Tuition is €4437, due by 19 March, 2026 via Flywire; goal includes exchange/processing fees.

So any help— sharing, donating, sharing and donating both— is appreciated.

My name is Krystaline. On March 4th, 2026, I received my acceptance letter to Vilnius University— almost three whole months ahead of the schedule I prepared for. I now have only fifteen days to pay my tuition in full or I will lose my place in the program. This program is the culmination of everything I have worked toward for 25 years. Vilnius University offers exactly the Russian and Lithuanian Studies programs I have dreamed of, in English, and at a fraction of the cost of any US school. This opportunity will allow me to build a career in intercultural communication and education, acting as a cultural intermediary between Lithuania and the diaspora outside major hubs like Chicago, Pennsylvania, and LA. As someone from a smaller diaspora community in central Connecticut, I have experienced just how severely this lack of communication can affect morale, sense of community, and awareness and honoring of the overlap between the history of a nation and its diaspora firsthand. Seeing just how detrimental the disconnect between a nation and its diaspora abroad can be firsthand is what made me realize just how crucial building intercultural bridges for communication at every level of society.

If 258 people donate $20, I will make my goal.

If 344 people donate $15, I will make my goal.

If 516 people donate $10, I will make my goal.

If 1,032 people donate $5, I will make my goal.

It is that simple. I only have until March 19th, but I believe that with your help, that is doable.

I want to be taken seriously as a professional, invited into the conversations unfolding as a competent individual with helpful insight and experience—not just seen as a useful tool because I lack a degree.

For 21 years, I have been chasing an obsession that began when I was just 14 years old. I have faced so many setbacks and hardships during that time, but my passion has never faded— it has only grown. Back then, I fell in love with Russian language and culture after discovering Russian pop music and reading Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov. Despite attending a prestigious prep school, I couldn’t find formal Russian instruction, so I started teaching myself.

Midway through high school, my mother became determined to preserve our Lithuanian heritage, enrolling our family in Lithuanian language school and community activities. At first, I resisted, but over time, what began as an act of spite turned into a genuine love for Lithuanian history and culture. Even after our local Lithuanian community lost its gathering space, I continued to pursue both Russian and Lithuanian-related studies on my own, despite setbacks and limited opportunities.

After high school, financial and family challenges delayed my college plans. When I finally enrolled in community college, I fought for years to take a Russian language class, eventually succeeding and finding immense joy in roughly a two month-long Russian 101 course the school ran during one summer semester (and never again). Earning my associate’s degree took nearly a decade due to health and home life struggles, but I never gave up.

I hate asking for money, but I have no other options with this sudden deadline. Any donation, no matter the amount, would mean the world to me. If you can't donate and are willing, even sharing my GoFundMe with your friends and encouraging them to help would also make a huge difference. Please, help me finally reach the goal I've been chasing for over half my life.

Thank you so much for your support and for helping me turn years of perseverance into a real future where I'll be able to make a positive difference in our world!