Biggest Culture Shock Ghana in Lithuania #013
Biggest Culture Shock Ghana in Lithuania #013
Biggest Culture Shocks Ghana in Lithuania #013 with @obaa_borga
Biggest Culture Shock Ghana in Lithuania #013
Chapters
0:00 | Culture Shocks in Lithuania
1:33 | worse experiences in Lithuania
2:52 | Biggest Challenges in Lithuania
4:23 | Opportunities In Lithuania
6:52 | Jobs in Lithuania for foreigners
7:41 | cost of living in Lithuania
10:35 | healthcare in Lithuania for foreigners
12:34 | Advice for Traveling Abroad
16:09 | To Anyone Who wants to Visit Ghana
Biggest Culture Shocks Ghana in Lithuania #013 with @obaa_borga
Biggest Culture Shock Ghana in Lithuania #013
Chapters
0:00 | Culture Shocks in Lithuania
1:33 | worse experiences in Lithuania
2:52 | Biggest Challenges in Lithuania
4:23 | Opportunities In Lithuania
6:52 | Jobs in Lithuania for foreigners
7:41 | cost of living in Lithuania
10:35 | healthcare in Lithuania for foreigners
12:34 | Advice for Traveling Abroad
16:09 | To Anyone Who wants to Visit Ghana
Transcript
00:00First of all is the traffic light.
00:03In Ghana, I don't know about other African countries, in Ghana, like where you want to
00:08cross the road as a pedestrian, you just have to run.
00:13Even on motorways, people run to cross the road.
00:16And over here, the traffic light is so organized.
00:19Those who work have their own traffic lights and the cars also have their traffic lights
00:24and for me, it was so amazing.
00:27Also, I went to the shop for the first time to get some groceries and the ginger roots,
00:34it was so big.
00:36For me, it just seemed so unreal because like, come on, the ginger roots we have in Ghana,
00:41they look natural and like, you know, they look natural, but here it just looks so big
00:47and it was, I found it very, very surprising.
00:51Also, Dumso, oh, I'm saying Dumso like only Ghanaians are going to watch this.
00:56Like there is no way you'll be in Ghana for one week and not experience lighthouse for
01:02even once.
01:03I came here, I was a Rasmus student, so I had to stay for only five months.
01:07I stayed for the whole five months and I didn't encounter of like, I didn't see lighthouse,
01:14lighthouse didn't occur even once.
01:16So come on, I was very surprised about it.
01:19So those are just a few things.
01:20There are a lot, but you know, we don't have the whole time in the world.
01:24So yeah.
01:26Great one.
01:27So talking about surprises, any worst experiences in Lithuania, any worst experiences also?
01:32I did.
01:33Actually, I still feel bad about it.
01:35I don't know if I should feel bad, but you know, I still feel kind of bad about it.
01:40There is this city called Kaunas.
01:42I was, when I had just come, like maybe two months, no, not two months.
01:47Like, I don't really remember.
01:49When I just come, I went to this city called Kaunas.
01:53You know, Ghana, we respect people, especially old people.
01:56I saw this old woman crossing the road with like some heavy load.
02:00And I say Ghanaian and I say human.
02:03I was like, I rushed to help this woman.
02:07The way this woman looked at me.
02:10It's like, I wanted to steal her stuff, you know?
02:13Yeah, this.
02:15And also like, just meeting people, you know, in Ghana.
02:21We are so friendly.
02:22You meet somebody and you try to have a chit chat.
02:25Over here, like you are talking to the person and it's like, you are rather the weird one.
02:30They look at you in some way and it's not nice.
02:34Yeah, I saw this.
02:37Wow.
02:38OK, I want us to look at some of the opportunities in Lithuania for expats and foreigners.
02:43But first, let me ask you, what were some of the biggest challenges you also faced in Lithuania?
02:50What were some of the biggest challenges?
02:52Well, yes, the language, language barrier.
02:56You know, Lithuanian is the national language of Lithuania.
03:00And you know, when I came, I spoke only English.
03:03And, you know, the languages we speak in Ghana.
03:06So communicating with people here was a little bit difficult for me.
03:11The youngsters speak English alright, but like, you know, sometimes you face the old people
03:18and you expect them to understand you, but they are speaking Lithuanian, they are speaking Russian.
