Living in Lithuania

In this episode we chat with Matt, the founder of The Garfunkels - International Choir of Vilnius. Matt's connection with Lithuania began in 1997 when he first visited as a teenager. Little did he know that this visit would set the stage for a lifelong love affair with the country. Join us as we delve into Matt's journey, exploring the transformative power of music, the beauty of cross-cultural connections, and the fulfillment of chasing one's dreams.

It was a four-year mission for Ashley to acquire Lithuanian citizenship. Now, however, she is making the most of it. Join our conversation to hear how Ashley moved to Vilnius, why the most beautiful word in Lithuanian is "gegužė," and why you should try anything new at least once.

For those wishing to move to Lithuania "Renkuosi Lietuvą" is the resource you need for a smooth move. Had a chat with consultants Edita and Marta about the most common as well as some stranger questions people have before moving. They share why it's important to do your homework before coming and bust some myths about moving to Lithuania along the way. If you are planning to make Lithuania your new home, check out their website https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/ for practical information and help.

On this episode we have two very special guests - Edita and Ramunė, who work at "Renkuosi LIetuvą" or "I choose Lithuania" and help those wishing to move here by consulting them on various questions.  Hear as both Ramunė and Edita share their stories of having moved away from Lithuania and how they've come back and are now helping others wishing to do the same. Watch this space for another episode coming soon sharing more experience from the "Renkuosi Lietuva" team who will bust some myths about moving and share more stories of people coming to the country. 

In this week's episode, we welcome Caroline, a French expat who has made the move from Bordeaux to Alytus and then Vilnius, Lithuania. Caroline shares her experiences adapting to life in a new country, from finding work at the French Institute and teaching French individually to organizing a book club and hosting creative writing workshops. She also touches on the importance of being open and friendly with her neighbors and cashiers, and shares her love for walking. Plus, she shares her thoughts on personality tests and how they have helped her better understand herself and others. Tune in for a fascinating conversation with Caroline on her journey to Vilnius and the lessons she has learned along the way.

A unique study program in creative industries brought Subhransu to Vilnius.  With an absence of information about Lithuania in India, little did he know he would be discovering a "gothic Disneyland" as he know describes Vilnius. Join our conversation to find out why Vilnius is a perfect set for a mystery novel, what it's like to be part of the local Indian community and how to discover various cultures even during quarantine. 

In this special episode we chat with Ellie, Elvija and Lukas who are participants of the Bring together program for Lithuanian diaspora youth. It's a six week internship program in Vilnius, but as you will hear in the episode it's so much more than that. Tune in to hear each guests' personal story of visiting Lithuania and the amazing opportunities the program has created for them to get to know the country and life in Lithuania. 

Kate came to Lithuania first to study, then work, and now she's back having had to leave her country due to war. Despite the difficult circumstances she is actively engaged in helping others an contributing her skills in any way she can. We talk about her work as an interpreter translating the news, volunteering her time and creating content to help spread useful information. She also shares her discoveries of Vilnius - her current home, and memories of studying and living in Klaipėda. 

Austen came to Lithuania through the Fullbright program to work as a teaching assistant in Tauragė. He shares his experience working in America's national parks, teaching English, the history of his Litvak great grandparents and his adventures teaching, traveling the country collecting the "Surink Lietuva" magnets.

Godsman came to Lithuania following new career opportunities through the Digital Explorers talents program with 11 other Nigerians and has since been living an active lifestyle here. Football, kayaking and even a 200km cycle trip are a few of the adventures he shares in this conversation. He speaks about the differences between Lithuanians ad Nigerians, his passion for music and his favorite places to visit in Kaunas. 

From opening a hair salon to moving to Vilnius just weeks before expecting a baby, Dale has many stories to tell about his adventures coming to and starting his life in Lithuania. Join our conversation where he shares his experience of starting a business, building a house, finding ways to make English recipes with a shortage of proper ingredients and raising his bilingual kids. 

