Jack's Eye Surgeries

Over the past month Jack has had surgery on both of his eyes. The right eye had the beginning of a cataract, so the ophthalmologist that was recommended to us suggested that this would be a good time to have surgery to replace the lenses in Jack's eyes. After doing a bit of research, we realized that having the surgeries here would be a wise choice economically and logistically. The school gave Jack time off and the Hungarian health care system paid for everything except for the actual lenses which were a tenth of the cost of having it done in the U.S. The doctor assured us that the ultrasound technique that he would use was equally effective as laser surgery and as safe. Jack went to the pharmacy a few days before each surgery to pick up the new lens that would be put into his eye. 

When we arrived at the hospital, Jack was put in a room with four chairs and four cupboards. He was greeted by nurse Eva, and then instructed using hand gestures-- because she didn't speak English-- where to put his clothes. He put a hospital gown over his "pajamas" that he was instructed to bring (shorts and t-shirt). There were only men in this prep room (along with wives who stepped out whenever a patient had to get changed).

 About an hour before the surgery Eva began putting drops in Jack's eye to dilate it and numb it.

When it was time for the surgery, Laci came and whisked Jack away in a basic "wheelchair". He was very efficient and moved each patient around as if there was a fire. He also didn't speak English but it didn't matter; he knew where he was going and that was all that mattered.

The doctor's English was very good and he gave Jack a play by play during the whole surgery.

"I am now making some small incisions... Now I'm cutting your lens into four pieces...now your eye is empty...your new lens is on the table...now I am folding your new lens and putting it into your ocular chamber...now I am rotating it and hooking it in place...and now you should be able to see."  

The actual surgery took a total of 20 minutes. Jack returned to the prep room, which was now the recovery room, with a big patch over his eye that had a plastic mold underneath to protect his eye. 

He was told to return to the Dr. office 24 hours later; at that time Jack had the patch taken off and then took an eye test. For the next four weeks eye anti-biotic eye drops have to be put in the recovering eye. Dr. Vamosi said that the surgery was a complete success! 

Devin Castle Hike near Bratislava

We knew that we wanted one last visit with our friend Katie before we both left Europe. Katie was a part of the Central European ESI team that we first met at training in Pasadena five years ago. We got along well and made a point of visiting each other over the years. She has taught at the same school for the past five years in Bratislava, the capitol of Slovakia. We have often celebrated birthdays and anniversaries together.

We had originally planned to take a hiking trip to the Tatra Mountains but decided that it would be too time consuming and expensive. So we opted for taking a hike nearer Bratislava and just enjoy being together. Last year Katie had taken Cindy and some other friends on a hike to the Devin Castle. It was a beautiful hike that Jack had to miss because of how sick he suddenly became that weekend. We decided it was a hike worth repeating and showing Jack. We ended up actually taking a completely different route than last year, that was even more beautiful. The weather was in the 60's with clouds but perfect for a great hike. The hike was probably about five miles through a beautiful forest. We began the hike from the outskirts of Bratislava. We were able to take public transportation to get to the trailhead.  We arrived at the town of Devin and Devin Castle that overlooks the Danube River border between Slovakia and Austria.

Here is the view of the village of Devin and the Castle that we got along the hike.

Jack next to the Maypole in the town square of Devin. It was made with a live pine tree that all but the top branches are stripped off and then it's "planted" into a hole in the center square. It's traditionally erected on May Day (the first of May).

We passed this old Devin firetruck parked in the village.

view from Devin Castle of the Morava River intersecting with the Danube. 

All the land viewed from here is Austria.

Devin Castle viewed from the castle grounds...you can see Roman Ruins in the foreground. According to Wikipedia: "Owing to it's strategic position, the cliff at the confluence of the Danube and Morava was an ideal place for a fort. That is why the site has been settled since the Neolithic Period and fortified since the Bronze and Iron Age. Later both the Celts and Romans built strong fortresses here."

Katie and Cindy with their matching rain coats peeking through a gate of the fortress.

The castle stands just inside the Slovak border (formerly Czechoslovakia). Prior to 1989, the Iron Curtain ran just in front of the castle. Although the castle was open to the public, the area surrounding it constituted a restricted military zone and was heavily fortified with watchtowers and barbed wire.

This memorial in front of the Devin Castle was set up to commemorate those shot while trying to escape to Austria from Czechoslovakia at this place during the Nazi occupation. 

There are more than 400 names listed on the memorial.

Ballagás

This past weekend was ballagás, or the graduation ceremony, in all the high schools in Hungary. Trefort Ágoston Kéttannyelvű Fővárosi Gyakorló Szakközépiskola, where Jack teaches, put on a fine celebration. As is typical, the students are lead by class throughout the school to say good bye to each of their classrooms before the ceremony begins. The whole school is decorated with flowers for the occasion. As the students file by, parents and friends present them with bouquets which they carry along with balloons to match their class color. It was 5 years ago that Jack's first group of students began. We were told at the time that we should stay 5 years so that we could see these students graduate. We never thought we would stay this long, but last Friday we were able to see those students graduate. 

One student from the graduating class has become a special part of our lives. Szilvi first came to our Serve The City events a couple of years ago and then began to attend our Bible study group shortly after. Jack has accompanied Szilvi in several performances at school and at private recitals. Last year we were able to travel with Szilvi and her parents to Transylvania to visit her aunts and uncles and grandma and cousins. Many of them came to Szilvi's ballagás so we were able to greet them again. They treat us as a part of the family and so were invited to the party at a csarda afterwards. We had so much fun being with the family again and getting to know them better. 

