Mobility specification

Country:Lithuania

Institution:Vytautas Magnus University

City:Kaunas

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2022/2023

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Science / Department of Experimental Biology

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?they have tons

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?The university teaches in Lithuanian and English and the courses in English weren't exactly a priority for the teachers. Although, of course, this was not true of all the teachers either and some of them tried to provide quality teaching for foreign students as well.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?There is an ESN in Kaunas that organizes various events, but I did not attend any of them.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:10000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?yes

Do you have any tips on how to save money?In Kaunas there is a "Turgus", a kind of flea market where you can buy, for example, some dishes for cheap.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?with gestures

How does public transport work in the city?I've seen better

And what about transport outside the city?I've seen better

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?As far as city public transport is concerned, searching for connections in Google maps works well. They have a system for buying tickets through the Zijogas app, where you "beep" (scan a code) every time you get on a bus, it's very simple and works well and you (as student) pay a maximum of 5.6 euros per month (in 2023), so it's very cheap.
To Vilnius by train or bus (also search via Google maps, online tickets for the train, for the bus at the driver). Elsewhere in Lithuania mainly by bus, paying mostly at the driver, preferably in cash and with the exact amount at hand. Further afield in the Baltics again by bus, for a non-local the easiest option is Flixbus.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Have a meetup with your date at Soboras and walk along Laisves aleija to the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris; go see a basketball game; and my personal favourite: the Bundu café and bakery.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Definitely go to the sand dune near the town of Nida on the Curonian Spit. It's a day trip and it's best to rent a car (and take a few other buddies), but it's worth it!

Share your best experience:On the sand dunes at Nida, which I described above! There was even swimming in the Gulf of Kursk, albeit within sight of the ship patrolling the Kaliningrad region, but the duned are really beautiful and a very interesting ecosystem.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Bus

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?It is possible to fly directly to Kaunas, there is a cheap connection from Bratislava for example, but in Kaunas the last bus leaves at about 11PM, so later arrivals can be complicated. But you can always take Bolt.

Can you pay by card?everywhere

What not to forget when packing?It's good to prepare for the winter season, it's 5–10°C lower than Czechia.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?The Baltics are a hidden gem that is not really far from us culturally, but without Erasmus I would know nothing about them. And thanks to the great range of undergraduate courses in English, I didn't have to extend my studies at MU after my trip, which is always great!