Why lithuanian men

Over the years we have come up with many variations of potato dishes, including potato pancakes, potato bake kugelis and the most famous one — cepelinai that is potato-based dumplings filled with meat.

Every person from either of the cities will find at least a dozen reasons to why their city is better and make no mistake they have enough reasons to enter an all night long debate. You will always have cash. Lithuania is a rather advanced country, however paying by card can be a bit of an issue, as some places, like the post office!

You might not be able to pay by card, but you can at least enjoy the fastest internet. In , Lithuania had the fastest public internet in the world! So who needs bank cards, when you can enjoy uninterrupted Facebook time? In Lithuania, petrol prices change faster than stocks prices on the NY stock exchange.

So, you get really good at tracking them and always knowing the best place to get your tank full without being ripped off. You will understand that nothing in Lithuanian happens quickly, especially when it comes to bureaucracy. A routine procedure, such as filing your tax return will take weeks, sometimes even months… But be patient! Finally, you will dance your weekends away! With many restaurants, bars, outside terraces and clubs on every corner, there is definitely something for everyone and you will be out enjoying it.

See How! Toggle navigation. July 11, By Sevi Christoforou. Read this witty blog and find out what are the 13 signs you will be confronted with as an expat in Lithuania: 1. You speak Lithuanian, right?

True religion You will learn to appreciate basketball. Unsurprisingly, foreigners who have visited Lithuania know much more about it. For example, Jeff from the United States believes that Vilnius is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

My experience is that the Lithuanians are very welcoming and happy to introduce themselves and their country to foreigners. These features are well reflected in the business market, where understanding and trust are the most important characteristics. I think this explains why Lithuania is suitable for business and it has one of the most promising economies in the world," the American said. His views are shared by Cynthia, a Canadian. She confesses that she would be proud if she were Lithuanian.

I know that its roots are in India. All the people I met in Lithuania were nice, open, friendly and hospitable. I was very interested in the history of Lithuania. I have heard that Lithuanians once believed in nature, then they accepted Christianity. I also liked the castles of Lithuania. I think the Cold War tested the Lithuanian people and influenced their mentality and culture.

I am surprised how such a small nation managed to keep its identity," the girl says. The size of supermarkets also left her a deep impression; the Canadian is surprised that shopping malls house even a skating ring. She also likes Lithuanian beer, music and food; she still remembers a pineapple-shaped dessert.

Gustav Paim Rodriguez, when asked what he knew about Lithuania, was quick to retort: "It is a country, is it? Brazilian Alexssandro Mello Furtado was the one who surprised us with his knowledge. When he was a child, he often watched a cartoon called "The Break", which featured an annoying character who kept mentioning that she collected Lithuanian spoons.

I think that, by European standards, Lithuania is considered a poor country, but I am convinced that the situation in Lithuania is better than in Brazil. I also heard that it is a very very cold country. However, I do not know what language is spoken there.

The most noticeable distinction between regions is the change in dialects as one travels across the country.

To an outsider, a different dialect can sound like a completely different language and in some cases—particularly in border towns—may incorporate elements of the neighboring country's language. Location and Geography. Lithuania is on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Just over 40, square miles 65, square kilometers in area, it shares borders with Poland and Kaliningrad Russian Federation in the southwest, Belarus in the east, and Latvia in the north.

The climate is maritime along the coast and continental in other areas. The physical environment varies from sandy terrain spotted with pine trees on the coast and the Curonian Spit, to flatlands and low, rolling hills farther inland. There are more than eight thousand lakes, mostly in the uplands. The capital, Vilnius, lies in the southwestern part of the country at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia rivers. Vilnius has been the capital since the fourteenth century, except for the period from to during Poland's annexation of southern Lithuania, when it was temporarily moved to Kaunas.

In , the population was 3. Linguistic Affiliation. The official language is Lithuanian, one of two remaining languages in the Baltic branch of the Indo-European languages.

