Alexa is going to study in Ireland and they will start their life there by learning new routes with Titán. Annamari would like to be a psychologist helping musicians, therefore she took psychology major. The most important among Brigi’s plan that the people supported by guide dogs will have easier participation in traffic. For this, changes in law are required, therefore she has chosen law school.

Alexa Vértesi and Titán (Titanium)

At this stage, I am studying at Pázmány Péter Catholic University on Translator and Interpreter postgraduate course and I am going to start my second year this September. I got the opportunity to study a semester at South East University in Waterford, Ireland, within Erasmus+ student mobility programme. I expect a lot from this period of time both professionally and personally. I took those subjects which will contributes to my professional development in many ways, such as language skills or cultural knowledge. Besides all these, my important aims are to practice the language and to build relationships as well.

This opportunity is really a “dream came true” for me as both the country and its culture are close to me. Beside studying, I would like to get to as many places as possible and get lots and lots of experience. Of course, Titán is going to be with me on this adventure.

It will be very exciting as we’ve never flown together and we will be in a place which is new for both of us, but I trust in our unity and that we can solve everything together. I already got in touch with a local school for guide dogs and one of their trainers is going to help me in learning the new routes. I can’t wait to leave at the end of August!

Brigitta Hegedűs and Artúr (Arthur)

This September, I am going to finish my study at Miskolc University on Forensic and Judicial administration and clerk course, and at the same time I am going to stay and start the Law School. We are not the only and first human-guide dog-double in this University, there was a lady living with visual impairment, a few years ago, she recommended this university to me. Visiting lectures and completing exams were good experiences so far. I was very motivated that Artúr had been with me, and helped me to overcome the excitement during the exams.

The University allowed me to deal with the legal problems in administration for people living with visual impairment and using guide dog for transportation, already in my undergraduate course. I am going to continue this study in the Law School. As a lawyer I would like to contribute to making life and traveling easier for people living with visual impairment and having a guide dog for shuttle. For this, the legislation must be amended.

I shared my ideas with the chairman of the Baráthegyi School for Guide Dogs, Tamás Mezősi, who is also a lawyer and he supported me as an external consultant. Him and the Foundation give me motivation to continue my study.

(from left to the right: participating in the HDR2023 cross-country running with guide dogs: Brigitta Hegedűs, Alexa Vértesi, Annamari Kardon, Szindi Horváth, Zsófia Lengyel)

Annamari Kardon and Szikra (Spark)

I am very happy that I got admission to the Psychology postgraduate course at ELTE University.

What I expect from this study? Mostly that I get another step closer to my dream, which is to become a psychologist dealing with musicians. Meanwhile completing MA education, I would like to start a music therapist training as well.

It will be exciting from a dog owner point of view as well. I started the psychology undergraduate course with my older guide dog, called Dandzsi, and I completed the last year of this education with Szikra. Now we are going to start and complete this postgraduate course together with Szikra. Because of this, learning new routes awaits us. Besides that, as the school is in the Izabella street, in the downtown, I have to find a place nearby where I can let Szikra go and run, or where he can empty between two lectures. I don’t know yet my timetable but I have to organise it carefully.

It is not related to this university, but it’s worth mentioning it: It was the last year of my Frech undergraduate course, I had to change my whole schedule when I got Dandzsi, because it turned out that my classmate had severe allergy to dog hair, to that extend that she could not be by dogs. My whole semester was ruined at that time, I had to start to go to other lectures. At the next semester we had synchronised our schedules and we visited the common lectures alternately, one week I went to that lecture and the next week she participated and we sent each other our notes on the lectures. There was one lecture only, we did not find solutions so we both had to go at the same time. I went there without Dandzsi but thanks God it was only a few occasions. It was a difficult situation and since then, I always indicate in advance, that I am with a guide dog.

(Opening picture: Annamari is playing on piano with Szikra by her side)