Dear Friend,

Welcome to the first issue of the Helpers Newsletter, where we plan to share ideas and information with you about living, working and doing business in this weird and wonderful country. Every month, we will feature articles centered on a certain theme that characterizes Hungary and the Hungarians - from our perspective. Besides useful information and interesting tidbits, each newsletter will also contain a monthly special offer from Helpers, as well as promotions offered by our friends and partners exclusively for Helpers clients.

The theme of the June issue is water and sports. As the summer is back, we figure it's time to stretch our legs, start taking some exercise, and cool down in the water. As you may know, water sports - among them canoe and kayak - are incredibly popular with Hungarians. Below, we share with you our favorite water spots and sports, as well as some advice on how to plan a canoe trip.

We at Helpers are devoted bikers, so we want to help you make the decision to leave your car keys or your BKV pass at home, and start exploring the city on two wheels. So, besides telling you how you can save eggs (yes, eggs!) by biking, we also offer a 15% discount to clients who bicycle, and provide you with information on where to rent or buy bikes in Budapest.

The interview section titled "You Speak Your Mind" features the sports-related experiences of three expats living in Hungary. We have also included a few event recommendations for the coming weeks. An interview about how business, too, has something to do with water in Hungary is the contribution of our Business Services department.

We hope you will enjoy this newsletter - as well as the issues to come, which will hopefully just keep getting better and better. If you have any suggestions on how to make future issues even more informative or interesting for you, please feel free to share your thoughts with us!

The theme of the July issue will be "Summer in the City" - we will give you some insider tips on how locals survive the heat wave in Budapest. Until then, have a wonderful summer!

Your friends at Helpers


If you would like to receive detailed information on the sports facilities mentioned in this newsletter, please drop us a line and we will send you all the practical information in our Newsletter Directory.

HUNGARY
AND THE
HUNGARIANS

In this section, we take a look at the customs, habits, and characteristics of Hungarians. This month we focus on the ways and places Hungarians choose when practicing, or simply enjoying, sports.

Hungarians and Sports

While the glorious years of the Mighty Magyars and their legendary captain, Ferenc Puskás, are long gone by, Hungarians still love cheering their athletes on, especially when it comes to water sports. Budapest hosted the 28th (and, by some accounts, the noisiest) European Swimming Championships last summer, while the 2006 Flatwater Racing World Championships in Szeged saw the Hungarian women's team complete an unprecedented clean sweep of all women's kayak events.

Although Hungarians are prone to boasting about such success, their attitude to popular sports and fitness is somewhat ambiguous. A 2006 study by the National Institution of Food Safety and Nutrition found that 40% of Hungarian grownups are overweight, and the number of obese children in Hungary has doubled in the past five years. When asked what they thought was the root of the problem, 60% of the respondents in Millward Brown's survey on Hungarian eating and sporting habits said that people worked out less than they used to during Socialist times.

Testing the Waters

Naturally, you do not need to practice water sports competitively to enjoy swimming on a hot summer afternoon. Hungary offers many opportunities for those wishing to get away from scorching Budapest heat waves. While admittedly not quite as spectacular as the seaside in neighboring Croatia, the Lake Balaton, as well as the many rivers and open-air pools (known as strands among locals) of Hungary can be a good choice for a cooling weekend getaway. In addition to swimming, many of these locations offer visitors a chance to try activities such as sailing, surfing, water sliding, and the very popular canoeing.

Still in the Baths

The winter is gone, but that is no reason not to go to relax in one of the many baths this country has to offer. If Széchényi and Gellért are getting old, consider a weekend trip to one of the many facilities in the countryside. Drop us a line to receive our Newsletter Directory, where you will find detailed information on spas and water parks in Hungary.

HELPERS
INDEX

Ranking of Hungary in all time Summer Olympic medals per capita: 3
Ranking of Hungary among OECD countries for years lived in ill health for males: 1
Number of sports clubs in Hungary: 3,390
Number of restaurants in Hungary: 56,495
Number of gyms in Budapest: 60
Number of McDonald's and Burger King restaurants in Budapest: 64 (48 + 16)

Number of eggs a bicyclist requires for traveling three miles: 1
Number of eggs a walking person requires to go three miles: 3
The equivalent of eggs it takes a car that gets 12.5 miles per gallon to drive three miles: 84
Bike, and save some eggs!

