The Land Where Cows Say "Bla"

Once upon a time, I was a teacher. And I loved my students (except for slimy Norbi). One of my favorite students was also the bane of my existence. He thought that since he had spent most of his childhood in Australia, and had been educated in Australian schools for the first seven years of his educational life, he shouldn't have to take my Conversational English course. I agreed with him. The administration did not. Nobody won.

Well, I won a little bit, because as obnoxious as the kid was, he was one of three people in the country with whom I could have conversations in full-speed English that I considered interesting. (Detailing the differences between Des Moines and Budapest=not interesting. Whining about Hungarian inefficiency=not interesting. Discovering new ways to create rude noises using only one's body=not interesting. Incessantly moping over fiance left behind=not interesting. Discussing variations on mac&cheese casserole=not interesting. Pretending not to be in love with former girlfriend who can only mope about her fiance back in the States=sympathy-inducing, but not interesting). --Wow! I'm sorry! That was hugely negative (I'm actually having a really bad day and specifically NOT blogging about it).

Point being (and I do have one), this student and two of his friends started a band the year I taught them, and they now have a website and actually play in public for people (and I think that they get paid to do it!). They have a music sample at their website (www.blamusic.hu) and the same one plus another at www.myspace.com/blamusic. The only bad thing about their band is the name: Bla. Hungarian cows say "bla," as Anglophone cows say "moo." "Bla" can also be translated as "blah." -- you're wiser for knowing that...

So, go see what my boys are doing. On the main webpage there is a picture of them on the top right. They are (from left to right): Horvai Zoltán (dob), Kaposi Balázs (gitár), és Etropolsky Róbert (basszusgitár-szöveg). In other words, Zoli plays the drums, Bela plays the guitar and Róbi (the Australian-Hungarian) plays the bass and writes the lyrics.

Translations you might need:

zene--music
zenekar--band
képek--photos (click for classic Central European youth fashion)
letöltés--downloads (click for song clips)
linkek--links

Here's your bit of Hungarian grammar for the day (I know everyone will skip this part, but will you, dear reader, be the one who sticks with me?): "Linkek" is one of those great Hungarian words that is really just mangled English (like "szendvics" or "dzsungel"--how would you spell "jungle" if you didn't have a "j"?). "Link"--the Hungarian version--is made plural by adding "-ek." Most words are made plural by adding "-ek" or "-ok," depending on the precedent vowel. For further example, notice "képek." "Kép" is "photo," Adding "-ek" makes it plural. Jen has every right to correct me. She actually studied Hungarian grammar. I picked up mine in the locker-lined halls of Hunfalvy János Gyakorló, Kéttannyelvű Külkereskedelmi, Közgazdasági Szakközépiskola. And considering the profane English vocabulary floating around, I'm sure my Hungarian is not ready for polite society.

Ok--sorry for the grammar.

Check out "bla." They ARE interesting. Unlike me.