Trifon Stanchev from Bulgaria, Erasmus+ studies in Lithuania at Vilnius University faculty of Kaunas (for 5 months):

Erasmus in Lithuania – new friends, good beer and… potatoes!

The idea to go to study in Lithuania came suddenly. My marketing class lecturer told about her impressions during the trip to Lithuania, and advised all of us to go and see it. At that time I was feeling like I needed a new environment and new experience. So right after the lecture I started thinking about going to Lithuania and soon applied for Erasmus exchange at my university. I did not know much about this country before going here but that was what it made me even more curious.

I remember the first day here was actually nice and my mentor picked me up from the bus station and showed me around. My first impressions about Lithuania were positive, indeed. Lithuania has so many cultural monuments: churches, museums and beautiful nature: many rivers and forests. I am not disappointed about university choice either. The lectures here are so practical and well-organised. I am also attending Spanish classes here which I find very useful since I know that I will go to study in Spain next year.

What I find unusual in Lithuania is the national folk dances. It was something I haven’t seen before but it was quite funny, though. I had so much fun while trying to learn some folk dance steps. Lithuanian cuisine is also something very different from what I was used to before. There are so many potatoes here that it seems like every dish is made out of them! The cold pink soup seemed very weird at first too, but once I tried it, it turned out that I really like it!

Probably what I miss the most about my country is the warm weather. The weather here is quite disappointing – there is too much rain and coldness and local people’s mood sometimes seems to be affected by such weather. But I’m impressed about the fact that Lithuanians speak and communicate in English so well and Lithuanian girls, they are so beautiful! So if I was asked to stay for 5 months more in this country, I could not resist. Kaunas is the city where I now spend most of the time and I cannot wait until the weather will get warm and all the trees in Laisvės avenue will come into leaf. I think I will go out and spend all day making pictures all around Kaunas.

Erasmus to me means that I actually became a traveler in a wider sense. Firstly, I came to another country and completely different environment and secondly, I met the people from so many different cultural backgrounds that become good friends of mine. And my tip for future Erasmus students in Lithuania is – pack a luggage full of warm clothes because definitely, you will need those no matter which season you’re planning to stay here. The weather is always unpredictable!

Written by Irmina Budriūtė