Study abroad in Lithuania
Sandor Foldvari
armastus at FREEMAIL.HU
Wed Dec 14 16:45:10 UTC 2011
Dear Seelangers,
I have just returned from Vilnius being there a keynote speaker of a conference on Lithuanian literature so having some insight and (25 years) experiences let me contribute to the topic.
First, Lithuanian language courses with lectures on history and culture, in Russian and in English were offered by The Lithuanian Writers' Union, too. I studied there in the 80-ies of the last century. (Then-president of the Writers' Union is currently a professor emeritus at that department I was recently invited by, so he or his dept. may help you, too.) Though, as far as I know, Lithuanian Writers' Union organized its courses for many years and probably they have been still organizing for those want to translate or research Lithuanian Literature, it stopped to be a free opportunity while in those ancient times they payed stipend and offered free dormitory rooms.
Second, summer courses on Lithuanian, in Lithuanian and English, are offered by the Vilnius State University every year. One can turn directly to The Vilnius University.
Third, the University of Educology (former Teachers' Training College) in Vilnius (where I have just been to) and The Vytauto Didzojo Universitetas (The University named Vytautas The Great) in Kaunas, are also open for international exchange programs as well. The last is a *clear* Lithuanian university, in the *very* Lithuanian town. It was already told in the 1980-ies that *go to KAunas to see the very Lithuanian capital* and this is the spirit still now as well.
LAst but non least, everybody speaks English in the new generation. The hotel receptionist told me if I spoke English but not Lithuanian for that was not my mother tongue and they hardly understand why a stranger want to practice Lithuanian. Everybody in 20-30 ages seems proud of his/her English there. Although at the conference, most of those colleagues spoke English, presented their papers in Lithuanian. Though my paper was presented in English, the remarks and questions were addressed in Lithuanian, as they knew the speaker understood it and the Lithuanian-speaking guest was more respected than those spoke only French, German or English, although all of them were invited speakers. - So, do not worry to speak English in the city or the hotel or on the streets, however, your fluent Lithuanian (even if broken) speech is a great plus, especially in the circles of intelligentsia. - Russian is not hated and nobody is to hate you for speaking Russian. Simply, it is a forgotten language and you can communicate in Russian with the old generation without making complexes. More in Vilnius than in KAunas, as well. - However, it was in the late 80-ies of the last century, a very patriotic high-school teacher told me in Kaunas, that in misfortune or distress, he turned rather to a Russian for any help than to any Lithuanian. It was an impressive statement by a Lithuanian actor and teacher. - Later, in 90-ies it was the best way to speak Lithuanian or German, for the new English-speaking generation had not grown up then, and the first international language was German. (As for me, with very poor German but fluent Lithuanian, I had no experiences in 90-ies in language situation but Lithuanian.)Now one can find a completely changed new, almost nordic country. The hotel in Scandinavian style, supermarkets, friendly but reserved people, and smiling clerks in banks, with good English and more friendly smiling to the stranger speaking their mother tongue. Service at the airport is far more polite than in some western ones. It worths the efforts to speak the local language there, even more if one had been to the Soviet Lithuania then also to the newly independent country and then to the 20-years adolescent country, too, having chance to compare the situation in different times. (:(:Especially becoming from a former student to a keynote speaker, comparing the former Soviet dormitory and the modern hotel offered to the invited presenter:):) - Anybody requires any further particular info, can drop a message.Best,Sandor (Alexander)--------------------------------------------------------------
Sandor Foldvari, research fellow; cell-phone 36-30-6709134
Debrecen Univ. Baltic Studies; - home: H-2119 PECEL, P.O.B. 36.
http://unideb.academia.edu/SandorFoldvari
Elena Gapova <e.gapova at GMAIL.COM> írta:
>I wonder if European Humanities University might may be of interest to
>your student: http://ehu.lt/. It was started in 1992 in MInsk, Belarus
>with the support of the Open Society Institute and several Western
>governments and foundations. Closed in 2004 by the Belarusian government
>for political reasons, it moved to Vilnius and is currently recognized as a
>"university-in-exile" and has EU accrediatation.
>The languages of instruction are Russian, English, and some Belarusian (and
>very little Lithuanian, I believe).
>
>Elena Gapova
>
>2011/12/4 Zachary Kelly <zwkelly at umail.iu.edu>
>
>> This is not directly related, but in preparation for her time abroad the
>> student may want to consider attending BALSSI, which will be at University
>> of Pittsburgh (http://www.creeca.wisc.edu/balssi/).
