Goulash Pot - Integration and Equality Training : Chalenging our perspectives on Saturday afternoon.

If you think of Goulash you will think of a warm nice meat and vegetable mixture soup with a kick taste of paprika that satisfies your stomach. It is also what this training offers: a mix of multicultural experiences in one spot, where living in Hungary is the common spice and it will leave you with a warm feeling afterward.

I wasn't sure to join at first because I didn't know what to expect. But I met a previous participant, and based on her experience, she recommended it. I thought to give it a try and I thought it would be a good place to meet people

I joined the third training group. The training consisted of 4 sessions on Saturday afternoons. Four hours each session. I was thinking, what are we going to do for 4 hours?! Well, now I can say that I did not even think of time once I was engaged in the training. All the activities were fun, interactive and mind-boggling. They consisted of games, role play and watching movies with enough breaks between them. Every session had a packed schedule for different activities that gave us no time to be bored. And each of them was challenging our perspectives.

Lively discussions on every session (picture source Goulash Pot Facebook page)

My group was awesome. It consisted of around 12 people (different people came in a different session to make up the season they missed during the previous training). We come from different cultures and backgrounds. They were all open minded, fun and smart. The training had a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. It was led by two wonderful trainers, Julieta from Mexico and Dalma from Hungary. No cell phones were allowed during the training (but free wifi was available during the break) and they waited for each of participants to arrive before starting the season. (Nobody left behind.. :)

We shared and discussed various topics, many of them were sensitive and challenging. From being a foreigner in Hungary to sex. From heroes and heroines in our own country to marriage. We shared our opinions without being judged. It is not about right or wrong. It is only how we see things differently. The differences which were coming from the different knowledge and experiences of the participants about the subject.

On seeing ourselves and other when we are on the top or bottom of the society
(picture source Goulash Pot Facebook page)

One thing might be normal for us but it might not be for others. When we looked back, we realized it might be normal only because we got used to it. We were taught to think that way. For instance, in one of the activities, we were given a list of statements about men and women. We needed to think whether those statements were coming from the gender perspectives (the idea that was taught) or the sex (we are born like that).

We were challenged to think different ways whether what we thought of a man or a woman can do and can not do something because they were born like that or was it because of the result of our culture that was there for ages? We might agree or disagree. But we respect each others' opinions and views. And we might get a new perspective to think about at the end of the discussion.

On how people are labeling and judging other people
(picture source Goulash Pot Facebook page)

We also did a lot of role plays. One of them was about sharing our experiences of living in Hungary. As a foreigner, we have experienced racism in some form or another. Some of us got discriminated because of our country of origin, some of us got bullied because what we wear, some of us got harsh comments because of the skin color, and some of us got different treatment because we speak a different language. We shared these experiences and discussed what we could do and how to deal with them.

On being inside and outside of the circle
(picture source Goulash Pot Facebook page)

At the end of the training, two of the most engaged participant got prizes. They were Nahed from Egypt and Eddie from Tunisia. But what I feel is that we all got the prizes. We got new friends, new experiences, and new perspectives on things in life. We left the training with a warm feeling and a richer mind.

On the last day of the training. (picture credit: Husnah Manwan)

P:S: Check out the training page on the Facebook: mighelp's goulash pot.  They are opening the registration for the new group.

Mielőtt Menekülőre Fognánk - Finding Refuge Through Gastronomy. First Evening: Indonesia

Mighelp (Migrants' Help Association of Hungary), an NGO established by refugees and their supporters in Budapest, in collaboration with Local Food in Budapest - Szatyor Shopping Community brought the taste of Indonesia to the local community. This event aims to introduce and break down prejudice against refugees and migrants who arrive in Hungary from distant cultures through open discussion around the dinner table. Indonesia had the honor to be the first country participated in this event.

The team with the Szatyor bolt owner

We were invited to organize this event as we are currently participating or has participated in one of the Mighelp courses. There were three of us Indonesians with one mission: conquering people in Budapest who were foreign or only has a little knowledge about Indonesia by giving comfort to their stomach :D With that on the mind, we need to have good weapons. The thing was, we had no experience in catering or cooking for a big group of people. The menu was chosen by how easy they were to make and the availability of the ingredients in Budapest.   

So here were what on our table:

Starter: Gado Gado (Salad served with peanut dressing). The peanuts dressing were still being prepared :P

Main course: Nasi Goreng (Fried rice)

  Dessert: Dadar Gulung (Rolled pancake coconut filled)

We gladly accommodated all the food requirement of the guests. All the food were vegetarian. We did not use any meat in our ingredients. One of the ladies from Palestine couldn't eat the dadar gulung as it contained eggs. But she gladly tasted the coconut filled when we offered her the leftover filling.  A Portuguese man had a high level of spicy intolerant. He could not eat the nasi goreng which we thought it was not spicy at all, oh well it was for us Indonesian. :P  Thanks God nobody had allergic to peanuts or else they would have been missed the heavenly taste of gado-gado.


