47 Fun Facts über mich

June 17, 2024

Erika Magyarosi

Über mich

My last name is Magyarosi, which literally means “Hungarian” – although I was born in Romania. Historically, that makes perfect sense.
I was born in Transylvania and even have a pointy canine tooth like a vampire. The catch? I can’t stand the sight of blood.
I’m half Hungarian, half Romanian – and my great-grandfather was Turkish.
I speak Hungarian, Romanian, and a few other languages. I’m especially proud of my German.
My parents secretly got married. At first they weren’t allowed to, because they didn’t share the same nationality. In a way, I’m repeating their story.
Back in Romania, we celebrated Easter twice every year: once Orthodox and once Catholic.
I have a sister who is 10 years younger, and sometimes I feel more like her mother. We worked through that in family therapy.
My Hungarian roots are quite noble and can be traced back to the 15th century. But please, always just use “you” with me.
One of my grandfathers was the smartest man in the village, the other once owned 300 sheep.
As a child, I fell in love with Elvis Presley. Really. Is he still alive?
After 28 years as a coffee junkie, I quit drinking coffee. HOW? After fasting for 7 days. Since then, I don’t stress anymore when the coffee in hotels isn’t good enough.
At the last minute, I chose philosophy over medicine. My father said I could always become a taxi driver. What he didn’t know: I drive so badly I’d rather not drive at all. And I still don’t. Yet.
I developed a seminar: Myth of the Taxi Driver. Finding your calling as a humanities graduate.
I’ve always worked. At 15, I was a camera operator, filming weddings with my father.
Both my parents had side businesses next to their jobs. From them, I inherited the “self-employment virus.”
Alongside my business, I run a summer academy and an online academy – now with around 800 participants.
In my life (so far), I’ve only failed two exams: my driver’s license (4 times – during the 3rd attempt I nearly caused an accident) and empirical social research.
Later, I studied philosophy in Cluj and sociology in Tübingen at the same time. I’m still not sure that was legal.
I had terrible stage fright and was almost expelled for not giving my presentations. Today I’m a keynote speaker. Wild, right?
Before my burnout, I had 4 side jobs and thought, “I can do it all.” I was so wrong.
I’ve read Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason” 4 times and spent years trying to understand that giant. The result is mediocre – the only mediocrity I’m truly proud of.
I play badminton pretty well. Okay, very well. At university, I challenged a sporty fellow student to a match, we both bet on winning – she lost. This year, I’m marrying her.
When I first arrived in Germany, I had huge expectations: punctuality and structure. Now I know: Germans need me for that. I give seminars on time, project, and knowledge management.
I’m very good at reading people and their body language. I also teach it.
I have a blind, very old cat (Mika) who also has mild dementia. She loves announcing at 3 a.m. that she’s awake – giving lectures full of pathos.
The featured image is one of my absolute favorites. It was taken in a library at Salem College in Überlingen by Jakub Bak, a Talent im Land scholarship holder whom I tried several times to adopt.
I’ve been collecting words since I was 14. One of my favorites, and my word of the year: “Hoch-Zeit” (High-Time/Wedding).
I have a motto for each year: last year it was “Balance,” this year it’s “Push Through.”
My favorite food is cheese spaetzle. Sadly, I can’t order it anywhere anymore, because I’m always disappointed. None taste like at “Lamm” in Herrenberg.
The first cassette I bought was Roxette, the second was Chopin.
For years I said “ice dealer” instead of “ice cream parlor,” and “deep culture” instead of “deep freezer.” People always knew what I meant.
Most embarrassing slip in a client conversation: “stiff” instead of “steep.” Ooops.
I give memory training seminars, but I never remember street names.
I love white chocolate, but always feel guilty eating it. Maybe once every 2–3 years. I just realized this – maybe I’ll treat myself tomorrow… maybe!
Not Fun Fact: As a young woman from Romania, I faced a lot of discrimination. The worst: a police officer who came “officially” just to talk about his wife problems, and the head of the immigration office who told me he “knew Romanian women – we only come here to get married.” BUT now I teach intercultural communication at THAT very city administration!
The introduction of tuition fees in my year forced me to quit smoking.
I always read several books at once. I also watch several series at the same time.
I’m so hopeless with DIY that IKEA is not an option for me.
I’ve run 2 half marathons. During the first, an 80-year-old show-off passed me; my second time was worse than my first. No comment.
I grew up under communism and realized that freedom – especially freedom of speech – is extremely important to me. I struggle with “speech police” – what’s allowed, what’s not – though I usually stay polite. 🙂
Self-optimization is a real addiction for me. I wear an Apple Watch and an Oura Ring, take lots of vitamins, and love watching documentaries on healthy eating.
One of my students told me not knowing Pumuckl was a cultural gap. Now I know Pumuckl very well – and I’m a big fan.
I spend ridiculous amounts of money on further education. I’m constantly in courses and love learning new things.
I love crazy challenges – shall we all get up at 5 a.m. every day together? Who’s in?
I come from a working-class family, but many of my childhood friends were teachers and professors. They became my mentors. Today, I mentor others and fight for fair educational opportunities.
I eat mainly vegan, but I can’t say “no” to Romanian cabbage rolls. I own it.
Even though I give conflict management seminars, I can have epic fights with my sister – and as a memory trainer, forget all about it an hour later.