Liene lives in Daugavpils with her family and calls the city her home. She moved back to Latgale after living and working in Riga. For Liene, living in Daugavpils means she could have an active life with family; work, schools for her children and everything she requires is close by and convenient. Small city with less traffic makes it easier for to meet all her professional and personal commitments. She visits her native village – Izvalta – regularly to spend time with her parents and sister’s family. Not long ago, her sister and brother in law decided to quit their city jobs and run a sheep farm in their family’s land. Though it is not easy to run a sheep farm, they embrace their countryside living.

Liene notes: “ we are seen as a less developed region and neglected people. People must prove that this stigma is not always true. Those who are not skilled find it hard for them restructure their life and career. After reaching a specific level of competency and specialization it might be required to move elsewhere to accomplish higher goals”. She also thinks, this scenario could be shared with all of Latgale and they must prove that they are the same as rest of Latvia. Though Latgalian society has specific characteristics that make it different form other regions because of it is situated at the intersection of different cultures developed through out the history. She adds, “ We are strongly related to the process in Latvia, but still some economic, political, and ethnic factors distinguish us from others parts of the country. We are still actively trying to create cohesion not just with the EU, but first of all between all Latvian regions and the capital Riga”.