Dialects vary by region, and their distinctiveness often depends on the distance from the nearest big city or the proximity to borders, where incorporation of neighboring countries' words is common. The language has survived despite a history of domination by foreign powers and serves as a focal point of cultural identity. Lithuanian is spoken by nearly everyone in the country except for a few Russians and Poles in Vilnius and in the extreme east and south.

It is a language with many words to describe a single idea. There is an abundance of nature words, probably because the people are so fond of the outdoors. Lithuanian often makes use of diminutives to soften the connotation of words or make them more personal. The national symbol is Vytis, the white knight, sitting astride his horse and brandishing a sword; he symbolizes the nation's struggle to defend itself from intruders.

The national plant is rue, and the national bird is the stork. The flag consists of horizontal stripes in yellow, green, and red; the colors symbolize nature sun and trees Lithuania and traditional values such as solidarity and national pride.

Emergence of the Nation. The origin of the nation and the development of its culture were strongly influenced by foreign occupation of the country and are the result of the perceived need of the people to preserve something of their own. Even when the national language was banned and reading or writing of books in the native tongue was forbidden, people were determined to spread their heritage and share their traditions. The first Lithuanian state was established in after Duke Mindaugas united the tribes and lands in the area.

His crowning in marked the beginning of a cultural identity focused on solidarity. Further credit for the early development of this character goes to Gediminas, the principal unifier of the territory from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

He was one of the first leaders to instill in the people the spirit of nationhood, and the main street of Vilnius, with the parliament building at one end and the national cathedral at the other, bears his name. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the marriage of Jogaila, the grand duke of Lithuania, to Queen Jadvyga of Poland created the formal confederation Rzeczpospolita; extensive development of the Lithuanian cultural identity took place during that period.

While at several points in history this camaraderie could not overcome the presence of occupiers in an attempt to defend against an expanding Russian state failed, and attempts at independence in , —, and were also unsuccessful , the resolute nature of the national character was not undermined.

National Identity. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, literacy became a valuable tool in the development of cultural and national identity.

Although it was illegal, people continued to read the literature of the national movement. Literacy rates were considerably higher than those in Russia and contributed greatly to the rise of a national identity. In , when over two thousand delegates representing different sectors of the society gathered at the Great Lithuanian Assembly to discuss the Lithuanian nation, representatives of different political backgrounds agreed that the country should fight for and be granted autonomy, whether within Czarist Russia or independent of it.

The intelligentsia, with help from the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, drafted a document making demands for the future of the Lithuanian state.

Among those demands were autonomy, equal rights for aliens within Russia, the construction of Lithuanian schools, freedom of worship, and the return of Suvalkija, which was controlled by the Poles. In , Lithuania formally declared independence, which was granted by both Germany and the Soviet Union.

While lasting independence would not come until nearly a century later the Soviet Union occupied the nation in , and the Nazis in , the fact that schools resumed teaching in Lithuanian, folk dance groups began meeting more freely, and people around the country assembled more readily to discuss their views was significant. The period from to saw the countryside destroyed and almost all of the Jewish population up to , annihilated. The period under Stalin, from to , made the people more determined to put an end to the repression their country had experienced for so long.

Tens of thousands of people, including most intellectuals, were deported to Siberia for being educated or being involved in intellectual circles, and many others fled. Those who remained were determined to change the system.

Groups of "forest fighters" fled to the woods to avoid deportation and maintain nationalist resistance. It is said that some of these fighters remained in the forests until , seven years after Stalin's reign ended. This led to closer monitoring by the Soviet Union and increased Soviet troop movements in Lithuania in an effort to maintain order. The remainder of and most of were marked by deliberations both between the Soviet government and the Lithuanian popular movement and among different parties within those constituencies.

In March , Lithuania declared full reestablishment of independence from the Soviet Union, based on the argument that the occupation and annexation of the country by the Soviet Union was a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of and its secret protocols and thus were illegal.

In response, the Soviet Union imposed an economic blockade. In late a popularist rally to help Lithuanians evade the Red Army draft was organized, and the Soviet government decided to deal with "the Lithuanian problem" once and for all.

