Virus time

One year after.

April 10, 2021. I wrote the page below exactly one year ago. Virus is still around us. It was inside me, indeed, last November but now the vaccine is there, too. Try to be protected, bro, I know what the disease is like and I can assure you’d better avoid it.

Many things have changed since then but tourists walking with, or without a camera in the city haven’t been a common sight. The city is still waiting for you. And the propositions below are still available.

The propositions you can consider.

April 10, 2020. Day number X of quarantine. Virus is still spreading. Thus, people suffer in health, mental, or economic terms. It’s obvious that emergencies and casualties are the most frightening symptoms of the pandemic.

However, on the long run the economic consequences of the epidemic are threatening the existence of masses, too. Many, many, many people, including myself, family members, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, brothers-in-arms lost their jobs and income, or were forced into inactivity, confinement, redesign: babysitter, driving instructor, actor, musician, teacher, performer, hotel receptionist, event manager, interpreter, hairdresser and of course… tour guide.

Anyone who can’t do a home office work and has no financial reserves to survive until the end of the crisis is forced to switch to another job – if they can find one at all. The emergency may revitalize creative energies and options B, C, D… up to Z are set up.

After reviewing my own resources and opportunities, I have come to the conclusion that I have a decent number of great offers for half the world: the half that don’t miss either financial resources, or solidarity and trust in the future. Here’s the quick list:

Pay now, come later.

This epidemic will come to the end one day and all those who had to cancel, or redesign their trip will travel and arrive to Hungary. I already have a couple of guests who could not come at the previously booked time because the borders had already been closed by then. They paid for the experience in advance and have re-booked their trip for September. But if it happens in October, or later, I don’t mind. It’s a fair agreement with mutual benefit: I will survive the critical period and I am looking forward to seeing them and they will have full access to the service at a price of today.

Please select your tour by clicking on this ticket:

Validity.

Don’t worry about the date you book now, you can modify and arrange it with me later, accordingly to the actual date of your travel. The coupon is valid within one year from the official announcement of the end of the quarantine in Hungary.

When booking, don’t forget to enter the coupon code “VIRUSTIME” in the comment zone. Also, if you book more than one tickets, you can let me know the names to be written on them. I will send them to you via e-mail. You can redeem the coupon on a pre-arranged appointment within one year from the official termination of the lockdown in Hungary.

If you do not find the tour you are interested in, please consider the “Flexi tour” option, which offers programs on special request. Please, let me know your idea and we will set up the perfect tour according to your need. If you are requesting a guide in other languages that I offer, you can book the same way and I will provide you with the perfect team member.

(If you don’t think this offer is for you, please send this link to those who could be interested in this opportunity, or let me contact them. Mail to: info@photosherpa.org)

#you’llcomeagainwon’tyou

The experience will wait for you.

Give an experience.

This is your golden opportunity to surprise someone with an original gift and you are on the right side now. The recipient(s) of your gift may redeem the coupon at a pre-arranged time within one year of the official end of the lockdown, under the conditions written above. Don’t forget to enter the coupon code “VIRUSTIME” and of course the name of the recipient(s)!(If you don’t think this offer is for you, please send this link to those who could be interested in this opportunity, or let me contact them. Mail to: info@photosherpa.org)

#giveanexperience

Get an art print.

I carry on working. I visit popular places, and of course unknown Budapest, and take advantage of the exceptional opportunity to take photos of the iconic sights and hidden gems of the city without people. I keep uploading photos to

www.photosherpa.org/images/shop,

including other projects, too. Choose and order art prints from any, or request a high-res file online starting from €99. From A4 to A0, printed on a wide range of media, from creative paper to canvas prints on blindframe, in protective packaging, with home delivery. For further details, visit the website or write your needs to info@photosherpa.org. Super decoration for you or a super gift for any of your friends and relatives!

(If you don’t think this offer is for you, please send a link to those who could be interested in this opportunity, or let me contact them. Mail to: info@photosherpa.org)

#getanartprint

It’s time to learn!