After a great volunteering experience with Aiesec in Siberia, Zakarija became drawn to eastern countries and decided to try out living in Lithuania. Since the move he has fully immersed himself in the culture, learning the language and even taking up traditional folk dancing (Woa!). Initially having lived in Kaunas Zakarija has recently moved to Vilnius and shares his experience in both cities. We also talk about participating in filming productions and other activities. 

Living in Lithuania podcast meets Found in Estonia podcast! In this special edition I chat with Tiina as we both share how we started our podcasts, our living abroad experience, plans for the future and some interesting projects that have already come to existence. This is a chance to better get to know both hosts and their stories as well as some behind the scenes of podcast making. Be sure to check out Tiinas podcast on www.foundinestonia.ee Enjoy! :)

All the way from Uzbekistan Abdumalik came to Vilnius to study hotel management and tourism which opened up many exciting opportunities to work in the hotel and hospitality industry. Join our conversation to hear about how he landed a job at one of the best hotels in Vilnius- Hotel Pacai, his experience working in Greece and studies in Croatia. We also chat about the Uzbek community in Lithuania, making friends and learning Lithuanian. 

João moved to Vilnius just as the second lockdown took effect, but this didn't stop him from exploring the city streets and local businesses on his daily walks. Join our conversation as we talk about running a business remotely, supporting a cat colony in Portugal, meeting people in the city, the local Portuguese expat community and similarities between Vilnius and Porto. We were also joined by a guest of honor, his cat Batata who has inspired a line of cat products (hopefully) coming soon!

Learning different languages opened up a number of opportunities for Nastassia. From working for Chinese companies to an internship in Colombia. Though volunteering at the Solidarity corps brought her to Vilnius, teaching English here has made it possible to stay in Lithuania longer. Join our conversation as we talk about her volunteering experience with Roma women, getting stuck in South America during lockdown, hiking adventures and more!

Batu searched for a place to study masters and it brought him to Vilnius. Tune into this episode to hear why he describes Vilnius as a very international city, his experience working at Western Union, exploring the local music scene and why the past year has been one of the best of his life. 

Though Rita transitioned from tourism to the IT sector her sense of adventure and need for exploration has not stopped. She has created her own creative outlet - the Bringa Baltics blog where she writes about the Baltic countries, explores myths and exposes some hidden gems. We talked about differences between Vilnius and Riga, some interesting facts about Lithuania and Latvia, Rita's job in the IT sector, as well as her Lithuanian/Latvian wedding and music festivals in Lithuania.

Alla started her Lithuanian life chapter living in Kaunas where she was studying, but a series of events and a stop in Estonia has lead her to Vilnius which she now considers her home. Here she works in game development, a field she actively participates in and shares more about on the episode. We also chat about local travel, food, learning Lithuanian and her new role as an event organizer of the Girl Gone International Vilnius community. 

Though originally from Ukraine, Elena has already lived abroad for 7 years. She firstly moved to Barcelona and then Krakow before landing in Vilnius. Elena shares how she has recently focused in on her coaching work taking it from side project to her main career path and how being open and changing your perspective can expose you to new possibilities. During our conversation we touch on many different subjects including painting, discussions on femininity, balancing life between work and her 1.5 year old daughter as well as plans of writing a book. 

Thomas started his new life in Lithuania after traveling the world with his wife and hitchhiking all the way from Iran to Vilnius. Having decided to shift his career path and become a baker he is now building a bakery just outside of Vilnius and transitioning into a much slower lifestyle in the countryside. Tune in to listen to Thomas's story, bakery building adventure and his new passion for beekeeping.

Judita's love for adventure took her all around the world to the UK, South America, Canada and eventually back to Kaunas, Lithuania where she was born. Currently, she is an organizer of "Inconvenient Films" an annual documentary film festival in Lithuania focusing on human rights issues, as well as initiator of "Banguoja" - an audio documentary festival. If you have ever wondered what it takes to organize or initiate such festivals, you are in for a treat. We also talk about her passion for cinema, travel, the mountains, and encountering new people along the way. Furthermore, what it feels like to be back in Lithuania after living abroad.