HELPERS
FAVORITES

Water spo(r)ts

In Helpers Favorites, we give you the inside story about what people at Helpers do outside work hours so that you can get to know the city from the Helpers-view. Some of the people at Helpers are real sport freaks, others like to take it easier, but one thing is for sure: we all love water. Here are some of our favorite water sports (sports? uhm, let's call them water-related activities) and the spots where we do them.


Nenad Ignjatovic, Managing Partner, Head of Helpers Serbia and Helpers Romania:
Favorite sport: sliding
Favorite spot: The slide park "Aquarena" next to the Hungaroring. Excellent fun for adults, too, as some of the slides are faster then the Formula 1 cars that race on the tracks at the bottom of the park.



Barbara Ürögdi, Managing Partner, Head of Helpers Expat Services and Helpers Papereater:
Favorite sport: bathing/swimming, canoeing
Favorite spot: Csillaghegyi Strand for bathing and swimming, canoeing on the Tisza in the summer, and bathing in the Széchenyi in the winter




Thomas Jans, Head of Business Development:
Favorite sport: lake swimming
Favorite spot: Velence is a fun spot to have a good swim and meet the real Hungarian spirit




Dániel Bodonyi, Managing Partner, Head of Helpers Language and Business Services:
Favorite sport: swimming
Favorite spot: The swimming pool of Államigazgatási Főiskola [College of Public Administration] on Ménesi út, on the Gellért-hegy. Small and overpriced, but normally clean and friendly swimming pool open till 9 pm on weekdays.



Kata Gál, Account Manager:
Favorite sport: swimming or just sunbathing and eating an ice cream
Favorite spot: Swimming: Hajós Alfréd Sportuszoda, Margit-sziget
open: 6am-5pm, weekends: 6am-6pm. There are lots of types of pools: you can choose to jump into the water from 3 or 5 meters high, or just swim laps and meet Hungary's famous water-polo players. There are also smaller pools for kids.
Ice cream and eating fish: Agárd - next to the Lake Velence - good spot to take a nap.



Zep, company bulldog:
Zep hates water!


You can find more information about the spots featured in this article in our Newsletter Directory. Email us to get it.

KATA'S
TIPS AND
TRICKS

Every month, Kata Gál of Helpers Expat Services will give the readers of our newsletter some practical advice about life in Hungary. In this issue, she offers some tips on one of the most typical family trips for Hungarians: the canoe trip.

Canoe Trips

If you are only planning to spend a day canoeing, you don't even have to leave Budapest. The River Danube has many beautiful branches where the flow of the water is slower, making canoeing a pleasure even for a beginner. One place where you can easily rent boats is Római Part, in the northern part of Buda, where restaurants and clubs are also available for those who prefer solid ground under their feet.

Going on a weekend canoeing trip is also an option. There is a number of rivers to choose from: the Danube, the Tisza or the Rába, just to mention a few. There are companies that offer two-day, or even longer trips for people with all levels of experience. They can usually take care of transport, boat rental, accommodation, and meals as well.

You can find all the practical information you need to know about canoeing in our Newsletter Directory, which you can get by sending us an email.

Tips and Tricks:

- You will usually need your passport to rent a boat but be careful, as it can get wet or lost if your boat happens to turn over (which does happen even to the best of us...)
- Do not plan to complete more than 20 to 30 kilometers a day. It's possible to go faster but what's the fun in that?
- Always consider the flow of the river when planning a trip.
- You can buy special maps for the different parts of Hungarian rivers that show some main routes and good places to set up camp. These are available at almost every big bookstore or in stores with a map section.
- Take only the most important things with you because they might get soaking wet.
- Be prepared for all kinds of weather: it can get really hot or even freezing cold out there.
- You can get sunburned very easily on water. You are advised to wear a hat and a shirt at all times. And don't forget about the mosquitoes!
- Always have fresh water in the boat because you can get dehydrated in the sun.
- If you are planning a longer trip that lasts more than one day, choose your campsites carefully and in advance. You can spend the night on the bank of the river, but there are also some camp sites along the rivers that will suit your needs as well.
- Don't set up your tent or leave your boat too close to the water. Some bigger ships that pass by can generate waves that might flood your tent or wash away your canoes.
- If possible, only take shoes that do not sink. Test them in the bathtub!
- If you plan to start your canoe trip from Tokaj, don't! Or if you do, add three extra days to your planned schedule - you won't leave the Tokaj wine cellars for at least this long!