03:21It's frustrating.
03:23Also, the food, oh my God, the food here is so different from what I used to eat in Ghana.
03:29Like, I came here, there was something called seppelinit, like bengku.
03:33But they have meat inside of potatoes.
03:35When I saw it, I thought it was bengku.
03:37For those of you who don't know, bengku is made from cassava and maize.
03:42We eat that in Ghana a lot.
03:44Like, Nigerians call it fufu or something like that.
03:47Stop calling that thing fufu, it's not fufu, it's bengku.
03:50So I saw that thing and I thought it was fufu, bengku.
03:53I tried it and it was so different.
03:56So yeah, first was language, second was food.
04:00And like, you know, in Ghana, when you need directions to somewhere, you just ask people
04:05and they nicely show you where to go.
04:07Here, you have to use GPS.
04:10And for me, it was a lot.
04:12Yeah, those are mostly the challenges I faced.
04:15Great, so let's move on to the opportunities.
04:17Are there opportunities for foreigners and expats in Lithuania?
04:22Yeah, the opportunities here are limitless.
04:28To be honest with you, finding a job here is not the easiest thing.
04:31When I first came, like my second day here in Lithuania,
04:35I have been here for four years already.
04:37But my second day, I attended this conference
04:41and what the woman who came to speak to us said was,
04:46she said getting a job in Lithuania is like an achievement.
04:52Do you understand?
04:53That's how hard it is to get a job.
04:55Of course, you can get jobs like cleaning, like customer service and stuff.
04:59But if you are looking for like a white collar job, I am a programmer.
05:05So getting that job without experience was a little bit difficult.
05:14But I'm not going to sit here and say there are no opportunities
05:19because there are a lot of them.
05:21People come here and they are doing so well.
05:23And the thing is that Lithuania is not like Germany or UK.
05:28Those places, there is already like almost everything.
05:34But here in Lithuania, there are still some things that don't exist.
05:39For instance, right now, I'm starting an African store
05:43because I see an opportunity there.
05:45We have like only one African store here in Vilnius.
05:48So I've seen an opportunity there and I'm trying to try my luck.
05:53You see, like I said earlier that getting a job is difficult,
05:57but I got a job anyway and I'm a software developer.
06:00There are opportunities.
06:02But when you come, you don't have to rush to get the white collar jobs.
06:06Just start little, you know, baby steps.
06:09When I came, I started out as a welcome manager.
06:13What I basically did was, it was like customer service.
06:16When somebody comes, I welcome them and they'll talk my boss.
06:21When they are talking to my boss, I'll sell them coffee and stuff like that.
06:24But when you come, you may not get such a job.
06:27So if you get cleaning to pay your bills, it's okay, take it.
06:30No one is like, no guardian is here to judge you.
06:34And those whom, they will not even see what you are doing here
06:36if you don't post this on social media.
06:38So start little and the bigger opportunities will come.
06:42The bigger opportunity will come.
06:44What are some of the jobs that are very, very, very easy
06:47for experts and foreigners to find in Lithuania?
06:50What are some of the jobs?
06:52The jobs that are easy to get are mostly customer service jobs and cleaning.
06:57Those ones are very easy to get.
06:59And Lithuania is very high on tech.
07:02There are a lot of international tech companies here in Lithuania.
07:06So if you have the skills also, yeah, you will get a job.
07:11So the thing is that Lithuanians value skills over education
07:16and your PhD or whatever, they don't care.
07:21They value skills a lot.
07:22So IT, you have a chance here in Lithuania.
07:25So for my IT guys who have a chance in Lithuania,
07:28let's look at the cost of living in Lithuania
07:31comparing to other countries.
07:33How is the cost of living in Lithuania?
07:35Athens, high.
07:37Athens, expensive.
07:38Athens, very low.
07:39How is the cost of living?
07:42Compared to Lithuania and other bigger EU countries,
07:46cost of living in Lithuania is very good.
07:49Of course, I live in the city capital.
07:51It's called Vilnius.
07:52Vilnius is not cheap.
07:54But if you go to other cities like Kaunas and the small, small cities.
07:59I'm Ghanaian.
08:00I'm African.
08:01So I'm saying small, small.
08:02I know it's bad.
