Expat Exchange
Free MembershipSign In

Lithuania Expat Forum

Americans or Brits in Vilnius?

New Topic Newest First
USAsoleil
  6/10/2009 10:09 EST

Ok, where are the Americans? I am relocating within the next month or so to Vilnius, Lithuania, and would like to meet some fellow Americans, or other English speakers (though I do plan to learn Lithuanian, too).

Abakan
  6/10/2009 13:19 EST

Good question. I don't think the US or UK embassy will release such info but they do sponsor events for their citizens. There should be a 4 July celebration at the US embassy pretty soon. Either embassy should be able to tell you what events they sponsor. The US embassy also sponsors English films at a theatre by the river but mostly Lithuanians attended the night I went.

Most of the expats I know here are married to Lithuanians and so mostly associate with their spouse's friends. As such they are not especially looking for English contacts.

Allianz CareAllianz Care
Get Quote

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.
Get Quote

Mikas
  6/23/2009 06:14 EST

How easy you'll find other Americans and British people will really depend on what you do, and your lifestyle.

If you are bringing kids, you'll meet plenty of such people, because you're kids probably don't speak Lithuanian.

Your job will depend on who you meet, too.

There are plenty of Americans and Brits, and they do hang out in groups, or even cliques, if you will. Most are rather highly educated. For the most part, they frequent places on the pricey side.

It seems that when ever I meet one US citizen, within a few weeks I'm meeting five more of his/her friends

For the most part, these people are here for a few years, then move on.

Yeah, there is a July 4th event sponsored by the embassy. It's done by *invitation*. The Lithuanian/American chamber of commerce holds a pretty big event, too. Music, burgers, etc. You just have to be a paying member to go.

It won't be hard to meet people, but if you didn't have many friends back home, don't count on making many here. It's all up to you and what you bring, really.

If you do decide to learn Lithuanian, there are plenty of schools to choose from, but Vilnius University is by far the best place. Only be prepared to study and learn. If you don't, the real, serious, younger students will throw you under the bus, and laugh while they do...

Ziema26
  7/23/2009 11:01 EST

Hi,

Are you in Vilnius yet?

I'm American.

Jen.

Glen
  10/3/2009 07:12 EST

I am Irish and I am looking to move to Vilnius.

Abakan
  10/3/2009 14:48 EST

Do you have a job waiting for you? Do you have contacts to handle things for you when you get here? Do you know Lithuanian or at least Russian? If no, then I suggest you make plans to stay temporarily to see if you like the place and can survive here. It's a great place for some, but pretty much all of the ex-pats I know who have moved here without knowing the language have also left.

Being Irish, you should fit in with the Hash House Harriers. The first website I recognise in Google for reaching them is www.lithuania-forum.com/viewforum.php?f=12.

Good luck

Allianz CareAllianz Care
Get Quote

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.
Get Quote

sbdagape
  10/15/2009 20:23 EST

I'm one of those people who is married to a Lithuanian. I still live in the US but I've been to Lithuania several times. My observation has been that in Vilnius, you can usually find a younger person who speaks English so getting around isn't too difficult. However, once you leave the capital, things change dramatically. Now the Lithuanian children learn English in school. That started after the fall of the Soviet Union. So people under age 30 usually speak good English and no Russian at all. On the other hand, the older people- i.e. over age 50, usually speak no English at all. My husband speaks Russian as a second language and English as a third, so we can get around pretty well.
Also, remember, Lithuanian is a very ancient and difficult language to learn. This is because there is no Latin root and therefore no basis to hand new words on and help you learn new words. Structure is totally different from the latin based languages. I have been trying to learn the language for several years and it is very slow going.
Nevertheless, Lithuania is a beautiful country with many honest, friendly, down to earth hardworking people in it (although you may have to leave Vilnius to meet them). I plan to retire there in a few years.

Abakan
  10/15/2009 23:08 EST

Ok, the Lithuanian spoken in the countryside is indeed an ancient language. It does have a unique grammar and logic. And the vocabulary is more like a real language in that you have more instances of one root, one meaning. If by Latin, you mean the neo-Latin found in the Romance languages and English, then yes, those roots are mostly missing. But if you have studied Latin in school, then you know that it is not much help in learning basic Romance languages, which are based on colloquial Latin, not literary Latin. But the Latin word for man is vir (hence viral) and the Lithuanian is vyras. So there are asssociations. But Lithuanian 600 years ago retained the proto-Indo-European better than the Latin of Caesar's day. Hence the claim that Lithuanian is the oldest living form of Indo-European.

The trick is to associate freely. For example, the Lithuanian word for 'and' is 'ir'. Now when you draw a face, you draw a circle and the only thing you add outside that circle is usually the ears, so it is a circle IR EARs (same pronunciation). Using this principle, you can quickly momorise many words quickly and retain them a long time. Repeating them 100 times is not a very effective method. After you reach a certain level of understanding, futher vocabulary improvement occurs without consciously memorising words.

