Laba Diena!

"Laba Diena" is a phrase that we hear every day. It means "Good Day" or "Hello." It may be the first Lithuanian words most people ever learn.

We hear "Laba Diena" a lot around LCC or when we go in to a store or restaurant. But one place you hardly ever hear it is when you are walking down the street. One way of informing everyone you are an American is to walk down the street smiling and looking people in the eye and saying "Hi" or "Laba Diena." Most people in Klaipeda, especially the older generation, walk down the street with stoic faces and hardly ever acknowledge another person or even look up when someone walks past. It was a weird feeling at first, but now we have grown accustomed to it and keep to ourselves when walking here and there.

But there are exceptions to every rule...even this one. All year when walking from our dorm (near the center of the city) to LCC (on the north side of the city) I have looked for a man that I have come to call "the Laba Diena Man." I have encountered this man quiet a few time and it makes my day every time I get to see him.

"Laba Diena Man" is an older Lithuanian man who is often on the same sidewalk that we take to walk to school. And it seems that no matter the time of day that I walk to school I always encounter him near the same spot: near the foot bridge over the railroad tracks. Why do I call him "Laba Diena Man?" Because he break the norm of being reserved and stoic and never saying anything. "Laba Diena Man" always says "Laba Diena" to everyone he meets on the walk.

It did not take us long to fall into the reservedness of walking on the streets here, because the first time we encountered on "Laba Diena" friend it caught Laura and me by surprise. I asked Laura if she heard him say "Laba Diena" and she said yes, but by the time we realized that he had acknowledged us we were too far past him to respond. But since then I always look for him and have had the great opportunity to return the greeting and share in the genuine moment of a smile and two simple words.

I got to see "Laba Diena Man" twice this week. In the midst of busyness and slushy snow, my friend made me smile and feel good about walking to school and good about being here.

I don't know anything else about this man. I don't know his story. I don't know what he does for a living. I only know that he is trying to cheer up the people of Klaipeda on Kretingos gatve. And even if they think he is weird, I find him fascinating and refreshing and I can't wait to meet him again on the street. He is a blessing...especially when he is wearing his vividly purple pants.