Valenza, Pavia and Nottingham, the three cities that had poetically defined Davide before his journey in Vilnius began. Currently carrying out his postdoctoral research on the linguistics of poetry at Vilnius university, he is keeping busy with work and hobbies. Creating poetry, teaching Italian and dancing are just a few of the activities Davide takes part in. Join our conversation to hear his story and what he gets up to on a regular basis.

Tijana came to Vilnius for a semester to discover the rich history and culture as part of her Jewish studies. However, fate had some trick up her sleeve and now she's back for more Lithuanian adventures. Join our conversation to hear Tijana's story, find out more about Jewish history in Lithuania and some differences between Vilnius, Frankfurt and Montenegro where she is from originally.

The first country abroad Sutama ever traveled to was Lithuania when he moved here with his wife and kids. From Bali to Vilnius that is quite the journey! Join our conversation as he shares his story of becoming a carver, of moving to Lithuania, learning to carve ice and building his practice with all sorts of creative projects from ice sculpture competitions to carving fairy tales for a school. 

Alexey and Tania are photographers originally from Ukrainian who've turned international having made additional stops before moving to Lithuania. They share their adventures coming to and living in Lithuania on their video blog LeshTani (ЛешТань) and are kind of becoming local celebrities through it. We touched on many topics including best nature photography spots, surviving first days of lock-down, Lithuanian pastries, board games, gardening, foraging and many more. 

UAE to Turkey to Iran to Lithuania, at 19 Elif, a Turkish national and international at heart, has already moved around quite a bit. These early experiences have shaped her and opened up opportunities to discover more about herself. Tune in to our conversation to hear her story, experience with international schools, why Facebook is so big in Lithuania and the activity she has found an interest in since moving here (hint: it's called Lithuania's second religion).

Stefan Bolliger was on a motorbike trip with his wife through the Baltics when they had a feeling they want to move to Lithuania Fast forward a few years and they've opened up Palaima - a guesthouse hotel near Anykščiai. This rural getaway combines Swiss and Lithuanian tradition inviting people to enjoy the slow paced life closer to nature. 

Anaid lived in a couple different continents before making her way to Lithuania. Originally form Mexico she longed to go someplace far away and moved to Australia where she met her now Lithuanian husband while studying. Moving to Vilnius it seems her family dream to live in a house surrounded by forest can become a reality. Join our conversation where we talk working in an international company, food, and all Vilnius has to offer. 

When Pedro visited Vilnius 3 years ago he saw an opportunity in the Lithuanian market to open a Spanish restaurant and moved here in pursuit of  this. His restaurant "La Pepa" serves authentic Spanish cuisine which Pedro is passionate about sharing as a way to spread Spanish culture. Join our conversation to hear his story and when in Vilnius be sure to stop by "La Pepa" to say hello!

Liucija and Roberto met in Edinburgh and hopped around various countries for a while before moving to Lithuania. Here they decided to turn their ideas to reality by opening up Ideas Block - a space for people in the art and culture community to gather, create, share and exhibit their work. Though the pandemic made them close their space, it created an opportunity to build Arttice - a digital platform for networking and mapping cultural players, providing a tool for contemporary artists, organisations and the culture curious to explore, discover, connect and collaborate. Join our conversation where they share their journey of building networks and connecting people together. 

There could be a movie made based on Jon's story of moving to Lithuania. A random match up on an online chatting platform that put him in touch with his future wife on the other side of the world, his military career that helped him move to Europe and opportunities to eventually follow a new career path in Vilnius. We spoke Thanksgiving, hockey, motorcycles and migraines as well as Jon's first impressions of Vilnius and how he currently feels about living here. 

