‘You Get Back What You Give’—An Interview with Anita Pfeifer, Former KCSP Fellow in Cleveland, Part II
This is a translated and edited version of the original interview published on Pécs University’s website
Antal-Ferencz Ildikó
This second part of our conversation focuses on her experiences as a scholarship recipient in the U.S.
How did you first end up in the U.S.?
Over the past few years, scouting has become one of the defining parts of my life alongside teaching and education. At one point I was looking for something new that would motivate and challenge me, and that’s when I learned about the Hungarian Scout Association in Exteris’ (KMCSSZ) K-Med scholarship— a three-month programme for scout leaders from the Carpathian Basin, designed to enable them to take on active leadership roles in Hungarian summer scout camps across North America. In 2019, I felt it was something I had to try. That was when I first became acquainted with Hungarian scouting in the diaspora.
That year nobody applied for the media scholarship, yet those responsibilities still had to be covered. There were four of us altogether — two from Upperland (Slovakia), one from Vojvodina (Serbia) and myself. Since I had the strongest background in media work, interviewing and photography, I volunteered for the role. I even borrowed my sister-in-law’s camera and took it with me to America. At first I was responsible mainly for photography, but I also started contributing to Bocskai Radio in Cleveland, OH. Later we moved to the Hungarian school camp, where I helped edit the camp yearbook, and accepted every opportunity from interviews to various editorial tasks, alongside my scouting duties.
Those three months were wonderful. I’m incredibly grateful that I was able to travel from New Brunswick, NJ to Cleveland and even to Canada, visiting Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto. We attended several Hungarian Scout Association diaspora school camps and leadership training events, and we were also present at the annual Cleveland Scout Day in early September. I met extraordinary people, formed friendships that have lasted ever since. When others encouraged me to apply for the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Programme (KCSP), I replied that I was deeply grateful for the incredible experience, but I need to return to Transcarpathia as my work and my community were waiting for me. So I came home and immersed myself completely in my work again.
Six years later you returned. Why did you apply for the KCSP in the end?
Last year I reached a point where I realised that, although it is a beautiful thing to keep giving to everyone else, I was slowly running out of energy myself. I had already been trying to create opportunities for myself through travelling, sport and reading, and these were also important elements of the psychodrama group I attended and my therapeutic work. They certainly helped and gave me strength, but eventually I realised that although people around me genuinely needed me, I also needed to take care of myself for a while. I felt it was time to step back from my life in Transcarpathia, at least physically. When I thought about the Hungarian House, it occurred to me that it could actually benefit from fresh perspectives. I never wanted the community centre to revolve around me. My goal was always for it to continue growing and improving—even without me—while I remained grateful that I had been able to contribute to building it.
I also wanted to stay connected to Hungarian communities and serve a purpose I genuinely believed in. That’s when the KCSP Programme came back to mind. My fellow scouts even tried to persuade me to move to Cyprus to help establish a new scout troop there. I also had many conversations with Bishop Miklós Lucsok about my plans. Domonkos Buza’s words, who led the self-awareness group I attended gave me the final push I needed to embark on this adventure.
Why did you end up at Bocskai Radio?
KCSP applicants can indicate three preferred placements, specifying both the location and the type of work they would like to do. Host organisations also submit their own preferences, and if the two match, applicants are usually placed where they hope to be. Media work wasn’t new to me. Besides my earlier experience during the K-Med scholarship, I had also been responsible for communications at the Hungarian House. I regularly invited journalists from local newspapers, television stations and radio to cover our events, which meant I often found myself on the other side of the microphone as the interviewee. I also managed the Hungarian House’s social media presence, creating videos, writing posts, designing posters, helping shape the organisation’s public image. I felt there was still a great deal I could learn in this field. Once I had decided that I wanted to work in media, my options became more limited. I contacted Zsolt Molnár, the director of Bocskai Radio, and asked whether he would be interested in having me as his KCSP fellow. That’s how I ended up there.
Tell us about the beginnings and your tasks.
I settled into the St Imre parish community almost immediately. I was able to contribute by singing during masses, playing the guitar with the youth group and becoming part of parish life. I also grew very fond of the wonderful elderly ladies of the church, who welcomed me with such warmth that they became like mothers and grandmothers to me all at once. The same was true of Kati Vörös, her daughter, Eszti Pigniczky and her daughter Enese, who hosted me during my stay. Enese and I shared a home and quickly developed a close friendship. She had just begun her career as a teacher, while by then I already had ten years of teaching experience. Because I had once gone through exactly the same struggles, I could support her during that demanding first year.
