She Fled Her Homeland For A Better Life In Lithuania

Julia and I collaborated on a video a few weeks ago where I discussed my favorite places in Vilnius on her channel. I recently had a chance to sit down and speak with Julia about her experience moving to Lithuania, and what life has been like for her living in Vilnius.
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Our collaboration video (my top 5 spots in Vilnius): • ТОП 5 МЕСТ ВИЛЬНЮСА | ...
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[@JuliaMeleshina]

Thank you for sharing the story! I appreciate your thoughts and support! 😊

[@EponskijGorodovoij]

I'm living in Lithuania (Vilnius) more than one year, and already was learning Lithuanian language. Currently I am able to keep small talks in shops, restaurants etc to by anything, but still unable to talk more deeply on any topic. In such cases I'm asking about switching to another language, to continue conversation. People usually swithching without any problems if they can do it. Thanks to lithuanians for such hospitality.

[@manometras]

There IS a language barrier for Lithuanians in Lithuania with anyone who doesn't speak Lithuanian, and Lithuanians don't want Lithuania to become as Russified as Belarus, Ukraine, and Latvia already are. It would be dangerous. Russian chauvinists would never leave us alone.

[@EponskijGorodovoij]

You will be never russified, either forced to use and speak any other language, until you have only one state language in your constitution. This is your main defence from other language and culture invasion.

[@manometras]

@@EponskijGorodovoij , no, we will be never Russified if Russians and the Russified ones won’t be able to Russify us as well. The facts of life may change the words about it.

[@DutchmanAmsterdam]

Those countries got Russified during the Soviet era. No need to worry for more Russification, now you are part of Nato so Russia cannot invade without being kicked out by Nato immediately. Also everybody should learn to speak Lituanian at primary school, then soon everybody will be able to speak and understand it. Problem solved.

[@tiffanybabal]

Do Lithuanians, perhaps younger than 40, get offended if someone speaks Russian to them?

[@povilzem]

@@tiffanybabal No, we get annoyed.

[@lithuanian_guy]

1. You have a right to exist (live and let live). 2. I would expect you to learn language of the country you reside in after 2 or more years. I dont give a rats ass about mistakes. If you can ask what you need or understand me - i can live with you. For any questions - see point 1. Those were basically two thoughts in my mind while watching this video. Im not against people in my country, but please - help me take care of my (and now your) home too - be part of it (learn language for one). Dont have your cake AND eat it. Sorry if i sound protective or anything - I only have one country and people went through alot of shit for us be here. Cheers🙂

[@marieljackman1850]

They are exaggerating about the language. It is another Indo-European language. It is not Chinese, it is not Georgian, it is not bosque, it is not Arabic, it is not Navajo, it is not Chukchi … They need to just sit down, study and practice! I am saying this because most foreigners in my country don’t even know how to write a word properly and they live here for years and years. British people are the worst. They just speak to us in English with their heavy accent as if we were at their houses.

[@Laurynas_LTU]

Exactly my thoughts, as well. It does not matter what country you live in, if you're calling it your home, speak its language. You wouldn't move to Canada, live for 2 years and then force every person you meet to speak your non-English native language, right? It's not political. Language is culture. Language is respect. I see why a Belarussian wouldn't understand this - they lost their own language, so now they expect others to do that too. Hell no! In the last 2 hundred years Lithuanians fought very very hard to keep their language, most of you have no idea what it's like. Thanks to that today our sole official state, de jure and de facto language is Lithuanian and deservedly so! To create social media content about LT in a foreign (your native) language is great. In your family and with your friends you can speak any language you want, but don't expect us to accomodate you after you've had plenty of opportunity to learn the official state language but have chosen not to. We have minorities that (just like what is said in the video) that are born here, grow up here, learn LT at school to pass LT language exams, spend their whole life - decades - in LT and still expect us to speak in the occupier's (soviet nazi) language with them! I do NOT care AT ALL if you're making mistakes speaking Lithuanian. Just do it.

[@petkus12]

I love your content. Greetings from Latvia

[@LithuaniaExplained]

Thanks so much for your continued support!!!

[@cabral_del_elpaso]

I believe in you; one day, you will learn Lithuanian.

[@eglunasklimavicius9771]

I’m subscribed Julia for more than one year, very positive, smart lady! Aciu

[@erik7999]

Baltic countries and Lithuania in particular have been quite a popular destination for people seeking refuge from prosecution and discrimination in the territories of modern day Russia, Ukraine and of course Belarus. In the bygone centuries it was common for the inteligencia, political activists, artists and such to find their new homes here, away from autocrats and looking at the examples of Julia here, or the fact that the real Byelorussian president who had to flee her country to avoid prison, currently resides in Lithuania it's fair to say this tradition continues till this very day. Personally I think it makes sense. We do indeed have a lot of history with Belarus and that is reflected in our cultures and how similar it often is. Many of us sympathise with the situation in Belarus and I think it's fine for them to come and go as they please, so long as common sense is kept in tact, of course. ✌️😎

[@markpowell8712]

Thanks! A well-moderated discussion as usual!

