Former Erasmus+ student and now Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) Marketing Office intern Deniz Kolkiran from Turkey, is planning to pursue Master's Degree studies here. She has been spending two months as an Erasmus intern on campus.

She has completed a degree in Economics at Turkey's Harran University and is planning to pursue a Master's Degree in Financial Economics.

"If MRU accepts me, I will return to study here in the fall," said the 26-year-old student.

"If I get a Master's Degree, I will have a lot of opportunities," said Deniz, who hopes to work in a university in Turkey, after graduation.

Her Erasmus student year at MRU in 2013-2014 changed her world view, she said.

"I'm looking at the world differently now because of Lithuania and the education here. It makes me so broad-minded and curious," she added.

Deniz hails from the southeastern Turkish town of Birecik, about 60-km from Gaziantep, better known for its pistachio nut trees and as the baklava capital of Turkey.

She says she misses some of the culinary Turkish delights including baklava, kunefe and the sweet cheese pastry kadayif, which is a dessert served soaked in a sugar-based syrup.

Deniz came to MRU in 2013 as an Erasmus student after Turkish academics at Harran University suggested she spend an Erasmus semester abroad.

She chose to study in Lithuania turning down universities in Hungary and Romania, as they were not in the capital city.

"Lithuania is not a crowded country. It's a relaxed country. It's close to Latvia, Estonia and Germany," she added and "Lithuania has a lot of forests."

"I like green countries," said the Turkish student noting the air is "fresh" in Vilnius and not polluted.

"I feel more like myself here and more independent, more free than in Turkey," said the Turkish student.

She also praised the smaller classroom size at MRU and the good lecturers.

"Here communication is very easy with the teachers... I learned how to make a good presentation here," she said smiling.

An added plus is MRU's international student body. It allowed her to meet and make friends with students from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Romania, Ukraine. Pakistan and Latvia.

"I keep in touch with the students on Facebook," she added.

Deniz has started a blog about life in Vilnius and studies at MRU here.

PHOTOS by Simona Sargelytė