Patricija and Bartosz moved to Lithuania by chance after Patricija came here with the kids at the start of the pandemic to be in nature. Quickly multiple benefits from living closer to family and out of the big city pollution presented themselves. As an artist and Illustrator Patricija found new opportunities in Lithuania collaborating on local projects, while Bartosz was surprised how smooth the transition to running his IT business remotely was. Despite the challenges of finding school for they're three children, the benefits became clear as the health of their youngest improved. Now the family is taking advantage of they're new situation while planing for their future adventures.

Guy moved to Lithuania fairly recently, but has already started sharing videos about Lithuanian history, learning the language and his time here on his YouTube channel "The Lost Brit". We talked about the many traditions people enjoy here such as beekeeping, going to the sauna and growing your own food. As if learning Lithuanian wasn't enough of a challenge Guy has also taken up learning a couple more languages while also volunteering his time at SPEAK Kaunas, a Language exchange initiative. He also has some entrepreneurial ideas regarding tourism here in Lithuania for which there is a growing potential.

Talia came to Lithuania to have a European living experience. As a teacher there are opportunities to come and gain temporary residence and she took advantage of this while living abroad for the first time in her life. The children she teaches are quite internationally minded coming from a variety of backgrounds themselves. Join our conversation as we talk about her teaching experience, living a sustainable lifestyle and supporting local business as well as her idea for setting up a community garden to use as a tool for teaching and involving the local community. 

Liudvikas grew up learning about Lithuanian history from his grandparents who fled the country during the Soviet occupation. He took a chance to come to Lithuania and has now been living here since 2015. Liudvikas has tried out living in different Lithuanian cities, even serving in the military for a year and later trying out different jobs in IT landing his current one working with crypto currencies in Vilnius. Join our conversation as we touch upon his adventures in the military and experience as a freelance journalist interviewing politicians including the current president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda. 

Two planned years of Narmin's stay in Lithuania grew to more than double and here's hoping she'll stay for many more. She's already given back to the community by setting up a branch of the organisation SPEAK in Kaunas which connects people through language exchange and cultural activities in various cities across the world. Narmin is also responsible for bringing free walking tours to Kaunas, so all those visiting the city, you're welcome. Hear about her experience of moving to Lithuania, settling up various initiatives and her enthusiasm for pub quizzes which she organizes regularly and the unique role they've played in her life. 

Roberta moved to Vilnius for love. Love for the city. Join our conversation where she shares this love story and her journey moving here due to a series of coincidences - a Lithuanian couchsurfer, an opportunity to visit a friend followed by intentional steps she's taken. She shares what she thinks of Lithuanians, learning the language, the food and her interpretation of the saying "Vilnius is the city where angels fly low". Also, some strange and funny scenarios she's been in, seemingly teaching the people involved a thing or two. We learn about her favorite bars and ways she's been able to meet people there, her travels around the country and her day to day interactions. 

Originally from Vietnam Linnéa has been living in Sweden for many years. Before moving to Lithuania, she knew nothing of Kaunas and took a leap of faith coming here to study medicine at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and now describes her life in Kaunas as 'living her best student life'. We talked about how her perception of Lithuania has changes since she moved here, the flexibility of her nursing work in Sweden, the challenges of being a medicine student and how she models in her free time. We also touched on the topics of dance, meditation and travel as well as our joint admiration of the way Lithuanian women dress. Tune in as we examine living in Kaunas from this new angle.

Join my conversation with Niv, who though still living in his home country of Israel, has built a strong bond with Lithuania that is worth sharing. After learning of the possibility to gain Lithuanian citizenship due to his Lithuanian grandfather, he went all in and has since visited Lithuania over 10 times. Hear about how he has found the Lithuanian people and the adventures he's experienced uncovering his family history. We also spoke about Niv's passion for photography, capturing the daily life of people and beautiful Lithuanian landscapes. Furthermore, we touched on the need to support small business in this difficult time and simple ways to do so to ensure they remain active post pandemic. His love for Lithuania was simply radiating from him the entire conversation and I'd say it's quite contagious!

