Hungary: Talented Nation, Unfortunate Decisions

“Life is a series of choices, we try to teach our students how to think, how to decide. They will not learn this by accident…”

After ten years at the helm of Greater Grace International School, Joseph Cerquitella and his family are heading back home to America next week. The Budapest Times asked Cerquitella to reflect on his time here and America’s place in the world.

What are the factors in your decision to leave? Do issues like bureaucratic fatigue and other reasons often cited by expats come into play?

At first sight, we are crazy to leave. I have an incredibly fulfilling job here educating the future movers and shakers of the world. It sounds corny, but that is who our students are. The school is a wonderful environment: safe, clean, loving and supportive. We can see we really make an impact on kids and families. Many people have grandiose plans, but really each and every life is precious and deserves care and attention. Every child yearns for a significant adult to take interest in them. I am leaving because my father passed away last year and I need to be a bit closer to my mother, additionally I would like my two youngest to re-connect a bit with home.

What changes have you seen in Budapest during your tenure?

More malls, fewer Trabants. More traffic and less civility. More taxes and more taxes.

What have you learned from Hungary and Hungarians?

That communism scars the very soul of man. As Americans we were, of course, raised being taught the “evils” of communism, but until you live in a former communist country you do not really grasp the depth of depravity and human misery which communism brings; scar tissue in the soul.

What still surprises you about Hungary after having lived here a decade?

Women’s hair color. Seriously, we all have heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Need I say more?

What frustrates you most?

So many talented folks always “looking for the angle” and so few having original and or futuristic business sense. They go around trying to make a killing on a single business deal to the determent of a long-term customer-client relationship. It is shortsighted to be sure and a real waste of marketing funds. Also the fear of taking risks and failure. Many are afraid to take opportunity when it comes.

How do you interpret: “The definition of a Hungarian: Someone who gets in the revolving door behind you and comes out in front of you.”?

The tendency to find a way to get ahead, but in petty things, not substantive, meaningful areas.

What could America learn from Hungary and vice-versa?

I tell our students America is them… all America is, is a group of people from all over the globe who have been given freedom. Freedom and opportunity. Freedom to fail without shame or stigma. Many successful people in America have had bankruptcy and failure in their background. In the US we fall – a lot – but have the Biblical mindset of redemption, so we pull ourselves up, dust ourselves off and try, try again. Just like in the movies. As for Americans, they could stand to learn to be a bit more reserved, not so loud and opinionated. Because of geographical location Americans can be quite unaware of what is happening around the world.

You travel a lot. Is globalisation making nations and regions more homogeneous? Is it bridging the gaps between rich and poor? What is right or wrong with it?

I have had opportunities to travel, and am very grateful for them. Additionally I read quite a lot, over 40 books a year at last count. Globalisation may indeed – coupled with technology – actually allow better national and cultural identity. The internet allows folks to virtually be home while living across the globe.

As for economic globalisation, if free markets are allowed to function without political interference then I think the world will indeed grow to be more flat as Thomas Friedman has so aptly written. However capitalism without morality will be a recipe for disaster. I think it a bit odd that the universities around the world are teaching ethics courses… if the students are only getting this in university, it is too late. I think most problems stem for a moral base.

Have reactions to you, as an American, changed over the years?

After 911 everyone was so kind to us. Folks would stop us on the street to console us. All that has changed as many in Europe see the US and President Bush in a quite different light. We will see what history says. It is much too early to comment.

What unifies us or sets us apart the most?

Education and morality, I would think. Of late there has been a great push for tolerance, but how is this defined? On its face tolerance would seem to be a good and foundational virtue but it has come to mean ‘anything goes’ which cannot be true. Something that could bring folks together might be the ability to laugh at oneself. We were blessed by God with a sense of humor. Let’s use it. Too many have a hard time seeing the lighter side of a situation. Really, will it – whatever it is – matter in one hundred years? I doubt it.

Any final thoughts?

I have a deep concern and heartache for Hungary. This is a strong, talented nation who often tends to make unfortunate decisions. Decisions which are not good for their collective best interest.

Life is a series of choices, we try to teach our students how to think, how to decide. They will not learn this by accident, nor from MTV or video games. Steven Covey teaches about decision making . He says there are four ways to make a decision [right/right, wrong/wrong, right/wrong or wrong/right]. To get to the point, we hope to teach our students that they need to do the right thing in the right way. It does no good to do the right thing in the wrong way. An example is it is the right thing is to pass a test, the wrong way would be to cheat to pass the test.

A last thought if I may to parents. I have been watching a trend over the years, a trend that is dangerous, even deadly. Please let your kids be kids. Do not rush their maturation. What is the hurry? Giving or allowing a child to have too much too early leaves them bored and ungrateful. By 16 they have done it all, “now what?” is their question. As it should be. Kids need parents, they do not need parents as friends. Parents need to use the word, no!

Source: The Budapest Times

After ten years of faithful service to the GGIS students and their families, Mr. Cerquitella and his amazing wife Joni will be leaving Budapest to return to the United States. GGIS is the excellent school that it is largely due to the character, inspiration and hard work of this wonderful Christian couple. As is always the case when a great leader leaves there is much trepidation about who will fill the hole left by his departure. The Lord has been gracious to provide GGIS with a new leadership team for the Fall 2008 school year that we believe will take the school even further down the path of excellence, both in spirit and academics.

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