Yesterday I had one of the best birthday parties in my life. Why am I writing this? Because I spent my day with the people that joined the community I created.

I didn’t expect to create anything, actually. I just had a long delay staying in Lithuania due to the pandemics. I was getting nervous, because I started studying Finnish and I couldn’t find absolutely any opportunity to practice the language on a daily basis. I decided to search for a language partner. Somehow it became a small meetup for practicing various languages. Then - a bigger meetup. I was still hoping to find a person who would speak Finnish. :)

During this year we had a beautiful partnership with the social restaurant Pirmas blynas that employs people with disabilities and helps them become financially independent. For me it was vitally important to give people an opportunity to contribute to the society and not be dependent on other people, to be seen and heard, that's why I was rather stubborn to stick to the same restaurant. I felt that money could be spent in any place, but if in that way I can make other people live a better life, I will do anything to make it happen. That was the idea I was trying to share with other participants during any meetup we were organising. We had weekly meetups for adults and other ones for families with children.

Then the lockdown came and we had to go online. Some people decided not to join anymore, because they didn't accept the idea of virtual meetups. Since we are still rather limited, it was inevitable for us if we wanted to to save some of the community, but now we weren't limited by the location, so we opened our doors to people all over the world.

After some time we had an idea of organising Lithuanian language lessons for the foreigners. We tried - and we succeeded. Due to these lessons I tried myself as a language teacher and it was a very interesting experience. We had a constant community of people that studied the language and I was happy with it.

And now, after almost one year the restrictions have become milder and we started gathering offline again. Cautiously, paying attention to all the safety measures, but using all the opportunities to meet, because we were so happy to see each other again after so many months!

Yesterday I invited people to celebrate my birthday together. Even the weather was good - we had sun and warmth during all our stay at the Botanical Gardens - and showers before and after the meetup. :) We had a picnic, played frisbee, watched tulips and lilacs, walked in the local Japanese garden and blew the candles on the surprise birthday cake the community members brought for me. My close friends also participated. During all the party I couldn't stop thinking how lucky and happy I am. People talked and had fun, we had no awkward pauses and everything went smooth, we laughed and shared our travel experience. I couldn't stop being surprised how these intelligent, interesting, kind people appeared in my life - but I'm so happy they have done that.

And yes, in the community we still can't find a single person who would speak Finnish. Except me)) I found other ways to speak Finnish. But without this goal I wouldn't have had so many wonderful people from all over the world in my life. They are from Portugal, Ukraine, Russia, UK, USA, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, France, Hong Kong and so on, and so forth. I feel lucky!