The Lithuanian Communist Party secretary had claimed that the human rights of non-Lithuanian citizens in the country were being violated and encouraged Soviet intervention.

A few days later, in what were described as precautionary measures to protect the human rights of Soviet citizens, Soviet troops gathered around the Parliament, the Lithuanian Press House, and the Vilnius television tower. Soldiers abused bystanders with little or no provocation, and several people were wounded.

The culmination of the Soviet campaign occurred on 13 January at the base of the Vilnius television tower, where thousands of nonviolent protestors had gathered. Irritated by Lithuanian persistence, Soviet forces attacked the crowd. Tanks crushed those who got in the way, and soldiers fired into the crowd. Thirteen people died at the television tower.

Two weeks after the episode, Mikhail Gorbachev appointed a delegation to negotiate with Baltic leaders. Although troop movements continued for much of the year, especially in Vilnius and along the border with Kaliningrad, it was obvious that the Soviet presence was finished. In September , the Soviet Union recognized Lithuania as an independent republic.

Later that month, Lithuania became a member of the United Nations—three months before the demise of the Soviet Union. In , the first directly elected president, Algirdas Vehicles dot a highway in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius in Brazauskas, was chosen; the last Russian soldiers left the country; and Lithuania became a member of the Council of Europe.

Ethnic Relations. Historically, relations with other ethnic groups have been amicable; this is perhaps because over 80 percent of citizens are ethnic Lithuanians. While relations with minority groups, especially Russians, were strained during the period immediately preceding the reestablishment of independence, ethnic strife is not a matter of grave concern.

Styles of architecture reflect the sociopolitical and religious past of the country. While most people in urban areas live in Soviet-era blocks of concrete apartment buildings, the countryside is dotted with traditional wooden churches and houses. Also present are fortlike structures and castles built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as residences for the local nobility.

Present-day government buildings are often old brick edifices left over from the Soviet period. The propagandistic statues in many of the main squares were removed in the early s and have been replaced with more nationalistic monuments.

Among the 70 percent of people who reside in urban areas, many live in small two- or three-room apartments with sitting rooms that double as bedrooms.

Kitchens are generally small, and toilets are often separate from washrooms. Most of these apartments were distributed during the Soviet period, and many are owned or rented by the original recipients. Among those who live in towns, it is common to have a garden just outside the city limits, often as part of a collective. In the summer, families tend these gardens and grow produce to be canned and consumed in the winter.

Many families live in garden houses for extended periods during the summer to escape cramped accommodations at home. Food in Daily Life. The typical diet consists of items that are readily available and not expensive. National dishes reflect the economic situation and the fact that the weather is cold for much of the year, creating a shortage of vegetables in the winter and a desire to prepare and eat warm, wholesome food.

Pork, smoked meats, cabbage, beets, and potatoes The Vilnius City Square. Lithuanian architecture reflects the sociopolitical and religious past of the country.

Eating in restaurants has become more popular, and there are many different types of restaurants in the larger cities; how frequently a family dines out is determined by its income.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Food plays an important role in celebrations, and a long table full of tasty fare is considered a sign of hospitality and affluence. It is customary for all guests to sit at a common table that fills most of the room, and for the hosts to ensure that no guest leaves the table hungry. These meals start with salads, cold meats, and bread, accompanied by kompotas cold fruit tea or juice, vodka, wine, or gira , a carbonated soft drink made from grain.

This is followed by a hot course, singing and conversation, and perhaps dessert and coffee. Twelve meatless dishes are prepared, including several types of herring, grain porridge, and often pickled mushrooms. Hay sometimes is sprinkled under the tablecloth to represent the manger where Jesus was born. They also break symbolic Christmas wafers Dievo pyragai which were once acquired in churches but are now available in local shops at Christmas, to bring the family closer together and wish for a healthy and successful year.