Gradually, I also became involved with the local scout movement, where I received an equally warm welcome. I was delighted to be able to contribute there as well. At the radio station, once Zsolt had taught me the basics and we had discussed what he expected from me, he gave me considerable creative freedom. I’m the sort of person who likes to organise, plan and work within a clear framework, so it was important for me to understand exactly what my role would be, what the station’s objectives were and whether we shared the same vision. I believe this is essential for any scholarship recipient joining an organisation. Your role isn’t to pursue your own ambitions, but to strengthen the organisation that has welcomed you, contributing wherever your help is most needed. Zsolt offered me tremendous support and guidance throughout my stay. In many ways he became like a second father, and the people around him became my second family. My scholarship was about far more than producing radio programmes, writing scripts or uploading content. He also wanted to know whether I’d eaten, whether I was settling in, and whether the car he had lent me was running properly. I’m deeply grateful for that kind of genuine human care.
I experienced the same thing everywhere: if I approached people with openness and generosity, they reflected that same attitude back to me. The friendships I formed continued to deepen throughout my stay; I truly felt at home. People knew I was from Transcarpathia and were naturally curious about the realities of living through war. What struck me most, however, was the sensitivity with which people approached these subjects. People were willing to listen; I was able to speak honestly about experiences that had been painful and difficult for me. Looking back, I realise those conversations were also healing for me.
Through Bocskai Radio we travelled extensively together, covering events across North America. I met leaders and members of Hungarian communities in many different cities. In fact, the very day after I arrived in Cleveland we attended the re-election of Dr Csaba Krasznai as bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church District. I was already conducting interviews there while simultaneously trying to learn everyone’s names. After that came Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, Toronto and many other destinations…
Let’s go through some of those places. What stands out from Los Angeles?
In Los Angeles we attended Under the Flags, a theatrical production directed by Tímea Antal. The performance explored the history of Hungary’s various national flags through music, dance and audience interaction, concluding with a concert. I conducted numerous interviews, and after almost every conversation people told me how much they had enjoyed speaking with me and how thoughtful my questions had been. I usually laughed and replied that this was simply the result of ten years of teaching.
In Washington DC, we attended both the Hungarian American Coalition’s (HAC) autumn gala and its Christmas dinner. At the gala I was seated beside Annamária Weinstein, who had previously served as Hungary’s Youth Delegate to the UN. Two years earlier we had worked together on a project in Munkács, yet neither of us knew the other would be in America. It was a wonderful surprise. I also met the current delegate, Péter Botond Balogh, whose father is from Transcarpathia; we immediately discovered another personal connection. I had only been in America for two months and was already surrounded by familiar faces in a city where I hadn’t expected to know anyone at all… That became one of the defining characteristics of my scholarship year. Wherever I travelled, I found someone with a connection to Transcarpathia. As I met more people, unexpected connections kept multiplying. It’s a remarkably small world.
Where else have you been and what else have you done?
During the Christmas period, we organised an initiative where we visited every Hungarian church community. We took part in their Christmas services, which I complemented with musical contributions — I brought my guitar everywhere, sang, or recited poetry. We talked with the members of the communities and recorded short New Year’s greeting videos with the various pastors.
At the end of January came the next major event, the Hungarian Gala Ball in Chicago, where I was asked to be the master of ceremonies, which was another real challenge — especially as at the same time we were also conducting radio interviews. I was happy to take on the role, although I only truly realised what I had agreed to when I found myself standing in front of two hundred complete strangers in the huge ballroom, thinking that I have to make sure this is an enjoyable experience for everyone. I received very positive feedback, because the event had a wonderful atmosphere, and I enjoyed it myself as well.
Every year, Bocskai Radio organises its annual fundraising campaign. Last year, we joined the Jónak lenni jó! initiative of the Hungarian State TV, as their chosen beneficiary was a children’s home in Transcarpathia led by József Sipos. Since I knew József Sipos personally, Zsolt came up with the idea that we should donate 10% of the amount raised for the radio’s support to the Transcarpathian foundation as well. In the end, it became a meaningful contribution; I believe more than one thousand dollars was collected.
The Sunday radio programmes continued to be prepared and broadcast week after week. Zsolt and I were present at all the important local events.
In February you had an important personal event, and in March a significant professional one. Tell us about these.