WHAT'S NEW
AT HELPERS?

We welcome Tamás!

Tamás Géczy (tamas@helpers.hu) joined the Helpers team at the beginning of June. Some of you have already met Tamás since his main responsibility is assisting expat clients. He will also oversee the preparation of the upcoming issues of the Helpers Newsletter so feel free to contact him directly with any suggestions or questions.

Promotion of the Month

In the past few years the number of bikers in Budapest has been increasing steadily. On Earth Day, April 22, about 50 000 bikers, with five members of the Helpers team among them, joined forces in the city for Critical Mass to draw the authorities' attention to the need for bike trails in the city.

There are more than enough reasons to start biking immediately. A Danish study found that cycling to work (an average of three hours of cycling per week) decreased the risk of mortality by about 40% compared to a sedentary control group. And, by driving just 10 miles less every week, you could eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year!

Shops selling new bikes are all over Budapest. You can't throw a stone without hitting a bike shop! New bikes are often very expensive, though, and, as second hand bikes are often of very good quality, we thought we would list a few places where you can rent or buy second-hand if you decide to go on a trip one day (or try biking to work).


Helpers at Critical Mass: "An uplifting moment"

Biker Discount - 15%

We (management and helpers alike) love biking, so we are happy to promote this sport for a cleaner Budapest. Prove that you are a devoted biker - by cycling to our office to meet our team, or by sending us a photo of yourself on bike. Save 15% on any of our services - and spend your money on a cool new bike accessory instead!


You can find all the practical information about second-hand bike shops and bike repair places in our Newsletter Directory, easy to acquire - just send us an email.

YOU SPEAK
YOUR MIND

In this section, our clients talk about their experiences in Hungary - in connection with the theme of the newsletter. This month we asked Linda, Luanna and Simon about doing sports in Hungary.

Linda Guaciaro, who came to Hungary in May 2006, likes to go to the gym and to walk. "I work out at Gold's Gym in Mammut II. It's an internationally recognized co-ed gym chain, with a good reputation. Its facilities in Budapest are excellent. My husband and I live in District V. Like many city dwellers, we do not have a car. We utilize public transportation, taxis, and walk a great deal. In the beginning, walking was a way to discover the area we lived in. Now that we're relatively familiar with the area, we walk for exercise as opposed to sightseeing/discovery. We most often visit Gellert Hill or Castle Hill since they afford up-hill exercise as well as pleasant views. Strolling along the Danube for a walk around Margit Island is another of our favorites. A friend recently introduced me to the Normafa Nature Preserve (final stop for 21 Bus). I had a pleasant walk and will definitely come again to explore the area more thoroughly."
Simon Saunders is Regional GM of Gold's Gym. He came to Hungary in January 2000. Simon has always loved running: "I just ran Maraton de Madrid, hot and hilly but a great race in a wonderful city. I have always run, I ran cross-country to school boy international level, all be it 17 years ago. This was my seventh marathon and hopefully a Rocky style re-launch of my athletics career! ... I grew up by the sea, my brother and father are keen sailors, I preferred terra-firma but I was able to recently charter a yacht with friends and spend a weekend sailing back in the south of England. Really overdosed on fresh air and felt like I'd love to take up sailing as a new hobby."
Luanna Bicknell, who came to Hungary in 2006 with her husband and her five children, and now owns and runs kids' shop Hoppi, says the whole family likes swimming a lot. "My son Charles plays football as well with the Lycee French School every Saturday. We also enjoy tennis. James (my husband) has just joined the Budapest cricket team which will be interesting as he has not played for 15 years! And if running after 5 children counts as a sport then I am an athlete!"

Luanna with her children

Luanna's family also enjoys discovering the baths of Hungary. "We have visited Hévíz and we plan to visit some of the baths this summer with the children."

