Lithuania in a Nutshell

“What does Lithuania sound like? Look like? Smell like?” a friend asked me over facebook…

Now that I’ve been here for a few days, let me tell you.

Lithuania “sounds” like it has a lisp. Every time I say the word, I feel like I should be saying “Lissuania,” but can’t pronounce it correctly.

But seriously, other than that, Lithuania is fairly quiet. The people are generally more solemn and reserved, even the younger children. There are no "rowdy" teenagers and loud music just doesn't exist.

It depends on where you are, but where I have been, Lithuania sometimes “looks” like the Shire (from Lord of the Rings), Yosemite (minus the waterfalls), and the West Coast beaches (minus the crowds). Walking definitely looks different; the people walk quickly, so much that there is a noted difference in our walking speeds. For example, our tour guide Dalius (pronounced “Dah-loose”)says that it takes 20 minutes to walk to the church Lithuanian style, but 30 minutes if you walk American style.

It “smells” like stuffed chicken and potatoes. At least, it does at dinner. So far, every classic Lithuanian meal we’ve had has included two sides of salad, stuffed chicken, and some form of potatoes, either mashed, stuffed, or fried.

"Ah-schew" (Lithuanian for "thank you") for reading!