SARS

Rent-A-Chef

Ticks

Climbing adventure

Vaccines

Food fair

Dangerous plants

Events

As we prepare for a long hot Hungarian summer, this issue of Expat Success looks into some of the leisure and fitness possibilities you can enjoy. It also puts forward a few practical tips regarding health risks. If you'd like more in-depth information about anything in this newsletter, contact us at info@erceurope.com.

Perhaps the simplest way of enjoying the weather and improving your health is to run out the front door ... and just keep going.
There are some beautiful places in and around Budapest for jogging or hiking - and we know of an international bunch of enthusiasts who know some great routes. The Hash House Harriers meet twice a month for a guided walk or run followed by a hearty refreshment session. Contact Lia Genovese at Trinacria_1955@yahoo.co.uk.

Skanzen: just like old times

To combine a beautiful stroll with a history lesson, try the Skanzen, or open-air museum, in Szentendre, just north of Budapest. This contains authentic recreations of houses from various periods.
If you think four legs are better than two, you're in luck: Hungary has a strong equestrian tradition and boasts numerous horseriding trails and resorts. Hunting and fishing tours also are readily available.
There is no shortage of cycling possibilities, either. One particularly energetic group of cyclists is the Bringabanda club, which organizes various competitive and just-for-fun fitness activities, both indoor and cross-country. At its core is a weekly stationary bike session ("Spinning").
Budapest is full of gyms, many of which offer private trainers. Try your local shopping mall or top hotel.
If your child is crazy about soccer (like much of the population of Hungary), he or she could join the Buda Juniors.
Golf is gaining currency as more and more Hungarians and expats get involved. There are at least seven top-standard golf clubs in the country.

Palatinus: pool, man!

Hungary offers great possibilities for people who like to have fun in or around water, as it is full of rivers, lakes and mineral water spas, as well as artificial beach resorts such as the Palatinus Strand. Gellert Spa, Szechenyi Baths and Rac and Rudas baths are ideal if you want to soak your aching limbs in warm spring waters while enjoying beautiful vintage architecture.
In recent years many water fun parks have been built, with all kinds of fun slides. There are popular, inexpensive waterskiing facilities in Dunaharaszti, a southern suburb of Budapest.
A great place to enjoy watersports like boating and sailboarding, or simply take a sunny stroll, is the Romai part, a stretch of the northern Buda embankment sheltered by Obuda island. And if your kids are crazy about skateboarding
and rollerskating, try packing them off to Gorzenal, a skaterkid's heaven on the Buda embankment opposite Margaret Island.
A good place to find out about fun activities aimed at expats in Hungary is www.xpatloop.com.

Since its detection in early 2003, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has become a worldwide source of concern.

It has spread rapidly, with most cases in China and nearby countries. Over 3,000 cases have been reported, with a 3%-5% mortality rate.
Observers believe air travelers have contributed to the spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns against non-essential travel to affected areas.
SARS has had a significant effect on companies that regularly relocate employees internationally. A recent survey by the Employee Relocation Council, based in Washington, D.C., found that 72% of such companies don't plan to relocate employees to SARS-affected areas, while 66% will delay such plans.
American Clinics International in Budapest says travelers should be aware of the main symptoms of SARS. These include a quickly developing fever - generally over 38C (100.4F) although usually closer to 40C (104 F). There is also coughing and difficulty with breathing, developing into full pneumonia in a few days. Other symptoms include headache, poor appetite, general weakness, sore muscles and rashes. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 10 days.
The disease is thought to be spread by close contact between people. Good hygiene, including frequent hand-washing, helps prevent transmission. There is no evidence that contact with goods, products, or animals shipped from SARS-affected areas has been responsible for infection. There is still no diagnostic test or specific treatment identified.
If you have any concerns about how SARS may impact your relocation or shipment plans, please contact Move One or its sister company ERC.
American Clinics International can be reached at 224-9090 or via www.americanclinics.com.

If you're planning a summer party, why not spoil your guests with world-class barbecue food?

Want to book the cook?

Although Rent-A-Chef Barbecue Services only started in summer 2002, its renown as a provider of barbecues for private functions is rapidly spreading by word-of-mouth, particularly among the expat community.
Its South African founder and chef, Zurin Moses, buys the food here but prepares it with a secret mix of imported spices and barbecue marinades and cooks it on his own extra-large barbecues.
He said the resulting food is "different from anything else available in Hungary." Zurin's menu includes vegetarian options.
He said he has had several returning customers, and he recently expanded his staff to include two full-time assistants, supplementing the core staff of Zurin, his Hungarian wife Barbara and their French business partner.
If you would like to use Zurin's services, ERC can put you in touch with him.

