A Lithuanian living in the Netherlands talks about special differences between us and foreigners: I would never dare to do that in Lithuania

Jūratė Prins is a Lithuanian living in the Netherlands. For some time now, Delphi’s readers have had the opportunity to read her stories, the most popular stories about elderly living abroad in luxury and her and her loved one’s visit to a secret sex club.

Through the keyhole

Jūratė went to the Netherlands with her two daughters almost 20 years ago. They were looking for happiness, which they say they did not find in Lithuania. There, she wrote a book on the taste of Dutch cheese abroad about her life abroad: they were excerpts from this book that she had repeatedly shared with Delphi’s readers.

“I matured the idea of ​​writing a book for a long time. I liked it and I still wonder the mentality of the people who live here, their way of thinking. The Netherlands, although close to Lithuania, are very different.

Add thinking, communication, raising children in families and schools, your life priorities, ending with business relationships. I am still very interested in this.

Every day is a new discovery. I included many real and unimaginative life stories in my first autobiographical novel, The Taste of Dutch Cheese. I shared Delfi with some of them because I am convinced that Lithuanians are a curious nation (I judge for myself) and that they have always had and are very interested in looking within. Through a neighbor’s keyhole.

I know that the issue of emigration is very relevant in Lithuania. I went through a long, winding and difficult migrant journey, fundamentally changing my life more than once until I finally resolved it as I dreamed when I was a child.

Here I found family, love, a favorite job, a purpose in life and a sense of existence. I found peace. But I didn’t get anything on the pallet. I had to create everything myself, “Prins said.

Didn’t even object to the described sex club

The last excerpts from the published book were extremely hot. They also mention Jūratė’s friendly life. According to her, a loved one not only does not envy or stop a woman’s activities, but only encourages her.

“Yes, my life partner, my husband, not only supported me, but also actively participates in the process that is still happening. Probably, without him, the book would not have seen the world. It helped me with everything.

He accompanied me to meetings that lasted hours. Without understanding a word, the Lithuanian patiently waited for the end. My girls didn’t stay behind him either. They are very grateful to them, because without the help and encouragement of the family, it would be much more difficult, or perhaps all this would not even be possible, “said the woman.

One thing that all authors should get used to is comments. And they, especially when writing on sharper topics, are generally not flattering.

“The impressions are very double. On the one hand, it is interesting that so many readers read his articles and react to them, on the other hand, it was necessary to stand very hard on his feet and grow thick skin so that he was not hit by large and heavy criticism stones. And there were many of them.

But nothing. I learned not to pay attention to insults and humiliation with a strategy of “intelligence” always well used.

I can add that I would never have done it while living in Lithuania. I just wouldn’t dare. I would keep thinking, and what will the others say, what will the neighbors think?

It took a lot of courage to make my true, unimaginative and compromising life story public, in which I described my shortcomings and failures, losses and hopes, illnesses. At first, I even wanted to sign the book under a pen name, but the family convinced me not to.

“I don’t understand why you were so naked,” this is a question I have been asked more than once in Lithuania. The birth of this book is clear proof in the first place for me, as I changed living in a free and brave country in all aspects ”, Jūratė was happy.

This is just my opinion

The migrant woman says that she does not feel, but admits that all her future plans are linked to the Netherlands.

“Twenty years later, the feelings have passed. In Lithuania, I feel strange, like I’m missing something, well, not at home. I think I just got used to the faces of happy and free people, the Dutch service culture, their communication, which I miss very much when I returned to Lithuania.

Perhaps that is why some of my articles on Lithuania seem too critical, hostile. But it’s just my opinion. I do not criticize anything and do not condemn anything. I pass the entire experience through my prism and lie down on the sheets. And the reader himself, already through his personal prism, can decide whether it is a criticism or not.

There will be very good stories about my homeland in the future. And here you can find good and interesting things, of course, if you want.

I will also describe what I really miss in the Netherlands and what I could never, even if I really wanted to, take with me from Lithuania. And about what the Dutch could learn from the Lithuanians, “promised the author.

His future plans include a second book and even more stories for his compatriots. You can still find the first book “The Taste of Dutch Cheese” for sale, and you will see other stories and articles on the Delfi portal.

Perhaps you also want to share your life stories with the Delphi portal? You can also do this anonymously. Join our circle of regular authors; perhaps your experience inspires others. Send mail to [email protected] or [email protected]