This is ProLingua Global’s interview series ‘Travelling without luggage’. In these blogs, German & Hungarian language coach Gabriella Ferenczi shares the experiences of her clients, who’ve studied German or Hungarian with her. 

Expect inspiring stories, useful tips and advice, fun facts and a lot of motivation and encouragement.

Let’s delve into it!

The next person to answer our questions is Melanie Seymour. Melanie is Head of Global Client Experience at BlackRock. 

On her appointment as Managing Director and Head of Blackrock Budapest, Melanie was asked to move to Hungary to set up a new innovation centre there. She was responsible for defining the vision, developing a growth strategy and building a brand within in Hungary. She grew the office to over 500 employees within 2 years and it has become an integral part of BlackRock’s global operating model.

In 2018 Melanie was awarded the Knight of Cross from the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic as an acknowledgement of the valuable contribution to the modernization and improvement of the Hungarian economy, the financial system and the strengthening of the innovation capability of the country.

She has established strong relationships with various Universities in Budapest and worked closely with Hungarian Embassies abroad as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to relocate Hungarians back to Hungary.

Now let’s discover what her language learning journey has been like.

What is your language background?

I studied French and German to O’Level but never really used either. My family and I have travelled a lot around Europe and I always attempt to learn the basics in any country we go to.

Why did you choose to learn Hungarian?

I had a 3-year assignment to set up an office in Budapest and wanted to integrate myself into the country and culture as much as possible. Language seemed like a key element to this.

Tell us about your language learning journey so far.

For those that are not aware, Hungarian is arguably the most difficult language in the world!! When I first was in Hungary and listening to people speak I had no idea what the conversations were about as there was not any word that I could recognise. I described it as listening to a radio not properly tuned into a station. There was a lot of noise but not anything that could constitute a word.

When I first began to learn, pronunciation was near impossible. I still have an audio file of me attempting “Jo napot” over and over and my Hungarian friend responding with “Nem, Nem – Jo Jo”. As I began to work with Gabi she patiently helped me begin to form words and learn the nuances and beauty of the language. It also made me appreciate the strong links between language and culture.

What challenges have you faced during your learning experience?

The biggest challenge was having the confidence to try, especially in a professional context. Initially, I was afraid to attempt to speak but found myself understanding more and more. As I gained confidence I managed to develop sentences and be easier understood.

What are you the most proud of in terms of your achievements so far?

I always attempted a few words of Hungarian in every speech I did. This meant my assistant writing a sentence in Hungarian and then me spending many hours learning it to get the pronunciation and tonality right. My proudest moment came when I could write this myself and confidently present it.

Misunderstandings are part of any language journey. Can you recall a memorable example where you were misunderstood or did not understand something?

Far too many to pick a single one out. The most common was a bit of a double-edged sword. I got to the point where my introduction was at a level where people assumed I was fluent and so responded with a long follow on question that I had no idea how to respond so “Bocsánat, csak egy kicsit beszélek magyarul” (Sorry I only speak a little Hungarian) became my most used sentence.

What works for you and what doesn’t when it comes to learning and memorising words and phrases?

Recording and repeating words and sentences was really helpful to get my pronunciation right. Also finding someone very patient to help me gain confidence in speaking out loud.

Do you have any tips on how to approach working with Hungarians?

Hungarians are very proud of their country and their culture so embracing this and genuinely wanting to learn more about them is a great starting point. Hungarians are naturally innovative so giving them tasks to do will normally result in frustration on both sides as they look at better ways to do what they are asked. Give a Hungarian a problem to solve and you will get ideas you never would have thought of. Hungarians are very direct so work best with people who communicate in a direct way and are comfortable with direct feedback.

Do you have a favourite Hungarian expression?

Csókolom – a lovely way of greeting which literally means I kiss your hand.

Melanie’s example shows how perseverance and commitment can really help you to understand, be understood and gain confidence in speaking a foreign language. Even if it seems the most difficult language in the world.

Any insights after reading this? Leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you. 

If you enjoyed this interview and you wish to discover more about our client’s experiences, then tune in and listen to The ProLingua Global Podcast series or check these.