Americans living abroad, especially those lacking the local language, can expect to be a little marginalized, which means being thrown into a somewhat more diverse milieu than one might be accustomed to in the U.S. This may be particularly apt in the case of Lithuania, which is a pretty homogeneous country.
We have enjoyed our interactions with expatriates
from other countries. And we have had some very friendly encounters
with a pair of U.S. Mormon missionaries assigned to Šiauliai. Earlier
this week, we had some fun with a Roman Catholic nun whom we found
wandering the streets in search of the Church of St. Ignatius
Loyola, which happens to be very close to our apartment. The thing
is, these people may not conform perfectly to stereotypes formed in the
States, and they sometimes offer some slight, often comedic, insight into Lithuanian culture. The local Hare Krishnas who perform in our
pedestrian street, for example, routinely feature an accordionist (see
photo above). And why not?
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