The life of Almutė, who worked in the State Audit Office for many years, changed after the stroke: it is never too late to realize dreams | Lifetime

It is necessary to start telling the story of A.Juzėnienė from his adolescence or even his childhood. Even then, Almutė, who grew up in the Radviliškis district, felt: his life must be related to the arts. At school, he drew and, as he grew older, the desire to create did not diminish.

“When I finished eight grades, I had to decide whether to go to high school or get a profession. I remember that I was preparing to enter the Kaunas Technical School of Applied Arts. But the father said: there is no benefit of art, it is better to choose a practical profession.

It coincided so much that a relative came to us that summer who was studying at the Calvary Food Industry Technical School. The father offered to stand there. When such a product, when you are only 14 years old, happened. I finished school at five (there was a five-point system at the time), and easily entered the Technical School of the Food Industry. So, I remember, there was great competition when entering such a specialty, ”said A.Juzėnienė.

Looking back, the woman now feels that she has not dared to contradict her father’s opinion for the first time, primarily out of respect.

“I respected my parents a lot because they gave me money, they kept it. So I studied. But already later, while I was doing an internship at the Rokiškis cheese factory, I knew: I will finish my studies, but I will not work in that job, ”recalled A.Juzėnienė.

After her studies, the girl worked briefly at the dairy, but, as she herself says, those clogsThe constant humidity did not fascinate: “But it was very unfortunate for my parents, because they supported me, they gave me money and – well yes … It is already the case in life when parents intervene and direct children in the wrong direction “

The phone is written on the matchbox.

Almutė decided to continue his studies at the University of Vilnius. It is true that, thinking that the integrity of the chosen direction should be maintained, Almutė chose the specialty of Food Science and Commerce Organization in the then Faculty of Commerce.

A little later, after graduating and working, the woman met a former colleague on the street.

“It just came to our attention then. He says to me: Wouldn’t you like to work for the State Audit Office? Kazimieras Uoka is just picking up people. So, I remember, he wrote my phone on the matchbox. A little later I received a call.

The Deputy Auditor General invited me for an interview. I came, we talk. This is how I got to work. Then, the candidates were approved by a parliamentary committee, and it seemed to me a utopia to enter that institution. But I got there, “says A.Juzėnienė.

Although the woman graduated from the Faculty of Commerce, she says, there she learned several things that were later very useful to her: accounting, basic legal concepts, etc.

Thus began Almutė’s work in the State Audit Office, which over the years became the supreme audit institution in Lithuania.

The year Lithuania was hit by the prison scandal became crucial

Speaking of the 26 years he spent on this board, A.Juzėnienė says he wouldn’t really call this job interesting:

“And I liked it, it was fun. Especially since I inherited a trait from my father: I have been a truth seeker all my life, I cannot remain silent anywhere where I see the truth. Such people are not very fond. But at the same time, there was extremely hard work in the State Audit Office. “

The fateful year for Almutė was 2017, when Lithuania was hit by the so-called prison scandal.

“It just caught our eye then. Just then there was a scandal with the jails, I drove to the Panevėžys Women’s Prison in Kybartai. And I am a sensitive personality, I experience many things.

I remember that when you go to the office, when there is a business trip, it is always very urgent to collect all the data, you must also write reports. On that fateful day, I just spoke on the phone with a prison accountant. At one point it darkened my eyes, it turned bad, “recalled A.Juzėnienė.

“So I thought: this is how old age comes”

Now Almutė is thinking: then fate determined it. Stroke, hospital, prolonged treatment.

“It just came to our attention then. However, the treatment was long, five months.

After the treatment, it seemed to clear my eyes, I felt different. And before that, I was intoxicated by tension, by stress, and then, I remember, I thought: this is how old age comes. And it wasn’t old age, only the blood vessels narrowed, the blood flow was interrupted. I think it all ended very successfully, “said the woman.

After the treatment, it seemed to clear my eyes, I felt different.

Recalling his work at the State Audit Office, Almutė says that even after coming home from work, his thoughts were on the job.

“It just came to our attention then. On audits, activities and issues are complex. This included organizing a pre-trial investigation, and the work included both the prosecutor’s office and the police. You constantly think, lie, and travel with those thoughts. That’s probably why it all ended, “she says.

He became interested in photography studios.

At the end of the treatment, the woman did not return to work. But then other thoughts arose: how will it be necessary to live without activity, without work?

“Then I thought: how can I live without control? My daughter helped me. She knew that she loved photography, she had been doing it for many years, but she did not have enough knowledge.

She offered to study photography. One summer, I saw the information that the Vilna Business Services Vocational Training Center is organizing such studies, ”says Almutė.

Women are reluctant to talk about their years, but say that when they decided to study, they approached the threshold of their 60th birthday. He is also interested in the fact that when he was 40, he did not dare learn to drive. Because at that age, because it’s a shame.

Along with the years, a different perception emerged: there is nothing strange about continuing your studies when you are older: “It is a shame to steal. And what a pity here?

After completing the application, the woman was even more surprised that the ongoing studies were funded by the state.

“I was willing to pay several thousand euros for these photography studies. I thought that I had already graduated from university, so who will pay for my tuition? And it turns out that people who have acquired higher education can continue their studies and acquire another profession, “says A.Juzėnienė.

Controller shape: while studying

“I said at school: apparently I will be a historical figure here. However, this educational institution trains florists, masseurs, so people are of all ages. Also, my appearance is youthful and my character is youthful. He was not the oldest, but of course most of the young people studied, ”says A.Juzėnienė.

A.Juzėnienė says that she attended the conferences honestly: every day. Admittedly, she was surprised that a significant number of students dropped out during the school year.

“It was strange that they do not value the funds received from the state. It is an arch, it is not an arch. Of course, it is more difficult for those who had jobs and had to combine them with studies,” says A.Juzėnienė.

The way of the “controller”, the interlocutor laughs, was to feel and study: “I did not shy away from teaching, saying. Some thanked and others did not like it much. When we studied business organization, what documents to complete, how to prepare a CV, I also made comments to the teachers.

Working in the State Audit Office provided both knowledge and skills. We prepared reports for the Seimas, so we knew how to write. So sometimes he would correct it, he would tell me how to do it. When I finished my studies, the teacher thanked me for that. They say: we even learned from Almutė ”, says A.Juzėnienė.

“May my story be a lesson for everyone”

A woman who graduated with honors says she has gained a lot of knowledge, so she is surprised to see that there are a number of expensive multi-day photography courses offered online.

A.Juzėnienė calls it very easy, because in his opinion, it is not enough to learn at least the basics for a few days.

“We only learned about the camera for a month, about its functions. At first, I didn’t think things were that complicated, much to remember, to know, especially when it comes to settings, lighting. When I look at the photos I took on the Lastly, it’s clear to me that I didn’t know there was a lack of knowledge, ”she says.

A.Juzėnienė photographs people, celebrations, events, nature: everything that falls on his lens.

“It is just the beginning of my work, but I have already created my Facebook page, here recently I received an order to photograph the baptism. I really like it, I can work on photos, organize them at night. My heart is happy

Now I really know that to change the direction of life, choosing a nice professional activity, it is never too late. I want to tell everyone not to be afraid to chase dreams, to make changes. Let my story be a lesson for everyone, “says A.Juzėnienė.