In early August, the Employment Service, which published a study on the significantly changed regulation of emigrants regarding their return to Lithuania, received requests to provide more information about the "Maybe to Lithuania" project and specific people's stories.
Currently, as many as 55 percent associate the future with Lithuania. emigrants. This is 15 percent. more than three years ago. It is also interesting that those who have lived abroad for more than 10 years and had many opportunities to integrate in another country are more likely to consider returning.
Kristina Puodžiūnienė lived in emigration for five years. After completing her studies in social pedagogy, during the economic crisis, the woman could not find a job in Lithuania and went to Ireland with her future husband. Kristina's mother had been living in this country for several years, so it was easier for them to establish themselves. For five years, the woman worked in a salad factory in Drogheda. Her husband Tomas, who graduated from environmental engineering in Lithuania, works as a packer and security guard.
"Returning to Lithuania was more of a man's initiative. He said that if he continues to stay in Ireland and do this kind of work, he will be demoted as a specialist," Kristina said. The young family returned to their native Marijampolė a few years ago. He settled in a city where everything is familiar, and now he associates his future only with Lithuania. At the beginning, Kristina worked only part-time, because she was raising two small children.
This year, she became the chief information specialist in the Marijampolė department of the Employment Service. I liked half a year with clients, I found meaning in helping people. However, this job was temporary. Having recently won a competition in the Marijampolė branch of the Migration Department, she chose a more stable permanent job. Kristina's husband also works as an engineer in this city.
The young family has also created a small business in addition to their existing jobs, renting a bus on weekends for weddings, hen parties, bachelor parties and other gatherings. Previously, they also rented trampolines, but realized that they had too many activities and abandoned the latter idea.
Both feel happy, have good jobs and a great environment: "Financially speaking, it's not worth it for us to go elsewhere. The only thing missing is my mother and one sister, who is still abroad."
When asked what advice she would give to Lithuanians who have left and are thinking about returning to Lithuania, Kristina answered: "Don't be afraid to take risks. We did not have a difficult adaptation after five years. There is still an opinion among compatriots that everyone here is angry and unfriendly, but I didn't notice that, people's communication has changed".
Dmitry Lischenko's life story is different. At the age of eleven, he went to Spain with his parents. Later, he returned to study in Visaginas, and then worked there for several years in construction public procurement. Then again it was Spain and Ireland. After living in other countries for a long time, the desire to return prevailed. To Visaginas, where, as Dmitry decided, there are more opportunities for self-expression.
In the beginning, he tested the activities of the Open Youth Space in various programs with local youth. Still, the idea of creating my own business kept popping up. In 2019, a young man who speaks four languages decided to create entertainment for people.
"I thought for a long time about what I could do better in Visaginas. I received financial support from the employment service - I created a job as a DJ and event host, but the start of the business coincided with the quarantine," Dmitri said.
It was difficult during the pandemic, but the requirement to maintain the established workplace for three years helped to not stop the activity. It encouraged responsibility and duty, although the conditions, according to the young entrepreneur, are tougher for a budding entrepreneur.
During these few years, Dmitry's business expanded - not only in the club "Night Atmosphere", but also in the entertainment "Children's Atmosphere" developed together with his wife. During the season, it takes place at Lake Visaginas: "We work on weekends not only in the club, but also on the beach, we have catamarans. We are expanding, we will buy premises for the club. Local residents have little interest in such entertainment. We do everything for tourists," said the businessman, whose company currently employs 10 people.
The company recently hired a young graduate through the Employment Service Visagan technology and business vocational training center, and during the period of activity four clients were employed by subsidizing.
"If I thought only about profit, Visagin, there is none, too few people. It is also difficult to find employees, many simply do not want to do anything," said the man. However, he is interested in operating in more difficult conditions, although financially, as he says, it would be safer abroad.
Fifty trips to other countries, impressions from fifteen different countries - this gives a 33-year-old man various thoughts and ideas for business development. Next year, he intends to organize a tour to Visaginas with accommodation for incoming tourists.
As the opinion survey of emigrants showed, the expectations of Lithuanians living abroad are not only a good salary (61,7%). Even 53,4 percent family, friends and relatives are extremely important to the interviewees. 30,1% indicated the opportunity to do their favorite job, 25,6% indicated cultural and political changes in society. Compared to the previous survey, 2,2 percent those who want to live in big cities decreased by 2,9 percent. the number of people who want to live in the regions is increasing.