Jack and fellow TeachOverseas teacher Paul with part of their 9D class this year.

Szilvi blowing us a kiss in her procession through the courtyard.

The procession...notice the pouches worn at their side.

Szilvi receiving her award for the performances that she gave at Trefort throughout her 4 years.

Jack's first class as 9D now graduating as 13D

The class picture hanging in the hallway at school. Szilvi is the artist who designed the picture and drew all the additional artwork. Her picture is a girl wearing American colors since her dream is to continue her studies in the U.S.

Szilvi's family including Jack and Cindy and Paul

This is the traditional pouch that each graduate carries at their side containing a forint, a picture of the school, a short saying appropriate for the graduate, and a small pogácsa-the traditional roll.

Szilvi between Jack bácsi and Cindy néni

Szilvi's Dad offers a toast at the family celebration meal

Rome

After the graduation ceremony of the "leaving" students on Saturday, and a celebration dinner with the family of our student/friend Szilvi who graduated, we flew to Rome for a three-day holiday. There were no classes scheduled for the first three days of this week, so we took advantage of the time off. Plus, we decided that this would be our last big-city visit while still in Europe. 

On Sunday, our first day, we braved the rainy weather and headed for St. Peter's Basilica, to meet with Pope Francis, who apparently did not get our email and therefore did not have us on his guest list. We joined the thousands of other umbrella-ed devotees, and had a great view of the big screen. We were probably a quarter-mile away from the big proceedings, but when then pope-mobile made its way into our area, we were able to hear the cheering get louder as the pope approached. Although we report with tongue in cheek, we really enjoyed this first part of our day.

 We left with the masses, while it still rained, and walked the kilometer back to the metro station. 

Next stop: Trevi Fountain.

We decided to walk around and just see things as they came. 

It's such a beautiful city with so much to see at every turn.

At about three o'clock we found ourselves in Venezia Piazza, where this big building houses the Museo Sacrario delle Bandiere. Of particular interest is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the top of the steps. At this point the sun began to shine, and we dried out and got quite warm very quickly.

 Heading around the corner, we climbed the many steps to the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli. Someone with a ton of euros was getting married in this beautiful church. There were 32 of these eight-foot tall urns of white roses and orchids. The bride or groom must also have required tight security, as there were about twenty suited men with the characteristic ear pieces.

The statue of Remus and Romulus, the legendary twins of Mars and Rhea.  

Romulus made himself king after killing Remus, and that is where Rome got its name.

Then we found our way to the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the major thoroughfare that runs through the amazing ruins of first century Rome. Everywhere we turned there was well-preserved evidence of the ancient Roman civilization.   

The Colosseum. 

The arch of Constantine.

On the second day we toured the Basilica at St. Peter's Square. To get in you must go through a security check. We were surprised at how quickly they processed so many people. Once inside you can walk around as long as you want to see all the beautiful paintings and sculptures.

We were very impressed by our visit to the Pantheon. The Pantheon was built in 126 a.d. and has been in continuous use since that time. Since the 7th century it has been a Roman Catholic Church.

All the bronze on the inside and outside of the building was removed and melted down in the 15th century to build the altar in St Peter's Basilica by Pope Urban VIII.

The pantheon's dome is the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. It has a hole that is open in the center and has a diameter of 27 feet. 

Piazza Navona.

Castel Sant' Angelo, formerly Hadrian's Mauseleum

Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. There were very few people exploring this huge edifice. 

which is the burial place of St. Paul  

St. Paul's Within the Walls. 

This is an Episcopal church built in the late 1800's. We had read that the mosaics were so beautiful, so we had been trying to find this church. But it wasn't until we were on our way to catch our bus to the airport that we "happened on it". It was probably the most beautiful of all the churches that we entered.

We couldn't leave Rome without trying the famous deep fried Jewish artichoke dish 

called Carciofi alla Giudia.

Second Annual Budapest Bridge Walk

We enjoyed a wonderful 80-degree spring day to walk the seven bridges spanning Buda and Pest. By the time we finished crossing the seventh bridge, we had walked nine miles in about four hours. The walk along the Danube provides some wonderful scenery on both sides. 

We were with Paul and Erin, Hope, Sharon, David and Barbara, Scott, Susan and later Brett and Elizabeth joined us for the last two bridges.

The first bridge was called Lagymanyosi but is now renamed Rákóczi Bridge 

Ready to begin Petőfi Bridge

view along the Danube of BME building (Budapest University of Technology and Economics)

nearing the Szabadság (Freedom) Bridge 

Erzsébet Bridge as seen from the Szabadság Bridge

ready to begin Erzsébet Bridge

At the entrance to the Chain Bridge with the palace in the background

lunch break at a park after we crossed the Chain Bridge (in the background)

The Buda Reformed Church that we passed along the way

The Hungarian Parliament Building across the river

Margit Bridge

This monument along the Danube was built as a memorial and is called Makris Agamemnon 

(Martyr Memorial) This is a half-sized copy of the memorial erected in 1959 

at the concentration camp in Mauthausen. The memorial along the Danube was erected in the 1980s

"IN MEMORY OF THE RESISTANCE FIGHTERS, DESERTERS AND PERSECUTED ONES WHO WERE MURDERED ON THE BANK OF THE DANUBE IN THE WINTER OF 1944-45".

Finishing the last bridge, Árpád Bridge, together.