As part of its mission as the World Lithuanian University, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) provides support to Foreign Lithuanian students who have chosen to study at VMU.
This year, scholarships were awarded to Alina Budginaitė, a fourth-year Bachelor’s student of English Philology (from Kaliningrad), and Ąžuolė Abadona Nariūnaitė, a first-year Bachelor’s student of History (from Greece).
We invite you to get to know the scholarship recipients.
“I was born in Kaliningrad and grew up in Sovetsk, in the Kaliningrad region. From childhood, I knew I was Lithuanian because I was surrounded by the Lithuanian language and culture from birth — my parents read me children’s books in Lithuanian, and soon I learned to read simple sentences myself. I watched Lithuanian films and cartoons.
My relatives live in two cities — Tauragė and Kaunas — and my parents used to take me to visit them from a young age. In Tauragė, my grandmother and I would go to the library, where I improved my Lithuanian reading skills. As I grew older, I became interested in more complex texts — especially books about anatomy and electrical engineering. After school, I attended every possible Lithuanian language club, took part in competitions, and once even won a trip to Vilnius, where I had a wonderful time. I remember trying to speak with everyone I met — it always brought smiles to people’s faces.
In 2018, I met a wonderful teacher, Tatjana Pavlova, and for two years I studied at the Association of Lithuanian Language Teachers in the Kaliningrad region. I attended classes and read many books in Lithuanian recommended by Tatjana Pavlova.
I also had the opportunity to teach — I helped create and distribute educational materials for children, conducted lessons myself, and contributed to the organization’s activities. I helped children prepare for Lithuanian language, history, and culture competitions and assisted in organizing tea evenings and meetings for students and their parents. It was a wonderful experience that allowed me to feel not only like a student but also like a teacher, connecting with people who share the same heritage as I do.
After graduating from secondary school with honors and passing all my exams, I dreamed of studying in Kaunas — and that dream came true. I am now a fourth-year Bachelor’s student in English Philology at Vytautas Magnus University. I would like to continue toward a Master’s degree in Baltic Linguistics, as studying languages and word etymology has become my greatest passion. I also aspire to become a Lithuanian language teacher and help children of Lithuanian descent living abroad learn the language and discover Lithuanian culture.”
“I lived in Greece for many years and returned to Lithuania only recently. This was my lifelong dream because I never felt like I truly belonged in Greece. Even while living there, I never abandoned my language — I was interested in literature and history, and since my teenage years, I had dreamed of studying at VMU. And not just anything — I wanted to study Lithuanian history. Because of this strong desire, after finishing twelve grades in Greece, I managed to pass Lithuania’s national matriculation exams (which required a lot of extra studying in grammar and math!) and earn a state-funded study place — something for which I am deeply grateful.
As a child, I used to borrow Lithuanian books from the embassy, learned folk dances from my grandmother, and constantly had to face my classmates’ jokes and questions such as: “Do you speak Russian in Lithuania?” or “Do you have cars and schools there?”
I always tried to promote and honor Lithuania’s name. At school, I translated Lithuanian poetry into Greek and Greek poetry into Lithuanian. I translated a large portion of Donelaitis’ “The Seasons” and Krėvė’s “Skirgaila.” During high school events, I played the kanklės (a traditional Lithuanian string instrument). I also learned Old Prussian and Latvian, and I’m passionate about Baltic prehistory, culture, and folklore. Every evening, I call my youngest sister — who was born half Greek — to read her Lithuanian fairy tales.
I was always interested in Lithuania and other Lithuanians living in Greece, but the Lithuanian community was far from where my family lived, so I rarely had the chance to meet them.
Even now, I still play the kanklės, walk to university every day wearing a traditional Lithuanian sash and an ancient Baltic-style cloak, volunteer with Viduramziai.lt at historical events, and participate in the VMU creative group Declamationes.
Lithuanian identity and nationalism have always been an inseparable part of who I am. And though the sea is warmer and the sky bluer in Greece, what else can I say — except that I am called by the voice of my homeland.”
