Guest article by Christina:Labas! Kaip laikasi? Aš esu Christina. I'm studying for a Bachelor's degree in culture and management at the HSZG. But at the moment I'm not in Görlitz, I'm spending my ERASMUS semester in beautiful Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Before I left, many people asked me why I wanted to go to Vilnius? And where is it actually located in Europe? Well, it's quite simple: as I'm always curious about new things, I was drawn to the Baltic countries because I'd never been here before. And that makes it even more exciting! Lithuania currently has a population of just under 3 million. Small but nice, I can say! The country's geographical location is particularly attractive. You can travel to the surrounding countries very cheaply: Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Sweden, Finland, etc. The proximity to Russia also contributed to my decision. In the end, I was able to take part in a week-long trip to St. Petersburg, Novgorod and Moscow thanks to the European Student Network (ESN) and I will never forget this breathtaking, impressive, culture-pure trip! (For those who like it even colder, there is also a trip to Lapland ;-)[caption id="attachment_400" align="alignright" width="300"] Brick church of St. Anna and Bernardinu Church[/caption]Vilnius is also a city to discover. Although the capital of the country, it is not too big, but there is a beautiful old town here, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Perfect for culture and management students! From the Gedimino Tower or the TV Tower, you have a view over the entire city. The wide river Neris flows through the city. There are also several parks and participation in sports courses at Vilniaus Universitetas is free for students. There are also several theaters, cinemas, pubs, clubs, gyms, dance schools, museums and shopping centers as well as a swimming paradise, ice rink and paintball hall to fill your free time. And Lithuania is a green country, full of dense forests, lakes, rivers and a small coastline. VU's Hiking Club offers hiking trips every weekend from September to November to discover nature.[caption id="attachment_399" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Aukstaitija National Park[/caption]Vilnius has a total of three university halls of residence: Olandu, Didlaukio and Sauletekis. However, the problem with the accommodation arose before I left: I was told that the hall of residence I had applied for was already full. It is in the city center (Olandu bendrabutis). So my Lithuanian mentor recommended Sauletekis, which is 10 minutes away (on foot) from the faculties of communication, economics, law and physics, as well as the large university library. The bus connection to the city center is very good here, but you live isolated from the city center and it takes about 25 minutes to get there and the quality of the dormitory in general is very questionable...[caption id="attachment_402" align="alignleft" width="300"] Muses Hall of Vilniaus Universitetas[/caption]I took courses from different faculties that matched my degree program in Germany, which meant that I had to commute a bit from the business faculty on my "doorstep" to the city center and the beautiful old university, which was founded in 1579, by jerky trolley bus. Sometimes the types of examination are changed, e.g. from a written invigilated (written) examination to an oral examination and short academic paper. In the modules of the Faculty of Economics, there are two intermediate tests before the final exam, several group presentations including short academic papers. You have the opportunity to learn new foreign languages at the Faculty of Philology. There are courses for beginners or advanced learners, e.g. Lithuanian or Russian. The courses for ERASMUS students are all held in English and you study together with Lithuanian students. The courses for Master's students generally take place in the evenings, as this gives many Lithuanian students the opportunity to work during the day, and the Lithuanians themselves are somewhat insecure and not very open towards foreign students, as they are simply not used to it. But once you have broken the ice and found a connection with them, greet them with a few Lithuanian phrases (and are lucky enough to be able to continue talking to you in English ;-), you can make a few Lithuanian friends. I can only recommend everyone to visit this small country surrounded by nature! Dare to visit the Baltic States! Iki pasimatymo! sponsored by: