How did I decide to come here? It wasn’t just for travelling! There were some important reasons that I decided to go to another country. Mostly to earn some money.  

This is my first time in a foreign country; my first time with different people, and with their traditions, their food, language and lots of other things. I was fortunate to come here with some of my best friends. They helped me when I started my new life here in Newry. 

My first week was very difficult. The weather was cold and damp. I was crying at nights because I could not move my fingers. Now I know it was because of the dampness. It rained every day and I cried. I was afraid to go to my job. I was ashamed of my poor English. It seemed I had forgotten all the words and sentences I had learned at school in Lithuania. I felt so stupid because I couldn’t understand what people were saying to me. What did they want from me? Why were they laughing at me? I too was laughing at myself, along with them! At that moment I couldn’t think what else to do…

But I tried, tried and tried again… I could not wait for something to happen…

My work here is to serve people in a shop. I am a shop assistant. My best lesson was to remember to serve, that these people are not so different from me, that I must learn to understand, to get used to things.

I have been here now for six months and now I’m feeling better, really better! Maybe the reason is that I now understand that not all people are laughing at me. Some of them are really kind and interested in how I’m feeling, in what I’m thinking, why I’m sad or happy. I’m really thankful to them.

You know, the main thing I learned here is always to be happy, always to smile! Most people here are happy that they have one more day to live, to feel, to talk to each other, to help.. Maybe I have learned to be a better person too; when I get some flowers for a person, or give a small surprise to someone, I am feeling good!

Sometimes I am really missing my country, my family, my friends. But when I think about my future, I can not see it in Lithuania. So now I can say my future will be here, in Northern Ireland, in this small city of Newry. 

The longer I am here, the more I like it. Time will teach me who is who, who I am and who I would like to become. 

I have a wish. That I will be able to say ‘it is no longer just a wish! Now, now is the start of my ‘real life’ here in Northern Ireland’. 

Will you help me?

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