Taking Over Tallinn

This week has been pretty unforgettable... We had our big program trip to Tallinn, Estonia! With a relaxed week of classes, a weekend filled with history, culture, food, and some pretty awesome memories shared with some pretty awesome new friends, I am one tired gal.

So let’s get right to the good stuff. Friday was a big day. Our flight departed at 8:50am, had a layover in Latvia, and we arrived in Tallinn around 1pm. From the airport we went directly to the Danish Embassy and learned about Danish influence in Estonia and a bit of the Estonian history. After that we checked into our hotel and had a presentation from Skype. Estonia is a very technology savvy country (where all taxes and voting can be done online) with a lot of startup companies. It is apparently a great place to grow a business. After that, we went out into the “Old Town” for dinner. Dinner was at a medieval restaurant, complete with glass wine chalices, servers in costumes, and a reenactment of the local bar fighting during the Middle Ages (yes, there were swords, shouting, and lots of beer). My meal of pork tenderloin with potatoes, sauerkraut, and beets, may have been the best meal I have had in Europe thus far! I was also pretty hungry by 9pm when we ate, so who really knows.

Saturday was jam packed full of fun! We had another presentation in the morning about an NGO called “Let’s Do It Together!” This presentation was all about Estonia’s cultural relationship to nature, how their history of occupations affected the environment, their work to clean up their country, and their campaign for a cleaner world.

[Olivia's Quick History Lesson of Estonia: Tallinn itself dates back to the 13th century (and, as you will see in the pictures below, is crazy beautiful!). Over the last century, the country has been occupied by several other nation states, most notably Nazi Germany during World War 2 and the neighboring Soviet Union from the end of World War 2 until 1991.]

After our presentation, we had a walking tour of “Old Town” where we learned more of the medieval history of the city and the significance of many famous building and landmarks around the city. And to wrap up the night, we hung out at a local cocktail bar with live jazz music. It was a very good day!

And Sunday, we went to Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom. This tour went in depth into how the different occupations shaped the Estonian daily life and spirit. This was particularly striking to me because it made me think about the United States independence and how I take my freedom for granted more than I would like to admit. As a kid, we learn about our own history and how our constitutional right to freedom is always a part of our daily lives. We learn that America fought for their own freedom and continues to fight everyday for it. We learn more about our own history, than that of anyone else. This is one particular reason I'm lucky to be able to study abroad: I have the opportunity to learn about contrasting cultures and diverse histories in order to better understand this world we live in. And for that, I am so thankful.

Another thing that I am learning is that every story has two sides. This idea is something I’ve always been taught but it has been continually emphasized to me during this experience. World history, politics, social issues, personal experiences all have several different perspectives to share. In my opinion, the way to make progress is to be open to listening and understanding these diverse perspectives and find some common ground. Whether it be in interpersonal relationships or on the world stage, I believe constructive communication and empathy is most important in any attempts to move forward.

Sincerely,

Olivia

Pictures: new facebook profile picture?, Friday night dinner (a.k.a. best meal in Europe!), Old Town Tallinn, and drinks and jazz with the girls.