Skaistė and Jousts living in the Swiss mountains: about first-class friendship, cow herding in the Alps and hiking to Italy | Lifetime

“Our souls find peace here,” says Skaistė, speaking of life in the mountains, and turns on the camera to show the terrace, which overlooks the center of the city of St. Moritz, where the Olympic Games twice took place. Winter, and the peaks of the Alps.

“The sun rises this way, and after landing at the bus stop and driving it for 5 minutes, you find yourself on the ski lift to the mountains. In summer we go on excursions, and in winter we ski here on alpine and cross-country skis ”, continues the interviewee.

From St. Moritz, at an altitude of 1.8 km, northern Italy, which Justas calls the holiday country of both with Skaiste, is almost at hand.

“Sometimes we go there to the mountains and on foot, sometimes we take a bus, in 2.5 hours you can get to Como (it. How) lake, in 40 minutes – Livigno (Livigno) resort. Incidentally, these places often become a meeting point for friends from Lithuania, ”says Justas with a smile.

In Switzerland, black: for ten years, and together since childhood: he walked the same paths in Širvintos, studied in the same class, they were best friends. Over the years, the feelings grew and changed, until they became a couple.

Recalling the beginnings of friendship, Skaistė laughs that even when she found a message in which Justas expressed her sympathy, she ignored it, because a grandmother who constantly asked, perhaps making friends with someone in the class, always replied that she never I would be friends with a classmate. You will not lose. But life has changed everything in its own direction or, one might believe, there will be no escape from the things that are destined to happen.

“Justas always jokingly says that he wanted to be my friend and then get married, just because it was practical: we lived next door, we helped with the homework, I did not have to introduce my parents, sometimes it is a challenge for couples because we were neighbors and our Parents were for each other. Known for a long time. Even the grandparents were familiar, the grandmothers worked together at school, they were colleagues, “smiles the speaker.

“It’s almost incest here,” Justas jokingly adds.

Yes, without being in a good mood, we talked about their life in Switzerland, how they settled here, how and when love for the mountains was born, about summers in Switzerland grazing cows and working in remote mountain areas, which fascinates this Alpine country and, of course, how so many years manage to keep them harmonious and full of love.

– Tell us how things turned out after high school: where did the winds of life blow and when did mountains and love appear in your life?

Such as: With Skaiste we really wanted to go to the mountains. I no longer remember, whether encouraged by my parents or by myself, after going to high school with one of the travel agencies that organized wilder trips, we went to the Swiss Alps. That country fascinated us enormously with its exceptional nature. So we thought that maybe it would be possible to come here to stay longer or find a job in the summer.

That thought did not abandon. After that summer we went to study – Skaistė graduated in German Philology from Vilnius University – we both studied German at school, and I graduated in economics from Romeris University.

While still studying, I started looking for opportunities to stay in the mountains of Switzerland. Unexpectedly, I found an offer to graze cows. I found it a very exotic occupation. I wrote to that farmer and after the first year I went to the Alps to graze cows. There we really had to live separate from everyone in the mountain cabin, three of us were responsible for 120 cows.

There we really had to live separate from everyone in the mountain cabin, three of us were responsible for 120 cows.

I worked for 100 days, getting up every day at 4 p.m. in the morning I went to bed at 9 p.m. In the afternoon. He grazed, milked cows, made cheese, made fences around the mountains. Food was provided by farmers whose cows had to be grazed. I spent a total of four summers like this: after each course I flew to the mountains to graze cows (laughs)

During that period, there was an even more special attraction to the mountains, they wanted to live in them, but of course not graze cows, because then there must be a dedicated farmer. And during my studies, I really enjoyed it, I was able to feel independent, earn money, that job seemed exotic, and being in the mountains gave me a feeling of strength and freedom.

I told everyone that this is my army, and that I had to work a lot physically, and psychologically they would be alone during those 100 days. Sometimes I had to hold on and keep going, but I drove again next year.

– At least it’s an experience! Casto, and you guys went together for a summer?

Chastity: No i am not After the first year, I was with a family in Germany under the Au Pair program, and after the second year, I found a job as a waitress in a remote mountain restaurant in Switzerland. That year we managed to visit Joustas once in the mountains: we were separated by ten hours of travel, there was simply no opportunity to come. And after my third year, I returned to Switzerland to work in a hotel.