An extreme physical challenge and an intense team-building experience - that is what is promised at Maszokaland.

Upwardly mobile

Built on license from Germany, Maszokaland (literally "climbing adventure") is a park on Obuda Island where visitors can clamber, swing and edge their way through various ropes, beams, cables and swaying bridges.
Instruction, protective gear and security staff are provided and the programs can be held in English, German, French, Japanese or Slovenian, as well as Hungarian.
The company guarantees that the programs can be tried by anyone in reasonable health, and says it will help you with "cooperation within a group, problem solving, self-confidence building and concentration." It adds that participants can "spend a fantastic day together and develop personal relationships."
If you want to try it out, call (36-1) 336-1299.

Vaccination against infectious diseases is one of the greatest successes of medical science - but it's also a very confusing area, writes Dr. Kinga Jokay.

Different countries have different regulations regarding which immunizations are mandatory and which are optional. And there are various types of each vaccine.
When deciding what jabs to give your children, consult a pediatrician and do lots of research, taking into account local circumstances and various risk factors.
To take an example, Hungary and the U.S. display interesting differences as regards the Hepatitis B shot. This prevents infection with a virus that can cause chronic liver inflammation and liver cancer.
The U.S. system immunizes everyone in infancy. After all, it is difficult to guess which child will later manifest high-risk behaviors, such as intravenous drug use or multiple sexual partners - and adolescents who start behaving in these ways are unlikely to spontaneously present themselves for shots.
In Hungary, universal immunization against this disease takes place during the teens. This makes sense because of the excellent school-based immunization programs here.
Another much-debated shot is the prevenar vaccine. This protects against serious bone and joint infections, meningitis and pneumonia.
This relatively new vaccine is horrendously expensive and there have been severe shortages in the U.S. Last year there was only enough to go around for very high-risk children. The Hungarian Health Department does not stock this shot for general usage, nor do the British include it in their vaccine schedule. Still, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended its universal usage, and I would go to great lengths to procure it for my own baby, because it prevents much suffering.
The following websites provide good information on vaccines:
- www.AAP.org - the American Academy of Pediatrics
- www.antsz.hu/oek - the Hungarian Center for Epidemiology
- www.netdoctor.co.uk - a user-friendly British website
- www.cdc.gov - the Center for Disease Control, Atlanta

Dr. Jokay is a certified pediatrician who works at the Rozsakert Medical Center. A fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, she can be contacted on 391-5905.

ERC and sister company Move One were prime among the sponsors of the International Women's Club food fair on May 10.

Having a ball

While the hundreds of visitors sampled food from around the world at the various country stalls, we provided bags to help them carry home anything for which they couldn't find room on the day. Our team also proffered international beers from a big tub full of ice.
To entertain the children we supplied face painters, clowns, beach balls and balloons. Meanwhile, some more technically inclined youngsters were more interested in playing with the Move One toy trucks.
"We sponsored the kids' happiness," summarized ERC General Manager Aniko Lichtenberger. "The organization of the event, by Mary Pataky from the IWC, was perfect," she added.
On the same day, ERC provided a bouncy castle for a charity event at the Greater Grace Christian Academy in Budapest.

When in the woods, the hills or even your garden, be on guard against perilous plants.

Ragweed: Achoo!

Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is common in Central Europe. In late summer it releases masses of pollen that can cause serious allergy for over 10 % of people. It is found frequently on waste ground within Budapest and elsewhere.
Ragweed has a rough, hairy stem and soft leaves divided into lobes. Its flowers are greenish and concealed in small heads on the leaves. It can grow to about a meter. If you see it, report it. Since it is an annual plant, the problem can be fixed by mowing it down before it scatters its pollen.
Like elsewhere in Europe, Hungary has plants that are poisonous if eaten, including deadly nightshade, thorn-apple and henbane. These are unlikely to be encountered in the city, but may spring up in cultivated or excavated areas. The seeds of the laburnum, a decorative tree commonly planted in parks, can be enticing for children and cause serious problems. If your child eats something suspect, try to remove it from his/her mouth and take him/her to a hospital with a clipping from the plant for identification.
The stinging nettle, which can leave a short-term rash, is very common. Occasionally you might find poison ivy in parks and gardens. This causes a very bad rash.
On a happier note, household furniture in Hungary is not at risk from termites. Very few of these insects live in Europe at all, and those few prefer to live in trees, or occasionally in building timbers of old buildings.
(Compiled from specialists' advice)

Are you looking for interesting cultural events, great opportunities to network, or useful conferences and training sessions?

Look no further than the calendar page of the ERC website.
And if you have an event of your own to publicize, please send details to david@erceurope.com during the calendar month preceding the event itself.
The listing changes every month, so please drop in regularly!