Although he didn't attend the Venetian Mardi Gras festival, he said he has seen photos of the carnival on the Internet. The Vilnius St. Casimir's Fair opening day procession with a huge replica of the saint, the street performers on stilts and the long procession of Lithuanian guild members, reminded him of the Venice Mardi Gras. He agreed to answer a few questions about his time in Vilnius in this interview.
- Why did you come to Vilnius?
- At my University – Tashkent Financial Univesity we have different types of exchange programmes. I have already been to Italy to undertake an exchange semester at Sapienza University in Rome. I decided to go to Lithuania and Mykolas Romeris University for my exchange semester because it is something new. The culture and the country are different and it is something interesting for me.
- What did you know about Lithuania before coming here?
- Almost nothing. I knew that Vilnius is the capital and that it is very cold here.
- You are very curious about Vilnius, its history, culture, cuisine and even birds native to this part of the world. What differences have you noticed between Tashkent and Vilnius?
- I find that Vilnius is a very European city. Sometimes, for example, the architecture is a mix of European and post-Soviet buildings. But overall, I feel that I am in a European city. I feel that it’s Europe.
- Why do you say that you feel that you are in Europe?
ž First of all, the behavior of people differs from my country. People in Lithuania, even the students, don’t break the rules. At a crosswalk, they wait for a green light before crossing the street. They don’t cross, if the light is red. Like I said, people don’t break the rules. Also, I have found that the locals in Vilnius are very friendly and always willing to help. I am grateful to the taxi cab driver who gave me a ride to the MRU campus from the airport. I paid nothing for the taxi cab ride, after the car broke down.
- What surprised you here in Vilnius?
- Well, I am surprised at the price of food and groceries. It’s a little bit expensive here in Vilnius compared to the average salary of people. A large part of people's salaries is spent on food in Lithuania. Also, I am surprised that so many of the older people speak Russian. I have no problem conversing in Russian with them or in English with the youth.
At the University I appreciate the local students and how open they are. They accept every culture and people/students from different countries. In Italy, that is not the case. They are a little racist in Italy.
Also, the way of celebrating also differs, when speaking about the St. Casimir’s Fair. I didn’t expect to see something in Vilnius like the Kaziuko mugė with the artsy souvenir stands and craftsmen, the brewery and food stands, the long procession on opening day. Even in Italy, in Rome, I didn’t see anything like this with the old, ancient procession at the start of the Fair. It’s impressive and something I will remember for a long time.
- So your impressions of the St. Casimir’s Fair are only positive?
- I enjoyed very much walking around the fair and tasting some of the local foods – cheese, bread or bagels. As I mentioned, I have spent a semester studying in Rome and had the opportunity last year to travel to Venice. The St. Casimir’s Fair, especially the procession with the huge statue of the saint and then the singers and people dressed in local costumes seemed similar to the Venice Carnival. I was not in Venice during Mardi Gras carnival, but saw some pictures on the Internet. When I saw the procession Friday at the start of the Fair, it reminded me of Venice. I understand that this St. Casimir’s Fair has been continuing every year for more than 400 years. I enjoyed seeing some traditional dishes, plates, bowls from Uzbekistan along with a blue-coloured Uzbek tea pot set on display at the Fair.
- Do you miss anything from your native Uzbekistan?
- Yes, my family and friends. I also miss our national cuisine - especially plov, an Uzbek dish of rice and meat. Uzbeks have about 60 different plov recipes and each region makes a different variant of this dish.
- What do you plan to do after you complete your Bachelor’s Degree studies in Tashkent?
- I plan to apply to study in a Master’s Degree programme in Sapienza University in Rome. I would like to study Economics, Finance and Brand marketing.