A dapting to a new country and its culture is challenging, especially for diplomats whose work takes them to various corners of the world. For the consul general of Hungary, Attila Pinter, his recent assignment in Türkiye marked a return to a place he once called home.

He invited us to the consulate building in Kağıthane, Istanbul, where you can find the Istanbul Liszt Institute Hungarian Cultural Center on the first floor. An exhibition depicting Sandor Petöfi, often hailed as Hungary's national poet and a central figure in the country's literary and cultural history, welcomed us at the entrance before starting our interview.