This report was originally written for the January 2019 issue of the Lassi Laurië magazine, where it was published in Hungarian translation. Click here to download the digital copy of the magazine.

The Creative Autumn Meeting in 2019 will be quite similar to the event of previous year, and foreign guests are very welcome to join us. Click here for more information about the upcoming event.

Part I (19-21 October) by Ján Bakoš (Eruantalon)

This year Spoločenstvo Tolkiena visited two foreign events. (Well, three, but the TolkienCon in Prague doesn’t count as foreign for us): the birthday party of the Slovenian Tolkien Society and the CAM organized by our Hungarian friends. For some of us this was the first such event (in Hungary), but for Eruantalon (often shortened to Eru) this was his third CAM. But all of us was looking forward to the event.
On Friday afternoon two of us were travelling to Budapest. Eru arrived first. He had to, because he had a side quest in Budapest: to recover his costume that was forgotten in Slovenia this July. Around 10.30 PM arrived Shadow. Thanks to the magnificent railways only an hour later than expected. So we were able to catch the last Friday train to Dinnyés. After arrival, we were picked up by Metaflora and Stara and driven to the school in Seregélyes where CAM happened. Late evening (or early morning?) was filled with meeting new friends and with talks by the mead and about the mead.

On Saturday morning we attended the lecture about the computers in Hungary during the 80’s. The lecture was really interesting and we have especially enjoyed connecting the ancient computers to the projector. And the game testing was also fun.
After a good lunch, afternoon workshops took place. We attended the juggling, where we prepared our own pois first and then we have learned juggling basics. Again we had a lot of fun, although Eru got blisters on his hands after the workshop.
In the evening, there was a ball under the Two Trees. Eru used the costume recovered from the Slovenians and joined the crowd for a few dances. The idea of having an “officially looking” ball was nice and the playlist was very interesting as it contained mostly modern songs (many of them from games or movies) in the waltz rhythm.
Late Saturday evening was again filled with many meetings and even more talks.

On Sunday our inner Hobbits appeared as we were taking place in the cooking workshop. We joined a group of nice and friendly ladies and gentlemen and together we prepared an apple cider (with rum!), shepherd's pie and pumpkin pie. Everything was so delicious, we were afraid that we won’t have any place for lunch.
After lunch (we found some place for it), first part of our attendance at CAM has finished. As there was no holiday in Slovakia next days, Eru and Shadow had to say Namárië to our old and new friends and to travel back to Budapest and then back home to Slovakia. But as a replacement, Ondrej arrived.

Part II (21-23 October) by Ondrej Majerník

I went from Brno by train to Budapest and later to Dinnyés by train. This train reminds me of one of my trips to the far north, to Estonia. It was not the last time this happened to me at CAM.

The first Hungarian I met was Csaba, who took me from the train station to the school. There I ran into Metaflora, Eru and Shadow. I was told all I needed to know, and I asked what happened before my arrival. It was around noon, so I had lunch with the Slovaks.

Time was running and my first "order" was calling. I was picking those classes very carefully back at home, so I knew "Picture-tellers" are coming. What a great choice. I don't like to shoot in atelier, I barely do it, since I'm only a hobby photographer. I was a little bit sad that it will be all inside, with artificial light and a lot of postproduction, but to do something with Sú or Szozsi was a different story. I was like a fish in water but there was so many things I had not put my hands on before. It was really great time for me there. I was so sorry I was not there the day before, when Bálint was there as a model, making pictures in water.

The next class in my schedule was a workshop: "Clock design by pyrography". This was something I was worried about a lot but I was looking forward to it because I like to work with fire. It is always good to have something that can do work for you and fire is great help if you know how to work with it. I was so sure I know what will be going on. I found out the moment I stepped into the classroom that I was so wrong with my expectations. There was no fire but heat to work with.

Evening fun. What a great karaoke it was. I came there into the far end of the building and they were singing already. It did sound so good. Not only the words but the singing itself was great as well. After a few songs, there was one – I melted. It was not an English or Hungarian song. I knew nothing about that song. I started focusing on the words and I found out why I was so melted. It was an Estonian song. I buried something deep inside of me long time ago. I was thinking it was dead already, but that song did me a great job showing me I'm so wrong.

The next day was more than a bit different. We worked on pictures almost all day. For about six or seven hours – but we did it. Same as the rest of the people in groups, we were preparing to show outputs of our effort in the local theatre. It was a really nice set of entertainment. I will pick dancing performance and short theatrical play: the only trouble of the drama was that it was in Hungarian, so I could only guess.

There was only one thing to do back at school: party time. It started as the karaoke ended last night. The first song I remember was Rammstein: “Du hast”, a song I can still "sing" from memory. I was not the only one, most of us was "singing". I was never very much for this kind of party but I was able to enjoy it, "dancing" most of time. There were so many metal songs. I will end soon, or I will stay till the end. Hard to tell if the end was very late in the night or very soon in the morning.

Yeah, morning was not easy at all. They knew why scheduled activities started an hour later than on the rest of days. I went to a Yoga lesson. It was here where the language barrier almost raised, but if one wants to explain, he will do it even without the right words. I was broken for a few days after. Not sure if the party or the yoga was the reason for it.

I can tell you guys, you have a nice and working CAM, with nice and helpful people. Those envelopes are so clever. I found in there Slovak cookies. One I like, actually. Great tip, whoever it was. I have some new friends – I hope I will meet you again. At least at the next CAM.

CAM 2018 Stage Night

(YouTube - MagyarTolkienTV)