A Korean says "ne" (no) to Vilnius and that's a good thing!

For Korean Soyoung Bae, the first year in Lithuania not only opened the door to a whole new world, but led to some funny misunderstandings. She still laughs with her Lithuanian colleagues over the word “ne” (“no” in Lithuanian), for one.

How did you come to Lithuania?

I work at a travel agency as a tour conductor for Korean tourists. Seven years ago, my friend asked me to work in Lithuania. I had just returned to Korea right after working in Africa.

My friend kept asking me to come to Lithuania and finally, three years ago I came to Vilnius. It was a good decision and I love Lithuania so much!

One good and one not so good observation about Lithuania.

The Good: natural environment, Lithuanian people, food, etc.

Bad: the bureaucracy here is very slow and so complicated.

What are the main differences between Lithuanians and the other countries you’ve worked in?

The people… In Lithuania, they are more friendly. Sometimes too friendly (in a good way). Also languages: Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, and Russian.

What have you learned from Lithuanians?

Opportunities.

What is your favorite place in Lithuania?

Trakai. The many lakes and forest make me feel so fresh and calm. Especially walking on Trakai lake in the middle of winter. Thrilled and afraid to walk at the same time. It’s like a return to my childhood.

Actually, I couldn’t travel to many places in Lithuania. I visited only several places together with my groups of tourists. From April to October, is the most busy period for me.

What is the funniest (or strangest) thing that happened to you in Lithuania?

“Ne”… In Lithuanian, “ne” means “no” while in Korean it means “yes.” In my first year in Vilnius, I was talking on the phone with my client in Korean. I can’t remember how many times I said “ne.” It was quite a long conversation. After I had ended the phone conversation with the client, my colleagues asked: “Soyoung, why did you say “no” many times, is it Korean style? Was the client asking you to do too much?”

Now my colleagues know “ne” means “yes” in Korean and when I ask them about something, they jokingly answer “ne.”

What does “kitchen” mean to you?

Culture and another world. I cannot travel all around the world but when sampling international cuisine, I feel like I’m tasting the world.

Kitchen means life, passion, happiness, delight of the tongue, and mama.