‘I was visiting Ireland every summer during the school holidays but I never really thought about moving there’
Monika Stankeviciute, a Lithuanian immigrant living in Ireland, reflects on her journey from Lithuania to Sweden and eventually Ireland. She discusses cultural differences in friendliness and her personal growth since moving abroad.
Why it matters
The story provides a personal perspective on the immigrant experience and the social integration challenges faced by individuals moving across Europe.
Monika Stankeviciute (36) who moved to Ireland in 2016 from her native Lithuania , believes that living in Ireland has made her more friendly.
“Lithuanians are more negative compared to Irish people,” Stankeviciute says. “Irish people are friendly, they are always smiling. Even if you don’t know the person you would say good morning or hello.”
When asked about how Lithuanian people are different, Stankeviciute says:“We have a saying that ‘Neighbours are enemies’. If something good happens to you, the neighbour would be jealous of you.”
Stankeviciute grew up in a town in northwestern Lithuania called Kuršėnai. When she was eight, her mother moved to Ireland for work and she was thereafter raised by her grandparents.
“I was visiting Ireland back and forth every summer during the school holidays but I never really thought about moving there.”
She does not remember being very affected by her mother’s move.
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