Why did you relocate to Lithuania?  

More than a year ago, I was looking for a change in my career. I was quite happy about my life in Poland, but I wasn’t fully satisfied with my job. That’s when I got an offer from Moody’s. They headhunted me for a position at their Vilnius office, and I saw it as a great opportunity. They also offered me a relocation bonus, which was another point in favour of moving to Lithuania.  

How did the relocation process go? Was it easier to move to Lithuania after previously moving to Poland from Spain? 

Yes and no. When I moved to Poland, my brother was already living there. When I came to Lithuania, I was on my own. But the relocation process itself was not difficult at all. For instance, getting my personal code in Lithuania was much smoother than getting my social security paperwork in Poland. I believe it took me two weeks to get my documents sorted and book the final immigration appointment. I arrived here on November 1st and my residence card was issued on November 24th. 

Tell us about your role at Moody’s. 

I’m a Senior Payroll Analyst. Simply put, I pay people. Although it might sound easy, there’s a whole process behind people receiving their salaries. But the basics of what I’m doing is paying employees and public institutions, such as the Social Security & Tax Office, ensuring everything is done in a timely and accurate manner. 

What do you enjoy the most about working at Moody’s? 

In my experience, Moody’s is a responsible employer – what they promise, they deliver. In my last role in Poland, there was no balance between what I had been promised by the employer and what the reality was. But I have that balance here. Occasionally, there might be difficulties, like in most jobs, but when you put in the work and get rewarded for it, or simply feel valued and appreciated – that’s priceless. So currently, I’m very satisfied workwise.  

There are other things I enjoy too, not the least of which is the office environment at Moody’s. I live 5 minutes away from work, so I go to the office regularly, and I meet colleagues from different departments and many different countries. Just the mere act of grabbing a coffee at the office’s kitchen is very nice.  

What do you do on your time off? 

I love basketball, so I’m happy that Lithuanians love it as much as I do. I remember one weekend in summer, I decided to go throw some hoops at 11PM. When I arrived at the outdoor basketball court by the White Bridge, there were still people playing there. We ended up hooping until 3AM! 

In Vilnius, I also picked up a hobby that I had left behind many years ago, which is cycling. I use the Cyclocity bicycle sharing system to go everywhere by bike – it’s very convenient. Sometimes I even do 10-15 kilometre trips just to go somewhere to change the scenery.   

Recently, I also started DJing regularly at a place in Vilnius. I’ve been DJing professionally since 2013, and I’ve DJed in Lithuania occasionally since I came here, but now I have a venue. I love music – it gives me an opportunity to share my inner happiness with other people, and it’s great to see the smiles on their faces.  

You’ve previously lived in Poland. What are the main advantages of living in Lithuania compared to Poland? 

First things first – having euro as the currency here is very convenient. Whenever I have to send money to my Spanish account, I don’t have to think about the exchange rate anymore. That gives me peace of mind. 

When you compare Vilnius to Warsaw, everything is close by in Vilnius. I can grab a bike and be anywhere in 10 minutes. When it’s winter and I can’t bike around, I can get anywhere using a ridesharing app for 3 to 5 euros. I can also say that the bicycle sharing system is much better in Vilnius than in Warsaw. You don’t need a local phone number, and using the short-term service, you only pay 50 cents for the first half an hour.  

And another thing is, of course, basketball. There’s an amazing culture around this sport here. In Spain, you only have that kind of environment around football, it’s very rare to get that when playing or watching basketball. I remember going to watch a Lithuania-Spain Eurobasket game at a bar, and the atmosphere was amazing. Lithuania lost, and while I was the guy screaming in Spanish, everyone was super respectful.  

What do people need to know before coming to Lithuania? 

Proper winter is harsh here, so remember to bring several layers of clothing and a chapstick for your lips. I arrived in Lithuania at the start of the cold season in November, and I remember there was a period of 8 weeks with constant snow that winter. If there’s a snowstorm in Madrid, the whole city is paralyzed, with people skiing on the streets and supermarkets without supplies. But here, life goes on as usual. You go outside and see people jogging in their special shoes. In winter, you can still do everything here, so it doesn’t mean that you have to be stuck at your place.  

An additional, more practical tip would be to review the gross figures of the salary offer you get. You should consider the statutory deduction for social security and income tax if you want to estimate your net income. It was one of the first things I looked at when I got the call from Moody’s, but a lot of people do not take that into account. 

What do you like about living in Lithuania the most? 

It’s super simple to live here. Everything is easily accessible. Also, a lot of people speak English, which was especially helpful in the first few months of being here, when I didn’t know my way around yet. 

I also like the fact that I see a lot of potential in Vilnius. The city is building new facilities, new skyscrapers keep popping up, a bike lane is being set up right by my house. I also try to bring something to the table by introducing the people of Vilnius to the freshest and coolest music trends when I’m DJing. There’s a feeling of positive movement here, and I believe it’s going to stay that way. 

_{The interview was conducted in December 2022.}