Bernard Meyer moved to Lithuania from the United States.
Bernard Meyer
At the age of 27, Bernard Meyer moved from the United States to Lithuania: the happiest country for young people in the world. After more than a decade in northeastern Europe, he says it’s worth making less money for a better quality of life.
Meyer is a senior communications and creative director at Omnisend, a marketing automation platform. After graduating in 2008 (during the Great Recession), he settled in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2012.
“After college, I have the option of going back to work at Starbucks, or there’s another option, which is to study for a degree abroad and teach English,” the 39-year-old told CNBC Make It.
Meyer first started teaching English in Mongolia in 2009. Meyer ended up staying in Vilnius for a few months and met his Lithuanian girlfriend, who is now his wife.
What he found in Vilnius was completely different from his life in the United States
“What I see here is just a slower pace of life, but it’s not a bad slowness,” Meyer explained. “Compared to America, people are not so focused on being busy or always forcing themselves to make more money or talking about politics all the time.”
After completing his teaching contract in Taiwan, he moved back permanently to Vilnius, where he lives with his wife and two daughters.
The happiest countries in the world for people under 30
Many young workers relocate to Lithuania because of its beautiful nature and attractive work-life balance. Lithuania recently ranked #1 The country with the happiest people in the world In the 2024 World Happiness Report, people under the age of 30 have the highest level of happiness.
“Ten years ago, I would have said it was very confusing,” Meyer said of the rankings. “They have a terrible idiom that Lithuanians are happiest when their neighbor’s house is on fire.”
At the time, the country was struggling to emerge from a financial crisis, Lithuania and its neighbors have been hit particularly hard.
But things are much different now, Meyer said, and it has become a great place for young people to live. The state has launched a number of plans to attract skilled foreign workers Includes short visa processing times and arrival allowance For foreigners employed on a permanent contract in certain high value-added positions, the salary is €3,788 (US$4,170).
Meyer outlines three main benefits.
better quality of life
Bernard Meyer lives in Lithuania with his wife and two daughters.
Bernard Meyer
Meyer initially worked in education and teaching in private schools for several years in Vilnius before moving into the content marketing industry in 2016.
Despite earning less than his colleagues in the United States, Meyer said he has a good quality of life, owning an apartment in Vilnius and a summer house in a nearby town.
According to Lithuanian data, the cost of living (including rent) in Lithuania is about 41% lower than in the United States. Cost of living database Numbeo.
“I think when you look at it as a whole, when you first see the wage difference, you think it’s a luxury,” Meyer said. But he doesn’t want to move back, especially since he currently has access to free health care and knows his family will be taken care of in Lithuania.
“You hear a lot of horror stories about America, people giving up and not getting the treatment they need. They’re afraid to get treatment because if they get treatment, they’re going to get a $25,000 bill, five stitches, five stitches, One shot.
At one point, Meyer underwent knee surgery for a torn ligament and had to stay in the hospital in Vilnius for three days, but in the end “the bill was zero.” He explained that even if the services of a private doctor are required, the cost is reasonable compared to the United States.
“I can’t describe how stressed I am in the United States, especially because I have children,” he said. “In the United States, you get a higher salary and more money, but you’re also stressed out because something can go wrong and then your entire budget and savings can be wiped out.”
“Work-life balance”
Vilnius is an “emerging technology hub,” Meyer said. The capital of Lithuania is more than 890 new startups Three unicorns have been bred so far, including Vinted, northern security corp.and Baltic Classifieds Group.
one $110 million technology park A 55,000 square meter campus is also under construction in Vilnius, expected to accommodate 5,000 digital employees, which will make it the largest startup campus in Europe.
The booming scene inspires a culture of hustle, but Meyer says it’s still very different from American work culture
“One of the things I noticed when I first came here was that everyone had some kind of side hustle, but they weren’t working 9 to 5 and then 5 to 9,” he said. “They just do a little bit of work but maintain a work-life balance. So, they have a busy culture but not a suicidal culture, which I think is great.”
Meyer added that the 9-to-5 working day in Vilnius is very “relaxed” and people often head to bars and cafes after get off work, or go for walks and bike rides.
He emphasized that Vilnius is a beautiful city where people attach great importance to their connection with nature. The city is very walkable, which makes it very different from many major cities in the United States.
“So you have a nice switch, they’re working hard here, they’re busy, but during this time period. After that, they switch off, they know how to switch off, and I think that’s what makes them happy reason.
Lithuanians have a good sense of work-life balance, Meyer said.
Bernard Meyer
He explained that “one of the biggest differences” between the United States and Vilnius is the attitude towards vacation. “I remember when I was in the United States, I never took a vacation, and I didn’t know anyone who would,” Meyer said.
Now, as a manager, he says he never asks employees to work on weekends or holidays.
“One of the things I tell them, which I think is very European, is that we don’t work in hospital emergency departments. There are fires, but there are always fires, and that doesn’t mean you have to give up your vacation.”
Meyer said that while it doesn’t have the “speed and hustle and bustle” of Silicon Valley, “the work-life balance we have here makes up for it. It’s a worthwhile sacrifice.”
Meyer feels safer in Lithuania
Another factor preventing Meyer from moving back to the United States was a sense of security.
Meyer said there is a “continuing environment of violence and racism” in the United States, while in Lithuania “this sounds cruel, but I don’t actually have to worry about my child being killed in another school shooting or in a mall or a bar. kill”. Beach or anywhere else these things happen. “
Being black puts him in a different environment. “I feel like sometimes I forget that I’m not white or that I’m different, because that’s not what’s being said here,” he added.
“People certainly noticed it, but it didn’t feel like an integral part of my position in Vilnius, whereas in America you just kind of swim around in this racial society,” he said.
Want to become more successful and confident with your money? take CNBC Make It launches new online course. Our expert mentors will help you master your money and find practical strategies to grow your savings, reduce debt, and grow your wealth—in the way that works best for you. Sign up for “Achieve Financial Wellness: Happier, Wealthier, and Financially Secure” Start your journey to financial freedom today! Use coupon code EARLYBIRD for 30% off through September 2, 2024.
add, Subscribe to the CNBC Make It Newsletter Get tips and tricks for success in work, money, and life.