08:03But yeah, and the small, small cities, those places are even cheaper.
08:08Thing is that when you go to Germany,
08:11I always say Germany and UK,
08:14those are the ones that are common where I come from.
08:18When you go to those places, of course you earn a lot.
08:21But you spend so much on your apartment and feeding yourself.
08:29When I came here afresh,
08:31after the first year into the second year,
08:37I rented an apartment and I was paying €220, €30 a month.
08:43And my utilities were €50.
08:46And I was very cheap on food.
08:48So the whole month I spent like €100 on food.
08:51So in total it was like €400.
08:55I spent €400 on those things.
08:57And even I was not economical.
08:59I could have gone even cheaper.
09:02I could have gotten an apartment with a roommate,
09:05shared and paid even where little rent, you know.
09:10So cost of living here is very good.
09:13Yeah.
09:14And even in Ghana.
09:16Ghana, come on.
09:17The salaries are bad.
09:18But to rent a place in Ghana,
09:20you now you know,
09:21they feel it's expensive.
09:23Things that I classified as luxury in Ghana,
09:27here I see them as basic.
09:29Today, for instance, I asked my mother to go and buy me cow stomach.
09:32I don't know if it...
09:33We call it Tawo.
09:34You know that thing, right?
09:36Cow stomach.
09:37Yeah.
09:38So that cow stomach, a kilogram is €4.60.
09:42But in Ghana, it's like expensive.
09:45Yeah.
09:46She brought...
09:47It was a lot.
09:49And it was so cheap.
09:51Chicken here is cheap.
09:53Eggs is so cheap.
09:55So like food, especially food is very cheap.
09:59Transportation also.
10:00Transportation is very cheap here.
10:02If you are a student here,
10:04you pay €5.80
10:06and use the bus to go wherever you want to go
10:10within the country for the whole month.
10:13Only less than €6 or so.
10:16So you understand.
10:17When I was a student in Ghana,
10:19to travel from my sister's place to my school,
10:22I paid €10.
10:24I almost said €10.
10:25So you see.
10:26Okay.
10:27So we're speaking about job opportunities in Lithuania.
10:29Let's talk about the healthcare also.
10:31How does the healthcare in Lithuania support foreigners and expats?
10:35No, you have to pay the taxes.
10:38You have to pay the national taxes
10:42to access the national hospital
10:46or the country's hospital for free.
10:49Sorry.
10:50Free.
10:51By public...
10:53By country hospital, I mean the public hospital.
10:56So you pay like...
10:59I think €65 or something.
11:02And then you get to use the hospital for free.
11:05And if you are working also,
11:07the taxes you pay...
11:08But the thing is that the taxes here are so high.
11:11For instance, if you are working,
11:12you are earning €1,000 a month.
11:14They take 40% of that as taxes.
11:17So you get only €600.
11:20Yeah, because they take so much taxes,
11:22they make sure that you are well taken care of.
11:27So when I was going to give birth,
11:30I didn't have to pay for anything.
11:32But I was well taken care of.
11:36Okay, my husband wanted me to have my private room,
11:39so he paid extra.
11:40But even that extra...
11:42I don't remember, but it's less than €100.
11:45So the healthcare here is very good.
11:47The thing is that people in the UK
11:50travel to Lithuania to have surgeries
11:54just because the doctors here are very good
11:57and very committed to their jobs.
12:01Plus, they are not as expensive as doctors in the UK.
12:06That's how good the healthcare here is.
12:08Wow, that's how good the healthcare is.
12:11If in case you just joined us here at UGA Traffic TV,
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12:24We are almost done with our conversation though.
12:26We are almost done.
12:28So Obagana, any advice for anyone
12:31who wants to travel abroad as an expat?
12:33Any advice?
12:34If you are coming to Lithuania,
12:36not Lithuania,
12:37if you are traveling abroad,
12:39regardless of where you are from,
12:41please do your research.
12:43And don't try to capitalize or make decisions
12:48based on what you see on social media
12:50like TikTok and stuff.
12:52Go to the official website
12:56or the official platform of the country.
12:58Lithuania, for instance,
13:00they have their official website
13:03is called migris.lt
13:05Over there, you'll find all of the information you need.
13:08Also, like me, I am a social media,
13:11like I am a content creator, right?
