A woman with a powerful technique doesn't enjoy beauty salons

In the fields of the village of Vilkiski, you will often see a tiny, petite young woman driving a powerful tractor. At first glance, it might seem that only men do this kind of work, but Vita Palionytė, from Kriklinė, has long since proved that she is no match for even the strongest of men in terms of stubbornness and strength. A woman who has loved technology since childhood, she doesn't need beauty salons and has a long-held dream of opening her own car repair shop.

Working in a job that is dear to her heart

After a rainy summer, as soon as the sun was out, the workers of Vilkiškės farmer Stasys Aleksandravičius rushed to the fields to finish harvesting their crops. That's why we met V. Palionytė, who works as a tractor driver, getting ready to get behind the wheel of her powerful machine. The modest, soft-spoken woman is not at all surprised by her chosen profession. According to her, it's just an activity dear to her heart.

When her mother came to work on the farm fifteen years ago, she and her late mother looked at the passing tractors with admiration and with great envy of those behind the wheel of them. At first, the newcomer took on simpler jobs: collecting stones in the fields and digging potatoes in autumn. It was only after a long time that the modest girl had the courage to ask drivers to secretly allow her to drive her loudly roaring machinery for a short while.

First machine – „gazelka“

As soon as she came of age, V. Palionytė rushed to take her driving test. First she got her driving licence, and then she was tested on how she handled heavy machinery. As she was determined to work with machinery of different capacities, she had to pass tests in three categories. The farmer, seeing my stubbornness and passion for machinery, entrusted me with a "gazelle" that was no longer a youngster. I still remember how happy I was that my dream had come true and I was able to take harvested potatoes from the fields to the warehouse. Over the years, I have earned the trust and now work with the most varied and up-to-date machinery. So far, I'm not just behind the wheel of a combine harvester. But if I had to, I could operate it too," said V. Palionytė, who has chosen an unusual profession for a woman.

Modern technology: just work and want to work

The woman did not hide the fact that modern machinery is very different from the old ones from the Soviet era. The talented worker has no problem in quickly buying new products.

„On an old tractor you have to change the gear lever, because there is no air-conditioning you suffocate from the heat in the hot summer, and there is endless noise. The new cabs have a radio, air conditioning, push-button controls, satellite navigation – all you have to do is turn the tractor around at the end of the field. The seat is comfortable – just work and want to work “, – the driver listed the advantages of the modern equipment.

Repairing machinery is not a problem for the petite tractor driver either. She fixes minor breakdowns herself. Only when she needs to replace a heavier part does she ask her male colleagues for help.

In winter, she cuts down trees in the forest

The farmer's son, Tadas Aleksandravičius, was classmates with Vita, so he has known the hard-working girl since childhood.

„Vita has a deceptive personality: although she looks frail, she has plenty of strength and stamina. She stands out from the male workers only in her diligence and meticulousness. If a tractor breaks down, she always comes to consult on how to fix it, while the men, thinking they know everything, rush off to fix it themselves, often causing damage. My dad and I never regretted hiring Vito for a moment. Not only does she do a great job in the fields, but in the winter she also cuts down trees in the forest like a real lumberjack," the farmer praised the excellent worker.

In fact, when there is no work to be done in the fields in winter, the farmer's workers go to the forest to cut firewood.

V. Palionytė did not hide the fact that working in the forest requires a lot of physical strength, but for a woman who has been working since childhood, it is an easy task to manage. She said that she can not only cut a tree with a chainsaw, but also cut it down with a chainsaw without any problems.

Fishing with her family in her free time

Although she works in a male-dominated team, she has never been abused or harassed by the stronger sex. She sees men at work only as colleagues, so she does not try to dress up or put on make-up when she goes to work.

„I don't like to go to beauty salons or pamper myself in spas. As much as God has given a woman beauty, I think that's enough. Although my hands are often oily, I am convinced that a woman's nails should be neat. The only thing I entrust to a master is – nails. They are the only ones I do in the beauty salon. I am a homebody, it is difficult for me to leave the house for a long time, so the Pasvalys swimming pool is perfect for relaxation in winter," said the woman, who does not like to spend money on beauty.

V. Palionytė, who lives in the village of Krikliniai, enjoys spending time with her husband Juozas and their nine-year-old daughter Vilte. Her spouse is a truck driver, so he only comes home on weekends. Juozas is an avid angler who has infected his whole family with his hobby. If the weather is good, they all take their fishing rods and go fishing. It's a real holiday for us – to be together, without any noise“, – adds the peace-loving Kryklinian.

Degreed chef dreams of a workshop

The woman who drives the tractor is a qualified pastry chef, but she doesn't like being in the kitchen.

„I've got my degree, but the kitchen is not my kingdom. I cook for my family, but if I could choose between making soup and repairing a car, I would definitely choose repairing. Changing a tyre on a car is much easier than standing at a frying pan making pancakes," smiled the certified chef.

Growing up surrounded by three brothers, V. Palionytė had no time for dolls from an early age and was more attracted to the world of machine parts and technology. So it's no wonder that today she repairs her own Peugeot car and dreams of one day opening her own car repair shop, where she can bring all her technical ideas to life.