Sad news in Lithuania… In 2010 population of Lithuania decreased by 84,500. It’s a very big number for our small nation. In the beginning of 2011 only 3,245,000 people lived in Lithuania. If the rates of emigration won’t decrease, in 3 years population will be less than 3 million… Sad. Very sad.
Who will create GDP? Who will pay taxes? Who will make money to pay pensions for increasing army of retired? Many questions, no answers… You probably want to ask me why government is not trying to stop emigration… I have no answers. In Lithuania politicians talk a lot, but they do nothing…
I personally faced the problem of emigration too. One of my best friends last summer moved to London. She has master’s degree in law, but in Lithuania she was paid about 1,000 litas (less than 300 euros or less than 400 USD) a month. She finally gave up on searching a better job and she was tired of living with parents. Now she is a waitress in a hotel in London and she has enough money to live pretty decent life. She has no plans to come back to Lithuania. I miss her…
It is just one of thousands stories about young Lithuanian emigrants. Lithuania pays for their education and later they leave and pay taxes in other countries.
Sometimes I ask myself what am I still doing in this sad country. Well… it’s my personality I think. I am too afraid of changes. And I love what I have here. I still have a hope that maybe one day I will find a normal well paid job. I am educated, I know English language, I am good at writing. Should I give up? Should I resign and become a waitress somewhere in wealthier country? I still have a hope that I can survive here – in Lithuania.
4 comments:
The thing about Lithuania is that if you have a job which pays a decent amount, the quality of life is very good here. Costs are relatively low compared to other countries and your money can go very far. But of course if you do not have a decent job, it will be difficult anywhere
Gene, I agree with you. But it is not normal that most people don't have enough money to live decent life. In more developed countries it's not necessary to have super job to pay your bills. My friend in London can live much better than in Lithuania, although her salary is minimal. Try survive in Lithuania with Lithuanian minimal salary...
Moving to Lithuania is probably a bad idea. If you have dark skin, you will be discriminated against. Lithuania has the highest levels of suicide, alchoholism, and road deaths. Lithuanians are leaving Lithuanian faster than they are being born. A degree from a Lithuanian University is a hindrance, and is not respected in many countries. My advice is to look somewhere else because Lithuania is neither friendly or tolerant of other cultures. Only a fool or a desperate person would try to come here to live or study.
It's not so bad in Lithuania! I know a few foreigners who lived and worked in Lithuania and they were happy here! And about emigration: yes, Lithuanians are leaving their country, but it is not because they don't like to live here, it's because they need jobs!
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