Hungarian Business Culture - Public and private sphares

Another characteristic of Hungarians is our initially reserved and private character.

Do not try to mention all of your family members as a way to introduce yourself.
Hungarian people bring to the workplace fewer private matters than Americans
do, and you will rarely see family pictures on the desk.

Hungarian reluctance toward sharing private matters in the workplace make them
look distant to American or English eyes. But don't forget that what seems
"obvious" from an American perspective isn't necessarily the same from a
Hungarian point of view - or a British or Japanese one, for that matter.

As you develop your relationship with your Hungarian colleague, you will have
access to more information about his or her private domain. Consider this
privilege a mark of a beginning of a good relationship and be ready to reciprocate
with similar information. When in doubt about when to provide this kind of
personal information, simply let your host take the initiative, either by asking you
questions or (more often) opening the door to a closer relationship.

You will know you have been admitted to a Hungarian person's inner circle when
you are invited to share a family dinner at your colleague's home. This may
happen fairly quickly among younger people of similar status; it may happen after
a year or two, or it may simply never happen even though you think you have
reached a significant point in your relationship. If you don't succeed, never take it
personally as some people might just never develop a friendship with their local
colleagues, even after five or ten years.

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Public & Private Spheres