From Vlog to Blog: Arrival in Klaipėda

Very few to no one know about this: I actually have a vlog of my first few days in Lithuania. I have a total of 4 uploaded videos and I have a gazillion more to edit (although I don’t think it’ll ever get done, I’m too ashamed now). The first video was about securing my visa. The second was about my arrival to Klaipėda. This particular log starts with my arrival, where I was met with rain showers during the 30 minute bus trip from Palanga airport, to the bus stop right in front of my dorm. Then, the next frame is me narrating my state of being in my newly occupied dorm room (LT: bendrabutis).

“I’m actually in a state of panic. I just calmed down and for a good one to two hours I was trying to find out everything that is happening because everything is in Lithuanian. [And] I was fortunate enough to ask around from people who speak good English, mostly the young ones, and all of them, women. So I was able to get a few information I needed. I did not ask much ‘cause I wanted to try to figure things out on my own but when things get a little bit difficult and when I start to panic, I didn’t hesitate to ask. The rest, I had to figure out by myself. Fortunately before coming here [in Klaipeda] I studied just a little bit of Lithuanian which helped quite a lot earlier, trying to figure out things which were written, as well as things which were said. That’s it for a short introduction, I don’t have everything figured out yet. But I will try to show you what’s going on as of ~6pm (18 July 2018).”

For the next frame, I showed clips from my room as I unpack. I had a room for two for myself. It was around 12-meters-squared big. I have a window that has a view of a garden/mini-forest facing east. As I was filming, it was around 22°C which is cool weather for summer.

Trying to keep it cool even though I’m panicking internally

I decided to take a quick stroll outside around 8pm to calm my nerves. The summer sun was still shining in the middle of the evening and it reminded me of my childhood when I would play with my neighbours until sunset. That helped make me feel a little bit of familiarity in the unfamiliar.

I did some grocery shopping and finally purchased my local Lithuanian sim card. 2 EUR with 2Gb Internet valid for 30 days. What a bargain! Then I started to unpack and settle down. I took a hot shower after doing my bed, all while streaming the Euro Cup on my laptop (I finally figured out the Wifi to connect via eduroam! The instructions were all in Lithuanian.) 

To cap off the first day in Lithuania, I browsed through the pamphlet handed to me by the receptionist to hopefully help reduce the anxiety and be a little bit more ready for the next day. With that, I bid my non-existent viewers a Labanakt (good night).

This vlog will never see the light of day. It will remain private...forever! Looking back, I did it because it has always been a dream of mine to chronicle my life abroad ever since Nice in 2012 and Rouen in 2015 (long before it became a thing) and now I finally had the courage and the time to do so all while juggling what I had to do and managing my emotions. I’m proud I finally get to do it (although much later)!