With COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, we turn to Zoom to communicate with friends and family. Since 2000, we of Pecs, Hungarian Fulbright-Hays Grant, have kept in touch mainly through Facebook. This month, Sylvia of Pecs, suggested a Zoom meeting of our group so I set to organize 12 of the original 20 members to Zoom next month.

Ours was the first American group, post Cold War, to study/travel in Pecs, a southern city in Hungary. There, I learned how to email with fellow grantees at the Internet Cafe. Today, many of our group have retired, but our friendship continues. We think of descending into a Transylvanian Salt Mine, go-karting at the base of a 1092 castle, swimming in the Hotel Gallert thermal baths, and bargaining for Korund pottery.

Other Fulbrighters might write about their gained career opportunities, but I think of the golden friendship we achieved and children of the Hungarian teachers are also invited to our zoom meeting. We hope that they, too, appreciate our special friendship and will come to the US as our guests.

Barbara McCleary – Fulbright to Hungary 2000