Erasmus+ in Mažeikiai, Lithuania

Monday

As part of our Erasmus+ exchange program, eight students from our class, 8E, travelled to Mažeikiai, Lithuania via Riga, Latvia. From Riga, we continued our journey by bus to Mažeikiai, our final destination, which is located near the Latvian border. We were welcomed by our Lithuanian exchange partners from Mažeikių Merkelio Račkausko Gymnasium, which has a long and distinguished history, as it was founded in 1919. The school has approximately 700 students studying across many different classes and about 50 teachers.

Our first day at the school started with an introduction from the Erasmus+ coordinator, Irena Urbonienė. Afterwards, the Lithuanian students showed us around their school and introduced us to the different rooms and facilities. This gave us the opportunity to get to know the school and its students better. At 12:10, we had our first lesson, called „Welcome to School,“ held in the Leadership Room. We received an introduction to the school and learned more about our hosts and the activities planned for our stay.

Our next lesson was History and Geography, with the topic „A Journey Through Lithuanian History and Geography.“ It was a CLIL lesson, which means that we learned about another subject while communicating in a foreign language. We discovered more about Lithuania, its geography, and some important aspects of its history. This was especially interesting for us because we had only just arrived in the country and could immediately learn more about the place where we would be spending the next few days.

Afterwards, we attended a Lithuanian language lesson called „What Makes the Lithuanian Language Unique?“ The lesson was also connected to the European Day of Languages. We learned about the Lithuanian language and some of the characteristics that make it special and distinctive. Since Lithuanian is very different from German, it was fascinating to hear what it sounds like and to learn more about its history and structure.

The final activity of the day was probably the most practical and memorable one: a traditional Lithuanian cuisine workshop. From 3 to 5 pm, we learned about traditional Lithuanian food, customs, and superstitions. We prepared cold beetroot soup (šaltibarščiai) ourselves and had the opportunity to taste several authentic traditional Lithuanian dishes. These included potato dumplings (bulviniai blynai), Samogitian kastinys, and Šakotis, the famous Lithuanian tree cake. The workshop was a wonderful way to experience Lithuanian culture firsthand rather than only learning about it in a classroom setting. Trying unfamiliar foods and preparing a traditional dish together also gave us more opportunities to interact and work with the Lithuanian students, helping us build new friendships. (Tamara, 8e)

Tuesday

We started the day at school at 7:50. During our English lesson, we discussed artificial intelligence and social media. Our main topic was virtual influencers. We talked about whether we would follow virtual influencers and discussed our reasons for either following them or not.

After English, we had Economics. We were divided into groups, and each student received a different task related to environmental problems and possible solutions. My group’s task was to think about something that people use regularly and usually throw away after using it, and how it could be made more environmentally friendly. Our group came up with the idea of producing cutlery and other utensils from compressed corn starch. After being used, these products could potentially be disposed of in compost instead of creating long-lasting waste. The activity showed us how everyday products can be reconsidered from an environmental perspective and how simple ideas can contribute to more sustainable solutions.

After Economics, we took part in career counselling workshops. We were asked questions about what is important to us in our future working lives and what we expect from our careers. We were also repeatedly reminded that it is completely normal not to know everything about our future at the age of 17 or 18. The workshop encouraged us to express our opinions openly and think about our individual interests, priorities, and possible career paths.

Later, we participated in a Language and Country Competition. Different songs in various languages were played, and we had to identify the languages. I was part of the Austrian group, and our group won the competition and received a prize. The activity was a fun way to learn more about different languages and cultures while working together as a team. Afterwards, we had a two-hour break before leaving for Šiauliai.

At 3 pm, we visited the Rūta Chocolate Museum. The Rūta Chocolate Museum is located at Tilžės Street 133 in Šiauliai. It was established in 2012 in the old building of the Rūta confectionery factory. The museum presents the history of chocolate and chocolate consumption over more than 4,000 years. Visitors can learn about how chocolate was produced and consumed by the Maya and Aztecs, how chocolate traditions changed over time, and about the history of the first chocolate factories in Lithuania. Rūta is also described by the Šiauliai tourism information service as the longest-operating confectionery factory in Lithuania.

During our visit, we were able to make our own chocolate. This was a particularly enjoyable part of the day because we could not only learn about chocolate but also take part in the production process ourselves. The museum’s educational programmes are designed to give visitors the opportunity to make sweets themselves after learning about chocolate production.

Our final stop of the day was the stunning Hill of Crosses (Kryžių Kalnas), one of Lithuania’s most significant cultural and spiritual landmarks. Located near the town of Šiauliai, this sacred site is covered with thousands of wooden crosses of all sizes, left by pilgrims from around the world to commemorate their faith and loved ones. Walking through the landscape of crosses was a deeply moving and reflective experience that gave us insight into Lithuanian Catholic traditions and the powerful symbolism of this unique monument. This final destination provided a contemplative end to our varied and enriching day, leaving us with a lasting impression of Lithuania’s cultural heritage and spiritual significance.

Overall, Tuesday combined lessons, environmental problem-solving, career orientation, language and cultural activities, and practical cultural experiences at the Rūta Chocolate Museum and the Hill of Crosses. It was a varied and memorable day that allowed us to learn both inside and outside the classroom, deepening our understanding of Lithuanian culture and traditions. (Salwa, 8e)

Wednesday

On 30th September 2026, our group and students from Mažeikių Merkelio Račkausko Gymnasium (MMRG) went on an educational day trip to the Curonian Spit in Lithuania. It was a great opportunity to spend time together as an international group while learning about the history, forests, wildlife, sand dunes, and coastline of that country.

