4A News May 19, 2005 <strong>Grosse</strong> <strong>Pointe</strong> News An American ambassador in Budapest By Brad Lindtorg Staff Writer Kristin Nickel went to Central Europe and learned that people with opposing views often meet on common ground. Nickel ia in Budapest, Hungary, where until 1873 the towns Buda and Pest stood separately on opposite banks of the Danube River. Today, more than a decade after the fall of the Iron Curtain, Hungary is free of the Soviet Union but is grappling with the rights and responsibilities of selfrule and a market economy. Budapest is a city where East meets West — and a place where the two frequently butt heads. Nickel is overseas earning a master's degree in international relations. She's practicing it, too. Lessons go both ways. "I came from the U.S., where liberal college students were shouting about the evils of capitalism," said Nickel, 22, of <strong>Grosse</strong> <strong>Pointe</strong> Park. "I came here to a university where students from all over the former Soviet Union are praising and worshiping capitalism to an extent I'd never seen before. I realized that maybe the best system is somewhere in between and neither side is completely right." Nickel in July will complete her graduate studies at Central European University. Her thesis explores income inequality in countries evolving from communism to capitalism. mm- She said the school was founded by George Soros, a Hungarian who emigrated to the United States in the 1950s and is using millions from his $7 billion fortune gained from currency and stock trades to finance Democrat Party causes. "My university was founded 6n the principles of democracy and marketbased economics," Nickel said. "(Soros) is calling for a need for democracy but not the American way." President George W. Bush isn't a big man on the CEU campus. "My university can definitely have an anti- American and anti-Bush sentiment about it," Nickel said. On election night last November, Nickel went to a party where she said 75 percent of those attending took a straw vote in favor of John Kerry. "The main thing that astounded me was not what they thought, but how much they cared," Nickel said. "Not only were they anti- Bush, they were passionately anti-Bush." Now they're miffed. "People here were personally affected when Bush was reelected," Nickel said. "They're basing it on the war in Iraq. Before (the presidential election) they could blame Bush and the administration for what (fellow students) believed were poor decisions. But once the American people reelected Bush, they started asking what's wrong with the fcrt When you need quality care fast, choose the newly expanded and redesigned Emergency Center at Bon Secours Hospital. With 32 private rooms, incredible new technology, and rapid triage "Fast Track" service, our expert physicians can assess and treat patients faster. The new ER at Bon Secours. More room for your emergency, right now. BON SECOURS HOSPITAL 468 CADIEUX ROAD, GROSSE POINTE, M! 48230 (313) 343-1000 • BSCHEALTH.COM * , . BON SECOURS COTTAGE HEALTH SERVICES POINTER OF INTEREST Kristin Nickel returns to the <strong>Pointe</strong>s this summer from a year studying in Budapest, Hungary. She'll return to Central Europe to teach Roma (Gypsy) children living in the village of Szurte, Ukraine. American people." Nickel has been to Europe before. She lived in Antwerp, Belgium, during her final two years of high school. "From that point I knew I was interested in seeing more of the world," she said. Her current, Old Country "He's homeless and on the adventure results from win streets," Nickel said. "That ning a highly competitive didn't happen under the $25,000 ambassadorial Soviet Union. Everyone had scholarship sponsored by a job. You were required to Rotary International and, in work. The state provided her case, funded mainly by you a job and paid your Rotarians in southeast salary. Not working was a Michigan and southwest crime. If you opted not to Ontario, Canada. work you were sent to Rotary ambassadors prison." spend a year abroad. Their She said a downside to assignment is to study, live Soviet rule was lack of out with locals and exchange ward personal freedom. information about each "There was no room for other's culture. The people individual choices or deci Nickel has met have had a sions," Nicke) said. "They lot to soak up. told you what to do." "A lot - of W believe' me when 1 pr#^^She said her host parents them'th" Budapest are nearly 60 there are poor pedple in years old with memories of America," Nickel said. how things used to be. Nickel lives with a "They said, 'Sure, we did Budapest couple in a former n't have all these rights, but Soviet housing block. we had our apartment and "In Hungary under social family and were able to ism if you had two children, make our own decisions you got an apartment pro there,'" Nickel said. vided for you. Period," Hungarians face new Nickel said. "Things like challenges now that freedom children's