Direct, kind, easy to make friends with. He has found a place in his current job, having developed excellently with both the foundation and the community of large families. He spends his free time with his family, but in the meantime he also enjoys his favorite leisure activity, sewing. Today’s guest of the Keyhole column of the True Word of the Carpathians is Marianna Harapkó, director of the St. Anna Caritas Foundation in Beregszász.

Hegedűs Csilla

– Where and how did your childhood go?

– I am from Tiszaújlak, I was born there, I was raised there, and I can say that I had a very happy childhood. The period was defined by the personality of my grandmother, who provided me with a lot of useful advice to consider, good conversation, support in everything. I studied at the local school, then I was admitted to the Uzhhorod State University, I graduated in economics. Meanwhile, Hungary was very tempted, but I didn’t move. I was in fourth grade when I got married and settled in our homeland by mutual agreement with my husband. We still live in our small family nest in Tiszaújlak.

– Where did you finish your studies?

“I worked for an insurance office, but I didn’t work there for long, since I was a mom when I was 23 years old.

– Where did you meet your husband?

“We’ve known each other since we were kids, I already looked at myself at school, but since I’m five years younger, he hasn’t noticed me yet. We met and talked many times with friends, which eventually became courtship and then marriage. I tied my head when I was 21 years old.

– The family has expanded since then. Would you introduce their children?

– Bence is already a 22-year-old adult man, our daughter Dora is twenty years old, our youngest child, Milan is ten years old. After the two kids, I really wanted one more. God also gave me a gift from Milan, which brought a huge, positive change in my life, as I had a very exhausting and tiring job at the Nagyszőlős District Pension Fund at the time. And when I felt like it couldn’t go on like this, I got pregnant, which I was very, very happy about.

– Where do the children study?

– Bence is studying physical education at the Ivano-Frankivsk National University, he is currently a biology teacher in Bukovel, Dóra is a biology student in Debrecen, and Milan is the fourth student at the No. 1 secondary school in Tiszaújlak.

– When was motherhood easier: in your twenties or thirties?

– two periods had their pros and cons. Now I feel like being a mom is different than when I was younger. I did a lot smarter things with our little son, but the role of a young mom also has its own beauty, because then everyone has a responsibility – my mom, my grandmothers, the whole family.

– When and how did the job in Beregszász come?

“I went back to the old place from the post-Milan gyes.” It was very difficult to find my way back to the old session, so I quit shortly, although I had no idea how to proceed, but then I saw it right. Fortunately, I wasn’t wrong. After half a year, I noticed an ad that a tour guide course was starting at the college in Beregszász. I applied and completed successfully. Over the months, I have been amazed at how dazzling our countryside is. We traveled through Transcarpathia, organized several excursions within the course, and so I gained a lot of experience, knowledge and knowledge. But after I got into work, accompanied by groups, I had to realize that this wasn’t really my world. Unfortunately, I’m not a two-legged lexicon. I joined the Roman Catholic Church in Beregszász as a program organizer, and after a year and a half I heard that they were looking for a leader to lead the St. Anne Caritas Foundation. Truth be told, I didn’t seriously think I would fit for this position, but Father János Molnár asked me to take up the position of director. After a little thought, I said yes. At the beginning I was a little afraid of the tasks, the challenges, but luckily everything is going well, for a year and a half now.

“Has it changed your life a lot?”

– I wouldn’t say, because I used to be in contact with a lot of older people in my vineyard job, what are the difficulties in their lives and what we can do. I’m so glad I took on this job because we’re constantly learning here too, and yes, our lives have taken a completely different direction. Everything is in place, I get a lot of positive feedback from which I filter, of course everything works fine, but that I also notice mistakes. There is still room for improvement. I try to focus on innovation, so we started volunteering. As part of this, the volunteer women and girls belonging to the church meet three times a week in the Ferenc Pásztor House. They bake soup dough and gingerbread, dipping myself in scented candles. It’s not only a noble task, it’s also a good team-building program, as we feel good, learn church songs, and fit in with a little “gossip,” so the hands are stagnant. The development will be sold at the farewell of the Esperes district, and we will support the feeding of children in need from the proceeds.

– participates in the Association of Hungarian Large Families in Transcarpathia.

– Yes, I am a member of the Bureau. I run a craft circle for the kids. This is a completely different task, as the little ones need a little more patience, but there are also flexible, skillful children among them who are very active in the sessions. There are also those who come just to be in a community. But that’s not a big deal either, the point is to make them feel good, and with a little attention, their attention can be distracted as well. Eventually, everyone goes home satisfied and happily shows their parents what they prepared for the session.

– Since he has been connected to Beregszász for years, I think that a circle of friends has formed here as well, with whom he enjoys spending his free time.

– At the association of large families, I met a lot of new, like-minded people, so I had a lot of new friends. But the friends and good neighbors remained in Tiszaújlak as well, so thank God we have a large circle of friends, we tend to organize fantastic joint programs. Most recently, for example, we skied in the mountains.

– Based on our conversation, it can be said that he has met many people in his life so far, and has made friends with many of them. Do you consider yourself a good humanist?

– Yes. My husband used to say that when I look at someone, I already know what kind of person he is. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m not mistaken, but I’m very happy to have a pleasant surprise about someone. But disappointment is hard to deal with.

“What kind of human trait that you can’t stand at all makes you angry?”

– Greed, envy. And the big trouble is that I can’t avoid people like that, so I try to gently steer them in the right direction or gently say my opinion. But I don’t like those who speak out from behind me either.

– How are you patient?

– It varies. I’m very patient at times, like at work, but if something infuriates me, like hypocrisy, my patience runs out.

– Accuracy?

“Father John is a model of accuracy, we all have to adapt to it.” in the evening I try to always be accurate. If I go somewhere on time, I think it’s important not to wait for me, but I also expect everyone to stick to an appointment. But I don’t like to procrastinate on things like paperwork.

– Do you like surprises?

– The good ones. Last time my husband was very surprised. We traveled to Paris for my fortieth birthday, it was fantastic French from the Eiffel Tower to the capital to walk around one of the most amazing cities in Europe.

– is there a favorite place you still want to get to?

– I really like the beach, wherever it is. So far we have managed to get to Greece, in every country but also close to the water I would certainly feel very well, I love the sandy beach, the idyllic environment so much.

– Do you have a hobby? What turns it off?

– I’ve been sewing since I was a little girl. Next to my grandmother, I always had babies, dressed them. I remember I was ten years old when I got my first sewing machine, I was already sewing clothes at the age of fourteen, and after that I learned to knit, I also made hats and scarves, and not just for babies. It’s remained to this day, though it’s true, I don’t have much time left for this fantastic hobby lately, but if I can, I’ll sit in front of the sewing machine and remodel the garments.

“The two years behind us are not good, what do you expect from this year?”

– It will not get any worse than last year, in fact, it will be better. I am an eternal optimist, so I believe that we will start the year positively, adapting to the circumstances, and everything will go according to plan.