[@tom4stream]

How false it would be to presume that Lithuanians-under-40 readily and eagerly speak Russian! There's one middle-ground solution I personally use. My Polish is at B-levels; Polish is a Slavic language both Belarussians (spelling, please?) and Ukrainians should naturally understand. When necessary, I thus resort to Polish rather than attempting any Russian. I do this out of political sympathy for people like Yuliya. Just last week I got treated by an Estonian doctor. Very naturally and appropriately for times and place, our language was English.

[@ktipuss]

"Belarussians" or "Belarusians"? I don't think the accepted spelling has really been finalised in English, so I guess either will do. Incidentally, some Kremlin trolls commenting in English language publications give their game away by spelling Belarus as "Belorussia", which is the Russian name for the country!

[@sweetvictory5643]

As Ukrainian not living in Ukraine I understand English, but Polish just a little bit. I have never been to Poland.

[@tom4stream]

@@sweetvictory5643 Great! That likely means you (or we) can communicate in English, leaving russian obsolete (with all those russian claims of "language of international communication") 😄That's how people in Europe routinely communicate - Scandinavians, increasing number of Balts... all over EU.

[@sweetvictory5643]

@@tom4stream I am Ukrainian from Western Ukraine and understand Lithuanians very well... My grandfather was killed by a Russian soldier in August, 1945, who ordered him to climb a wooden cross by the road and then shooting him in the stomach to prolong his sufferings. My grandfather died on the third day...

[@4rn0ld13]

Good video man, sends a positive message. In my experience the Belarousians whom I interacted with were decent people looking for a better life. As you can see from some of the reactions some Lithuaninas tend to be distrusting of russian language import no matter the form, as a consequence producing contempt towards anything ru. sometimes even misjudging good-intended people which is a shame. A good start would be russian recognition that Ukraine is a country, by proxy that all its neighbours are countries and that we deserve to exist. That I suppose happens at peace talks, but we are mid-war. Definitely don't be afraid to offend anyone, you are doing what you feel is right, if you slip, you learn.

[@redas5257]

Yes generally language is a tool, if you were to ignore current geopolitical context. Fact is russian language is weaponized, same as russian culture. Depends on the user. It is interesting that Julia says we are very protective about our language, maybe she does not know the historical context. Just look at Belarus, maybe you guys also need to be more protective about the belarusian language, its no very wide spread as far as I know. I like you put an effort to at least know some lithuanian basic labas, laba diena, aciu. I don't like personally when you are for example getting a bolt, saying laba diena and they tell you back dobry dien, spasyba. Like omg dude, have some respect, no one asks you to speak fluently. I usually see other foreigners put more effort, I mean its hardly some big effort saying laba diena and then talking in english for example. I dont knwo how much you travel, but that protectivness is quite common. Take germany, norway. You can even get a job if you dont know it. I woudl even disagree to call it protectivness, its sort of normal. Its just russian speakers have it so good here, they don't want to make any effort to learn. Lets be honest, majority is not learning any lithuanian.

[@kestutisdauskurdis5525]

Dear Julia, time by time, that we has situation about russian language in Europe for war, it will be not acceptible to speak in EU. Please to think. And no one country will not accept, that if our country is multiculture, that mean, you doesn't need to speak this country language. Julia, I think you are better than other people from Belarus, Ukraine or Russia which thinking same. Thanks for video, goodluck in our country.

[@DS.J]

Oddly enough, one of the 'complaints' by the supporters of Russia's war in Ukraine (yes, there are such people in Lithuania) is that Ukrainian refugees working in supermarkets or other places in Lithuania 'don't speak Lithuanian' and often resort to using Russian language because that's a natural choice for them and many locals understand it too. Even more funny is that once you check Facebook profiles of such people pretending not to understand Russian, they almost always share and comment on various Russian language videos or memes which they themselves share :D So yeah, language may be and sadly is often used as a political tool in various fashions, not just for communication.

[@kerstas10]

Lol. You think this is only for russian language?

[@Mendogology]

One of my favourite videos so far! Thank you!

[@vanity1895]

Great video

[@mignas]

Whenever i speak to a slav (here they generally speak russian or “tutaysh” aka mix of polish, rus, by languages), i listen in russian but answer in lithuanian or english (depending on whether the person is native or not). So in a way i politely refuse to speak russian without ending the conversation. Its different with pilgrims from poland, though, usually speak english.

