Andrius, or Andrzej to his friends and family, comes from a Polish family from near Kaunas. Currently, in the Kaunas region, only half a percent of the total population claims to be Polish. He would probably know to which generation his Polish roots belong, if not for an incident from the past.
— My great-grandfather had a family tree drawn, but a cow ate it. Maybe we were nobility, but unfortunately I will never know, he says with a laugh.
Andrzej went to a Lithuanian school, but he still knows Polish very well.
— When I was little, they were still broadcasting Polish Television. I watched Two and One, I really liked watching Four Tank Men and a Dog, Pegasus, and Probe. I also often listened to the Polish Radio and the bugle call from the tower of St. Mary's Church. Recently I was in Krakow and when this melody sounded at noon, I was immediately transported back in time to that warm summer during the holidays at my grandmother's house.
What do Lithuanians envy Poles?
What changes will Rail Baltica bring for Lithuanians?
How do Lithuanians rate life in Poland compared to Lithuania?
Why do Lithuanians travel to Poland for shopping?
Lithuanians are waiting for Rail Baltica
He uses his knowledge of Polish at work in the Lithuanian Railways, as director of stakeholder management. In his work, relations between Poles and Lithuanians are very important.
— I tell everyone that we, Lithuanians, really need Poland more than Poland needs Lithuania. And indeed, many Lithuanians look at Poland as a partner who will be our first helper in the event of war or aggression. But it is also a very important economic partner, he says.
Andrzej, like many other residents of Lithuania, is waiting for the Rail Baltica railway line, connecting the Baltic countries with Western Europe, to become a reality.
Vilnius panoramaDiana Wawrzusiszyn / Onet
— For Lithuanians, Warsaw is a huge hub. It opens the way to air connections to the USA, Asia and Africa. If the journey to the Warsaw airport by train starts taking three or four hours, it will be an epochal change for us. Maybe some companies will also move their offices to Warsaw. Everyone will want to be a little more Western.
With a view of Poland. Neighbors, Stalin's thumb, Czech debt and the KGBOnet
I also asked Tomaš to compare life in Poland and Lithuania.
— Poland has a much larger market. The country is developing faster. You have greater opportunities, including economic ones, because the Polish economy is stronger. And, of course, a stronger position in the European Union. I have the impression that Lithuania in these international relations is like a little dog that barks loudly, but no one is actually afraid of it, says Tomaš. — Well, it's cheaper here, so many people go shopping to Poland, although this is slowly changing.
I have already heard about entire buses being rented even from the Panevezys area so that Lithuanians can shop in Poland. 43-year-old Rita from Vilnius still shops in Polish stores. I'm meeting her for dinner at a Belgian restaurant.
— I think it's still cheaper. We go on larger grocery shopping trips when there are some nice discounts. On one such trip, you can save up to 200-300 euros. We also go to Poland for our children's birthdays. We take the whole family with us. Firstly, there is a larger selection of nice locations and attractions because it is a larger country, and secondly, we would not be able to afford something like this here, but we can there because it is cheaper – adds Rita. — At first, my friends were surprised why they were going to Poland, but for a few years now more and more people from Lithuania have been choosing to vacation in Poland. They go to Masuria, Zakopane, Krakow or Wieliczka.
During her numerous trips to Poland, Rita observes significant differences in the approach to landscape.
— We don't have so many advertisements on roads and fences. We also have more restrictive laws regarding radio advertising. We cannot advertise alcohol and supplements, but here they are on the radio all the time. That's my impression.
He thinks for a moment, trying to list as many differences as possible.
— We have much shorter queues to specialist doctors. You don't have to wait three years. Generally, I have the impression that medicine in Lithuania is in quite good condition, he sums up.
