I am a part of the third generation in Canada. This is because my grandma was the one who immigrated from Budapest to Canada, making her a first-generation citizen and therefore, my parents second-generation Canadians too.

Generations

Push factors

 After World War II, the Russians occupied Hungary. They remained here for around 11 years, becoming increasingly aggressive towards the Hungarians until the fall of 1956, when the Hungarians finally snapped. They started protesting and started riots, carrying homemade weapons like Molotovs, while the Soviets brought out tanks and assault rifles to fight the uprising.

At this time, my grandma and her family were in Budapest, and they decided this was one of the reasons why they had to leave. Another reason why my grandma's family wanted to move out of Hungary was because of the uncertainty of their future. Let alone for a 5-year-old. The last factor that pushed their family out of Budapest was the fact that the father's brother had already fled because of his political beliefs and the family name was associated with opposition to the government, making them vulnerable to harassment.

Pull factors

The first factor that pulled their family to Canada was that it was the quickest opportunity for a new home and a new life. The second factor that pulled them to Canada was how Canada was accepting the most Hungarian refugees (approx. 30,000 at the time). The last reason why they immigrated to Canada was because of how Canada already had a strong Hungarian community and they felt that they could easily fit in.

Benefits

Two benefits of immigrating to Canada were the freedom, aka no soldiers, tanks, etc. and also how  many opportunities there were for work (there were plenty of jobs).

Challenges

The first challenge was the distance. It was a multiple-day journey. The second challenge was the language barrier. My grandma's parents both had to learn English quickly to get good jobs. 

Hungarian characteristics

1: Language: the Hungarian language is very unique, and not a lot of other languages are like it.

2: Food: Hungary has a lot of rich and flavorful dishes that often feature spices like paprika.

3: Music/art: Hungary was once a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which produced alot of talented musicians.

4: Religion: There is a very diverse range of religions including Christianity, Judiaism, and Muslim.

5: Clothing: The Hungarians made things like hand-stitched floral designs, lacework, and leather crafts.

6. Personality: Hungarians are friendly and welcoming to tourists. They like beer and wine and socializing.

7. Thermal bath culture: Hungary is famous for its natural hot springs and thermal baths. Some date back to Roman and Turkish times.

8. Social care: Hungary is a pretty safe place with strong social systems that care for elderly people, resulting in little homelessness