After 6 weeks in Lithuania, all 17 of us EMU students have gone our separate ways for the rest of the summer. It’s been strange to go from seeing each other every day to not at all. One of the phrases that Jerry Holsopple, our leader, repeated throughout the trip was “History is complicated.” We saw that over and over again throughout our trip – especially when we looked at it from multiple different perspectives. Learning about the history of Lithuania and the impact of the Holocaust and the Soviet Occupation on the country was very humbling. While we learned a lot of difficult history, we also had a lot of fun getting to know each other. I think one of the coolest things about intercultural trips at EMU is the fact that they are composed of people who probably wouldn’t have met each other otherwise. I’m sure that the stories we learned and the relationships we created will stay with us long after our time at EMU is over.
-Megan Miller
Spending six weeks in Lithuania has been one of the greatest opportunities of my life so far. While being immersed in a new culture came with a multitude of emotions, it was eye-opening and an overall wonderful experience. From our time in Lithuania, we learned the culture by wandering the cities of the different Baltic countries, trying authentic foods, participating in religious services, and experiencing celebrations such as the St. John’s Day festival. Additionally, we had the chance to learn and understand the culture on a deeper level by listening to locals share their stories, learning about the Soviet occupation and the Baltic Way Movement, exploring Holocaust sites, and witnessing the current support of Ukraine.
While I am beyond grateful to have gotten to learn the history and culture of Lithuania and the other Baltic countries, I am most grateful for the bonds and friendships I have created during these six weeks. Spending time walking around Klaipeda, going to coffee shops, shopping at Akropolis, walking to Iki, lying on the pier in Nida, hanging out in the lounges at LCC, eating at Katpėdėlė, singing at our weekly group dinners, and spending every waking hour with each other on the 9-day Baltic tour are some of my favorite memories because it gave us the chance to know each other and form bonds that we did not have before, as well as strengthening pre-existing bonds. As the bonds formed, it allowed us to confide in one another during emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually difficult times, which was definitely needed during this time. Not only am I grateful for meeting and spending time with a great group of people from EMU, but I am also glad that I had the opportunity to meet international students from LCC and learn about their cultures that differ from Lithuanian culture.
This trip has taught me an immense amount about Lithuanian culture and some Latvian and Estonian culture, but it has also taught me about my own culture. I learned more about myself, who I am as a person, and why I have the personal beliefs I have. Some of my spiritual and political beliefs were tested at one point or another during these six weeks, but it ultimately made me stronger and a more confident person. If it wasn’t for Jerry choosing me for this trip, I would never have had the opportunities to see new countries, learn new cultures, meet new friends, and become a stronger person, and for that, I am truly grateful!
-Becky Geiser
A memorable experience is when Lauren and I were walking around iki (grocery store) in Latvia, I think, and we started messing with the volleyballs that were in a big bin in one of the aisle and an old man came up to us who didn’t understand English and told us to toss the ball to him, so we did, and that went on for a good minute with us passing the volleyball (poorly) to each other and he said we were fantastic.
-Christina Louk
Our time in Lithuania has been a very formative part of my college experience. Although I had just finished my first year, and this would normally be a little early to do intercultural, I really wanted to go on this one with Jerry, especially because it was his last trip. We got to see parts of the world that I had never been to before, and I got to improve my photography skills, which was an enjoyable although sometimes difficult process. I am glad to have had the chance to spend this time in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and to have made so many great memories with this group.
-Daisy Buller
I first saw the cross-cultural requirement as a cool but inconvenient aspect of attending EMU, one that I couldn’t figure out when was the best time to embark on. I eventually decided to check its box off after I walked the stage at graduation and labeled it a “vacation.”
The time spent in Lithuania was worth the preceding four years of anticipation and I savored every tiny moment. Diving into another culture for an extended time was an amazing stepping stone for a greater sense of the scale of the world as well as our place in it. To a place so similar to home yet vastly different and one that will receive a look of confusion because it is not a well-known tourist attraction. The 2023 Lithuania intercultural will be archived as an integral experience and I am ever so grateful to have waited for the perfect time to make the trip and with those who traveled with me. I only wish more students had the same opportunity to travel and experience some of the same things we did this past summer.
-Zach Muñoz