ISSUE #3

HUNGARY

ST. STEPHEN’S BASILICA DOME

PHOTO BY DENNIS JARVIS

HUNGARY

IT’S easy to see why a youthful

group of Smaller Earth staff find it

well nigh impossible to have a bad

word to say about their country’s

capital city Budapest.

The city on the Danube has played

a pivotal role at the heart of Europe

with an outstanding reputation for

its world class architecture, music,

fine dining and night life.

In fact all the ingredients of a

happening city which offers thermal

baths and chilled out spaces and

places are there in great supply.

Smaller Earth’s Camp Leaders

program was started in 2007

and unsurprisingly it has been an

amazing success as Eva Adam, its

program manager explains:

“What is most surprising is that just 12 month after we established the Camp Leaders program, we had already become the leading company in summer camp programs throughout Hungary.”

And what started from a small room

in a dorm some seven year later

became offices in central Budapest.

A city once dubbed: ‘the Paris of the

East’.

It is always easy to forget what it is

that the Hungarian team does well

but first impressions for would be

recruits to the many programs, leave

the outside observer in no doubt as

to how slick this operation really is.

Team says:

“People visiting our offices usually pick up on both an energetic and youthful vibe from a chilled ‘smaller earth’ atmosphere with background music as they watch images of some of the life changing experiences our previous program participants have shared.”

One of the most important parts

of the overall structure for the

Hungarian team is to employ staff

members who understand that

sometimes work and play are

essential to creating a joined up

team always willing and able to

challenge themselves. They add:

“While it is important to inspire people to go further, it is equally important we provide not just the right atmosphere but to share our own enthusiasm for the journey many of them are embarking upon.The relationship between us is sometimes so strong that we often forget to leave the office on time. But having a few drinks and bites together after a long day/week is definitely part of our office culture in which we are not just colleagues but we are also really good friends.”

According to Eva, a Smaller Earth

staff member visiting Budapest will

have a fantastic experience. She

said:

“We have yet to hear of any complaints! So if after reading this article, you would like to pay us a visit, you are more than welcome. We will definitely show you some highlights of the city including its architecture, gastronomy and the nightlife, so what are you waiting for?”

SMALLER EARTH OFFICE, BUDAPEST

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Alaska.

FAVOURITE MOVIE?One Week.

CAMP/RESORT?Lindenmere (2006/2007).

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?(i) Everywhere I travel I buy an ugly Christmas decoration and (ii) I like playing chess against myself!

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?As a chief engineer working on high speed railways.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE? Ushuaia

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Can’t choose just one, so it would be between Kenya, Thailand and Portugal.

FAVOURITE MOVIE?Again, I can’t choose one, so it would be between Love Actually, Mamma Mia and Moulin Rouge.

CAMP/RESORT?Not yet!

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?I love to ride rollercoasters.

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?Any job or role where I could do some good for other people.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE?New York

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Nisswas, Minnesota.

FAVOURITE MOVIE?The Secret Life of Bees

CAMP/RESORT?Camp Lake Hubert for Girls

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?I always wear mismatching socks.

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?I would work with special needs kids.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE? Whangerei, Northland, New Zealand.

IZABELLAGYURICZA

SZILVIATEREBESI

NORAAGOSTON

Country Director Hungary

Flights and Travel Manager

Internship and ReturneeProgram Manager

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Can’t choose just one, so it would be between Kenya, Thailand and Portugal.

FAVOURITE MOVIE?Again, I can’t choose one, so it would be between Love Actually, Mamma Mia and Moulin Rouge.

CAMP/RESORT?Not yet!

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?I love to ride rollercoasters.

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?Any job or role where I could do some good for other people.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE?New York

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Budapest and Chicago

FAVOURITE MOVIE?Mindhunters

CAMP/RESORT?JCC Camp Chi

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?I would work for an advertising agency

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE?Greece or New ZealandSZILVIA

TEREBESI

DANIELHORVATH

Flights and Travel Manager

Marketing Manager

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Manly, New South Wales, Australia.