My brother, his wife, and my best friend from Transcarpathia came to visit me in Cleveland. As KCSP scholars, we received a six-month visa allowing a single entry, meaning I was unable to travel home, so it was a great joy for me to be able to spend some time with them in America. My sister-in-law Zsófi and my brother, who live in Budapest, had already visited Cleveland and knew the local Hungarian community well. However, for Erika, everything was completely new. It was her first time in America, so I tried to organise our time together in a way that would allow her to experience as much as possible. The joy of seeing each other again was somewhat overshadowed by the unfortunate news that during this very period it became clear that this year the KCSP programme would end earlier than planned, and that all of us would have to return home.
The official part of my programme came to an end with my interview with the President of Hungary. While preparing for the 15 March commemorations — just as we had previously prepared for the 23 October events — we received the news that Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok would be visiting North America. He and his family spent two days in Cleveland; they visited several locations and attended various events. Because of their visit, the commemorative celebration was brought forward, and for a while it was uncertain whether he’d give an interview or whether we’d be able to sit down for a conversation. In the end, it did happen. It was a truly wonderful opportunity to meet also the person behind the political position. I’m grateful for his openness, for answering my questions so willingly, and for the fact that he clearly enjoyed our conversation.
And while we are talking about the opportunities Cleveland offered, I’d also like to mention the two major projects that I prepared during my time there and which eventually brought me back. During the autumn, Katalin Vörös and her son-in-law Endre Szentkirályi approached me and offered me the opportunity to present my work in Transcarpathia and my activities connected with the Hungarian House at this year’s annual conference of the American Hungarian Educators Association (AHEA), which was held in Cleveland. Alongside this, preparations were also underway for the Pontozó folk dance competition, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year and was also held in Cleveland. Ildikó Hajdu-Németh — whose parents, Kálmán and Judit Magyar, founded the event fifty years ago — together with Cleveland, and particularly the Cleveland Regős Group, Eszti Pigniczky and Kriszta Slattery, took responsibility for organising the anniversary gathering. At the first autumn planning meeting, all three local KCSP scholars — Miki Müller, Réka Czagány and myself — took part. We were brainstorming how each of us could contribute to the project. In the end, I became responsible for media communications: I created the logo, the posters, and all the visual content that appeared on social media about the event. I continued doing this while I was back home in March: I uploaded pre-recorded videos to encourage people to attend. The event became a huge success.
You needed to leave the U.S. when the KCSP was cut short in March, but ultimately managed to return in April. How?
While back home, I remained connected with Cleveland, just as I had previously remained connected with Transcarpathian matters while I was in the U.S. For example, every Tuesday I held choir rehearsals with my small choir, where I played the guitar and they sang. In March, the situation was reversed: I was able to attend choir rehearsals, and I participated online in the organisation of Pontozó and the weekly radio broadcasts. I also continued carrying out all the background work for the radio — I was delighted to continue supporting Zsolt.
I had originally planned to dedicate the nine months specified in the KCSP curriculum to this period. I still had many plans for April and May— besides the AHEA conference and Pontozó, also at the HAC USA 250 events — which I had been preparing for enthusiastically. At home, during the school year, I wouldn’t have been able to return to teaching for the final two months anyway, and the lady who replaced me at the Hungarian House had also been hired for the full nine-month period. I prayed a lot and once again spoke with the Bishop, who said if I felt my path was leading me back there, I should go. I decided that, using the small amount of money I had managed to save, I’d return to Cleveland for another two months. I asked everyone I worked with about my plan and their response was incredibly positive; I received a great deal of support from them once again. As a result, I was able to attend the AHEA conference and also be present at Pontozó. President of HAC Andrea Lauer Rice also supported my participation, for which I am extremely grateful, because it was not only a wonderful event, but also an opportunity to work with truly fantastic people.
I can probably guess your answer because I was also present at AHEA and HAC USA 250 Gala events, but who had the greatest impact on you there?
As a biologist for whom genetics is particularly important, speaking with Katalin Karikó was an especially memorable experience. But the same applies to meeting people such as Charles Simonyi, Governor George Pataki and Tibor Kapu. I also had the opportunity to meet Imre Pákh, who was born in Munkács and has famously done a great deal to help establish the Hungarian House here.
I’d also like to mention documentary filmmaker Réka Pigniczky, Eszti’s sister. We met several times, including at the screening of her film Kaláka at the Chagrin Falls Film Festival, where we recorded a longer interview with her. She was also happy to give an interview at the HAC Gala, where the short film she created together with Andrea about USA250 was also presented. Moreover, I had previously met Piroska Pazaurek, one of HAC’s vice-presidents and honorary consul in Florida, when she received an award at the HAC’s Mikulás Gala. At that time, Gyuszi Várallyay was still alive as well; he was also a HAC award recipient, and we had the opportunity to interview him too.
