A bit about my feelings right now

at the moment I am really pleased about all the new contacts and I enjoy my life in Siauliai. But it's also very exhausting... The new language, so many impressions etc. many times when we go home in the afternoon I'm too tired to call somebody or for doing anything. So it will take a little more time until we met all those kind people who gave us their numbers for example.
But the most important thing is that I feel satisfied with the situation and I really do. I start feeling Siauliai as my new home.
Tomorrow we will start our on arrival training and I'm looking forwards to meet all the volunteers from all over Lithuania. I'm sure we'll have a good time;)

Festival Siauliu dienos

This weekend our city Siauliai changed from a quiet and peaceful town to a crowed, lively Lodestone. There were Siauliu dienos 2009, a festival taking place in Siauliai once a year.

Early in the Friday morning the whole pedestrian street was already full of booths and crowded. You could buy traditional food and hand made things there, starting with leather bags, over wool socks to jewel.Linda and me we went shopping there on Saturday and I really enjoyed it. So many things and such low prices in Germany you can't Buy such nice but cheap jewel anywhere.

In the early afternoon an opening of "Modestas Navickas Exhibition" took place in the museum of photography. The photos dealt with fashion photography. All the pictures in the gallery looked very professional and showed people in connection with clothes. While visitors could enjoy some wine and snacks, models presented self made dresses and some people gave speeches.

Another event of the afternoon was a parade through the city. Many people from schools, clubs or other communities took part in it and all of them wore traditional clothes or costumes. They walked through the streets shouting, singing and celebrating the city spirit.

The Didzdvario Gimnazija also joined the parade. Students carried the Flag of the school and they wore traditional dresses. In the evening a concert of many different groups themed “let’s bring greetings to each other” was presented next to the church. There were bands like “happyendless” or “Šiauliai Chamber Orchestra“playing. The concert was great and many people listened to it in front of the stage. The atmosphere was brilliant and the booth all over the place earned lots of money from hungry and thirsty visitors.I really enjoyed the atmosphere together with the other volunteers. We tried Lithuanian bear, kepta duana and had a lot of fun.
On Saturday the shops in the pedestrian street took most of my time when I'm honest. But we also saw an exhibition again. This time city painters showed their works inthe Siauliu Art Gallery. There were many interesting paintings and sculptures. I had Arts in my a-levels so I am interested in it and I really liked what I saw in the Gallery.
In the evenig we were invited to a party in youth center. It wasn't that good because there were not so many people there as it was expected. But the Lithuanien students who were there really enjoyed the music DJs from Latvia played and that fact fascinates me. I also think as a volunteer in a new country between new people I have to try everything and just look at everything in an optimistically perspective. So all in all I liked it. The Lithuanian students invited us what showes their hospitably that's enough for me right now.
As a conclusion I can say that I can just report with a foreigner’s eyes but I think the festival is a great thing for everybody. Tourists can learn many things about culture and customs while people from Siauliai can show traditions or sell handmade work. And the most important thing is that everybody can enjoy the music, the shops and the shows. As a conclusion I would say Siauliu dienos is multifaceted and a great opportunity for meeting people and having fun.

Meeting school traditions

On Thursday and Friday we went to a camp with students from the 9th grade. The Gymnasium starts with 9th grade in Lithuania. In Germany student first go to primary school and they already change after 4th grade.
Such a camp is a major possibility for students getting to know each other better and to strong the class spirit. First it was a little bit strange for us because none really told us what to do but we already noticed that in Lithuania everything is slower and not that organized as it is in Germany.
The camp was full of games for students and tasks to improve their solidarity. In the evening there was a beginning ceremony. Inside the main room teachers and headmaster hold a speech and the leaders showed a play.They tried to introduce the younger students to their time at Didzdvario. In the end two people dressed as priest and nun entered and welcomed the students to the schools community.
All in all I really like those rituals. I do not know something like this from my school.Teachers are really near to the students and the spirit is created much more than in Germany. I can imagine that the atmosphere in school is more friendly than I know it from my hometown.
Another great thing about the camp was meeting leader students there. They are 12 graders and they are on our age. It‘s great to get some new contacts.

My first days in Lithuania

I decided to leave home in Germany to work at a radio station of the Didzdvario Ginmazija in Siauliai ( Lithuania) for 9 month.
The EVS ( a project of the European Union) gave me and another German girl, Linda, the chance to spend some time aboard. There are 6 volunteer in Siauliai at the moment. 3 girls form Turkey and one Portuguese guy who will work as teachers assistants.It‘s very instructive to have many different cultures at one place.

The day of traveling was pretty exiting. I left home early on August 31st but when I arrived at the airport there was lots of time left. I waited with my parents for more than 2 hours just for saying goodbye.When I histerical left them and got in the plain it was getting better but seeing my home disappearing through the plains window was not that easy I expected it to be. I arrived in Siauliai at 9 pm. I got to a Germans techacher‘s house Linda and I will live. I feel well about sharing a room with her, I think we will get along all the time.
The next day, September 1st, was schools beginning. We went to a celebration and I was surprised that it is that big. Students wore glamorous dresses and suits.In Germany when school starts there are lessons the same day but Lithuanian students just celebrate and after it they can go home.
On Wednesday we went sight seeing around the town. When I compare Siauliai to Cologne, the city I live in Germany, than I can say that Siauliai is much smaller than Cologne. In Siauliai there are around 150 thousand citizen and in Cologne there are 1 million. But I like Siauliai. There is everything in here you need and you can get almost everywhere by foot easily which is not even imaginable in Cologne. Most of the schools are in the Center so pupils can go for Coffee their free time. When I wanted to go anywhere in free lessons at home I always had to take a train.
On Friday we were invited to a party.We took the chance to get to know about young peoples free time in Lithuania. We wanted to go there by taxi but it wasn't that easy. The taxi driver did not understand any English word so we had to call a kind Lithuanian girl for translation.
On Sunday our tutor invited us for lunch. On the bus stop we met the friendly Portuguese guy. We got into the bus together. It was really small and so many people were in there. Some stood in the corridor. I think it is quite dangerous, in Germany buses are much bigger. The lunch was great we met some new people and the conversation was very interesting. We talked a lot about traveling, different countries and customs.
Today is Monday again. My adventure lasts exactly one week now and today we start working.

In the end I want to tell you my opinion about Lithuania for now. I noticed that almost everyone is kind and helpful. Additional I remarked that the standard is not that far away from Germans than most Germans think. When I am honest I also thought Lithuania is on a lower standard than it really is. Maybe the reason is that nobody in Germany knows a lot about it and there is just an old picture in peoples heads. I started changing my mind now.
You can only see differences on the streets for example. When I got by bus to Siauliai we were on a fast street and suddenly the asphalt changed into gravel. In Germany such a street would already be closed.
The whole beginning is hard for me mostly because of the language. In the Supermarket its hard to find the right things because most of the packages are not in English.
But the hardest point for me is my family and my friends at home.

All in all I can say that my first days were great and very exiting. I notices some differences to Germany but I think I can get along with them. Siauliai is great but there are some things from home no other country can replace. I already learned a lot for now but I'm looking forwards to every new experience in the next month.

Saying Hello for the first time!

Dear readers,
my name is Marie Schmidt. This is my new blog where I want to tell you everything I do in Lithuania while EVS. EVS is a programm of the European Union which gives young students the chanse to spend some time aboard. I took this chanse and now I live in Siauliai for 9 month. I hope you'll like my blog =)