asked:
My name is Klara Orsolya Eme Bassey. I was born in Budapest in 1983 February 2nd. So now I’m 24. After High School, I tried a University (Eötvós Lorand Tudomány Egyetem) but I left before the first exams. It turned out quite early that I’ve got nothing to do with teacher’s classess neither the library sciences. After a year of thinking, being confused, and having a serious nervous break down, I went to School of Design. Decoration, Interior and Outer shop design (visual merchandising) became my trade. This course only gave me mid-level certification.
During this two years I studied in Pannonia Animation film studio. I learned how to make animated cartoons manually and some animated film history. After Design school, I still didn’t feel talented enough to go to the University of Applied Arts so I started another two-year course, but didn’t finish. Actually I didn’t know what to do with myself. Finally, one of my best friends found me a job where I work as a decorator. Funny, isn’t it?
During school years I used to be a dancer at Tunde Komolafe’s group—the Bongo Men. I also did some hostess as well as waitress jobs, which I disliked later. My main job is decoration. With the B.O Decoration Corporation we are working for the Pafumeria Douglas. I have been doing this for almost two years, and in spite of my interest in textile designing, I couldn’t make up my mind what to do with my talent. Though I consider my talent in drawing and fashion designing as hobbies, I would like to make it bigger.
On the other hand, I really want to be a mother soon. But this does not depend on me alone. Anyway, I think it’s quite clear that I do not know where I am going in general. So I don’t want to act as if I knew something special about life. I could describe only one thing as my practical ambition: I’d like to do my best at whatever I do. In an abstract meaning, my ambition is to give fashion a new base. I would like people to see beauty in a compact way. I have had enough of men with perfect bodies, and girls with ill-looking slim frames! Let beauty be more than that.
The other thing I’d like to change is the picture people have about eroticism. It’s ugly and flat to advertise everything with ***** women. *** is something discreet; should stay between two people. If we consider the truth that eroticism has a wider meaning than sex, then we could exchange nakedness with mystery, which I think could give more than the ‘pure facts’ of a body! I would design not only clothes but styles and general effect of pictures. After making my own trade mark, building up a style empire, then I could find that utopistic colony where homeless people would find a new home; a new chance to recover like getting new trades, jobs, and a new life entirely.
Do you feel African or European? Please be honest
It’s a good question but the answer won’t be that simple. I am an African European. As a child I was brought up to be a Hungarian girl, though I wasn’t really. I know about my Nigerian root. I know my father’s home town. Yet I’ve always felt myself European, and it’s how I think because of the kind of education I received. The history of arts and the history I studied so hard—all determined my person as European. But the most important subject (from this point of view) was the literature. How could I tell anyone what language means to me, though I am the visual type. If I summarise what I’ve told you so far, then it even changes the question. I don’t even feel European because I’m Hungarian.
The word “Afro-Hungarian” means nothing for me, as it’s just an expression. At the moment it doesn’t cover any homogeneous communities. We’re just finding our cultural and social base. It’s very exciting on one hand, but brings a lot of responsibilities and problems. We (the 1st and 2nd generations of Afro-Hungarian) should not act as many of us do now. I have experienced snobbishness and prissiness that I could not identify myself with. Of course many white Hungarians behave likewise, but I see this type of behaviour more in Afro-Hungarians. We should be much more careful because it’s obvious that the minorities are always under heavy criticism.
Well, I know why it is so. I mean it’s hard to be African Hungarian here without own culture. We have no clear root or past to guide us through the challenges of life. Many do not even know their fathers. That’s why they use their exotic look as a weapon and act like a conqueror, criticizing anything Hungarian and glorifying everything African. I’m not saying this in order to hurt anybody’s feelings. And of course I might be wrong. Anyway, I’m sure things would be better in a few years. In our life many changes come. Hungarian borders have opened up a bit, and that gives new opportunities and widens people’s horizons.
Would you have preferred your parents to be from the same race?
It is out of question. Of course had they been from the same race, I wouldn’t have become who I am
I have never considered people in terms of who they are. I only consider them in terms of how they behave and what they can do. Your question seems to relate to the relevance of labels, and what I have said before should indicate that I attach no significance to them whatever.
I have no way of evaluating your experience or your prospects; but your extraordinary command of the English language in a Hungarian environment makes me encourage you to settle for nothing but the best. You deserve it.
BOOOOOORIING
I’m not sure what your question really is, but I enjoyed reading your bio.
As with all emigrants, sure, there is still affection for the land of the ancestors, but, you are a citizen of the land you were born in, and that is where your heart is. You describe yourself as “European,” and perhaps you are more able to embrace Europe than the Magyars are (being somewhat latecomers to Europe themselves!), but if Hungarian’s your culture, than a proud Hungarian you are.
As for the immigrant insecurity that makes those others vilify the adopted country and glorify the old, if it were so wonderful in the old country, they’d be there.