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“Laba diena!” (Hello!) says Javed Mohammed Rafi from India in a pure Lithuanian tongue. Having spent more than two years working as an IT and financial expert in the two largest Lithuanian banks, he is firmly convinced that Lithuania is the best country for those people who have ideas and are not afraid of hard work.

“I’ve had a chance to interact with a large number of foreigners working in Lithuania, and believe me, they were all very excited about the country. I really do not understand why some Lithuanians think that manna from heaven is falling somewhere else but not here," Javed seems determined to challenge the attitudes of the local population.

After completing his degree in IT engineering and finances in one of the Indian universities, Javed had stayed in Bangalore, a metropolis with one crore population, for several years. But when a job proposal from Lithuania turned up, he did not hesitate for a moment about taking it.

Lina Mustafinaitė from the largest Lithuanian internet daily delfi.lt (more than 1.1 million visitors per month) interviews Javed about his life and work experience in Lithuania.

- India is a huge country with lots of colors, smells and different people. What was your first impression when you first landed in such a different and small place like Lithuania?

- My younger brother and I, we were brought up in a Muslim family, graduated from a Catholic school and finished a Hindu university. This experience has provided us with a holistic approach and has taught us to be open to the surrounding environment.

Asian culture is indeed very different from European culture. There is little match between the ways we eat or think. But if you move to a new country with an open heart and mind, without prejudices, then your adaptation becomes much easier.

Life in India is a true challenge: big cities, huge distances, large crowds of people. Two or three hours drive to your office is a widely common experience. If you want to take your girlfriend to a movie during the weekend, you must book your tickets one week in advance, otherwise your plans will simply fail.

In this context, Lithuania is an amazing small country, where life is easy and very convenient.

My first impression of Lithuania was snow. Having grown up in Southern India, I had seen the snow only in the Bollywood movies. So white Lithuanian winter was like a dream come true for me.

- What has brought you to Lithuania?

- After graduating from the university I took up a job at the Indian branch of Oracle Financial Services Software Limited. This multinational company develops IT solutions for banks and is one of the largest in India. It also service customers in 145 countries around the world.

Two largest banks operating in Lithuania use banking platforms developed by Oracle. I guess it must have been my fate to get a job proposal from Vilnius.

So I landed here and spent six months as a consultant at SEB Bank and later two years – as an IT expert at DNB Bank. My job was to supervise the IT systems that the two banks use for financial transactions.

- How do you assess the work culture and the general business environment in Lithuania?

- Working in your country has given me the experience which helped my career a lot. I worked with bankers from different countries and I can assure you that all of them, without exception, have been fascinated by Lithuania.

My impression is that Lithuanians are very smart, entrepreneurial and hard-working. They really know how to organize the work. Also, Lithuanian service sector is very well developed. Shops are open 24x7; public transport comes on time. I may have underestimated this comfort while living in Vilnius, but after spending some time in Southern Europe I have immediately noticed the difference.

The city in India which I come from is famous for its textile industry. I had a chance to visit several textile production facilities in Utena, North Lithuania. Frankly, I was overwhelmed with the professionalism of the local people.

- What is the difference between young people in Lithuania and India? What impression about Lithuanian youth you have got?

- Lithuania is home to many motivated and patriotic young people. Most of them know what they want from life and aspire to achieve their goals.

Of course, traditions in Lithuania and India are very different. Young Indians usually live with their parents and keep a very close relationship with the family. Young Lithuanians are, on the contrary, very independent. They do not see any need to consult their family before taking any decision.

India, unlike Lithuania, has more men than women. Therefore, dating patterns are different. For example, in Indian cities a girl dating several guys is quite a common phenomenon. She goes out with several boys at the same time and then chooses the one she likes the most. Guys have really to try hard to win her attention. Maybe that is the reason why Indians cherish the family so much. Divorce is not common, as it may inflict disgrace to your entire kin.

In my view, Europeans are too quick to divorce, as soon as the first problem emerges in the relationship. Family is really important to me, so I’m a little bit worried that a European girl I may fall in love with would have a different attitude to the family values. European girls are very independent and emancipated.

Another thing I’m jealous about Lithuanians is their special “skinny” gene. It seems Lithuanians can eat as much as they want and still remain slim. The majority of your people are thin, while most Indians who like to eat have potbellies.

- What is your take on the years spent in Lithuania? Were there things that you did not like?

- Time spent in Lithuania was one of the best periods in my life. I met some great people who have become my very good friends. The only thing I regret is that I have not learned the Lithuanian language. I know just a few words in Lithuanian, but I always try to use them when I meet my Lithuanian friends.

- Currently you are living and working in Malta. Why did you leave Lithuania?

- My contract had come to an end, so I had to move on. I am currently a business analyst in the international financial management company “FIMBank” in Malta. But I miss Lithuania very much and plan to visit the country soon.

See full unabridged article here.

Source: delfi.lt