I love the hustle and bustle and the city’s smoothly worn cobblestones. I experience the vibrant pulse, instinctively picking up the rhythm of the boulevards, and I feel how the city breathes us people in and sighs us out. But here, in our new home, on this strange borderland where the center of Vienna is as far away as the chirping lights flickering through the forest canopy, it feels as if we are living between two worlds. And lately, waking up to the rustling of the trees, I feel that this strange land has embraced me, that it speaks to me and calls me home. And this home is somehow…

What should a mom and a bonus dad come up with when they move to a foreign country with a teenager and try to make it feel like home for them…? Well, if that teen has a talent for archery, that makes things a lot easier: Laci discovered the coziest adventure park in the area, featuring a shooting range and seven archery courses (besides climbing, hiking, and other mountain sports) for the local community. So we explored the terrain, enjoyed heavenly homemade flatbread, hot soups (which came in especially handy on a rainy day). A special joy of the day was that a few friends also made the pilgrimage to…

The day has come when Laci traveled into the city for work, and Rú and I stayed at our new home, just the two of us. Of course, we set out to explore the city—discovering the best local dürüm place, a bookstore, some pastry shops, and the town’s namesake, the Kloster, which has already found its way into our hearts. Before all that, though, we visited Rú’s future school, where I finally introduced him to the headmistress. We met his homeroom teachers and got to know the school a little, before he takes on a thrilling new chapter in his life next Monday: 8th grade, in German! Well, challenges are…

Phew, this August has really thinned out the ranks around us, especially the final sprint of the last two weeks. If someone had told me 2 years ago that I would move from Vác to Vienna within two weeks – from the final decision all the way to moving in the furniture – I would have laughed out loud at them. And look, here we are in a beautiful countryside suburb, with French windows overlooking the forest, and I’m just looking around still barely believing that we actually did it. But the tight teamwork, firm determination, and – truth be told – our deadline aligned with Rú’s school start really…

As you may have noticed in recent years, we have spent more time in Vienna than what a typical sightseeing trip would justify. There were several reasons for this, but ultimately the city captivated us in such a way that we trust its promise to value us and provide opportunities for a truly good life. So, still in August, the three of us will join hands and cross the border to start the next chapter of our lives here! One eye of mine cries because we are leaving the small riverside town of Vác, but the other laughs from the heart because our life will continue next to a large…

Silver! SILVER!! I still can hardly believe that Ruben is at this level in his chosen sport (with his God-given talent, mental stability, and actually just two weeks of preparation!) And what I love most about this whole thing is that Rú delivered his best form: he is not only the second-best archer in Europe in his category, but he also gained new friends, among whom his biggest supporter at the competition was the gold medalist—the current world champion. Heartfelt congratulations to you guys, you are the best ♥

Oh my God, he really made it!! Having met all the qualifications, Ruben’s registration was accepted for the competition, and he is currently competing at the European Archery Championship! I still can’t believe that my little son has reached this level and is holding his own at adult distances in such a prestigious event. Thirteen years old! I have always been proud of him, but this is an achievement that goes beyond maternal feelings and is an objective confirmation that this boy is truly capable of something exceptional. The training over the past years was at half mast (actually, not even that), so the preparation for the European Championship was…

Since I started my new job, I haven’t had much time for anything else—you know how it is: you try to settle into your new routine, figure out the expectations, and do your best in your new role. But even when life gets busy, you can’t just let the important celebrations pass you by—especially not when you’re celebrating one of the most important people: your mom, on her name day! So after work, we met at Nyugati, where she arrived from the countryside and I rushed over straight from the ministry. We made the most of our time together, from the afternoon all the way until the next morning—fitting in…

And finally, we’re here!! The night before leaving, we somehow made it to bed by 11 PM, and after just 3 hours of sleep, we were already up at 2 AM to catch our flight from Budapest Airport. Half-asleep, supporting each other, we stumbled our way to our gate. But when we arrived at the house and the boys dropped me off before heading out to get food, I just melted into the place.Those who know me know that water is my element, and as I breathed in the salty air and listened to the sea, I simply felt: I’m exactly where I’ve always belonged.