During our trip, we met a very knowledgeable tour guide who led us to a small hill known as Blocksberg Hill. We also saw a monument and learned about the history and natural development of the area. One of the most interesting things we discovered was how the landscape had changed over time. Areas that were once dominated by sand gradually developed vegetation and forests. The forests of the Curonian Spit are especially important because they help stabilise the sand and protect the landscape from strong winds.

After that, we visited a small observatory where we learned about local birds of prey and the wildlife found in the area. This helped us understand how different animals have adapted to the unusual environment of the Curonian Spit.

We then continued our journey towards the Nagliai Nature Reserve and its impressive sand dunes. The reserve is more than nine kilometres long and covers approximately 1,700 hectares. Its educational trail is about 1.1 kilometres long, while some of the dunes reach around 50 metres in height.

The Curonian Spit itself is a remarkable natural landscape. The Curonian Spit National Park was established in 1991 and covers about 27,389 hectares. It is famous for its dunes, forests, wildlife, and the narrow strip of land between the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. In 2000, the Curonian Spit was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List because of its exceptional cultural landscape.

After exploring the dunes, we visited the Baltic Sea beach, where we had time to enjoy the coastline and the fresh air. Finally, we returned to our resort after a long and interesting day.

Overall, the trip was both enjoyable and educational. We learned that landscapes can change dramatically over time and that forests, dunes, birds, and other wildlife all form an important part of the Curonian Spit’s ecosystem. It was also a memorable day because we experienced all of this together as an international group. (Kamilla, 8e)

Thursday

On Thursday, 1st October, our Erasmus day began with breakfast at the hotel before we headed to school for another exciting day full of new experiences, interesting lessons, and lots of fun.

Our first lesson was Math, where we worked with distances between different cities in Lithuania.

Afterwards, we attended a debate on the topic: „This House believes that with the rise of AI, soft skills have become more valuable than technical expertise.“ We listened to both teams present their arguments and then had the opportunity to vote for the side we agreed with.

Next came Chemistry, which was definitely one of the most creative lessons of the day. We mixed different liquid chemicals and used them as paint to create our own pictures. It was a fun experiment and a great way to combine science and art.

In Ethics, we learned about the importance of communication without words. We discovered how important it is to listen carefully, cooperate, and understand others. We also played a game in pairs where two people sat back-to-back. One person was given a picture and had to describe it without showing it, while the other person had to draw the picture based only on the description. It was a lot of fun and showed us how important clear communication really is.

After a lunch break, we left the school and visited the Cold War Museum. The visit was very emotional and, at times, unsettling. We all learned more about a difficult period in history and experienced the atmosphere of the museum for ourselves.

In the evening, we had our farewell dinner together with all the Lithuanian students who had spent the school days with us. It was a wonderful opportunity to spend more time together outside of school. The food was delicious, and we had a lot of fun talking, laughing, and sharing our experiences.

To finish the day, all the students were invited to a farewell party. We played board games, spent time together, and had a ton of fun.

It was a great way to end another memorable Erasmus day and appreciate the friendships we had made throughout the exchange. (Yuliyana, 8e)

Friday

On Friday, our last day of the Erasmus project, we spent the morning at school. The EPAS ambassadors prepared different activities about the European Union for us.

We started with a European Union Bingo game, where we answered questions about the EU and could win small prizes. Afterwards, we worked in groups on a travel challenge. Starting from Vienna, we had to choose five destinations and create and present our own European travel route. This activity encouraged us to think creatively about European geography and cultural diversity while planning a realistic itinerary. We also solved riddles about the EU and played a „Spot the Differences“ game on 12differences.eu, where we had to find differences between EU and non-EU countries. These interactive games helped us understand the characteristics and standards that distinguish EU member states from other nations.

Later, we played a quiz where we had to move to different sides of the room depending on whether we thought a statement was related to the EU or not. This dynamic activity kept us engaged and allowed us to test our knowledge in a fun and interactive way. These activities were an enjoyable and educational way to learn more about the European Union while building stronger connections with our peers from different countries.

At the end of the morning, we had a feedback round where we talked about our favourite moments, what we enjoyed most, and what we were thankful for throughout the week. This reflective discussion gave us the opportunity to share our experiences and express our gratitude to the organizers and our fellow students. We then received our certificates for participating in the Erasmus project and commemorative tote bags featuring the European flag, which served as lasting reminders of our time together.

After saying our goodbyes at school, we headed to the airport for our journey home. The drive to the airport was a nice but also emotional moment, as we realized that our week-long Erasmus experience had come to an end. We left with many wonderful memories from the project and new friendships that we hope will last beyond this experience. (Galin, 8e)

Von der Europäischen Union finanziert. Die geäußerten Ansichten und Meinungen entsprechen jedoch ausschließlich denen des Autors bzw. der Autoren und spiegeln nicht zwingend die der Europäischen Union oder der OeAD-GmbH wider. Weder die Europäische Union noch die OeAD-GmbH können dafür verantwortlich gemacht werden.