What do you think about the sporting habits of Hungarians?
"In general," says Linda, "I think Hungarian people are in much better shape than Americans. Hungarians are probably average for a European nation when it comes to participating in sports. America is more a nation where people enjoy watching sports events rather than participating."
Luanna: "My impression of the physical shape of Hungarians is they are either one way or the other. Very, very fit, or not at all in shape!!!" But she also notes that Hungarians really like sports: "It is quite impressive as I drive around district 2 to see so many tennis courts, and it is interesting that the owners invest the money in the tents for the winter. We were at a watch tower looking over Budapest with our Canadian friends and it was amazing to see so many of these tents. I think Hungarians enjoy sports and they offer a lot more variation than where we lived previously, in the south of Spain."
"Interestingly Hungary was fifth in the recent study on obesity in the EU," says Simon. "You never look around Budapest, as perhaps you may in the US or the UK, and think what a lot of sick, overweight people there are here, so perhaps the issue is more in the countryside or more of a socio-economic issue.
Hungarian home cooking techniques commonly include a lot of fats; tend to be high in carbohydrates and serving a small portion of anything is frowned upon. The Hungarian family faces the same time pressures as those in other countries, meals are often pre-prepared and lacking in proper nutrition. Fast food and cheap alcohol are taking their toll too. I was glad to hear of the government's recent announcement to ban smoking in public areas by 2009.
Most Eastern block countries have a strong, historical sporting movement stemming from the Soviet period. The need to have a strong work force, to be able to mobilize an army, to have national pride in represent the USSR during the Cold War, and to channel the physical energies of the population placed a emphasis on sport and physical recreation."

Do foreigners find the sporting facilities in Hungary sufficient?
"Sports facilities for children seem to be ok," says Luanna. "It is easy to find tennis, football, swimming and even rugby for children (in English) - and my husband is very happy to have found this English cricket club."
Simon agrees: "I think we are very well served here, even perhaps spoilt for choice; I can have a game of cricket in Budapest now! Private facilities are improving but I think the public sector needs to improve the quality of provision and accessibility for all."

So opportunities are abundant - but information is often only available in Hungarian. "In general," Luanna says, "I think that there is never enough information in English. It is very interesting to me that even when we visit tourist attractions the information is sometimes only provided in Hungarian. I am lucky enough to have my children who understand a little so that helps." Linda agrees: "I don't think enough non-Hungarian literature is provided about sports facilities. I'm sure expats would enjoy knowing about facilities in the area as well as outside Budapest."
According to Simon there is probably not enough information in Hungarian. "But that's ok," he says. "If you are really keen, then a lack of signage or a Hungarian only website isn't going to hold you back - I have asked Hungarian friends to translate race information, for example.
The confusion of the spas is part of the charm. I love to watch foreign guests be baffled by the locker system in the Széchenyi but when you have lived here for some time, you realize this is Hungary and things are a bit different, Hungarian logic is Hungarian and that explains a lot."

Simon at the gym entrance

What is your experience with expats doing sports?
Simon: "There are a lot expatriate teams - Budapest Exiles Rugby, for example, is a well-known regional side, their annual Rugby 7's Tournament is excellent. I have run with Budapest Hash House Harriers, a drinking & running club which is great fun. Now, I have a group of Hungarian- and English-speaking running friends, and we train on Margitsziget and in the Buda hills. Sport is a great support system for expats. Many friendships and business deals can come from participating."
Doing sports, however, is not always the best way to appear graceful and at ease - as the elderly Japanese lady Simon had to rescue from an out-of-control hotel gym treadmill would surely agree. "She'd keyed in 19.0 km/hr speed and refused to let go her grip as the machine sped up, her tracksuit bottoms melted at the knees as she dragged along the belt looking like a mini superman prior to me scooping her up. She was very grateful! I have also had some very interesting sauna experiences between various cultures with varying tolerances to nudity but that's for another day!"

GO AND
DO

Here's where you should go after you're done reading this newsletter.

Until July 1 - 2nd International Guitar Festival - Balatonfüred

Over one hundred guitar players are testing their stamina (and yours) until July 1 in Balatonfüred in an attempt to break the record for the longest uninterrupted concert in the world. Besides the Lake Balaton, various exhibitions, fairs, and - starting from June 28 - a fish and wine festival give visitors a chance to unwind should music-making turn into something too much like a feat of athletics.

July 7-9 - Blue Ribbon Regatta

Around 1600 yachts compete for the Grand Prix and Blue Ribbon on the approximately 160 km round-the-lake course. Since the first race in 1934, the Blue Ribbon has remained the longest sailing race of the continent on a lake. Actually, the sailboats only start off on the 6th from Balatonfüred and return to the same port the next day after completing a full circle around the Balaton. Various events await visitors during the four days of the Regatta, including concerts, parties, and the awards ceremony on the last day.