clothes were pro is available beyond the vided at a huge subsidy from doorstep. the government. Anything a "There's still an expecta family would need was subtion that the state should be sidized by the government. doing everything and taking There were no homeless care of everything," Nickel children." said. "Even now, unemploy Walking down the street ment is not considered the of Budapest the other night fault of the person who is she saw something in a cor unemployed, It's the state's ner. An 8-year-old child problem." woke up and looked at her, She sid a lot of corruption (Z u stom F11 r 11 i tu re Sale •«*/• -s.r>^ mmm 15% OFF CUSTOM FURNITURE MAY 14-MAY 28 Rich fabrics, quality hardwoods and exquisite design details all come together at tremendous values! Offerexe/nt/es prior • puirftuses tint!' rtwtwt be eowl/inetl\atli tiny oilier offer. Vttliti'tit partieipiitin^.ilons only. IN-HOME COt». )LTATI0N AVAILABLE IN MOST STORES CALL FOR DETAILS. BL00MFIELD HILLS 1933 S. Telegraph Rd. (North of Square Lake Rd.) (248)332-9163 N0VI ST. CLAIR SHORES <strong>City</strong> Center Plaza 23240 Mack Ave. 25875 Novi Rd. (South of Nine Mile) (248) 347-4188 (586) 775-00/8 CAI K'O CORNERS www.caticocomers.com from the former Soviet Union remains. "Trying to open a business in Central Europe is very difficult," Nickel said. "You have to pay a lot of bribes to officials. In Hungary less so. In Ukraine more so." Soviet communism celebrated the worker, but Nickel said Hungarian income tax rates reach 60 percent. "That is a huge loss of incentive for people to work hard," she said. "You lose a lot of motivation. You can guarantee employment, but if there's not the threat of unempkryment maybe people won't work as hard. There is some merit to the system of capitalism and incentives it creates. I don't think there is a perfect system." The face of Hungary's free health care system masks a dirty secret. "In practice you have to pay a bribe to get health service," Nickel said. "In theory, socialism sounded good. In practice many things don't work out for those who are in need. It turns out that health care may be even more expensive to poor people living here than other places where on paper it looks more expensive." Nickel has made a lot of friends through the scholarship. "Rotary emphasizes diplomacy," Nickel said. "I'm not there necessarily to express my own view, but to express things that can increase international understanding and awareness." She's on the board of the Hungarian Ecumenical Student Movement, a group that promotes Christian fellowship and dialogue across all branches of the Christian church. She plays on an ultimate Frisbee team with other young Hungarians., She$3&c«atly trav«i#d tp Ukrail£H8#*fc week and vis'ited a aeries of villages. "Once you get out of the major cities in Central Europe there's vast poverty on a level with the developing world," Nickel said. "There's 60 percent unemployment. They tried to create a different world based on an ideology that in the end didn't work out." Nickel said the first step to eliminating social inequality is establishing equal opportunity through education. "For me, the biggest lesson this year is wherever you go there are the same challenges where those with power and those with control often are blind or choose not to see the real struggles," Nickel said. "Compare the school systems' in Detroit and <strong>Grosse</strong> <strong>Pointe</strong>. That's an example of institutionalizing inequality — taking some children and giving them much greater opportunities from their first day of school." Her next step is to come home in July and present her experience to Rotary Clubs. At the end of August Nickel plans to head back to Central Europe through a one-year mission funded by Presbyterian Church USA. She'll be in Carpacia, the Hungarian-speaking region in Ukraine. "I'm going to be working with Roma Children. Roma is the politically correct word for Gypsy," Nickel said. "They suffer chronic poverty. There's huge discrimination. I'll be working at a school for only Roma children." Goals next year include rooting out economic opportunities. "There's a women's sewing group in one town that we can hopefully make more formal and help them get their products to the market," Nickel said. "You can educate the children all you want, but there is nowhere for them to go and no jobs for them to take. Part of the challenge is finding meaningful employment they can live off of."
May 19, 2005 <strong>Grosse</strong> Pginte News i^i^ii^^ Moiuhfy lo So •":'• .Suiittiiv '>]• y r\, ••;•,/ (7 . ittttUia 5A 1>* 11 AT THE VllSWill IMITED TIME ONLY! ; 1HE KING CABERNET BLUE SUEPE CHARPONAV JAILHOUSE MERLOT RING WHITE SALE CONUNDRUM ...iO*.''i! v *"SJ '' ^Wff^^ IARGHAR1TI ,iii!«D|iJRieu H^ffira^i^ •H glPPBWOOD GROVE C^on^ERLOT, CABERNET] *^^*****-|R, PIHOTOmeiOl mil «^T. # ,»d? m LLsi.r "jj-Lj. EY STRONG HETSAUYI6H0N OT, PiHOT NOIR UlCJIARPONNAY 9 $ 9
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