Living in Estonia

When I tell people that I live in Estonia, the first question they usually ask is “Where is that?” After I explain that it is just south of Finland and borders Russia, people are instantly interested in what it is like living in a country that used to be in the Eastern Block. My name is Mackenzie, I’m 16 years old and my family lives in Estonia, accompanying my father in a Remote position for the Canadian Armed Forces. I’m not going to lie, it has been a challenge settling into this country. It has beautiful landscapes, history and culture, but is very different from what the majority of Canadians are used to. Living in the city of Tallinn is about the same as living as far North as Churchill, Manitoba. This means on summer days, there are 3 hours of darkened skies and in the winter days there are only 3 hours of sunlight. My family has learnt to appreciate the sun when it is out in the summer and to follow along with the droves of Estonians who fly to Egypt or the Canary Islands in the winter. We’ve learnt the importance of using blackout window shades in July and taking vitamin D pills in January. Most importantly however, we have learnt to appreciate what we have. Estonia has had a long history of occupation; they even have an entire museum dedicated to it in downtown Tallinn.

Mackenzie and her classmate Lily standing in front of the entrance to Old Town. Photos by the LeVernois Family

The country regained their independence after being occupied from 1940 to 1991 by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union only 26 years ago. This has had its effects on the country, making some of its citizens more reserved and hesitant to let in newcomers. In Canada, I learnt about the Second World War in high school with only a brief mention of the territories taken and absorbed by the USSR as they made their way to Berlin. What we did not learn about was the stories of proud citizens of countries like Estonia who were suppressed from flying their own flags and following their own customs and traditions. Estonians find pride in their national songs, dances and costumes but were forbidden from showcasing them for over 65 years. Because of this it makes sense to me why they are so reserved and only speak when something has to be said, but it is definitely something that takes some getting used to. What I found to be the most inspirational part about this country’s history is that Estonia as a nation will be celebrating their 100th birthday in 2018. Although they were occupied for over half of this time, they have the strong belief that they were still Estonians and will celebrate the country that survived all it has gone through. I am beyond lucky and honoured to be here to celebrate this milestone with Estonia. Living outside of your own country comes with its struggles, especially when you do not speak the language and have a 7 hour time difference from family and friends, but living in this small country for only 1 year has been an eye-opener. I think this is the biggest part about living abroad; your experiences outside of Canada can teach you things that textbooks simply can’t capture with words.