Xpat Interview: Robert Terence Easton, Former Associate Wealth Consultant, deVere Group

  • 10 Oct 2014 12:00 PM
Xpat Interview: Robert Terence Easton, Former Associate Wealth Consultant, deVere Group
Robert introduces himself as a, "highly experienced and qualified financial services specialist offering tax efficient products and services to expatriates, local executives and managers in Budapest".

1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
My wife Jackie and I arrived in Hungary on 4th August 2014. We came to Budapest so that I could take up a job as a Wealth Consultant at the deVere Group. I could have chosen almost any one of their 70+ offices to work but wanted to be within easy reach by plane of our family in the UK and with charitable interests and friends we have in Romania, where the company doesn’t have an office but for which it has some remit.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
Technically yes, but most people wouldn’t classify it as such. We moved from the UK to the Isle of Man in 1995 and spent 19 wonderful years there.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
Quite a few things. Firstly, we have been impressed by the wonderful architecture and the ease with which we can travel around on the Budapest transport system.

We have been delighted to find that many people speak English and that there are so many nationalities in the city.

On the minus side we did not appreciate the scale of the issue that the government, business and the third sector has to be able to meet the needs of the homeless.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
They must see the Parliament, the Opera House, City Park and thermal baths, The Castle, Szent Gellert Hill, The Palace, experience the metro, have dinner on a boat on the Danube, take a cycle tour of the city and take the train to Szentendre.

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
I’m not able to try anything with pork, wheat or dairy products which excludes a lot but I do like the duck and chicken dishes and the variety of ways in which these are cooked.

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Bottled water.

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?
köszönöm

8. What do you miss the most from home?
Availability and proximity of golf courses and the sea.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Designing and building eco houses.

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
Doctor or vet.

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
Dorset in England

12. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
UK and Isle of Man

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Cricket was my life for many years as a teen

14. Apart of temptation what can't you resist?
God’s word

15. Red wine or white?
Red

16. Book or movie?
Bible

17. Morning person or night person?
Morning especially if I can catch the sun rising.

18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
Stewardship of the environment

19. Buda side or Pest side?
Split decision. I live and work in Pest but love to get out to the Buda Hills.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your path straight.

  • How does this interview make you feel?