Hungarian villagers in Finnish course

A dozen people in the small southern Hungarian village of Geresdlak, Baranya County, start a Finnish language course financed by the European Union. They wish to communicate with the increasing number of immigrants from Finland in the language of the Northern Europeans.

The interest of locals in Geresdlak, a village of 800 people is due to the fact that 100-150 Finns citizens, mostly retirees, bought property in the village and spend over half of the year here. The northern Europeans already own 24 houses in Geresdlak.

The mayor, Tibor Habjánecz is of the opinion that more Finnish families may buy property in the village as shown by the interest of week-end visitors from Finland. Besides interest taken in the language, local residents start building their own saunas, as well, and thus, Geresdlak can boast with the largest sauna density in Hungary.