FAVOURITE MOVIE?Intouchables.

CAMP/RESORT?Trail’s End Camp

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?I went to camp in the United States aged 13.

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?Work and travel around the globe.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE?Sun Island, Maldives

KITTITOBIAS

Customer Relations Manager

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?New York

FAVOURITE MOVIE?The Bone Collector

CAMP/RESORT?Campus Kids Minisink (2007/2008) YMCA Cap Hi-Rock (2009-2014)

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?I once climber Mount Fuji.

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?I would be living in Japan and working on plans for oil refineries.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE? Australia or South Africa

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Airports, because it means I am travelling, no matter where.

FAVOURITE MOVIE?The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

CAMP/RESORT?URJ Eisner Camp

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?I like singing

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?I would work as a photographer on an ocean cruiser.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE?Ushuaia.

GERGELYNAGY

GYORGY BAKOS

Visa Manager

Kiwi Program Manager

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Zion National Park.

FAVOURITE MOVIE?American Beauty.

CAMP/RESORT?OMNI Mount Washington Resort

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?I played the drums for eight years at music school.

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?I would take part in the Paris to Dakar rally.

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE?Sydney, Australia

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITEPLACE ON EARTH?Central Park, New York

FAVOURITE MOVIE?Devil Wears Prada

CAMP/RESORT?JCC Camp Chi

SOMETHING THAT ONLY YOUR BEST FRIEND KNOWS ABOUT YOU?My wardrobe is organised by colours.

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING FOR SE WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?I would be either a travel journalist or teaching English in Thailand

WHERE WOULD YOU GO IF YOU HAD A FREE TICKET TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE? Seychelles

BENCEFULOP

EVAADAM

Resort LeadersProgram Manager

Camp LeadersProgram Manager

MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS, BUDAPEST

PHOTOS BY FRANÇOIS PHILIPP

FIGHTING THE DRAGON SCULPTURE, BUDAPEST

The Rubik’s cube which is an Hungarian invention. It has a mind-

boggling 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 (forty-three quintillion)

permutations and yet research has proved that all cubes can be

solved in just 26 moves!

The safety match was invented by Hungarian Janos Irinyi.

Hungarian Anyos Jedlik built the first electric motor.

While his countryman Jozsef built the first Model T Ford.

The world’s first nuclear reactor was built thanks to Leo Szilard.

And where would we be without the ballpoint pen invented by

Laszlo Biro.

The hydrogen bomb by Edward Teller.

The binocular by Jozsef Petzval.

Vitamin C by Albert Szent-Gyorgyi.

Digital computing was invented by John von Neumann.

TASKARADIO ESZPRESSZO CAFE, BUDAPEST

H U N G A R I A N S T Y L E

R E U N I O N

When this event was organised back in 2007, just 19 people showed up. And as if to demonstrate how much the Summer Reunion has grown, it was attended in 2014 by more than 1,100 people.

Eva Adam, Smaller Earth’s Camp Leaders program manager explains:

“It is incredible how the Summer Reunion has grown from so few to 1,147 people this year. One of the main reasons for the gatherings is to meet participants from that first year still remembering their Camp Leaders sum-mer as the best of their lives. And even the club owner where it was held gave us feedback saying he had never seen anything like this before.

“One of the highlights is showing our latest summer video put together from the photos of the participants which tends to get everybody extreme-ly excited.

“The reunion is when we can really see the positive impact we have made and helps gives us extra energy for next year. And one of the overwhelm-ing feelings we get from meeting is that it feels like we are united in one community which shares a common humanity to one another.”

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D E S I G N E D BY

C O V E R “ U N D E R T H E M A R G A R E T B R I D G E ” BY

Pank Seelen

T E A M A N D PA R T Y P H OTO S BY

Dean Maddocks & James Mellan