If a family member has died in the past year, a plate and chair are placed at the table, along with a small candle, to welcome the spirit to participate in one last family gathering. Basic Economy. The economy is mainly agricultural, but in recent years the government has attempted to distribute commercial activity. Light industry, metalworking, and woodworking, along with petroleum refining, are part of the commercial profile. Livestock breeding, primarily pigs, and dairy farming are an important sector of the economy, and cereals, flax, beets, and potatoes are the primary crops.

Lithuania's unit of currency is the litas , pegged at four litas per U. Lithuania is dependent on other nations for fuel and raw materials. The main economic problems are job insecurity, high unemployment, and poor labor protection laws. Land Tenure and Property. Reestablishment of independence in led to the abandonment of the strict Soviet system of property and land allocation, and a need for new laws on restoration of ownership rights.

There is has been a movement to accelerate the restoration process, clarify the property registration system and the role of government ministries therein, and develop a national strategy on property security and management.

Commercial Activities. Commercial activity is determined largely by geography. On the coast, where tourism and fishing are prevalent, fish products and the shipping of equipment are the major commercial endeavors. In the south, where the soil is fertile and mineral springs are predominant, wild mushrooms and farm products are the major products. The east is known for wooden handicrafts and metalworking, and the north for wheat, flax, and beets. Major Industries. Metalworking, manufacturing, woodworking, and light industry are widespread in the east; water power, metalworking, manufacturing, food processing, farming, and livestock rearing are predominate in the south; and shipbuilding, fish processing, and tourism in the West.

The north does not have any major industries. In the past, Lithuania traded mainly with Russia, exporting foodstuffs, especially dairy products, and textiles. It also exported machinery and light industrial products to other countries of the former Soviet Union. Since , exports have shifted more to the west, and close to 50 percent of exports are to the European Union.

Major imports are fuel and raw materials, primarily from the European Union and Russia. Division of Labor. The division of labor is by law determined by ability, certification, education, and training, but age, gender, and social connections continue to play a role in career advancement.

The coming of independence ended the institutional guarantee of a job. Classes and Castes. There is not a highly defined caste system in Lithuania. Society is primarily middle class, and there is a large income gap between the wealthy and the very poor. Low salaries, high unemployment rates, and a poor social security system make it difficult for pensioners to meet their basic needs. Symbols of Social Stratification. Owning a private home or new car is a symbol of wealth, but there is not a traditional system of social stratification in Lithuania.

Lithuania is a parliamentary democracy, with a constitution that was adopted in The Parliament, or Seimas, is unicameral with seats and is the highest legislative body. Seventy-one members are elected directly by popular vote, and seventy by proportional representation from single seat districts, to four-year terms. The head of state is the president, who is elected to a five-year term by universal, equal, direct suffrage. The president is responsible for approving and publishing laws adopted by the Seimas and appoints and dismisses the prime minister with approval of the Seimas.

Ministers are appointed by the president upon recommendation by the prime minister. The government is actively involved with international organizations, including the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and its continual membership in both the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Leadership and Political Officials. The political system includes a central government, and forty-four regions with eleven municipalities. Public opinion toward political officials and their effectiveness and trustworthiness is mixed, and corruption is a problem in some governmental bodies. The constitution provides "guarantees for the activities of political parties and political organizations" and mandates that state personnel, judges, prosecutors, and investigators may not be active members of political parties.

Social Problems and Control. The judicial branch of the government includes the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court, plus district and local courts whose judges are all appointed directly or indirectly by the Seimas. The most common crimes are theft, domestic and public violence, and corruption.

Public opinion of social control often reflects dissatisfaction with the system. Bribery, which has been present since the Soviet era and may stem from the low salaries of public servants, is widespread among police officers. Some people argue that "taking of the law into one's own hands" is a A Lithuanian railroad worker takes a break.

Commercial activity in Lithuania is largely determined by geographical region. Military Activity. The military is composed of ground forces, air and air defense forces, a navy, security forces internal forces and border guards , and a national guard. All male citizens over the age of eighteen are required to complete one year of mandatory military service unless exempted for academic or professional reasons.