It's no secret that sadness or a bad mood are familiar emotions to many of us, especially in the cold season. But here, for foreigners, it turns out that Lithuanian depression is not scary at all - Ashraf, who came to Lithuania from Egypt four years ago, is happy to have made such a decision, he is successfully developing his business and helping clients to forget their worries, at least for a while, by immersing himself in professional massage therapy.
From sunny Egypt to distant Lithuania
"Why Lithuania, why exactly here" - these are questions Ashraf hears not for the first time. The Egyptian, who has been living in Lithuania for five years, is one of the examples proving that great desire and perseverance can do anything. Before coming here, the man lived in Hurghada, Egypt. He had an excellent education, a well-paid job, and gained recognition in the field of professional massage at a young age. However, fate played a joke - Ashraf met a Lithuanian woman in his native land. "I always did what my heart desired, I was guided by my inner intuition. This time she told me not to hesitate for long and to travel to find new beginnings", says Ashraf about his decision to return to Lithuania with his beloved woman. Deciding to leave his job, family and loved ones, the man packed his bags and headed to a country he had never heard of before.
And here the beginning was really not easy. I had to find out the immigration requirements for foreigners, sort out a lot of paperwork, and get a residence permit. The cultural difference was no less surprising - Ashraf, who was used to the southern characteristics of communication, was greeted much colder in Lithuania: "The first time I came to Lithuania, I asked if anyone had died. Maybe a celebrity or the head of the country? Everyone looked so sad! It was only after some time that I realized that pensive faces and closedness are characteristics of Nordic culture. People are different here - I had to get used to greeting strangers or smiling for no reason, otherwise I would get suspicious looks. On the other hand, when you get to know them better, you find that people are sincere and hospitable, value friendship, are educated and have excellent manners. In addition, I adore Lithuanian food, and on weekends I sometimes cook zeppelins".
Maybe because of his radiating enthusiasm, maybe because of his talents or the help of his friends, but Ashraf today speaks Lithuanian fluently. "There was a time when I was sitting on the bus and I could hear what people were saying about me. Due to my dark skin, I was often mistaken for a Muslim, but this is also not true - I am of the Orthodox faith. Now I don't feel any discomfort anymore, I sometimes make fun of myself, my friends and I laugh at various epithets," Ashraf says about the experience. He learned to speak and read Vilnius University in just half a year, and thanks the professors he met for the achieved results: "I will always remember and praise teacher Virginia, whom I met at the Faculty of Philology. She awakened her love for Lithuania and encouraged her to get to know the riches of Lithuanian culture."
Successful career start in Lithuania
Ashraf, a masseur, says that he was fascinated by it even as a child, when he and his father used to watch his favorite sport - football. Seeing physiotherapists working, professional massage therapists treating his favorite athletes, Ashraf realized that he also wanted to help people feel better. Thus, after arriving in Lithuania, the desire to pursue the profession of my dreams did not disappear anywhere. After initially working in a private massage parlor as a hired worker, Ashraf later decided to step forward and open a separate massage studio: "I felt that I was standing still, I was not improving anymore. Therefore, after two years, I decided to take a risk and pursue a bigger goal."
Having just started, Ashraf already had a considerable group of clients: "Lithuania is a small country, word spreads quickly here, so word of mouth about my services quickly passed." "Owner of golden hands", "massage that healed my back" and similar testimonials can now be seen on the specialist's Facebook account. However, he himself evaluates his results modestly and says that any person who loves his work will do it well, thus making others happy.
Massage is like therapy
In Lithuania, massage services are offered by more and more specialists: from spas to doctors' offices - the offer of procedures is huge, but it is not always clear what to choose and what the effects of different procedures are. Educated as a professional masseur, Ashraf says that only a specialist can choose the most suitable massage: "You put your hands on it and feel it. You can feel if a person is tense or lopsided, maybe just exhausted and without energy. In each case, I apply a different therapy, I choose a massage technique for each individual".
According to the specialist, a well-performed massage is one of the best ways to reduce stress, depression, and pain: "After a well-performed procedure, you should feel easy, pleasant, and relaxed." It can't always be very good, on the contrary - sometimes it can hurt a bit if it's, for example, a therapeutic massage, but the most important thing is that you feel the change".
Ashraf claims to notice another power of massage - it creates an emotional connection. "Massage is like therapy. People come not only for physical procedures - they come to chat, they like to talk and be heard. You wouldn't believe how many problems can be solved with the help of massage sessions alone," smiles the specialist who performs oriental massages.
The future is not predicted yet
When asked what plans he is making for the near future, Ashraf says he does not like to make predictions. "For now, my plans are to expand my business, establish myself in Vilnius, and start a family. Like everyone, I sometimes get "stressed", sometimes sad, winters are cold, but I like it here. If you have to move, it's only home. Anyway, I believe that it doesn't matter where you are, it's important that you feel at home, that you feel free."