[@RidingWithGerdas]

Regarding Russian speaking people. I personally also do not like people who speak Russian, mostly because two reasons you mention, people who live here whole life and praise Russians, but don't put effort to learn our language and second due to aggressor language. And we do understand that it's not good to dislike people, because we often do not know maybe the person is from UA, from Belarus, from Georgia and so on, but it's in our blood. Russians gave us nothing good, only bad, thus most of us just hate them in general and now even more. However if we notice a foreign person trying to speak Lithuanian, doesn't matter how bad they do it, we love them just for trying and putting the effort. Stay safe guys. SLAVA UKRAINI!

[@janeslt]

Keista. Aš esu rusė iš Lietuvos ir aš puikiai kalbu lietuviškai. Dauguma mano bendraamžių irgi moka. Yra mažytis procentas, kuris nekalba, nes nenori, bet tai yra būtent mažytis procentas. O rusiškai mes kalbam, nes tai yra mūsų gimtoji kalba, tik tiek. Su lietuviais ar nepažįstamais mes kalbam lietuviškai. Simple as that.

[@scorpiom8053]

Aggressor language? Language is just a tool. I get when people don't put in the effort to learn the language or speak it. I get why that is annoying but again language is just a way to communicate.

[@SimasPaukstys]

@@scorpiom8053 that is correct for most of the languages in the world. However, we have a specific naughty neighbour which is 'protecting' interests of 'russian-speaking population', without even asking if the person needs the 'protection'. So, russian is not just a communication tool; it is a very strong political tool for russia. Even from historical perspective - in XIX c. russian empire tried to eradicate Lithuanian language and in XX c. USSR tried to do the same, by forcing Lithuanian (and other occupied countries) to use russian. To us, russian was and still is a language of the aggressor.

[@sweetvictory5643]

@@SimasPaukstys Forced Russification was a part of Soviet Russian domination. In Ukraine Russian invaders for over a century belittled Ukrainians, laughed at them, called them derogatory names. So, to better the life of their children, parents sent their children to Russian speaking schools, where ruled such a hatred towards Ukrainians and everything Ukrainian. Ukrainian children were ashamed of their parents and traditions, and tried hard to become Russians. A cousin of mine in Crimea became like that, and when my father was in Crimea and visited his sister, her teenage daughter yelled at her mother for speaking Ukrainian. Because she told her mama to never speak Ukrainian in Crimea because Crimea is Russian. It was in the early 1980x. There was a lot of such Ukrainian children in Ukraine...

[@SimasPaukstys]

@@sweetvictory5643 I know. That's terrible. That's why I say that russian language cannot be treated as other languages, as it is (throughout the history as well as now) heavily used for terrible political purposes.

[@RotoryFD]

just a little pronunciation tip for English speakers: you should pronounce letter Y as EE (double E). Example: kaimynas say as kaimee'nas English double E sounds closer to our Y

[@liudasmachina113]

and the stress is on y and it does make it ezish to pronounce all in all you are makeing a good progress

[@faterlandas]

Vilnius always was (long before it became trendy) and still is multicultural city . Here peacefully lived multiple ethnicity, multiple region peoples. Even some Lithuanians who come to Vilnius to study nowadays say "it's poland" or "its russia" because SOME people talk in polish or russian. however everybody get along well in this city. One of the most green capitals in Europe I would say!

[@Tar1ff]

To be fair- jewish people would have in mind a certain period when we were not "friendly" towards them..And it's a black spot but better to admit and condemn that time instead of ignoring it. Also- "some Lithuanians say Vilnius is Poland/Russia" what a total BS, or we have different people close to us. The rest of your statement I agree with

[@kerstas10]

@@Tar1ff that part of time was when we fought polish for Vilnius before ww2 and lost it.

[@isky6541]

​@@Tar1ffThat period also included romani people unfortunatly. Just adding on, didn't mean for it to sound condescending in any way

[@eimantaspakutka9587]

WOW ! Ji ir amerikietiskai moka.

[@Tar1ff]

You've butchered the pronouncation of kaimýnas :D emphasis on "y". And yeah- I've been following Julia's YT channel as I have no issues with russian language. Fav. ep. was when they were making cepelinai! Oh and second favorite- Julia colab with Ekaterina!

[@janeslt]

It's a little bit offensive that you spread this idea that we, Lithuanian Russians, don't speak Lithuanian. For example, if it's working environment it's highly likely we'll speak Lithuanian even if we all are Russian or Polish. Of course, if we have in mind the older generation, it's much more likely people will speak the language they are used to. But it's not the case for the younger generation. If we speak about the informal environment, I don't understand why we can't speak the language we want. We didn't choose our native language and in casual situations we're free to speak any language. Even Russian.

