My name is Zalka Csenge Virág. I am a professional storyteller and author.
(For English speakers: Zalka is the family name 🙂 You can call me Csenge, which is pronounced Cheng-eh)
I discovered storytelling as a profession in 2006, but stories have been with me for much longer than that. I was raised in a family that told stories – made-up stories, folk tales, personal memories of childhood, and family legends extending back for generations. My father’s father was a classic traditional storyteller and a real-life trickster. I still tell many of his tales.
I fell in love with myths and legends when I was a teenager, and started retelling my favorites to friends and family. This passion led me to study Archaeology at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, where I specialized in the archaeology of Roman provinces and the Migrations period. But all that time, what I was really fascinated by was stories.
After discovering that professional storytellers exist, I applied for a scholarship from the Kellner Foundation to travel to the United States and learn more. In 2007-2008 I attended Trinity College in Hartford, CT. This is when I started my blog, which has been active ever since, chronicling my adventures and research. This year abroad, visiting festivals and conferences, confirmed my decision that I wanted to be a professional storyteller.
I finished my master’s degree in Archaeology in 2010, and applied for a Fulbright to return to the USA. Between 2011-2013 I attended East Tennessee State University, and graduated with a master’s degree in Storytelling. From there I moved on to Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and got a PhD in Culture Studies. Over the course of these six years I learned a lot, made lifelong friends, performed at festivals and conferences, and honed my skills as an international storyteller.
Parallel to my studies in the US, I also became active in the European storytelling community. In 2009 I attended my first FEST (Federation for European Storytelling) conference in Lausanne. I have been attending regularly ever since, representing multiple Hungarian storytelling organizations. Between 2015 and 2018, I was a member of FEST’s Executive Committe.
I moved back to Hungary in 2017 with a PhD (and an American husband). Immediately after arrival, I joined the team of the Világszép Foundation for Children in State Care, running a storytelling program in foster homes. Between 2017 and 2026, I trained more than 150 volunteer storytellers to bring bedtime stories to children in the state care system.
I also began publishing books, both in English and Hungarian (see Publications). I mostly write folktale and myth collections, aiming to show people the richness of the oral tradition, and bring them stories that resonate with contemporary audiences through themes such as women heroes, non-traditional families, acceptance, and empathy.
In 2026 I celebrate my 20th anniversary of being a professional storyteller. I have traveled a lot, and performed in all kinds of places from school libraries to cathedrals. I tell stories in Hungarian, English, and Spanish, and collect more books than I can fit on my shelves. I still love being a storyteller.
See you on the road!