Heimat

Many people need a 'Heimat' , a home land. If I think of a heimat, I would think of the Europe continent. It is the continent, with all its people, histories, colours and smells, that stands close to me. If I had to choose for a country that stands close to me, though, I would choose for Hungary. That is, besides the Netherlands...

Why Hungary ?

In 1994 the Hungarian writer György Konrád asked me this when I met him in the Dutch city of Groningen; this man could not understand the interest of a Dutch student for his 'moderate' and somewhat 'boring' homeland. He himself was one of the initiators for my interest, though. Some years before, an interview with a.o. Mr. Konrád, broadcasted in four sunday sessions, appeared on Dutch television. He, and the Hungarians I met in Taizé France, stimulated my interest. In 1990 I started to travel to Hungary, three or four times per year. I was not the only one, far from that. In the nineties of the previous century interest in Central Europe could easily be explained as 'curiousity'. Many Dutch students and tourists came to Hungary to see the new-born post-coldwar Central European states, thrilled as they were by the beauty of Prague and Budapest.

The years went by, though. Today, the immense flow of tourists has decreased to a moderate stream; and Dutch companies discover that the Hungarian markets are developing into complex markets with special features and demands. The 'magic' of Hungary seems to have vanished. It is already a NATO member state, and it does everything to become an acceptabel EU member state. Konrád's idea of a 'nothing special', moderate Europan nation seems to become reality.

Since 1990 I have met engineers, writers, sociologists and economists, representatives of local governments, and other people. Some of them are still among my best friends. I have travelled to almost all corners of the country. In 1996 I have been working at energy saving projects in the east of Hungary. Since these projects did not have a prosperous commercial value I had to go back to Holland. Today I am working in a totally different area; I am Account Service Manager at EBSCO Information Services. Hungary remains my primary focuspoint though. Recent websites I have co-designed: http://www.hongarije-vakantie.net and http://www.it-expats.com.
When times changes, and I see another opportunity to be professionaly involved in doing business in Hungary, I will not hesitate.

What I like most, is that in Hungary one is likely to gain genuine results. Results in business life, results in the service sector, results in the non-profit sector. The present day emerging market of Hungary gives a unique dynamism in economic life, and it acts as a catalyst for the pessimistic and inward-looking society. This dynamism attracks and motivates me.