Driving Skills | Health | Education | English Language Skills | Child CareAu Pairs in General | Religion | Telephone | Diet | Miscellaneous

For basic information and a statistical overview of United Nations member countries and links to local newspapers, visit:http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/index.asp

To review the on-line version of the World Factbook with information about this country as compiled by the CIA, please visit: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html


The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Hungary. Although au pairs from Hungary may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Driving Skills

1. Cost and difficulty to obtain a driver's license
   It costs about $300. It will cost more when exams have to be re-taken. It takes about 3-4 months.
2. Obtaining a driver's license, e.g. driving lessons, practical and theoretical test?
   The applicant has to be at least 17 years old. The first exam consists of the theoretical part. If this is passed, the practical training starts. A minimum of 32 hours has to be taken before one can apply to take the driving test.
3. Availability and cost of obtaining an International Driving License
   Yes, it costs about $5.
4. Obtaining a driving license
   Minimum age is 17. 70% of women obtain their driving license.
5. How common is it for 18-26 year olds to own their own car or use the family car
   It is not common to own a car at this age, and only 40% of families have their own car.
6. Cars – manual or automatic
   Manual

Health

1. Most common inoculations
   Tetanus, diphtheria, tuberculin, polio, measles, typhoid.
2. Inoculation for TB (Tuberculosis)
   Yes, it is obligatory to get it once a year.
3. Free health service
   Yes.
4. Cost and regularity of visits to the dentist
   The free health service includes this; therefore, regular visits are quite common.

Education

1. Percentage of young women that go on to university
   75%.
2. Alternatives chosen if not attending university
   They start working or travel abroad, or they attend different courses or post-secondary school.
3. Importance of educational opportunities of the Au Pair in America program to the au pair
   Very important. They would like to study English first of all, then other subjects.
4. Start and finish of the academic year
   1st September-mid July.

English Language Skills

1. Is English a compulsory subject in the schools in your country?
   Studying a language is compulsory, but not necessarily English.
2. Description of the study of English in schools, e.g. from what age English is taught, how many years is English compulsory, courses focused on written or oral skills
   Nowadays children start learning English at the age of 6-7 or even earlier. Usually they have 4-5 lessons a week. They are more focused on written skills and grammar. There are many possibilities to attend language schools, or to take private lessons. These are more effective.
   

Childcare

1. Common attitudes to and types of discipline for children
   Children stay at home with their mothers at least for 2-3 years. Then they go to kindergarten. The educational system is rather strict and conventional.
2. Physical discipline of children
   None at all. Parents realize that it is not right to physically discipline their children.
3. How child care is obtained if formal qualification not held
   90% have a lot of experience within the family, taking care of cousins and siblings. Neighbors ask girls to look after their kids. 10% go to take babysitting courses.
4. Sharing child care responsibilities by both parents
   Usually mothers have the major responsibility.
5. Both working parents
   Yes, it is common for parents to work. Sometimes they work 3 shifts, or have additional jobs.

Au Pairs in General

1. The concept of being an 'au pair'
   The term babysitter is more common.
2. The motivation of young people to want to be an au pair
   1. English language
   2. Learn about the culture in America
   3. Study
   4. Travel, make friends
3. Improving job potential upon returning home after a year in the U.S.A.
   Yes!

Religion

1. Most common religions
   Roman Catholic, reformed.
2. Practice of religion by young people
   No, only 5%.
3. Would a young person choose to practice a religion that is different than her family's religion
   Rarely.
4. Common religious practices e.g. special practices or dietary restrictions
   We celebrate Christmas, Easter, but there is no special diet.

Telephone

1. Telephones in the home
   Yes.
2. Would most parents/family speak English well enough to take a message from an American Host Family?
   Not at all.
3. Computer or e-mail access
   40% have access from home, but most can access a computer at Uni or work.

Diet

1. Attitudes to eating meat
   Yes.
2. Vegetarianism
   No. Maybe 0.5% - 1%.
3. Other common dietary traditions
   None.

Miscellaneous

1. Freedom of their family to socialize and date
   Yes, they can go at any time.
2. Curfews at home
   Depending on what age they are. At high school age parents tend to be a bit stricter about it.
3. Sharing household chores
   Yes, all of them share household duties.
4. Diversity of population
   Not really.
5. Three main characteristics of the people
   Reliable, reserved/modest, helpful.
6. Attitudes to nudity both in and out of the home, e.g. sunbathing in the nude?
   At home nudity is normal. In some places it is allowed but only in segregated areas. Child nudity is normally accepted up to the age of 4.

Additional useful information
Average young women have a solid family background with a low income. Our educational system is changing, but it still has some traditional characteristics in it. In nursery, primary and high school there would be a large number of pupils.

Au Pair in America®, 2002