An Ode to Vilnius 🇱🇹

Walking around the Old Town streets of Vilnius fills me with a nostalgia for a time in my life when, at the time, things didn't seem so simple. Amongst the churches, cobble roads, and historic buildings, there's a plethora of memories that come up and make me appreciate the 7 months or so that I spent in this city. 

Vilnius Cathedral from Gedimino Prospectas. Photo by Dan-Marian-Stefan Doroghi on Unsplash

I moved to Lithuania with hopes and dreams of pursuing a career in rugby - with an ultimate goal of growing the game and helping take the national team to a World Cup one day. I knew the money wouldn't be great, but I justified it in my mind that I would at least be pursuing a worthwhile cause. 

At the time, I was on a salary of €400/month, the minimum wage in the country at the time. After taxes, I was on a take home pay of just over €300. My rent for a one-room studio was €200 in a 'not so nice' part of the city and my monthly travel ticket was €30, leaving me with just €70 to feed myself and any sort of semblance of a social life. 

It's fair to say I live relatively comfortably now. I have enough money to buy whatever I need, save up to travel, and socialise a few times a month if I wanted to. As I walk around Vilnius today, it brings me back to a time where I could only soak in and appreciate the views. Using my public transport travel ticket, I would come to the city centre and walk the narrow alleys of the famous Old Town. While others would sit in cafes enjoying a coffee or a meal, the best I could do was look through the window. At the time, the simple act of appreciation was value and entertainment in and of itself. 

The modern city of Vilnius with the city's CBD with modern high rises in the distance. Photo by Reza Bina on Unsplash

So when I come back on trips today, it means so much more to me to be able to sit in a cafe and enjoy a simple coffee. As the economy of the country continues to grow, new unique and boutique shops, cafes, restaurants, and other cool spots pop up all the time. Year after year I come back and the city appears to be more and more modern, hip, cool, and trendy. This isn't a bad thing - just a sign of the times. 

The minimum wage has raised from €400/month from when I was there to now over €1000/month for a full-time job. Standards of living are raising to western European standards and, in some aspects, the quality of life is much better. Young people are no longer leaving the country in the droves that they were for decent paying work. Vilnius is now a thriving hub for the IT and banking industries. Wifi and mobile data speeds in the city and country at large are some of the fastest in the world. If anything, more foreigners and expats appear to be moving to the city nowadays. It truly is a thriving international hub. 

Gediminas Castle Hill. Photo by Victor Malyushev on Unsplash

That is not to say that Vilnius and Lithuania are without their own problems - villages and towns around the country continue to experience the brain drain to urban areas and some parts still remain largely undeveloped since the days of the Soviet Union. But when I compare my experience of living in Vilnius six years ago, the city has improved ten-fold. If the opportunity arose, I would love to come back and have a "do over" of my time living in the city. While I believed my cause was noble, my financial situation at the time effectively negated my ability to fully enjoy the city. If I were to come back, I would want a decent paying job, matching how much I make currently, with a decent apartment on the edge of the city centre somewhere, not a half hour bus ride like I used to have to take. 

I'm not sure where I was going with this blog post - but I guess you could take it as an appreciation post for a city I love and that you should go and experience for yourselves one day. Sit in a cafe, see the architecture, or if you can't do that - just soak it all in and enjoy the experience.