If you love speed, you can of course always go to the Hungaroring to watch the Formula 1 race (3^rd-5^th August, tickets starting at 110 euros). But we would like to offer an alternative plan in keeping with our theme of sports and water:

July 16-17 - International Powerboat Race - Szeged

If you prefer shiny speedboats to cars, you may want to check out the International Powerboat Race in Szeged, where racers from a variety of nations will test their skills and endurance, zapping by before the eyes of their fans.

PARTNER
PROMO

HOPPI is a children's webshop offering a wide variety of products for kids of all ages. A truly unique product is kids' trampolines for your garden.

HOPPI now offers 10% off for readers of this newsletter. To take advantage of this offer, please email luanna@hoppi.eu or call 0670-636-4165.

Visit www.hoppi.eu for more information.




Is all that good living taking its toll on your waistline?

Professional, friendly fitness help is at hand at Gold's Gym Budapest!

International fitness club chain Gold's Gym offers you 20% off the standard annual membership rate until July 15th, 2007. Contact us on 061-345-8544 for more information. Ask for our membership department.

The roof top, Mammut II location offers fantastic, modern, light, bright and cheerful fitness, aerobic and wellness training facilities. Parking is readily available and express elevators serve the club level from the parking garage.

Membership includes all Gold's Group Exercise classes and a great selection of cardio-vascular and strength training stations and free weights as well as saunas, steam room and a Jacuzzi on the relaxing, upper sun terrace. Personal training and massage are also available. For pictures and further information visit www.goldsgym.hu.

THE
BUSINESS
END

Actress portraying a tree

Down by the brookside with Helpers and SL Group

We asked Balázs Géczy, communications consultant at Helpers, half-jokingly to see if our business services department could contribute a story to this month's topic. As it turns out, while we were busy preparing for the summer, our colleagues were not treading water either.

On Birds and Trees Day, May 10, Helpers organized a children's event on behalf of SL Group on the banks of the Rákos brook. How did this idea come about?
This was not an ad hoc idea, nor was it a one-time event. SL Group asked for assistance with their communications in Hungary. As a real estate developer, SL Group is aware of its social responsibilities and wanted communications to reflect this commitment. Helpers devised a communications strategy structured around community support and environmental protection. At the center of our strategy were a partnership with the Independent Ecological Center and, through them, cooperation with the 13^th District Environment Management Public Benefit Organization. The partnership was announced in February, and the event on Birds and Trees Day was the first visible result of the cooperation.

And why the Rákos brook? Surely, a real estate developer must have more spectacular locations at hand where it could hold its events?
I believe the area on the banks of the Rákos brook was an ideal location for the event. The inhabitants of Budapest feel close ties with water thanks to the many spas, baths, and fresh waters of the capital. The Rákos brook is the second best-known fresh water of Budapest, and a perfect setting for environmental education. The brook itself is an environmental challenge with lots of community potential waiting to be mobilized in restoring the area to its natural beauty. We found it an ideal site for an environmental protection class aimed at the next generation who, thanks in part to events like this one, can be motivated to take greater responsibility for their environment.

Companies usually organize family days with games, a chance for them to distribute brochures and sales material. How will an extracurricular activity for nursery and primary school children sell more flats?
Our objective was not to give news about SL Group's latest projects but to show that the company cares for the community where it operates beyond the mere construction of buildings. Instead of organizing a family day, we wanted to invest in the future of the environment, which largely depends on how future generations relate to nature. At the Birds and Trees Day event, children had a chance to get acquainted with urban wildlife, the trees of the meadows, the animals living in the Rákos brook, and the bird species in the city. Nature instructors showed kids how all the elements of the ecosystem, including humans, urban wildlife, and fresh waters, are interdependent. Thus, we hope we gave citizens of the district more than just a day of fun.

But will anyone else besides the participants of the event learn about SL Group's efforts?
Naturally, we wanted to send the message out to a wider audience and, therefore, Helpers invited members of the press to the event. Journalists had the chance to witness District 13 Mayor József Tóth and SL Group Managing Director Danny Bercovich planting a tree together. We also showed the media around the various presentations, and issued a press release about the event. The coverage was very favorable, both in the local and the national media, including printed, online and electronic press in English and Hungarian.

What are your plans for the future?
We will organize further events for schoolchildren to continue this kind of environmental education, but also want to target other members of the community and deal with various issues such as equal opportunities and quality architecture. So, as you can see, this is truly a long-term project with multiple social responsibility goals.

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