A new language, unfamiliar customs, and long, dark winters presented challenges, but when he returned to Hungary, he found himself missing Iceland. Today, he is a specialist in family medicine working for HSN in Akureyri and Húsavík. Outside work, chess plays a significant role in his life, a hobby that flourished during the pandemic.

From Debrecen to North Iceland

Ádám was born in Debrecen, in eastern Hungary. He studied medicine there, graduated in 2013, and began working at the university in the field of forensic medicine. It was also there that he met Icelanders, connections that would help shape the course of his future.“After a few years, I wanted a change and wanted to try working abroad, preferably in one of the Nordic countries. Iceland seemed like the obvious choice. I already knew some Icelanders and could start working using English.”In 2016, he began working as a resident physician in the Emergency Department at Akureyri Hospital.“It was definitely a culture shock to come here, and it was difficult not speaking the language. But after about six months, I started gaining a better command of Icelandic, and after a year I was able to communicate with colleagues and patients in Icelandic.”Ádám returned to Hungary for about six months during 2017–2018 and started working in medical imaging.“It’s an excellent medical specialty, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me. Then I started missing Iceland, and I realized that this is where I wanted to be.”

Húsavík Became Home

His next destination was Húsavík, where he quickly felt at home, developed professionally, and improved his Icelandic. In 2019, he began his specialist training in family medicine, completing part of it in Akureyri.Ádám recently moved to Akureyri, where he lives with his fiancée. He has worked for HSN there since May, although he still spends a little over a week each month working in Húsavík.“I didn’t want to cut my ties with Húsavík. The people are great, and it’s a wonderful place to work. I really enjoy this combination of being a family physician in Akureyri while also taking on the diverse responsibilities of a district physician in Húsavík.“One day, you’re responding to an emergency call in an ambulance. The next, you’re seeing patients in the clinic, and the day after that, you’re making rounds on the inpatient ward. I find that variety very rewarding.”

Learning Icelandic Through Conversation

For Ádám, interacting with people is just as important as the medical work itself.“I enjoy chatting with people, helping them, and getting to know them. I like speaking with Icelanders and listening to them. I also want to improve my Icelandic even further.”He reads Icelandic books and does much of his language learning independently, but his work provides daily practice.“I’m in a great job for learning Icelandic. It would probably be much harder in a profession where there’s very little conversation. I’m not shy about asking when I don’t understand a word. I write it down and look it up later.”

Chess Took Off During the Pandemic

Ádám played chess with his father as a child, but he did not take the game seriously until 2020.“Like many people, I spent a lot of time at home during that period. I started playing, studying chess theory, and learning more about the game. I was almost starting from scratch, but I’ve been dedicated, and little by little I’ve improved.”The television series The Queen’s Gambit also fueled his interest, and he began playing on Chess.com.“Part of it might be nostalgia from childhood. I wanted to learn the game properly and become good at it, but chess is difficult and complex, and there’s always room for improvement. I’m an amateur player, and it’s a lifelong project. It’s excellent mental exercise.”

Fifth Place in His Hometown

Ádám is a member of the Goðinn Chess Club in Húsavík, where he has found both friendship and community.“There are wonderful people there. We regularly organize tournaments and travel together to competitions, such as the Icelandic Team Championship and the Reykjavík Open. It’s great fun and fantastic company.”During a summer vacation in Debrecen, where he was visiting his parents and friends, he unexpectedly had the opportunity to compete in a local tournament.“There happened to be a tournament taking place during my stay, so I decided to give it a try. It was my first chess tournament in Hungary. I finished fifth out of forty competitors, but toward the end I was very close to taking second place or even winning the event. But you learn a great deal from losing. It’s part of becoming better.”

Thinking Several Moves Ahead

Ádám sees certain similarities between chess and medicine.“In chess, you have to think several moves ahead and calculate future possibilities. In some ways, it’s similar in work and in life. What am I going to do next? What needs to happen today, or over the next few weeks?“Of course, chess is a game, but that mindset of thinking ahead can help you organize both your professional and personal life.”He is also interested in weightlifting and competed for a period of time, although today his training is primarily a way to stay active and unwind.

From Culture Shock to Feeling at Home

Ádám still vividly remembers his first impressions of Iceland. The customs, the food, and the long winter were all unfamiliar.“The first year was very difficult, and that’s no secret. But in the end, I fell in love with the country and its people. When I returned to Hungary, I found myself missing Iceland, and I realized that this is where I wanted to be. I feel very much at home here.”