Though born in Romania Alina, a classical musician, had called Germany her home for 16 years before moving to Lithuania in 2015. As a performing musician that also teaches at the University of the Arts in Bremen, she travels a lot bringing music from the 16th and 17th century (specifically from the Polish-Lithuanian-Commonwealth) to other parts of Lithuania and abroad. She's also part of the organisation staff at the festival for Early Music "Banchetto Musicale" which I was surprised to hear takes place in Vilnius every year. During our conversation we also touched some more difficult subjects of voicing your opinion online about the country you live in as a foreigner and the reactions it can provoke as well as the need for more social structures to be put in place to level the playing field for musicians. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did, let's get into it!

Julie has had a multicultural upbringing in every sense of the word. Having lived in multiple countries and attending different types of international school she has a unique perspective of growing up in this way. She now brings this knowledge to the education system in a quest to help children navigate through the challenges of moving around and growing up in international environments. Join our conversation in which Julie shares her story of coming to Lithuania after a chance encounter with her now Lithuanian boyfriend through a project with the Rotaract club, an opportunity to stay the summer in Lithuania through a language summer school that lead to her moving here. She also shares more about the active cultural scene in Kaunas and the joy of exploring other parts of Lithuania. Join us on this journey to learn more!

Tim van Wjik is one of those people with big ideas and the follow through needed to make them reality. After moving to Lithuania he noticed that there weren't any people with mental disabilities visible in our society. Having worked as a social worker with them in the past he decided to get to the bottom of the reasons for this and found that there were not many opportunities here for them to be seen. So he decided to create some and opened up Pirmas blynas - a pancake restaurant employing people with disabilities. Join our conversation and hear his story of coming here, the journey of starting a social business, about his Lithuanian wedding and life in Vilnius. Grab yourself a Dutch waffle, a hot beverage and enjoy!

Did you know Vilnius is a pretty cat friendly city? Find out how in this weeks episode! Meet Mariosa, an economist from Italy, now working at the Bank of Lithuania. Being a cat and book lover, she gave some excellent suggestions on bookshops and cozy cafes 'purrfect' for reading as well as where to find the best cappuccino in town.  In this episode we also learn about her home town, the city of Trieste and the similarities between it and Vilnius, wonderful events organised by the Italian institute of culture and some nice places to go for brunch. So grab that cappuccino or espresso and enjoy!

Meet Nika, a Lithuanian-American who moved to Lithuania to see what it would be like living here, connect more to her roots and share her field of expertise through working in the public sector.  She is passionate about gender equality and sexuality education and has successfully initiated and coordinated projects in these ares at the youth department here in Vilnius. Nika shared what it was like to grow up Lithuanian-American and be involved in the Lithuanian community over in NY, her first visits to Lithuania and becoming closer to family living here, her work through the Create Lithuania program and differences in dating culture that she has observed. Had a blast chatting, hope you enjoy too!

Meet Gerome and Zane who have moved to Lithuania from Brussels and Riga. They are true sustainability ambassadors step by step adopting a more sustainable lifestyle and sharing their experience through initiatives such as zerowasteshops.lt and the Go green in Vilnius Facebook group. We touched on various other topics such as differences in Christmas traditions, being the only foreigner in your team at work and ways to enjoy the beautiful nature here in Lithuania. Enjoy!

In this episode I spoke with Marta, a sustainability professional and Florent, a software engineer who've moved to Lithuania after living in Berlin. We covered a wide range of topics including making friends after moving someplace new, the many opportunities living in Vilnius presents and fun times on movie sets to name a few. We also explored a diverse range of hobbies and projects Marta and Florent enjoy in their spare time such as learning to paint,  helping to build a bakery and connecting locals with people new to an area. 

Volunteering in the animal shelter,  helping build a community of international women in Vilnius and delighting friends with cooking are just a few activities we discussed with this weeks guest. Meet Wanzhen who's example may just inspire you to be more active and try out some new experiences. I'm in awe by all she does and her great attitude towards life. Hope you'll be too!