EVS Diary: Žemaitėjė.

There was time in my life that really matter and I am about to tell you my experience. I was 10 months in Lithuania. I lived in small village Plateliai and worked in Žemaitjos Nacionalinis parkas.

I was EVS volunteer like all of us in this blog, but I just had my own experience in this time and exact place, like no another. I think this is what makes EVS experience all so unique for every volunteer.

I decided not to make my own blog, as everything was too much to talk about, and wanted to say about it all in one big article when I am finished.

Lithuania is... well, whatever it is you need to come here and find it out yourself! My Lithuania is Lietuva with interesting culture and history. My Lithuania is Žemaitija (Samogitia) region, historical part of Lithuania where lived another tribe žemaitians, they came to live in this territory, but before there were living kurši (curonians) tribe, later on this 2 tribes in Lithuania territory assimilated in one another. Samogitians had their own language and traditions for many century's, till after the Battle of Grunwald (German: Schlacht bei Tannenberg, Lithuanian: Žalgirio mūšis) at 1410 they lost their independence and were integrated in Lithuanian culture gradually by many different occasions in history. This tribe accepted Christianity only in 15. century, it was the last baptized region in Europe. Lithuania got first independence after the World War I and so it integrated all 5 regions in to the Republic of Lithuania. To make it more clear, in Lithuanian language this region is called Žemaitija, in Žemaitian - Žemaitėjė, but in English - Samogitia, and it means - lowlands. It is one of 5 ethnographic regions in Lithuania. Right now their language is called as dialect, but in schools they have to learn Lithuanian literal language, what is general language for all country. They can speak their dialect at home and in public, unless it is not official. Then they have to switch to literal language. Žemaitians try to fight for their rights last years more active and so they have their newspapers, magazines, books, communities, celebrations and so on. They try to preserve culture and language heritage what is left, keep traditions alive and do research on this subjects deeper.

I also am partly Žemaitian as my grandparents were born in Žemaitija, but life took them away from their home towns, after the World War II they moved to live in Latvia and spend the rest of life there. My experience took place just around 80 km. from place I spend my childhood. And this 80 kilometers in my life changed a lot.

I guess there is many things what is possible to say about country and culture in it. Most of country's have also another cultures integrated within them. There is different tribes, languages, dialects, religions etc. Also Lithuania is one of them. There is different regions and each of it have specific background what formed them. But most different is Žemaitija region. It just stands out and it is its very own place. I came here to know my roots and understand this culture better.

In Žemaitija National park I spend very interesting time in my life.
There was lot to go trough, lot to learn, lot to manage, but it all was worth it and I liked it. I worked together with Aaron Schaar from Germany, Berlin. Before us there were working girl from Ukraine and boy from Macedonia. So we were second couple of volunteers working there and when we started we got a new mentors for each of us. For me - Aldona and for Aaron - Edita. This was new experience for both sides. We were satisfied with our mentors and this way it was easier for us and for them. I could talk in Žemaitian dialect, but Aaron needed someone English speaking. We were communicating good with our mentors. I think it is important as it is your guide trough all good and bad times while working and living there.

Me and Aaron

My mentor Aldona

And now I want to tell about important things what we experienced there. First, we were experiencing all the new environment and learning every day to adapt there. We got to know our duties, we practice new things, went to language courses and so on. I can say all the best about surrounding, this is one of the most beautiful place I have been and lived, and village was so peaceful and safe. We get there in early spring, and I left there in deep winter so I saw all four seasons for this place.

Also our accommodation was very good, we got room for each of us and it was in private house with garden, not far from Plateliai lake. So in summertime this street become noisy and busy but then again in winter time I could see wild animals passing by not far from the house. Owners of the house Julija and Bronius were very kind and helpful people, and in the end I even got very friendly with them as I would be their granddaughter. It was very touching.

House where I lived 10 months

My room

Way back home from lake

I liked that this is very quite and peaceful village (around 1000 inhabitants) but in the same time all world come there and I could meet tourists not only from Europe, but also from Asia, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan. Also they have good culture life, there is many seminars, conferences, exhibitions, concerts, book openings etc. held in museums or local school. Basically this small village still have almost everything they could need - food shops, cafes (in summer time there is open more than one), ambulance, pharmacy, library, post office, police, fire brigade, very good gymnasium (in this case it is primary and secondary school in one + art and music school), kinder garden, grownup people day center, church, tourist information center, ŽNP office, sport team, museums, handcraft workshop center, culture center and church. There is also located lot of farmsteads, guesthouses, hotels, camping places around the lake. I guess, this is very good place for relaxation in summer, but aim is to attract people also in winter time, so would be good to develop also attractions for tourists for cold season. Park has been done a lot improvement for local tourism, to make tourist attractions and culture sights more interesting. There has been a lot of renovation and projects implemented, but still many are in process, so village hope for new roads, bicycle path, culture house renovation and so on.

Time to time it was possible to visit second biggest village in the park - Žemaiču Kalvarija. We didn't work with this area, but we had a chances to explore it time to time.

Plateliai

Žemaičių Kalvarija

My work was based on my previous education - I focus more on culture and tourism sphere in this park. I can say that there was 5 places where I worked most of the time: Plateliu history museum, it is located in former barn of the manor and horse stable building, Cold War museum in Žemaitija national park, ŽNP office and information center, Plateliu gymnasium and finally at home preparing, learning and practicing. Also there was a chance to help in local library and do some additional work, guide excursions in forest path, village and church. In short time we needed to know the area and history so we know what to talk about with tourists. It was quite challenging to remember it all and train to be a guide in very short time for new place. By time I got better and better but then tourism season was over, so I focus on another possibilities and I found things to do in school, local library and ŽNP office.

