waited for something else to keep me busy, as all my friends and family had already signed off skype and facebook chat. And OH did something happen!
The buzzer to the front door went off and I got up to ask who it was, as I wasn't expecting any visitors. Being the optimist that I am, I thought it may have been Brenna coming to my rescue, deciding that she could stay, telling me she would face her fears and just do it. Not the case. Next, a loud and deliberate knock echoed down the hallway from the front door, except I hadn't let anyone into the door in the lobby. I hesitated to ask who it was, but after jumbling around with the chain lock I tried my best to have a confident voice and asked, "Who is it?" A muffled voice responded in English with, "...clean for you..." so I asked again. Same response. I tried to look through the microscopic pinhole that is my peephole, but all I could see was that there was a person standing there. No detail, just the shadowed silhouette of a person. Perfect. They knocked again.
I opened the door but kept the chain lock latched just in case she was trying to sell me into prostitution. (Credit for this assumption can be given dad who took me to see the movie "Taken" the day I told him I wanted to move to central Europe...) Through the 4 inch crack in the door, I could see that it was a woman, she was at least 6'2", she was sweaty, and she was mad. She started shouting at me in Hungarian, and I exhausted my knowledge of the Hungarian language by telling her, "Nem beselek magyarul, sajnalom," (Sorry, I don't speak Hungarian) and proceeded to close the door. The huge sweaty woman then thrust her fist through the crack of the door at waved a 500 forint note at me. My heart skipped a beat as I tripped over my feet to step out of her reach and I tried to think of the 'panic' word I'm supposed to say if I'm in trouble and need help, but my mind was completely blank. I tried to think where I put both my cans or pepper spray, but no luck again. I haven't even unpacked everything so they're probably somewhere in the huge pile of random items on my desk. She began to yell at me even louder.
It was perfect. The first night that I'm living alone in a city where I don't speak the language a large angry Hungarian woman tries to force her way into my apartment in an attempt to sell me into prostitution and get me addicted to heroin... Or so my imagination led me to believe.
She continued to shout through the crack at me, with her face less than 6 inches away from the gap between the door and the frame, her saliva spraying onto the floor and wall. This went on for more than a minute, but it seemed like I had to wait an eternity before she took her hand out of the door so I could slam it shut to call Gotti to ask why there might be an angry woman yelling at me. She went away after a few minutes and I dialed Gotti's number as fast as my fingers would allow.
Gotti's explanation made much more sense than mine. Big sweaty Hungarian woman was the cleaning lady looking to collect the dues for the last 3 months. Nobody has been living in this flat since June so nobody paid the lady. Wow. Perfect first night alone, I can't wait to see who else comes to my door.