>>
>> Also, I would have to say, based on my recent trip to Lithuania, that
>> Russian is very useful for traveling and communication there. I did have
>> the opportunity to study Lithuanian prior, so it was not in vain that I
>> would use Russian.
>>
>> As for programs in Lithuania, the only ones I have heard of are for
>> Yiddish. But such a program may be a start in securing a program for your
>> student.
>>
>> Zach Kelly
>> Indiana University
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 4, 2011 at 7:50 AM, Francoise Rosset <frosset at wheatonma.edu
>> >wrote:
>>
>> > Thank you, Jules.
>> >
>> > I should have been more clear that the language she'd like to study in
>> > Lithuania *is* Lithuanian. (She'll go to Russia for the Russian). But it
>> > would be Beginning Lithuanian, and that would not give her access to
>> > courses in culture and history. Some of those, another colleague tells
>> us,
>> > are available in English.
>> >
>> > Your recommendation of going there with some prior language is well
>> taken.
>> > I'm having her look into summer programs in the U.S.
>> >
>> > -FR
>> >
>> >
>> > On Sun, 4 Dec 2011 00:57:46 -0800
>> > Jules Levin <ameliede at EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On 12/3/2011 1:51 PM, Francoise Rosset wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> Dear SEELANGers:
>> >>>
>> >>> First, my thanks to the colleagues who responded to my question about
>> >>> medical обращаемость.
>> >>>
>> >>> Second, I'm back with another completely different query.
>> >>>
>> >>> One of our students, a sophomore in second-year Russian, is
>> >>> considering study abroad, both in Russia and in Lithuania (her
>> >>> background is part Lithuanian, though she doesn't speak any.)
>> >>> We've been looking through various, decent-looking websites,
>> >>> and we're going to involve our Global Ed office -- but neither
>> >>> Global Ed nor my student nor I have any experience. Someone
>> >>> here might.
>> >>>
>> >>> Any suggestions or recommendations would be immensely useful.
>> >>>
>> >>> Has anyone on the list studied in Lithuania or sent an undergrad
>> >>> to study there? She would study language and some form of area
>> >>> studies, and is the latter possible with no Lithuanian?
>> >>>
>> >> Well, I was a Fulbright Lecturer at Vilnius State University in 1981 for
>> >> 4 months--one of the first Americans there, and returned 3 times for
>> >> several weeks in 89, 91, and 99. I certainly did studying there, but I
>> >> would NOT recommend going there to study without some Lithuanian. The
>> >> younger generation is not studying Russian; they study English and other
>> >> Euro languages. While most Lithuanians over 40 can still understand
>> >> Russian, they certainly are not friendly with those who expect them to
>> >> communicate in that language. Lithuanian is a beautiful fascinating
>> >> language, and anyone who can learn functional Russian can certainly
>> learn
>> >> enough Lithuanian to satisfy native speakers that one has good will.
>> >> Frankly I do not understand why someone would commit a good chunk of
>> their
>> >> life to study in a foreign country and not want to learn the language of
>> >> that country.
>> >> Jules Levin
>> >> Los Angeles
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>> Any recommendations on summer vs. semester study, again, not
>> >>> in the U.S. but in Lithuania?
>> >>>
>> >>> Does anyone know of American universities with such programs?
>> >>> I found none on the AATSEEL list of programs for study abroad,
>> >>> (the UCLA link does not include Lith. and it's not abroad anyway,
>> >>> and the BALSSI programs are held in the U.S.) and very little
>> >>> info via Google. That doesn't mean there isn't any.
>> >>>
>> >>> On the other hand, does anyone have any experience with students
>> >>> registering DIRECTLY with a Lithuanian institution? (I believe
>> >>> funding and cost are an issue for this student).
>> >>>
>> >>> Any reason for any caveats about health services? There is
>> >>> a matter of a recurring medical condition.
>> >>>
>> >>> Thank you all, again,
>> >>> -FR
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Francoise Rosset, Associate Professor
>> >>> Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
>> >>> Wheaton College
>> >>> Norton, Massachusetts 02766
>> >>> Office: (508) 285-3696
>> >>> FAX: (508) 286-3640
>> >>>
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>> >>
>> >
>> > Francoise Rosset, Associate Professor
>> > Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
>> > Wheaton College
>> > Norton, Massachusetts 02766
>> > Office: (508) 285-3696
>> > FAX: (508) 286-3640
>> >
>> > ------------------------------**------------------------------**
>> > -------------
>> > Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Zachary Kelly
>> Indiana University
>> Russian and East European Institute
>> (414) 326-8154
>>
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