Student from Taiwan about her year at KTU: Learning Lithuanian and Seeing Snow for the First Time

“Lithuanians are like a coconut – cold and hard outside, but very nice and sweet inside,” says Lihuei Liang from Taiwan. Coming from an island where coconuts grow naturally, she did not expect to use one to describe people in Northern Europe. Yet after a year at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), the comparison felt accurate.

She came to Lithuania as an exchange student in Strategic Communication at KTU, initially planning to stay for one semester but eventually extending her studies to a full academic year. During that time, she explored not only her academic field but also everyday life in a country she had previously known little about.

Learning to Communicate Without Small Talk and Saying Ačiū Automatically

Living in Kaunas also meant becoming more visible, as the city has relatively few Asian residents. She sometimes noticed children or older people looking at her in public. It felt unfamiliar at first, but never hostile.

“I had experiences where kids or teenagers came up to compliment me, saying I’m beautiful. People here were respectful and friendly to me,” she says.

The longer Lihuei stayed, the more natural Lithuania felt. Even small habits began to shift, as Lithuanian words like ačiū, atsiprašau, iki and viso slipped into her everyday speech without conscious effort.

“I almost said ačiū to a flight attendant on the way back to Taiwan, and that was on Turkish Airlines,” she laughs.

Asking Lithuanians About Freedom

“Growing up, I have never had a clear long-term goal or dream job that motivated me to pursue a particular field. I did not know where to go while my peers were on their paths, which, of course, scared me,” says Lihuei.

That mindset eventually took a more concrete form in Lithuania. It led her to create “We Bloom in the Garden of Freedom”, a project connecting Lithuania and Taiwan through dialogue and art, using flowers as a symbol of freedom and growth. One of its most meaningful moments took place on March 11, Lithuania’s Independence Day, when she stood in the street holding both Lithuanian and Taiwanese flags, inviting people to reflect on freedom and democracy.

“Even if we didn’t speak each other’s language, they still gave me a thumbs up, smiled, or simply greeted me,” says the KTU exchange student.

Interested in studying abroad? Learn more about Erasmus exchange opportunities at KTU.