“Thanks to the Zalaegerszeg Youth Organization of the Rákóczi Association, we were able to take part in the camp of the Összmagyar High School of the Rákóczi Association in Sátoraljaújhely in the first week of August. In the camp, which lasted for a week, seven students from Mindszentys and two from Kólcseys represented our city. The teacher accompanying us was Chapa Ellis, teacher at Mindszenty József elementary school, high school and college, and head of the local organization.In addition to promoting knowledge and love of Hungarian culture and the Hungarian language, the main goal of the camp was to personally meet and build relationships between young Hungarians in the world.
On Sunday, July 30, we gathered enthusiastically at the Zalaegerszeg train station. After arriving in Budapest, we took the metro from the Southern Railway Station to the Keleti Railway Station, and from there we traveled by train to Sátoraljaújhely. We arrived at the camp at 5pm, checked in – during which time everyone was given a Rákóczi logo gym bag, water bottle, T-shirt, bracelet and hat – and then took our rooms. Then on March 27, 2022, 2. The inauguration took place in the Josef Halzel Sports Hall, which was ceremonially handed over on Ferenc Rakoczi’s birthday and named after the late president of the Rakoczi Association, where Chaky Ksungur, the current president of the Rakoczi Association, made a speech. In his speech, he welcomed the 504 students who came to the camp, who represented the local Rákóczi organizations of 41 high schools in the Carpathian Basin, as well as the communities of the Hungarian diaspora in the USA, Canada, Australia, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany and France. Then they introduced the rules and introduced the group leaders in the 10 groups – into which the students were sorted. We were placed in the ninth group, and there were 41 of us. After the opening ceremony, we laid a wreath together at the memorial plaque of Josef Halzel, late Honorary President of the Rákóczi Association, in the event square. After that, we had dinner, and then the get-to-know-you evening for each group began, with everyone introducing themselves. I was put in room 416 with two of my schoolmates and two boys from Transylvania.
During the week we participated in various interesting programs, before which Reptair played college music. The days were enriched with many presentations, for example, on admission to producers’ cooperatives, further education, career options, revitalization, parliamentary associations, national defence, Hungarian diaspora programme, mental health and media awareness.
We also deal with the health of our bodies. On Monday evening we gathered in a ballroom, on Tuesday we tried the obstacle course erected by the Hungarian Defense Forces, we walked a long way to the Hungarian Calvary and the nearby lookout point, where a wonderful panorama unfolded before us. On Thursday we participated in a holy mass or a mass in the church, after which we were able to show our skills in preparing and fighting in the framework of the sports day. We played basketball, floorball, back-to-back competition and it was great to see 504 kids doing Zumba at the same time. Those who love the water can take a dip in the swimming pool in the camp area.
On Wednesday we hiked all day, only coming back to camp for lunch. Divided into four teams, in the morning we went to Tengerszem in Megyer-hegy, and in the afternoon to the Zemplén Adventure Park in Sátoraljaújhely, where swings and sleds were waiting for us. Two teams visited Vozier Castle and went kite surfing in Bodrog. The day ended with a theatrical performance, we watched the epic parody The Hammer of the Locality by Sandor Petőfi as part of the Petőfi 200 event series.
During the week, in the free time between scheduled programs, we worked enthusiastically on making the team flag and starter, assembling and learning the dance that each team was to perform on Thursday, as part of the closing evening. During camp, teams accumulated points for good deeds and productions, which were added up on closing night and the winner was announced. The highest number of points was collected by Team 4, who displayed the four basic elements in their production and on their flag, so they won the main prize, their prize being a huge cake which they ate for the evening.
