“In Lithuania, people can often afford to first finish school, university, and only then start working. In Brazil, many people have to start working early to support themselves or help their families,” says Marco De Abreu, a Brazilian who moved to Vilnius with his family a year and a half ago. Today, he is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the international company Edenred Finance, successfully working in an intercultural team and enjoying life in Lithuania.
To be able to leave Brazil and work abroad, M. Abreu started working while still in school.
“I grew up in Taubaté – a city with a population similar to Kaunas. I started working when I was just 15 – I got a job in administration at a financial company, where I was responsible for invoicing and cash operations. Although it may seem strange to most Lithuanians to work at such a young age, it’s normal in Brazil. You need to work to support yourself financially and gain experience to be attractive in the job market,” shares M. Abreu.
Dreamed of becoming a doctor
Although the financial field followed him throughout life, as a child, he dreamed of a completely different profession.
“I wanted to become a doctor. But in Brazil, it’s very difficult to do so – you need ideal learning conditions because it requires full-time dedication to studies, and there are very few spots at universities to get state-funded education. So I understood early on that it wasn’t for me. I had to choose a study path that would allow me to work and study at the same time,” he says.
M. Abreu worked during the day and studied in the evenings. That way, he could support himself and pay for his education.
Over time, he realized that he enjoyed the financial field, which made it interesting for him to climb the career ladder and work in different companies.
Although many people find finance to be a boring and monotonous field, M. Abreu sees it as much more.
“Finance is not just numbers, accounting, rules, and taxes. Today’s finance professionals also contribute to strategy development, business growth, and implementing changes. I enjoy that working in finance allows me to engage in various projects, interact with different people, search for new markets, and contribute to business development plans. No two days are the same in this field,” says the Brazilian.
Early in his career, M. Abreu moved to São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city with nearly 12 million residents, and later worked in neighboring Chile. Eventually, he received an offer to come work in Lithuania.
In Brazil, people dream of studying or working in Europe
Although moving to the other side of the world wasn’t easy, M. Abreu decided to take on the challenge and moved with his family to their new home in Vilnius.
According to M. Abreu, Lithuanians dream of studying in London, New York, or Singapore, believing that international education leads to a successful career. In contrast, Brazilians dream of studying or working in Europe.
“I also thought it would be very interesting to live and work in Europe,” says the Brazilian.
However, M. Abreu admits that he knew little about Lithuania before moving.
“When I first spoke with people about Lithuania, everyone told me about the cold winters and the reserved, quiet people. But once I arrived, I realized those are just stereotypes. I didn’t find Lithuanians to be very reserved. They are friendly, smile a lot, and speak excellent English, so even though I don’t speak Lithuanian, I can communicate at work and in daily life. It’s a great place for a foreigner to live. Despite the cultural differences with Brazil, I don’t feel out of place in Lithuania. I’ve only formed a positive opinion of the country,” M. Abreu shares.
One of the most pleasant surprises for him was the country’s economic development. M. Abreu was quite surprised to learn how modern and advanced Lithuania is.
“When I got the offer and started researching Lithuania online, I thought – a modern country, rapid growth, quality education – it really surprised me,” he says.
No need to worry about safety in Vilnius
M. Abreu was especially surprised by the sense of safety in Vilnius.
“In the first weeks, I saw kids walking home from school alone. You wouldn’t see that in São Paulo due to safety concerns. I like that in Vilnius, I don’t have to worry about my or my kids’ safety, just walking down the street,” the Brazilian shares.
Although Lithuanians quickly and warmly accepted M. Abreu, he still experienced inevitable differences in work culture when he started working in Lithuania. According to him, Lithuanian work culture is quite different from what he’s used to in South America. Lithuanians are very focused and responsible, but they watch the clock closely and try to balance more between work and family. In Brazil, the rhythm is quite different.
“In São Paulo, no one skips lunch – it’s ‘sacred time.’ But in Lithuania, everything moves quickly; people rush through lunch, shorten breaks, and want to get home faster. But that’s understandable – Lithuania doesn’t have the traffic jams that São Paulo does, where getting home can take two hours. That’s why people in the south spend more time at work but take longer breaks. No one wants to sit in traffic for two hours, so they stay at work until it clears,” M. Abreu explains.
Colleagues helped him adapt to local culture. They not only prepared for his arrival but also helped him get to know Lithuania better.
“My colleagues put in a lot of effort to make me feel comfortable in Lithuania. They organized meetings where I could ask all the questions I had about the country, told me a lot about the culture, and prepared all the necessary information. One of my coworkers even took me to a basketball game in Kaunas and encouraged me to become a ‘Žalgiris’ fan,” he smiles.
According to M. Abreu, working in an international company with people from different countries offers many more benefits than just the chance to move abroad and experience a different life.
“When you work in a team of people from different countries, there are more ideas, more perspectives. It’s very important to look at things from different angles, as it fosters innovation. But working in such a diverse team is also a challenge – you have to learn to adapt. You must try to understand not only other languages but also other cultures,” says the Brazilian.
He would like his children to grow up in Lithuania
M. Abreu didn’t come to Lithuania alone – he moved with his wife and children. They attend an international school, and the family is happy with the quality of education. They are getting to know Lithuania through travels around the country.
“Summer in Lithuania was wonderful – warm, but not too hot like in Brazil, so we could spend a lot of time outdoors as a family. We went to Palanga, which pleasantly surprised us, and this year we hope to visit Nida.” he says.
Although M. Abreu doesn’t regret his decision to move to Lithuania, he sometimes misses home. Still, he notices that distance can bring people closer.
“Technology helps a lot with homesickness. Now I talk to my family almost every day via video calls. Paradoxically, being far away, I communicate more with my family than I did when I lived nearby. Time zone differences sometimes make it harder, but everything is possible if you really want it,” says the Brazilian.
Although Lithuania has become his home for now, M. Abreu does not rule out the possibility of moving elsewhere in the future.
“I really like Vilnius, but I’m open to the idea of living in other countries. Maybe in a few years the company will say, ‘Marco, do you want this opportunity?’ And maybe I’ll say ‘yes’ – as I’ve done before. But I’m also open to the possibility of staying here long-term. There are many good things about living in Vilnius – career opportunities, the people, quality of life, closeness to nature, and education. It would be wonderful if my children grew up here,” M. Abreu says about the future and encourages people to embrace international job opportunities.