Previously in Washington DC, I was also able to speak with Katalin Szili, former Chief Adviser to the former Prime Minister. I first met her in Los Angeles, where she was one of the special guests at the theatre performance, and we recorded a short interview with her there as well. Later, I had the opportunity for both a private conversation and another interview with her at the Hungarian Embassy in Washington DC, where she gave a presentation on national policy and on what the role of Hungarians in the world is today. We were able to talk extensively with her about Transcarpathia, as she has visited the region many times. I didn’t simply meet a high-ranking public figure — someone who could have made me feel that she was an important person while I was merely a KCSP scholar. Instead, just like President Tamás Sulyok earlier, and like the representatives of Hungarian diaspora organisations in America, she first and foremost showed her humanity. I believe this is what makes every person I meet so valuable: their humanity came before their position.
After the HAC USA 250 celebration came the Pontozó competition…
Yes, where the members of the judging panel — Ildikó Hajdu-Németh, Gábor Dobi and Andrea Salamon — are all outstanding folk musicians, singers and dancers. Kálmán Magyar Jr. (Öcsi) and his band, Gyanta Banda, were also exceptional. We created a logo that will now become part of Pontozó’s identity, and together we developed a concept that will serve as the foundation for the coming years and which will be carried forward by the Hungarian Folklife Association. It was a wonderful feeling to be part of this process and then to witness the final result. On the final day, we held a large meeting where all the leaders and organisers took part. That was when I truly realised that what we had created was a foundation that could now be handed over and continued.
And just when I thought the series of wonderful encounters and surprises could not possibly become any more remarkable, I met Michael Tibollo, Ontario’s Minister of Health, at the Hungarian Festival in Toronto. He had visited us in Transcarpathia two years earlier, including Munkács. After he had delivered his official greeting, I approached him backstage and showed him our previous photograph together. He may not have remembered me, but he immediately gave me a hug and asked how the Hungarians of Transcarpathia were doing.
What are the most important lessons you brought home from America after your extraordinary nine-month stint as a KCSP scholar?
The people. As I’ve already mentioned: if you are open towards others, if you approach people with a desire to help, what you give will come back to you. I often experienced that, most of the time, it depended on me how my relationship with the local people developed. I also had to make the effort first in order for them to open up towards me. Another thing that strengthened me was the knowledge that I was able to carry out meaningful, value-creating work. I was also present at the 75th anniversary of the founding of Hungarian scouting in Cleveland. It also fills me with joy that after 70 years there are still descendants of the 1956ers who speak Hungarian perfectly, despite having faced many temptations to assimilate into American society. They’ve nevertheless remained Hungarian. This perseverance is an example and something I value deeply.
Another important lesson: when there is cooperation, there are results. We are too few on our own. I can be as talented as I want, but if there are no people around me, if there is no team I can work with, then perhaps my talents don’t have much meaning. And finally, just as in Transcarpathia, where we live as a minority, I’d also emphasise the importance of humility and acceptance. Those who are connected to more than one culture are richer and have something special. I find it fascinating how the histories of America and Hungary have become intertwined. Before arriving in America I picked up the novel of Áron Tamási Abel in the Wilderness. In the U.S., I was accompanied by the third volume of the trilogy, Abel in America. It was wonderful for me to experience something similar, but unlike Ábel, I found a home in Cleveland, too.
Despite this, there was never really any question that you’d return home?
I genuinely wanted to come back, since I also have responsibilities here, as I mentioned earlier. At school, I had a graduating class, and it was a great joy that I was able to be present at their graduation ceremony and certificate presentation. The children were waiting for me and were very happy to see me, and it was important for me to be there personally and congratulate them, because I had guided them along this journey for a long time. Half of the children were also making their First Holy Communion, which is another very important milestone in their lives. They were looking forward to preparing for this special occasion together with me. The scouting camp in July was also very important, as is the Hungarian House publication about the past five years. Where the future will lead is still taking shape. After so many years of focusing on work, it’s time for me to concentrate more on building a family. With so many activities and commitments, I simply have not had much time to focus on starting my own family. However, this has now become one of my goals as well. But whatever happens, I will always return to the Hungarian community; I simply can’t imagine myself without being an active and dedicated member.