And after graduating for the winter season, we went to work together in Switzerland; the main objective of this stay was to learn to ski.

Chastity: Yes, we work on the hill and after finding a free minute we use our skis and descend. At the end of the winter season, we only consider that if we were already in Switzerland, we could stay here for a couple of years more.

– And a couple of years has already become a decade.

Both of them: Yes.

– How did you manage to settle there?

Such as: We have changed some jobs all the time. We have become more sedentary in recent years. Skaistė has worked at the medical center, the head of the reception of the physiotherapy department for 4.5 years, and I am the accountant of the historic Badrutt’s Palace hotel, built in the 19th century.

(Justas cannot elaborate on behind-the-scenes work and guests staying at the legendary 5-star hotel for reasons of confidentiality. Celebrities such as actresses Marlene Dietrich and Audrey Hepburn, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, once they were on vacation here. Today the hotel is popular with many celebrities and influencers, including Arabian Princes, stars of the world of entertainment and sports – aut.)

Chastity: From the beginning, we had a goal of finding more stable long-term jobs, working from 8 a.m. at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m., have free weekends and be able to spend them together. We made it, but the road was winding. No one is waiting for you to come to another country with outstretched hands, so armored patience advances in small steps.

In Switzerland, you feel both socially and financially stable and can plan more for your future.

Often people are afraid to change something, to show initiative. I was never afraid to send my resume to jobs that weren’t even looking for employees. On several occasions, they were able to find work.

– As for the language, I understand, there were no difficulties because you spoke German?

Chastity: Yes, but since we live in St. Morice and it is close to the Italian border, many Italians work here and come to visit us, so Italian is also needed. I learned this by interacting with co-workers, guests, talking to the bus driver while driving home in the afternoons after work. And in my current job, I wouldn’t do it without Italian. Of course, English is also required as an international language, so there are more opportunities to teach all three.

– What about the conditions for a residence permit in Switzerland?

Chastity: You must first get a job to get a residence permit. Or the employer requires a permit to work. At first it is confusing. Seasonal short-term permits are more easily granted. They are issued for the duration of the contract.

After five years, you can apply for a long-term permit for five years. But in that case, you must have an annual job. Ten years later, we have the right to permanent residence, which will be granted to us in the near future.

– Almost all your photos on social networks are moments from the mountains. They also determined their choice to come here. And excluding the mountains, kuo jus still charming Switzerland?

Such as: In fact, mountains have already become the main criteria for choosing a trip! (smiling) And Switzerland is fascinated by stability in all areas. Feeling both socially and financially stable can further plan your future.

Health insurance is expensive, but treatment services are of high quality. I don’t know how in the cities, but we, who live in a small city, have no difficulty getting to the doctors unless the doctor is on vacation, so we may have to wait a few days or a week.

– What is missing while you live in Switzerland?

Such as: What is really missing is the Lithuanian language (laughs) because there is such an informal Lithuanian community here. We have a Lithuanian priest, a yoga teacher lives here, and Lithuanian dentists have founded a clinic in another village.

And the lack of family, friends you grew up with, you studied. But we meet friends from Lithuania quite often – he’s with us, he’s on Lake Como, when they come on vacation.

We return to Lithuania ourselves two or three times a year. My mom flies every year, wakes up three weeks later.

– Since we’ve all recently gone through a period we’ve never had before, I’m curious to know how they went through quarantine, What was the situation in your area?

Such as: The first wave of coronavirus came to us from the Bergamo side, because here we have many border crossings that come to work from Italy and then return home. And St. Moritz can be accessed from three sides of Italy: Livigno, the bottom of Tirana and Lake Como. There were several sick people, some of them deceased.

Chastity: My five coworkers were sick, but in a fairly easy way. Several of the patients in our center that I met died. On the other hand, they were the elderly with really serious illnesses. Our medical center did not close, we work full time, just one month after noon.

It was awkward at first going to work, but then I got used to it. We work with masks and we accept all patients because there were also surgeries, so we cannot let people go to the destination. And in Switzerland, a lot of attention is paid to physical therapy. If a person undergoes surgery, physical therapy is prescribed immediately.

