CONFERENCE
The motivation behind the decision to study in Latvia is diverse. It is influenced by the student’s history of migration as well as reasons leading up to it: was it the decision of the parents or the students themselves, or was it done due to economic circumstances, etc. A relevant factor determining their choice is the close location of Latvia to their home university as well as the curriculum which would provide additional opportunities for their researches, the selected field of work, profession, etc. The students who have left Latvia long ago express the wish to include a course of Latvian language in their curriculum.
Kaspars Adijāns studies history at the University of Mainz (Germany). Before pursuing his studies in the foreign land, German was a serious obstacle for him; however, upon moving to Germany he started playing basketball thus getting acquainted with the locals which provided extra motivation and help for the language learning process. Kaspars has also felt the famous punctuality of Germans on his skin, ‘Apart from my studies I also had a job in Germany. At first, being 10 minutes late for work did not seem a problem to me; though seeing my colleagues’ dissatisfaction I understood that I would have to adapt to these rules. I succeeded with time.’
At the moment, Kaspars has returned to Latvia and studies at the UL within the framework of the Erasmus exchange programme. He is interested in journalism therefore he simultaneously writes for the Latvian periodical Diena and has also taken part in Delna/Transparency International Latvia.
How did you end up in Germany?
I have been asked this many times. Actually, it was more like an adventure. Upon graduating from high school, the universities in Latvia seemed too expensive to me, thus I decided to seek for opportunities in Germany. There, I had acquaintances who helped me to settle in at the beginning. I worked for half a year, started taking language courses (the University provided ones as well) and then entered the University of Mainz.
Why did you decide to do your exchange programme in Latvia?
This thought has always been at the back of my mind, but all the documents to prepare, moving to take care of and accommodation to find slowed me down at first. However, I came across a book by a Latvian author which inspired me for action and to finally make my idea a reality. In other words, I had thought about it much before, yet the main stimulus came later.
Did you have plans to visit Latvia temporarily or to move back permanently?
The thought of moving back is always present. Besides, I feel the need to be connected with Latvia one way or another. That was the reason why I chose to do Erasmus in Latvia instead of any other country: to once again feel how it is to live here.
Were you not disappointed?
Not in the least! At the moment, I do not feel the urge to turn back and there is really nothing particular that I would badly miss about Germany. Actually, I would like to complete my studies here in Latvia.
How do studies differ between universities in Latvia and Germany?
There are some nuances in which the studies differ. I value the knowledge and pedagogy skills of professors of my faculty, which are not always high in the academic environment. I have gained a very good impression about the professors here and the way they share their knowledge. Another difference is that students are largely spoon-fed in the universities of Latvia. I was often surprised that on the subjects which require thinking, the professors often tended to define the truth for the students. Such was not the situation in Germany: students were constantly required to think by themselves there. Critical thinking, source analysis, interpretation – those are the things which the study process may lack a little. However, I cannot claim that it is the case everywhere since I have not attended all the courses.
What was the biggest gain in returning to Latvia on the exchange programme?
The biggest gain for me from the Erasmus exchange programme in Latvia was the opportunity to spend a more considerable amount of time in my native land, while preserving the relations with my country of residence. I wanted to seize this opportunity to be able to rediscover the everyday life of Latvia and to remember how it actually is to live here. After spending a longer period of time in a foreign country (which was 8 years in my case), the perception of Latvia is solely shaped by the short visits and news on the Internet. I had already formed a little different kind of Latvia in my mind; possibly a better version. But that is all right.
It was already clear to me that I will come back as soon as I departed for Germany. But as the time passed by, my wish to take that leap in the dark decreased. That is why I definitely wanted to make use of the time the exchange studies presented for me in Latvia so that I could finally come to understand such basic issues as place of residence and job. Partly, I have already succeeded in this.
During the first semester, I intentionally selected the courses which were particularly interesting for me, and that was a very positive thing. I had a chance to go through a compact history of modern Europe and USA, which helped me to expand my understanding of the current situation in the world and get to the bottom of it. I would like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to the teaching staff of the UL and my fellow students for the support and warm welcome they have given to me!
What was your major in Germany and how long did you study it?
I studied German for two semesters at my university, which were later joined by nine semesters of the regular studies. I studied the modern history and the Slavic languages with emphasis on the Russian literature.
What is you motto in life?
They say that the meaning of life is to be happy. To my mind, soccer is also not half bad.
How long do you still have to study and what are your plans after graduating? Any future anticipations?
I am not sure how long I will still have to study since I plan to complete my studies at the UL. I have decided to put an end to my foreign-land experiment and return home. I am rather confident that my future will be connected with efficient application of my knowledge to promote welfare both for myself and Latvia.
Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.
 since its competitiveness is thus enhanced. It is defined as an aim in the UL strategic plan. The number of foreign students in the UL has increased significantly in the recent years; however, it is interesting that among them there are students who originally come from Latvia and who are doing their full-time studies in some of the UL partner universities. To put it differently, Latvian students take up exchange studies in their native land Latvia.){kind=link}