[@edwint1780]

The scenario that people get upset about is when a Lithuanian tries to speak to a Russian in Lithuanian but the Russian person pretends not to understand it out of spite because they like to pretend that Lithuania is just part of Russia and not its own country and responds back in Russian instead of Lithuanian. That is the scenario Lithuanians are upset about. Russians can talk to other Russian speakers in Russian. No one is upset about that.

[@martasavy7135]

@@edwint1780 You are projecting your own behaviour onto others. Baltic people have been pretending not to understand russian since at least the 1990's but generally when russian people don't speak or understand a baltic language, it is because they literally can't. The russian language was just useful as a common language in the area up until recent times when english replaced it but I've never seen anyone bitter or spiteful about using english outside of french native speakers.

[@jonstainerr5340]

absence of language barrier ... so I presume she speaks fluent lithunian?

[@bestbarberduringcorona7032]

bro where you from ?

[@Mendogology]

He is from Canada

[@ramunasrackauskas9246]

first :D

[@Ganslit]

yes, many belorusians emigrants and now many ukranians come to our Lithuania. всем привет.

[@tiffanybabal]

Do Lithuanians, perhaps younger than 40, get offended if someone speaks Russian to them?

[@Mendogology]

Not me. But sadly I can't answer them back in russian, because I don't speak it🤣. In my opinion if someone gets offended by the language other people speak, has brain issues.

[@LaisvydasL]

nop

[@Kunigunda897]

Nah, my Russian is rusty 😅 I didn't had much opportunities to practice it after school. Of course I find it weird if people are living here for many years or all their life but can't speak it Lithuanian, you should learn it naturally over the years, but probably some of these people are living in their own bubble or just are persistent, some actually knows Lithuanian but for some reason they acts as if they don't understand. But I think that it's getting better with you get generations

[@jonstainerr5340]

yes 100% they are

[@markust7709]

Ohh... really? I am so disappointed by this propaganda video inderectly giving hints for more Belorusians to come with the idea that "Vilnius is multicultural city and no need to learn the language". If liked this channel less I would unsubscribe immedieately. I am not having anything against Julia personally but I think this type of content could be poisonous for Lithuanian masses. Lithuania is a small country. Large amount of immigrants will affect it national identity. Belarusians and Ukrainians will never try to learn the language or to integrate to the culture. When they become greater number they start to demand Russian language here. Wait for it.

[@jdam6017]

Lithuania is in an absolute crisis mode right now in terms of how few young Lithuanian people there are remaining. In 15-20 years there will be 1 pensioner for every 2 adults, meaning that the country will collapse without the immigration of foreigners.

[@LithuaniaExplained]

Hi Markus, thanks for sharing your opinion and describing why you dislike the video. If I may disagree with some of the things you say, I think your characterization of this video as 'propaganda' and that it tells people that there is "no need to learn the language" is unfair and inaccurate. I am well aware that a large influx of migrants into any country or city can upset the balance and create conflict. And this video isn't intended to be an open invitation to migrate and erode the local culture. But I think Lithuania and Lithuanians should also be proud of how it supports Belarusian freedom and democracy. The official opposition to Lukashenko, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, sought refuge here and continues to fight for Belarus from Vilnius. I think that's pretty great in my opinion. I do understand your concerns about national identity since i made a video about that topic - in addition to a video about the need to learn the Lithuanian language. Not just from a practical sense but because it's the right thing to do. Anyways - sorry that this video has upset you, but it's good for me to know where there are areas I should be more sensitive about. I appreciate all the comment-contributions you've made across all my videos, so I hope you'll keep watching!

[@litd3x411]

@Markus T "Vilnius is multicultural city and no need to learn the language" This quote is made up and nowhere in the video this was said, so why lie? Only this part was said "Vilnius is multicultural city" and it's true if you actually go out and socialize. Ignoring your misleading lie, on what exactly your opinion is based, your fears and not facts? It's seems you have no actual knowledge about the numbers and integration programs or real world experience with Ukrainian and Belarusian people.

[@litd3x411]

@@LithuaniaExplained You shouldn't be sensitive or sorry for this video or topic. This guy made up a quote. Most Lithuanians welcome and support with open arms Ukrainian and Belarusian people.

[@quuaaarrrk8056]

​@@Oberschutzee You unsubscribed an hour ago. Why still here?😊

[@kestutisdauskurdis5525]

Dear Julia, time by time, that we has situation about russian language in Europe for war, it will be not acceptible to speak in EU. Please to think. And no one country will not accept, that if our country is multiculture, that mean, you doesn't need to speak this country language. Julia, I think you are better than other people from Belarus, Ukraine or Russia which thinking same. Thanks for video, goodluck in our country.

[@tom4stream]

Kęstuti, jus labai išdūrė Google vertimas; galbūt tai net nebuvo Google. Aš tokio siaubingo vertimo dar nesu matęs :)