Erasmus Experience in Vilnius, Lithuania by Ioana

Why did you choose to go to Vilnius, Lithuania?

At first, I chose Vilnius because I was planning to write my Bachelor Thesis on transition from communism to democracy (I am studying Political Science and International Relations) and because I knew all too little about the Baltic States in general. I have been abroad before, mostly to Western Europe and I wanted to go somewhere new so I said, why not. I was also looking for a place where I would have dormitory accommodation, because I didn't plan to spend hundreds of euros on the rent.

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How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

The scholarship is 4 months and the extra days will also be paid by the University but some time after you have already completed your Erasmus. My scholarship was 450 euros and because I was a social case I got an extra 200 per month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Vilnius?

It's surprisingly cosmopolitan. The libraries are always full with students, there are plenty of coffee & books shops, there is fast internet and wi-fi pretty much everywhere and there are plenty of places where you can go to have fun. Read about it on my blog, if you want to have an overall view.

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Would you recommend the city and the University of Vilnius to other students?

I would definitely advice everyone to come to Vilnius. They will fall in love with the city just as much as we did, the Erasmus 2015-2016 generation.

What is the food like?

I liked very much the fact that they are eating a lot of crepes and that they are really good at making pizza and pasta. I, once, had a cake made by a Lithuanian grandma and it was absolutely delicious. There are lots of "weird" foods, such as pink soup, pickles soup, cheese fingers, fried bread, cepelinai, garlic bread, but they all taste delicious.

Cepelinai

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Vilnius?

No, it was provided by the University.

How much does it cost to live in Vilnius?

On a regular basis, you can live comfortably with 300-400 Euros/month.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

The language was easy for me and yes, there are the Survival Lithuanian classes during Orientation Week.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Vilnius from your city?

From Bucharest to Budapest by train, then from Budapest to Vilnius by bus.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Vilnius?

Salento, Cocainn, Crazy Bull, Exit.

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And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Vilnius?

Submarine, La Crepe, Cili Pizza, Charlie Pizza, CanCan Pizza.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The Genocide Victims Museum or the KGB Museum.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Vilnius in the future?

Too many to fit in a single place, so I decided I would start a blog and keep everyone updated about my experience. You can access it here.