Because people in the country listen to the radio and TV and read newspapers, they do understand modern Lithuanian, which is a recent artifical construct that follows mostly a simplified English grammar (accidentally, not intentionally), but they are less understanding of mispronunciation than city dwellers because they think in real Lithuanian grammar, not modern Lithuanian. Thus you will need to speak better in the countryside than in the city.

migleb
  1/6/2010 23:20 EST

Vilnius is amazing. I'm moving back there from Chicago next month and I'm really hoping I can find some younger Americans there to hang out with. Lithuania is great and all but there are no other people quite like the Americans.

arrecho
  1/24/2010 19:05 EST

Hey there! I read your message and would like to propose a meeting in Vilnius. I am moving in March to do a traineeship. I am not an American but lived there many years and loved it. Looking forward to meeting you and other English-speaking expats in Lithuania. Take care,

Jorge

Abakan
  1/25/2010 11:35 EST

Fine by me. I presume someone is meeting you at the airport. As soon as you have a means of establishing contact, we can arrange to meet wherever. If you need someone to meet you at the airport, let me know.

Allianz CareAllianz Care
Get Quote

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.
Get Quote

Ruta
  2/26/2010 03:36 EST

Hi,
I´m currently living in Vilnius and do speak English. I would be delighted to meet someone to hang out with and talk. I really miss english conversations here :) I also speak Lithuanian (German, Spanish and French as well) and know myself quite well around here.
I hope to hear from someone soon.
Ruta

alla
  9/4/2010 11:02 EST

Hey Migleb,
Are you still living in Vilnius?
I just arrived and am looking for English speakers to hang out with. I have been finding it fairly hard to meet people since I am not a student. Also, any suggestions for where to meet people?

dougg
  9/5/2010 09:02 EST

Hi all, my wife and I recently moved to Vilnius from New York and are interested in meeting people from everywhere that speak english.

Looking forward to meeting all of you. please send us a Private message so we can arrange to meet somewhere.

danielcc
  9/27/2010 12:51 EST

I am from the US, and need to get a Lithuanian Drivers license. Anyone have any info?

Abakan
  9/27/2010 15:32 EST

A friend of mine got a Lithuanian driver's licence. The problem is that it is entirely in Lithuanian without a translation available. I think a translator is allowed. However, it is far easier to get an international licence in your home country. An international licence is recognised in Lithuania and no local licence is necessary. If you need a Lithuanian licence, then you have to apply to the road police (keliu policija). The study books are available in Lithuanian in most bookshops.

Svetlana
  10/1/2010 12:55 EST

Terribly sorry for disturbing the forum, but while in Vilnius you are:

Come and Learn Russian with a native Russian-speaker!
Not expensive. And I promiss Not boring.
Always at the time you need it.

If interested, please contact [email protected]

danielcc
  10/27/2010 14:32 EST

Ha- I got my driving license. What a nightmare. People at Regitra need to be fired. I have their names, I am preparing an article. But I did it anyway by threats, and driving to Kaunas, where the people at Regitra are kind, and helpful- I want to move to Kaunas.

aussieboy
  11/18/2010 12:01 EST

Hi,
I am coming to Vilnius for a visit this weekend and was wondering where the best places to meet English speaking would be

aussieboy
  11/18/2010 12:04 EST

Hi,
Did you manage to find out other places where English speaking people hang out?

aussieboy
  11/18/2010 12:05 EST

Hi,
Are you around Vilnius this weekend?

aussieboy
  11/19/2010 02:02 EST

Hi,
I will give you a call later this evening or tomorrow , if that's ok. My email is [email protected].

Abakan
  11/22/2010 10:43 EST

By the way, just recently learned that some English speakers get together on Fridays at 6 pm in the Amatininkai on Didzioji Street in front of the old City Hall building.

Lukasas75
  12/30/2013 04:17 EST

You can try to visit this website- http://kurgyvenu.lt/Vilnius , they collect information about safety in Vilnius, price level, and also you can meet people who are from abroad and contact to them, I believe that it will be helpful for you, just because I'm from Pakistan and now I live in Vilnius, and this website helped me a lot.

Allianz Care
Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Living in Lithuania GuideLiving in Lithuania Guide

Guide to Living in Lithuania covering expat life, local culture, finding a home, diversity and more.

Lithuania Forum Lithuania Forum
Join our Lithuania forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Lithuania.

Contribute to Lithuania Network Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Lithuania.

Best Places to Live in Lithuania Best Places to Live in Lithuania

If you're dreaming about living in Lithuania, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Lithuania in 2023.

Expat Healthcare Advice in Lithuania23 Expats Talk about Healthcare & Health Insurance in Lithuania

Expats living in Lithuania talk about their own experiences with healthcare, hospital visits, emergencies, finding a doctor, buying health insurance in Lithuania and more.

Cost of Living in LithuaniaCost of Living in Lithuania

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Lithuania.

Moving to LithuaniaMoving to Lithuania Guide

Our guide to moving to Lithuania with lots of advice from expats on the ground.

Real Estate in LithuaniaReal Estate in Lithuania

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Lithuania.

Pros Cons of Living in LithuaniaPros & Cons of Living in Lithuania

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Lithuania.

Retiring in LithuaniaRetiring in Lithuania

Advice for people retiring in Lithuania.

Allianz Care
Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Contribute to Lithuania Network Contribute
Help others in Lithuania by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Lithuania.

Mondly by Pearson
Mondly by Pearson

Copyright 1997-2024 Burlingame Interactive, Inc.

Privacy Policy Legal