Eva Teshajev

Flora Szabó

  Today I've got the honor to introduce my Phonetics teacher, Ms. Eva Teshajev. First of all, I'd like to ask you to tell me about yourself. What you think is important about your personality.

 

Oh God…this is a difficult question. I think what is the most important thing about my personality is that I'm somebody who needs a lot of freedom, in a lot of ways. I don't like too rigid structures and I don't like routine. I'm not really settled. I don't like to be in a certain place too long, because I like to travel. I like to have a lot of new impression and also in my work I like very much to be confronted with new situations, maybe not too often because that would be too overwhelming. So I think freedom is the most important for me.

Is it hard to become accustomed to live in a new country?

I'd say no. But, of course, it depends on the country and on the cultural differences. I lived before in Spain and in England and it was actually incredibly easy to adapt and I really felt at home, so I really liked to live there. What I found difficult about Hungary was the language, because when I went to Spain and then to England I learned the language in advance. But I didn't choose to come here. I was sent here by the foundation I worked with and it was a complete surprise for me. It was like someone threw me into a pool of ice-cold water. So I couldn't learn the language. I found that very difficult.

When did you decide to become a teacher and why? If there was a reason, of course.

I think I didn't really decide. The university degree I have is actually not a teaching degree, but while I was at the university I started giving private lessons. I liked giving lessons; I liked helping people to understand things. I noticed that I enjoyed it so I started doing it professionally. And then somehow I got keen on the idea of finding some methods how to explain things to people, how to make learning easier for them. So somehow automatically I got into teaching. I got only afterward a certificate as a teacher. Long after I started teaching.

What do you find positive and negative features about Hungary?

I would like to start with the negative factors. Everywhere I used to live there was a very international community. I used to have a lot of international friends and on the streets it was normal to hear people speak foreign languages. And that's something I miss, because in Hungary, in Miskolc especially, when people hear somebody speaking a foreign language, they're looking and pointing. So I find it for us difficult because there's not many foreigners here and so we stick out more. Uhm…what I find nice is that generally people are quite friendly. Sometimes when they hear that my Hungarian is not very good, they are usually a bit shocked. Maybe they're a bit shy but not in an unfriendly way. What I find quite nice about Miskolc is my workplace. I like it a lot because of the good atmosphere amongst the colleagues and usually we have good relationship with the students too. And also Miskolc is not a very big place so after a while you get to know more and more people. This is something about Miskolc that I like.

My last question is maybe a bit too personal so you don't have to answer. I'm - and I think some of us are also - a little curious about this. We heard that you and Mr. Sunderland are together. When and where did you meet each other?

Ok. At first I have to say that's maybe quite a good question because so you know it's not an affair between colleagues or something like this. We have actually known each other for almost 8 years and we met in Spain. We were both living in Spain and then when I got my job in Miskolc - at that time we were living together in London - so David decided to come with me and after a while he started working here too.

Thank you very much. I hope I was not rude or anything.

Of course not. Thank you.