Scott and Edina Lough: My trip to Hungary and Italy

So! I just returned from Europe. I am still fighting jet leg and constant headaches, but I'm getting there. It is so good to be back home.... HOME.... by the way, many of you ask me how it was being back "home" in Hungary. Well.... I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with my family, I miss them all the time, but as far as my "home" goes, it is here in the US right now, where my husband and son, and of course where my kitchen is!!
For years I resisted the culture here, I kept comparing everything to "back home", and I must say I was miserable all the time. I was homesick and depressed a lot. But after a couple of years living here in the USA I said to myself: "You know what? No! I live HERE now! This is the home of my husband and son, so this is MY HOME TOO! My home is where my family is!" It wasn't until I accepted it that I finally was okay living here. I learnt to appreciate a lot of things about the American culture and tried to pick up its pace. I adopted the culture as my own and stopped fighting it. So if you ask me today how it was being "back home", I will tell you, It was great, but now it is so good to be BACK HOME! :)

HUNGARY
I spent one week in Hungary. The main reason for this visit was my brother's wedding. They asked me to be the wedding photographer, which first made me really nervous (I am not a professional photographer), but then I got really excited about the task. I looked at a lot of wedding photos on Pinterest and other places for ideas. However, when the wedding day came there was no time for getting my little idea book out. It was like SNAP SNAP SNAP all day, I tried not to miss any important moments. :) So I had to just listen to my guts and SHOOT!! ;) I am so glad that they didn't only like but loved the photos. Especially a few which were actually taken in "in-between" moments when nobody looked or when we were just "playing around" with the light etc.

First few days of the week was preparations, then a two day wedding, then clean-up. I also did some visiting and shopping. It was tirering, but it was so good to be back with my family a little bit.

The wedding: we made most of the food since it was a small family reception. Actually, lunch and dinner, and the next day a dinner for some more family members who were not there on the first day.

Here are some pics of the food: (These are just samples, we had lots more traditional wedding foods like stuffed cabbage rolls, beef stew or Husleves)

ITALY

Then on Monday night I flew to Rome. My plane landed late, like 10PM. A nice guy, Alessandro picked me up and drove me to the Bible School where I stayed for a few nights. I was so tired and sick after that flight OMG even though it was "only" a 90-min. flight! As he was driving like 60 miles an hour on those narrow and curvy little one lane streets I commented, "Oh, glad this is a one way street, it would be pretty scary if there were cars coming from the other direction too since we cant see whats around the corner...."

He goes, "Oh this is not a one way street..." Gulp. O.O Oops.

Driving in Italy: You keep pushing your "nose" out slowly but steadily and eventually you will get through intersections and jams. When you hesitate and pause is when accidents happen--my Italian guide explains. People drive fast. I could probably best compare it to driving go-karts and bumper cars. No kidding.

I planned a ROME-DAY for the next day. I had my map with all the want-to-see sights staked out on it. I had my umbrella, because the weather-man said it would rain, I had my comfy walking shoes on, money, camera, sunglasses..... everything I needed! I spent 10 and a half hours WALKING in Rome, I literally couldnt feel my legs and feet by the end of the day, but I kept dragging myself. And I found ALL my sights!!!

Even those tiny little shops buried in narrow little streets that I saw in a travel book and wanted to visit!

So I was quite proud of myself. I took the subway too a few times and I found my way around Rome very well!!

Vatican City, Basilica di San Pietro

The Italian "Hollywood"

On Wednesday I took the train down to PIETRACATELLA, a 1500 years old town built on the top of the mountain. I stayed with the Marino family for a few days. They are going to be our co-workers in Italy next spring when we move over there (God willing). We had a good time getting to know each other and talking about many details of our future ministry in Italy.

Here are a few pics of Pietracatella, this enchanting little Italian hill-town.