Visiting restricted area

Helping in information center

Monitoring signs

Helping to translate in conference

Plateliai history museum or Barn of the Manor contains many exhibitions: about Plateliai history and ethnography, nature exposition of the ŽNP, different art and hand craft exhibitions. In former Plateliai manor estate Stables is located Shrovetide Museum, it is dedicated to very important celebration - Užgavėnės in Lithuanian or Užgavienes in Žemaitian. Once it was pagan tradition around the world, time before the spring, celebration of new life arriving. But later in Europe came Christianity and impregnated this all pagan traditions in to the church tradition. This day in now days is the last day before lent or fast, and so it is last day where you can dance, sing, eat and drink as much as you like. Usually people ate fat food, in many countries is popular to bake pancakes, in some places like England they call this celebration also as Pancake Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. Later comes lent and you have to wait for Easter time in quite and peaceful atmosphere. But as we know, pagan traditions never extinct completely, they mix with church traditions and in the end survive in new forms. But there is one common thing in many countries - this is day where people dress in masks. At first was Animism, where people dressed themselves in animal masks and try to be part of nature, later come different personality masks of people (gypsy, groom, bride, soldier, doctor and so on). This 2 ways mixed and so developed to the level where this celebration becomes very colorful and there is many characters presented. In many countries they call this time as carnival time and people go out in the streets to celebrate it. There is various names for this celebration and various traditions, but they are all about the same meaning - waiting for the spring and new life, so you burn idol (in Lithuania they burned specially made doll Morė) and spread the ashes around for new life, in Christianity - waiting for the Resurrection of Christ in Easter time.

Shrovetide museum

Me in modern mask.

Barn of the Manor, museum

Ethnography exposition

Exposition about the nature in ŽNP

Catholic church

Cold War museum in Žemaitija National park (Šaltojo karo muziejus) - another place where I spent a lot of time guiding tourists. I think this was the most challenging part to talk about the rocket base, going with big groups around in underground labyrinth, trying to make them all follow me and speak enough loud so they can hear me. Another thing - in one hour to tell the most important things about the base and connection with Cold War for people who don't know that much about it in the way that it is all clear. Once after a tour I got the question - was this place really for nuclear missiles? Hmmm... yes, it was all about it! :)

Working in Plateliai school was very interesting as there was a chance for me to work with children and be almost like a teacher for them. I found interesting to participate in English lessons, so they had someone else apart from teacher to practice English with and also I step out a bit from formal teaching, and they found it very exciting. They could hear another information and think a bit different than usual. We presented our countries at first. Then we made games for children in the park, so they can learn about nature being in the nature. And third - my own presentations about environment and short movie. Later I also participated in music classes to present a bit from Latvian folk and modern music, find similarities and differences. And last thing I did was working with children from library group - young readers Pelėdžiukai. They were so happy about all my ideas and having their own. So we share time talking about travels and also reading Lithuanian fairytale in Latvian and other way round to compare the languages. In the end we had conclusion - not very similar. They could find just few words in common. Big thanks to my support teachers and librarian - Asta, Loreata, Diana and Aušra! All Plateliai teachers, children and students are very nice!

Plateliai gymnasium students

With young readers club in library

Also learning process was organized by coordinating organization and local agency. So we had trainings where we could meet another people, another volunteers, so this was also very interesting experience. They talk about our problems, feelings and solutions. This is very helpful when you are going trough lot of problems and culture shock. I felt like we have privilege to be understood. In this trainings we learned about culture, problems at work and how to deal with them, how to get closer to local community and how to adapt back home when EVS will be over. Another good thing what we could experience was that we could try new things - we had cultural evening, for example, we could cook traditional food and then let another people try it or go for some walk and have picnic. We also had a task to meet with local village people and try to talk with older generation. So we can understand this mentality better and see if they are welcoming and friendly and try to brake our communication barriers.I can say that trainings was very good because of interested trainers, they were professionals in their work.

Going for a walk and picnic

Visiting carver at his home

Making Latvian dessert

Visiting Ona, local from Vievis village with Berta and Marleen


Happy to be invited at strangers house for coffee


Once there was chance for us to go to wild animal zoo. I met with wolf.

Hamza and Berta dancing on the ice

EVS work is nonstop experience about everything around you. It is complex knowledge because it is chance to do many things and trough everything new you learn many different aspects of life. So apart from our duties, projects and meetings, we could learn trough visiting another volunteers in another parks, we could travel, we could participate in many activities around us. In our free time we could just relax and spend time in forest, garden or walk near the lake. There was also visits from our families and friends. It is just so many varieties of what you can do if you take the chances and make your own ideas. Of course, there is always some limitations in time and money, weather and obstacles, but it is possible to see beautiful things around and enjoy simplicity every day.

Some moments:

Medieval festival - Apuolė

Blacksmith workshop

Participation in many events and conferences organized by ŽNP

Spending time near the Plateliai lake

Visiting Varniu regioninis parkas

Visiting sacred place - Hill of Crosses

Before going to island in Plateliai lake to collect garbage

Visiting Kuršių nerijos nacionalinis parkas

Shades of past in Cold War museum

Plunge manor

Birthday party table

Celebrating Christmas time

I wish all EVS volunteers the best experience and very good time in your projects! This is once in the lifetime experience, one day it starts and one day it ends, so your only chance is to make the most out of it!