The dinner went with lively conversations and end well. The guests were not only Hungarian but from other countries as well: Canada, Palestine, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Australia, and Portugal. With what is happening now in this world this event was really important. We were sitting in one table no matter who you were, a native, an immigrant or a refugee and no matter where you came from. We were talking and eating like one big happy family. Hopefully, people left with a better understanding of each other culture and broke down all the prejudices. Or at least they could tell people that Indonesian people are nice and Indonesian food are delicious. Happy tummy happy world :) 

What a Hungarian Old Man Thinks of Me

Gambar: Pribadi

Pengen tau apa kira-kira pandangan orang Hungary tentang 1. Indonesia 2. Muslimah 3. Muslimah dari Indonesia? Baca aja percakapan saya dengan seorang bapak tua di pinggir jalan :

Bapak Tua (BT) : Where r you from?
Adhit (A): Indonesia
BT : Ah so you are from Bali!
A:...eerr...

BT: Can you speak English?
A : Yes, I can
BT : I see, so you are well educated..
A:... ( menurut lo??)


BT: Are you a Muslim?
A: Yes, I am
BT : Isn't it  better for you a muslim woman to be here? Here's more liberal while you must be oppressed in your country.
A: (oh dear God.. T_T )

Semua stereotype tentang Indonesia dan muslim bener2 ada di kepala bapak itu. Miris jadinya.. Ah, nasib jadi immigrant muslim dari dunia ketiga....T_T

Mr. X : Seorang Pengungsi

Sebut saja dia Mr. X. Seorang laki-laki berumur akhir 30 - awal 40-an ( Saya mungkin salah menebak umurnya. Seseorang yang telah banyak makan asam garam sering tampak lebih dewasa dari usia sebenarnya). Asal dari sebuah negara di Timur Tengah. Pakaiannya necis layaknya seorang pebisnis, lengkap dengan rompi, dasi dan jas. Siapapun tak akan menyangka bahwa dia seorang pengungsi. Tapi tambahkan kata "politik' dibelakangnya maka gambaran dia menjadi pas :  Mr. X,  a political refugee.

Malam itu sambil menegak minumannya dia bercerita tentang kisah hidupnya yang membawanya ke sini. Sebuah kisah yang hampir terdengar seperti cerita dari sebuah film atau buku yang saya baca. Sebuah kisah nyata yang mungkin hanya pernah saya dengar dari berita - berita di TV dan surat kabar. Sebuah cerita yang tampak berbeda ketika mendengarnya dari seseorang yang mengalaminya langsung.

Mr. X seorang pengusaha, memimpin sebuah perusahaan berkaryawan berjumlah ratusan dan juga pengajar di sebuah universitas. Ia hidup lebih dari cukup. Namun semuanya berubah ketika pemilihan di negaranya berlangsung. Ia menyebutnya "That f**ing election". Dan itulah awal dari segalanya..

Mr.X, salah satu dari orang-orang yang tidak puas dengan penguasa di negaranya saat itu. Ia ikut berdemonstrasi menentang pemerintahan dan entah apa lagi yang telah dilakukannya. Ia tidak bercerita banyak soal hal ini. Tapi siapapun bisa membayangkan apa kira-kira yang menjadi alasan hingga sekelompok orang berpikir untuk mengenyahkannya. Melihat kondisi yang tidak kondusif lagi ia sudah memutuskan untuk pergi ke luar negeri. Tapi beberapa bulan sebelum rencananya terlaksana, sekelompok orang menyerang rumahnya. Mr. X berhasil melarikan diri sampai ke sebuah negara . Ternyata kelompok yang mengingcarnya mengejar sampai ke negara itu. Sekali lagi, ia berhasil menyelamatkan diri. Hanya berbekal barang seadanya dalam sebuah backpack ia menyusuri jalan di malam hari menghindar dari kejaran. Ia sampai di benua Eropa tanpa surat-surat dan menyebrang diam - diam ke Hongaria. Di negara ini daya tahan tubuhnya sudah mencapai batas. Ia pingsan di tengah ladang. Seorang petani kemudian menolongnya dan membawanya ke polisi. Itulah awal dia menjadi pengungsi di Hongaria.

Menurutnya itulah hidup. Siapapun bisa memilih untuk terus tidur dan membiarkan semuanya tetap sama atau bangun dan berjuang meraih apa yang dicita-citakan. Sebuah filosofi hidup yang patut diacungkan jempol.

Ketika di tanya apakah ia menyesali perbuatannya, dia menjawab tanpa ragu ragu : No, I never regret. I'd do it again..a thousand times!

 ................

Malam telah larut, ponsel telah berdering berkali-berkali menyampaikan keresahan di seberang sana.. Ah sudah waktunya pulang. Lagi, sebuah cerita anak manusia untuk direnungkan dan selalu berakhir pada kesimpulan yang sama:  betapa beruntungnya hidupku selama ini... Alhamdulilah ya Allah..