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Experiencing a Small Miracle

Posted by Vilius – July 3, 2009

People can be split into two groups: those who are planning to experience a small miracle and those who already experiencing/-ed the miracle of parenting.

This week I have transitioned from the first group into the second, and it is an exciting feeling, much more pleasant then I (even being a hopeless optimist) ever expected.

And there are very clear reasons for this amazing and easy transition:

Pregnancy preparation courses for couples lasting 4 days (over two weekends) of Dr. R. Šemeta, and follow up ability to call their professional staff to ask questions as they arise. The school gave me knowledge about birth process and set minds that birth can be easy and natural. Then it was easy to decide that my role during giving birth is to be present and support the mother and the child in emotional (encouraging), physical (giving massages) and intellectual (focusing the brain towards pleasant states) ways.
Supermama.lt forum, which has incredible rich knowledge base on any question you might have related to parenting, and serves as good will community. My wife gathered a lot of knowledge on preparation in advance as well during ongoing basis she checks the forum on the new challenges for the mother or the kid. I hope that each nation has similar communities to turn to.
Our great friends – already parents, who share their experiences and positive attitudes.
Hospital we decided to give birth – in peaceful city Trakai, 30 km away from Vilnius. Staff, facilities, professionalism, care, food – everything was perfect. And all – state funded. We only had to pay 17 euro per night to be able to stay overnight with my wife. That to add to the flowers and symbolic cake to the staff who made their effort for us to experience the best service.
Lithuanian social system (I bet, the best in the world, I still need to check on Australia, as my ex-colleague Faraz fancied Australia as No1), which provides for the father one month of vacation paid by social system, and for mothers – up to two years. Our both employers are great supporters of parenting, and were not causing trouble (which you might expect to happened in Wild Corrupted Eastern Europe )

I wish for everyone in the first category (not yet parents) to move towards the transition into second group (already parents) without any fear, but with deep knowledge and preparation to help growing the next generation into energetic, fearless, responsible, creative and thought leaders, it seems our planet will need such people!

Lina, Arvilė, and Vilius, a proud father of one of the 300 new weekly registered babies in Vilnius area

Who Knows about the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004?

Posted by Vilius – June 3, 2009

Last week I was flying with Air Baltic from Rome to Riga. I like Air Baltic, their staff is polite, caring, and service is good. They even SMS when delays happen.

The flight BT632 was officially delayed at first by 1:55, and later – for another 30 minutes.

After discovering about excess of 2h delay I contacted the airport staff at the gates and inquired about the procedures and obligations towards providing the meals to the passengers. The answer I got that the service will be delivered on the aircraft, as boarding will start soon.

On the airplane further delay happened due to one missing passenger and offload of the baggage, but it did not exceed 3 h in total. Delay was due to change of aircraft in Riga after noticing a malfunction in the original one.

I asked flight attendants regarding delay and passenger rights to get free beverage and meals. I got different replies. I talked with four ladies (including one senior one), trying to understand the rules.

For me the total surprise was that no one (including of course me) knew the regulations, and there was not a copy of them on the aircraft. In airport there were copies somewhere advertised, but I was not in a hunting mood during boarding time. I vaguely remembered from my experience as frequent traveler that there is a 2h threshold which provided passengers with small package of food – usually a sandwich and a small bottle of water. Air Baltic cabin attendants (Viktoria, Marija, Marta) were polite, but could not explain the rules. They argued that they do not have food, thus they are not going to provide the service; that the service should have been provided in the airport; that the airplane is fully loaded, thus there is no place for food. One flight attendant mentioned that the threshold is 3 hours, but could not explain how it relates to 2 h which I was aware of. Senior staff member acknowledged that 2 hours delay is the correct threshold, but the service cannot be provided, thus I should complain to the Air Baltic customer service. Telephone numbers printed on the form are the wrong ones in Lithuania, and for Latvia there were only for local calls. Staff provided with direct contact names in Riga office and email addresses. I really believe and feel that staff tried to do its best to service me.

Today was on the way of writing an email to Air Baltic customer service to investigate further. At first I prepared – read the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and measured the air distance between Riga and Rome. Distance was around 1600 km (more than 1500 km), thus threshold appears to be 3h, i.e. I was not supposed to get any service I was inquiring, complain dropped. I wish for Air Baltic staff to go though the rules of the regulation as well, to know what to answer to such knowledge hungry passengers like myself

The final question I still wonder about – why no other passengers were rising the questions I was asking? Did they know the rules, or they were just not interested?

Category: English, Personal, Travel
Tags: flying, rules
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Spring is Here!

Posted by Vilius – April 1, 2009

Well, this is a useless post.

From a material perspective (Flowers, do not laugh!)

I just want to express my joy that spring is reaching Lithuania!

Sun is shining, I meet more and more happy people on the streets (when I am there).

My facial muscles are hurting for a second day already from smiling and good emotions.

Thank you to everyone and everything what makes my life so great!

And, thank you, Vox Maris radio station for nice music (Vilnius – 96.8FM, present in Klaipeda 99FM), I am listening them frequently in the background (and I know, it is played in the offices of companies as well

Spring is the time of changes. I wish Vox Maris website will be live again for you to see what I am talking about (they had two radio stations on internet as well).

And I wish all of you to see greatness in every change you experience – and respond back with a open and good man’s heart!

Užgavėnės – Mardi Gras in Lithuania

Posted by Vilius – March 1, 2009

From the childhood I know that a special Tuesday comes around the time when winter is about to finish. Firstly, this day is about pancakes. You have to bake some, or at least get them from somewhere (canteen, mother, neighbors, name it)!

In Lithuanian this Tuesday carry Užgavėnės name, while internationally it is known as Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.

There are other great reasons to celebrate Užgavėnės besides delicious pancakes.

Twofold carnival happens that day. For kids it is time to dress up in Halloween-type of outfit and go to neighbor houses, sing/dance and demand candy, pancakes, or money. Make as much noise as possible, and be first to visit people – to gather most goodies that evening!

For adults the carnival is a gathering to kick out winter from the yard – kill/burn Morė – the symbol of winter and all the bad&ugly. You get to experience a fight between Lašininis and Kanapinis, where victory of Kanapinis means approaching unavoidable spring. Often the carnival party is moved to the closest Sunday to the Užgavėnės.

Last week Lina and I celebrated Užgavėnės in Rumšiškės, Open Air Ethnographic Museum. Please enjoy the pictures of the event covering fair, pancakes, and greet together the coming spring after full white Winter!