13:13For those of you who don't know me,
13:15like I'm a barber guy,
13:16you'll find me on TikTok.
13:18When you go, you'll see so many bad comments
13:22under my videos.
13:24But the thing is that,
13:25those who see those comments
13:27think that that is how it is here in Lithuania.
13:29But it's so different.
13:31I have never, ever faced racism
13:35walking out there.
13:36Never.
13:37And then, of course,
13:38they may be pretending,
13:39like they may just show,
13:42like, you know, the nice face
13:44just to make it look like they are not racist.
13:46But it never shows.
13:48Ever.
13:49So, if you go to TikTok,
13:52like I was saying,
13:53if you go to TikTok and you see such comments,
13:55and you decide to make your decision
13:56based on those things,
13:57then you see you are deceiving yourself.
13:59It's not like that in person.
14:01They are not like that.
14:02And for the financial tips,
14:04I see these things a lot these days.
14:06They say that the family you make
14:10is more important than the family you come from.
14:13When you come abroad,
14:16when you travel abroad,
14:17please, don't try to impress your family back home.
14:21Those people will drain you.
14:23Like, you try so hard to impress them.
14:26You try so hard to make their lives comfortable.
14:29But they will never be satisfied.
14:31They will keep asking and asking.
14:33And the thing is that
14:34the money you spend,
14:35they are not even going to use it for anything good.
14:37They are just going to waste it.
14:38So, when you come, please,
14:40like, I respect family.
14:42I love my family so much.
14:43I try to support them as much as I can.
14:45I am not saying don't support them.
14:47Please, support them.
14:48But you should remember that you are here
14:51to build a future for yourself
14:53and your future family
14:54if you don't have a family already.
14:56So, don't try to send everything back home.
14:59Keep some for yourself
15:00and then invest wisely.
15:02Also, when you come,
15:04don't try to impress anyone.
15:06Like, I'm talking about even people that live here.
15:09Don't try to buy, you know,
15:10fancy clothes and branded clothes.
15:12Like, what do you need those things for?
15:14Save. Invest.
15:16You know, don't waste your money.
15:18Because, like, right now,
15:19you are wasting it.
15:20But in the future, what happens?
15:22Meaning, what you are doing right now,
15:24you keep,
15:25you are getting more money right now, right?
15:27But you are wasting it.
15:29So, you are not getting to save.
15:30You are not getting to invest.
15:31And nothing is, like,
15:32you are not getting any additional big money from anywhere.
15:35So, you keep doing that same thing forever and ever.
15:38And, like, you can't have a good life, you know?
15:42So, this is the financial tip I have for people
15:46who are planning to come abroad.
15:48Support your family.
15:49100%.
15:50But keep some for yourself.
15:52It's very important.
15:54Great.
15:55Oba, I want you to give a shout-out to family and friends.
15:57You can also add up your social media handles to it.
15:59But, before we finish with our conversation,
16:02you know, like, many will have to travel to Ghana,
16:04your home country.
16:05So, I want you to say a word, one or two,
16:07to anyone who wants to visit Ghana.
16:09Well, Ghana is a very beautiful country.
16:12If you've ever heard of Ghana before,
16:14I know you already know it's a very beautiful and peaceful country.
16:17I think the whole of Africa,
16:19it's the fourth or second most peaceful country, right?
16:23Yeah.
16:24And Ghanaian people are so kind.
16:26They are humanly, unlike some countries that, you know,
16:29you go and they treat you like,
16:30I don't want to, I don't want to use bad words,
16:34but they don't treat you like,
16:35Ghana is just like one of the best countries in Africa.
16:38And I'm so proud to be Ghanaian.
16:41Obaboga, everywhere you go,
16:44Instagram, TikTok, YouTube,
16:47you'll find me everywhere, Obaboga.
16:49And about shout-outs,
16:53I would like to shout-out to my family in Ghana,
16:56my parents, Mr. Richard,
16:59and his lovely wife, my mother,
17:03Emilia, also my friends in Ghana,
17:08Haruna, like when I was in Ghana,
17:10most of my friends were males,
17:12so you mostly hear their names.
17:14Justice, Abigail, Rebecca,
17:17and my classmates.
17:19I love you all and shout-out to you all.