You were able to complete an application, and within half an hour, the money flowed into your company’s account.

Such as: During the quarantine, the advantage of living in the mountains became apparent: During that period, the people of St. Morice dispersed through the mountains, spending time on them, resulting in fewer collisions. We didn’t have to wear masks in public places, I only put the mask on once when I went to the hair salon.

But otherwise, Switzerland coped fairly well financially with the Kurzarbeit social security measure, under which employers did not fire people because they were aided by the state: the state guaranteed 80% to those who lost their workload. at that moment. old salary This saved jobs.

Another great tool to boost the economy is easy access to state guaranteed credit for all businesses. You were able to complete an application, and within half an hour, the money flowed into your company’s account. In this case, Switzerland has once again created an economic miracle and has been an example for other countries, as the unemployment rate has hardly changed during that period.

– The coronavirus pandemic has adjusted many vacation and travel plans this year. What do you hear now Will Switzerland receive tourists or will the Swiss themselves travel somewhere?

Such as: The Swiss are on vacation in their own country, and it is already visible. All campsites that used to be half empty are now full. Three and four-star hotels, where prices are average, are also full. Perhaps now it is more difficult for hotels like this than work, which depend more on international guests, because not all citizens of all countries can fly to Switzerland.

– And you, in addition to Switzerland and neighboring Italy, have had the opportunity to visit other countries during that decade? Is what you have enough?

Such as: We always say that in Europe we have three countries: Switzerland, for life, Italy, on vacation, we can be and be there (laughs), and Lithuania is our birthplace.

When it comes to vacations, the first mutual offer is always: “This varom to Italy?” (laughs) If not, then we are already flying somewhere further away. During that decade, we visited several countries in Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia. We have traveled to Kenya, we really want to see even more of Africa, we have been to the island of Kauai in Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mexico, the United States and many European countries.

– You live in a foreign country where the people closest to you are only with each other, so you only spend a lot of time with the two of you. Finally, they have been together since adolescence. Issue a recipe for happiness as you succeed keep relations so much consistency?

Such as: Many understand masculinity so standard that there are male and female responsibilities in the family. We don’t have any distribution, we do everything together: I eat and wash the floor. And for me, masculinity is precisely what I can tell my wife that I love her. And I have to do it. In my opinion, harmony emerges from the display of feelings. I really like to express feelings, I think men should do it.

Still, I think relationships are strengthened by common interests when they can spend time together. Let’s say I loved riding a mountain bike, maybe it’s a slightly more dangerous activity, Skaist tried it a couple of times and wasn’t too impressed. Ok we found it hiccup after the mountains, connecting the needs of both. And together we can spend our free time.

For me, masculinity is precisely what I can tell my wife that I love her.

We go out into the mountains not only for a day, but we also like multi-day hikes with a tent, we start in Switzerland, we go somewhere in Italy. That common interest, those trips unite us.

Chastity: I feel like the more time we spend together, the more he wants to spend together. I think people forget to spend time together, there is very little of just two. Joust and I are always as we are when there are only two of us, there is no need to pretend against anyone.

In fact, the more time you spend with a person, the more love grows. You have to know how to live with that person, you don’t have to be forced to do something about it: prepare lunch or do laundry, etc., you just want to do it because you love that person.

People often tend to think only of themselves: me, me, for me. Personally, it’s good for me to do everything for Justo, I think it’s just as good for him to do it for me.

Also, over the years, we know each other a lot: halfway there, I sometimes think I know myself as much as I do Justas. We and our opinions coincide almost everywhere. I accept it with all its pros and cons.

We and friends are common, some even went first class. I believe we have grown in a common direction in life over the years. I don’t know if we were born under a happy star or if we were so lucky, but the first shot seems to have been the most accurate (laughs)

I think people forget to spend time together, there is very little of just two.

– Very good to hear you. I wish I never lost that understanding and the coherence of the relationship. Well, let’s ask ourselves if Switzerland has already become your forever home, or do you still have thoughts of living again? to lithuania?

Chastity: We are not discussing this yet, we live here and we are happy about it. And the future will show (smiling)

– Good luck, good summer in the mountains and thanks for the conversation!