Ukrainians of Klaipėda district willingly learn Lithuanian language

“I’ve been living in Judrėnai for two years now and I’m planning my business in the future,” says Natalija, a Ukrainian, who is currently attending Lithuanian spoken language training initiated by the Lithuanian Red Cross. The latter take place at Gargždai “Kranto” pro-gymnasium, there are two groups of Ukrainians studying. Another forty Ukrainians are attending Lithuanian language courses organized by the Klaipėda District Education Center remotely, which started on Tuesday.
Red Cross initiative
Inga Gattsuk, who works as a social consultant and organizer of activities and events at the Lithuanian Red Cross, told “Bangai” that “Krante” Lithuanian spoken language training is not accidental. They were dictated by a perceived need. “In the employment service, Lithuanian language courses are held for immigrants, they understand well and master the grammar of the Lithuanian language, but speaking is difficult. Lack of practical skills. And the purpose of these courses is to provide practice”, emphasized I. Gattsuk.
She informed that there are two groups of learners, each with up to 10 people. “We were looking for volunteers who could conduct these trainings. The main requirement was that he would like to help people and speak Russian, be able to convey knowledge of the Lithuanian language in practice,” said Inga. According to her, advertisements for volunteers were posted in the Jonas Lankutis Public Library of the Klaipėda District Municipality, in the Gargždai Open Youth Center, but no volunteers appeared. Both Inga and Red Cross Klaipėda region and Klaipėda city volunteer coordinator Laimutė Sakalauskienė took the initiative to look for volunteers by simply calling the database of available volunteers. “It’s great that Loreta Piaulokaitė-Motuzienė, a member of the Klaipėda District Municipal Council, who fosters a culture of volunteerism, and Zosė Stonienė, a social worker of the Klaipėda District Family Support Center, agreed to help free of charge,” she was happy.
These courses for Ukrainians will last 2-3 months. New groups will be formed later. If former course participants wish to continue their education for longer, it will be possible.

Giving is easier than asking
L. Piaulokaitė-Motuzienė said that she has been a volunteer of the Lithuanian Red Cross for several years. She completed various courses organized by the Red Cross, volunteered in various activities. “Coordinator I. Gattsuk called looking for help in conducting Lithuanian language classes for migrants living in Gargždai. Although I once graduated from pedagogy studies, I never had practice and it was a test for me”, the interviewer admits frankly.
When asked what motivated her to engage in this activity, she answered that it is enough to understand how good our life is and how bad it can be. “After all, giving is always easier than taking (asking). Perhaps, the meeting with the women fleeing the war with their children formed that understanding very quickly,” said L. Piaulokaitė-Motuzienė. Her family also supports her volunteering.
Loreta said that there are not only Ukrainians in the group she teaches. “We learn together. I have a rich Russian (sometimes Polish) vocabulary, she has a Lithuanian one, sometimes we even communicate using translation apps,” she says. It is easier for women who have children of preschool or school age, because they learn a foreign language faster and tirelessly when they return. Children are great teachers of parents. “The hardest thing for me is to understand what is unclear, because sometimes women don’t dare to ask or they don’t know themselves, because everything is not clear, but we are slowly moving and I believe that in the next month we will speak Lithuanian more often than Russian”, hopes volunteer Loreta.

Volunteering helped the most
Zose, a social worker at the Klaipėda district family support center and coordinator of the “Complex family services” project, says with a smile that her family is already used to volunteering.
“When the war started in Ukraine, I worked as a social worker in Gargždai district, I was designated as a person advising Ukrainians in the Klaipėda district. I advised them, directed them to the wards, explained where according to the actual place of residence and what kind of help is available”, said Z. Stonienė. According to her, when the war started, her own first reaction was fear. “I am a pacifist, I do not understand military activities, military actions themselves. I have always said that what I fear most in my life is war. When it all started, I felt that I had to take action, and volunteering was the best help for that,” the woman admitted. She provided general assistance and later completed training in crisis counseling. Zosė said that she particularly liked the vision and mission of the Lithuanian Red Cross: “I was impressed by their principle of impartiality. A person in distress should be helped, without distinguishing whether he is good, bad, etc.”
Pursuing language skills
About 400 Ukrainian war refugees live in Klaipėda district. Most of them have been living in the center of the district, Gargždai, and some in other neighborhoods since the beginning of the aggressor Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, that is, from 2022.
Natalija, a Ukrainian living in Judrėnai, said that she will need Lithuanian language skills to create her own business. “I really like Judrėnai, the people are very benevolent and helpful in everything. As soon as I arrived, I worked in a sawmill for one year. Now I am registered with the Employment Service”, Natalija said and added with a smile that she promises to stay in Lithuania. Therefore, it is important for her to develop language skills, and these courses are perfect for that. “My dream is to start my own business, because I bake pastries suitable for both vegans and the most diverse,” she mentioned.
Vitalii, who has been living in Gargždaii for seven years, works as a carpenter in Lithuania, he came to our country specifically for work: “I want to speak the language of the country where I live and work.”
Ukrainian Olga and her daughter initially lived in Rietave when the war started, but she moved to Gargždis in the summer and is currently registered with the Employment Service. Nadija, who moved with her son to Gargždis from Kiev, is already counting her second year in Lithuania. “In the beginning, I still worked remotely, but later I was fired. I am registered with the Employment Service, and my son studies at the Gargždai “Minijos” pro-gymnasium. He already speaks much better than me, but I also try very hard,” Nadija taught.

It is also organized by the Education Center
The need for Lithuanian language courses is so great that they are currently organized not only by the Red Cross, but also by the Klaipėda District Education Center. “Angelika Ibrahimova, who unites the Ukrainian community, appealed to the Municipality, stating the need for Lithuanian language courses. The Education Center has been entrusted with organizing the courses,” the director of the Education Center, Virginija Kazakauskienė, informed “Banga”. According to her, the courses for about 40 Ukrainians started on Tuesday, they are held remotely, because most Ukrainians have jobs, so it is much more convenient to study remotely. The courses are financed by the municipality of Klaipėda district.
A. Ibrahimova, who also came from Kharkiv a couple of years ago and having accumulated considerable experience in social work, took up the informal coordination of her compatriots. “In the first year, people were very scared and confused, the Lithuanian language was very incomprehensible to them and it seemed completely unlike the Ukrainian or Russian language. Only later, when Ukrainians began to participate in various activities, town festivals, became more familiar with local people and traditions, when they saw that local people love and help them, found jobs and felt more independent, did they again feel the need to learn the Lithuanian language. And it has many similar words, and the grammar system does not differ much. Now the majority of Ukrainians are convinced that it is necessary to learn the Lithuanian language well in order to successfully integrate in Lithuania,” said A. Ibrahimova.

Agne ADOMAITĖ
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