Hungary
April 9–19, 2010
Here is your chance to be in Hungary off the tourist track—helping families’ dreams of a decent home come true. Discover the contrasts of Hungary’s culture and life, the charm of the old town squares and the 21st-century technology everywhere—cell phones are ubiquitous! We will work on building simple, decent homes for a community in Hungary. Anyone who wants to experience being part of this culture is invited to join.
No previous construction skills or experience is required—just an ability to learn, be flexible, share tasks and enjoy making friends and acquaintances from different cultures. The trip wil be an amazing, life-changing vacation with a purpose. Team members should be adventurous, hard-working, enthusiastic people looking to make a difference in the lives of others.
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Erzsebet Toth and her sons in front
of their new home.
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About Hungary
Located in Central Europe's Carpathian Basin, Hungary has been a link in the chain connecting the East to the West for thousands of years. It shares political borders with Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Ukraine. The landscape is mostly flat with low mountains on the Slovakian border. The summers are warm, and the winters are cold with a considerate amount of snow.
About Habitat for Humanity Hungary
HFH Hungary was founded in 1996, when former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and more than 500 volunteers built 10 homes within one week in Vac. Since then, Habitat for Humanity has helped 198 families have a decent place to live. Habitat for Humanity Hungary is also involved in a repairs and renovations program for families who cannot afford to maintain their existing homes. According to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 1.2 million people in the country live in overcrowded conditions. Single-room apartments are frequently shared by multiple families. Out of the almost 4 million homes in Hungary, over 400,000 lack a water pipeline. Many homes have no sewage systems, and some 670,000 lack a flush toilet.
A large segment of Hungarians fall through the cracks of government and social support. There are those in Hungary who live in third-world poverty, those who cannot afford regular monthly repayment for housing nor utilities.
A great part of the need for Habitat for Humanity Hungary’s individual repair projects stems from the high inflation of the 1990s. Home maintenance costs grew in that decade from 10 percent of the average Hungarian family’s income to about 50 percent, rendering many low-income families unable to look after their homes. Typical problems Habitat for Humanity Hungary addresses in this program include upgrading doors and windows, fixing roofs, changing sections of walls, and adding bathrooms. Often these projects improve energy efficiency, leading to reduced environmental impact and lower energy bills for the homeowners.
You can learn more about HFH Hungary at http://www.habitat.hu./.
Types of construction for volunteers
Volunteers may help with new construction of duplex wood-frame houses or multi-family houses, as well as renovation projects.
Standard itinerary
(11-day itinerary)
Day 1 (typically Friday): Depart for Hungary.
Day 2 (Saturday): Arrive in Budapest, Hungary; welcome and orientation with Habitat Hungary national office staff member; dinner; overnight in Budapest.
Day 3 (Sunday): Travel to host program; welcome and orientation with Habitat host program; dinner.
Days 4–9 (Monday–Saturday, work days): Breakfast served before traveling to work site; work from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. with lunch on site; free time after work to clean up; dinner in local restaurants; time for team activities; closing ceremony and farewell dinner on Day 9.
Day 10 (Sunday): Travel to Budapest; free time; final team dinner.
Day 11 (Monday): Departure day.
Note: Special events throughout the week include cultural experiences with host program staff, such as market tours, museum visits, walking tours, etc.
Accommodations
Most GV teams will stay in a hotel in Budapest and then in double-occupancy rooms with shared baths at a hotel at the host program.
Lunch will be served daily on the work site, and dinner will typically be taken in a local restaurant. Water and snacks are included in the cost of the trip and will be provided throughout the day. Note that breakfast is not included in the cost of this trip, but will be available each morning at the hotel.
Trip cost
$1,875
Trip cost includes: donation to the Habitat host program and HFHI; meals; accommodations; transport (excluding trip participant air fare); medical emergency evacuation and trip cancellation insurance; some local cultural activities and team coordination and orientation materials. The team leader’s trip cost and estimated air fare may be included in the trip budget. The trip cost does not include trip participant air fare, R&R activities or visa and exit fees (not applicable for all destinations).
Team leader
Biff Houldin will lead this GV trip to Hungary. As founder and leader of Global Works, Biff has led international trips for 20 years and is now turning his attention to leading Habitat trips. He and his wife Pam have been on or led Habitat builds in Romania, Portugal, Jordan and Panama. Biff looks forward to meaningful work and discovery travel.
Join this friendly group for an unforgettable experience in helping others.
Contact Biff for more details about the trip or help in making arrangements: houldin@earthlink.net.