From Vermont to Vilnius: How Bring Together Lithuania Helped Alina Find a Home Abroad

Bring Together Lithuania
Jun 5
5 min read

For many members of the Lithuanian diaspora, Lithuania is a place tied to childhood memories, family stories, and summer visits. But for Alina Secrest, a fourth-generation Lithuanian-American from Vermont, participating in the Bring Together Lithuania program in 2025 transformed Lithuania from a familiar destination into a true home.

Now living in Vilnius and working as a kindergarten teacher at Saulės Gojus bilingual kindergarten, she reflects on how the program reshaped her understanding of Lithuania, her career path, and her own identity.

Discovering Lithuania Beyond Family Roots

After graduating from Kenyon College with a degree in Sociology, she joined the Bring Together Lithuania program, eager to explore both Lithuania and her future career possibilities.

Growing up in Vermont, she was connected to Lithuanian culture through summer experiences like Neringa Camp, but lacked a large Lithuanian-American community nearby. Hearing about Bring Together Lithuania from a family friend opened a new possibility - the chance to immerse herself fully in Lithuanian life while meeting young people from the global diaspora who shared the same connection to their heritage.

“What excited me most was the opportunity to actually live in Vilnius rather than simply visit,” she explains. “During family trips, I experienced Lithuania through my parents’ world - their friends, their favorite places, their memories. Bring Together Lithuania gave me the chance to create my own connection with Lithuania.”

As someone without close family still living in Lithuania, the program offered her something deeply meaningful: the opportunity to build her own life and community in the country.

A Summer of Professional Discovery

During the program, Alina did her internship at the Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF), an NGO focused on sustainability and conservation initiatives across the Baltic region.

Her primary responsibility involved creating a comprehensive guide to sustainable businesses located within Lithuania’s protected natural areas. The project aimed to help environmentally conscious travelers discover and support local businesses committed to sustainability.

But one experience stood out above all others. Alina spent several days living with the BEF team in the Žuvintas Biosphere Reserve, helping raise endangered Aquatic Warbler chicks — one of Europe’s rarest bird species. The team rescued nests at risk and cared for the chicks until they could survive independently.

“I was responsible for collecting and preparing the chicks’ food – various insects from the fields around us – and it was so inspiring to see the daily life-saving outcomes of conservation strategies.” - she recalls.

The internship allowed Alina to experience a completely different side of Lithuania — one rooted not only in culture and history, but also in innovation, environmental protection, and modern social initiatives.

Moments That Became Lifelong Memories

Among her strongest memories from Bring Together Lithuania program was a sunrise hot air balloon ride over Trakai that was a gift for diaspora youth from the program's patron Vladas Lašas.

“It felt unreal,” she says. “We floated peacefully over the lakes and forests while listening to Lithuanian songs we had grown up hearing abroad. At that moment, surrounded by new friends and the landscape below us, I felt overwhelming gratitude and love for Lithuania.”

Experiences like these helped transform Alinas’ perception of the country. Before Bring Together Lithuania, she believed she already knew Lithuania well from years of visiting. But living and working in Vilnius revealed a much deeper reality.

“There are things you only understand after living somewhere - daily routines, workplace culture, social life, small interactions,” she explains. “Bring Together Lithuania turned Lithuania from a place I loved into a place that felt like home.”

The program also expanded her understanding of modern Lithuania beyond the folk traditions she had learned through diaspora camps and cultural activities abroad.

“Bring Together Lithuania showed me a vibrant, modern Lithuania - innovative companies, exciting cultural events, thriving social scenes, and ambitious young people shaping the country’s future.”

Building a Life in Lithuania

What began as a six-week summer experience soon evolved into a long-term chapter of her life.

After completing the program, she decided to remain in Vilnius and now works at Saulės Gojus - one of the first bilingual kindergartens in Vilnius, as an English-speaking kindergarten teacher alongside Lithuanian-speaking educators. She credits the experience with strengthening both her independence and confidence.

“Living and working abroad encouraged me to take risks and trust myself,” she says. “Bring Together Lithuania gives participants support, but also enough freedom to grow independently.”

The immersive environment also significantly improved her Lithuanian language skills through everyday conversations with coworkers, café visits, and daily life in Vilnius.

Professionally, the program encouraged Alina to explore multiple interests without feeling confined to one career path.

“Bring Together Lithuania helped me realize that it’s okay to pursue different passions. From environmental conservation to education, I’ve been able to explore very different professional environments thanks to opportunities that began with the program.”

Friendships Across the Global Diaspora

One of the most lasting impacts of Bring Together Lithuania program has been the friendships formed during the summer.

“A year later, many of us still talk regularly,” she says. “We’ve visited each other, traveled together, and several friends have even moved to Vilnius too.”

The experience created a global network of Lithuanian diaspora connections stretching across multiple countries - friendships rooted not only in shared experiences, but also in a shared cultural identity.

“Wherever I travel now, I know there are Bring Together Lithuania friends I can reach out to.”

Importance of Programs Like Bring Together Lithuania to Youth

Reflecting on the broader importance of the program, Alina believes initiatives like Bring Together Lithuania are essential for helping diaspora youth build meaningful relationships with Lithuania in the modern world.

“Programs like this allow young people to truly experience what it means to live in Lithuania today,” she says. “They strengthen cultural identity while also creating professional and personal connections that last far beyond the summer.”

She also emphasizes the value of international work experience for young professionals beginning their careers.

“Living and working abroad builds cross-cultural understanding and confidence that you carry into every future opportunity.”

For anyone considering applying but feeling uncertain, her advice is simple:

“Bring Together Lithuania was one of the most joyful and life-changing experiences I’ve ever had. Moving across the world can seem intimidating, but you’re never alone. The people behind the program genuinely care about helping participants feel supported and connected. I never could have imagined how much this experience would shape my life.”