thanks, dad??

Apparently, I look Hungarian.
In the two weeks that I have been here, there has not been a single day that I have not been approached by one or more Hungarians asking for directions, trying to sell me something, or attempting to engage in some other form of communication that I cannot quite pin down. This usually results in me looking baffled, then either saying (in hungarian) "I don't speak Hungarian, do you speak English?" or in English, "I'm sorry. English?". This morning, while I was standing in line to pay for my groceries, a Hungarian couple approached me and started asking me something. I, in my best attempt at terribly broken Hungarian, said, "I don't understand. Do you speak English?". They then proceeded to ask me where I had found the eggs, and then tell me that they didn't believe that I don't speak Hungarian. They even tried speaking to me in Hungarian again! Apparently, I look Hungarian (I always had thought it was just Western European mutt, but hey, who knows?) AND the two sentences that I really know how to say have a very good accent. It also, however, had the result of doubling my discomfort about not speaking the language. It is one of the few things that I have disliked about being here - I feel like an imposter and it also feels, quite frankly, RUDE to be in another country and know so little about the local language. I hate making Hungarians speak another language when it is THEIR home.

However, I guess there's not much I can do about it. Hungarian lessons start next week, so hopefully by the end of the semester I'll be able to say more than yes, no, thank you, and "I don't speak Hungarian."