Take advantage of your quarantine time, think about the future and improve your knowledge! Personalized, practice-oriented photo courses at your own pace. You will receive lessons, assignments and assessments via email. Choose the general photographer course followed by a post-production set, or choose the latter stand-alone course. The first consultation is free, then you can decide whether to enroll in any of the lessons. Personal courses of 4 weeks, starting from €96 (8 lessons, €12 per lesson). But if you already know everything, give a friend a course as a gift.

Take a free trial class, contact me on: info@photosherpa.org

Click HERE to read more about me as a teacher in photography.

(If you don’t think this offer is for you, please send a link to those who could be interested in this opportunity, or let me contact them. Mail to: info@photosherpa.org)

#learnphotography

Learn Hungary.

If you were planning to give a visit to Budapest and Hungary anyway, this is the best moment to start getting information.

Actually, the picture on the left side was taken in 1989 (long, long before virus time), during the biggest manifestation of the former regime just before its collapse. Some 100,000 people went out to celebrate the reburial of the martyrs of the 1956’s revolution but this manifestation was in the same time an elementary protest against the system. By the way, almost the same amount of people used to fill this square on every single 1 May, International Workers’ Day. However, this day was called officially here the International Day of the Work.

And if you want to know more about the history of Hungary and histories of these strange people called Hungarians in English but Magyars in their own language which is said to be one of the hardests to learn of all European languages, just let me know.

Well, if you are interested in the academic knowledge of the past of this country, don’t hesitate to search for printed or online sources. But if you prefer to get your knowledge in a fun, personalized still authentic way, come to my online course. Being a historian by my first masters degree and being a native Hungarian, I can present to you not only the History of this nation in an authentic way but also the histories of real humans living here. Personal and insider stories tell sometimes more than dates and events and names of rulers.

These courses can also include the introduction to the present of the country at your request: architecture, characteristics, habits, food, everyday life.

The first consultation is for free, you can make your decision afterwords. Start with an immersion course of 5 occasions at €80 (€16 per lesson) which gives you a general picture of the country’s past and present. Specialized courses provide you with a comprehensive knowledge of a certain period, or topic at your choice.

Take a free trial class, contact me on: info@photosherpa.org

#learnhungary

Learn Hungarian.

Take a deep breath and step out of your comfort zone: learn Hungarian. Or, at least take some Hungarian language lessons and a whole new world opens up for you. This language is so much different from any other European languages that you can be sitting at a café table for hours in Budapest without understanding a single word from the discussion of locals around you.

CNN Travel ranks Hungarian as a moderately difficult language for native English speakers, somewhere between Swahili and Arabic, check the article HERE.

But you don’t need to spend those famous 1100 hours to spend with learning Hungarian, still you can be an insider after a couple of practical lessons, for sure. And with this, you can acquire such a special knowledge that you will certainly impress all your friends. Not to mention how impressed the locals will be if you address your words to them in their mother tongue. Away from the main touristic attractions, you will use English in vain, by the way.

The first lesson is always free. Then you can decide yourself whether to master a special competence: speak Hungarian. If you are a beginner, choose an online immersion course of 6 lessons at €90 (€15 per lesson), then you can easily survive your upcoming visit in Budapest for sure.

But if you have already started to learn it in the past, and want to refresh, or develop your knowledge and to get to the next level, don’t hesitate to contact me, either. If you are an expat living in Hungary, and want to get along better with locals, this opportunity is for you.

I gave my first Hungarian language lesson more than 20 years ago, in a modern language school of a small Belgian town, called Hasselt. That time, you could hardly find course books and elaborated methodology so I spent an enormous time setting up the learning materials for the students. Since then, we have hopefully had enough books and teaching curriculum. The only challenge is to use them well.

Take a free trial class, contact me on: info@photosherpa.org

(If you don’t think this offer is for you, please send a link to those who could be interested in this opportunity, or let me contact them. Mail to: info@photosherpa.org)

#learnhungarian

Donate.

Maintaining the website and services and living costs remain while almost all my income has been lost for the time being. Please help with your donation if you can. Any small amount, even the cost of a coffee, or a movie ticket counts. (Cinemas are still closed anyway:) When the business was going well, I helped NGOs and the homeless with my work. And a couple of days ago, as I had no better job, I delivered masks to people around in the district as a volunteer of the local Civil Guard. But now I need your help.

Thank you.