Discovering Estonia: Reflections on Studying and Working in Tallinn

Studying and working in Tallinn has far exceeded my expectations. Estonia truly is a hidden gem. As I was getting ready to come here, I received many questions (and warnings) from people who proved to be just as ill-informed about the country as I was. I was hardly expecting a post-Soviet concrete jungle, but the amount of comments from people back home about cold winters, bland soups, and dreary apartment buildings had me second-guessing my decision. As it turns out, Estonia isn't the place they described, nor what I thought it would be. After three months here, Estonia has proven to be something completely different: a crossroads of striking modernity, unique culture, and growing geopolitical significance.

There are many reasons to study or travel here, but what attracted me to the country is its role as a state on the frontline of democracy and NATO. I have been fortunate enough to immerse myself in the country's security perspective through my internship at the International Centre for Defense and Security in Tallinn (ICDS), a think tank in Tallinn. Through my work with them, I have had access to premier experts on security issues, and was able to attend the largest defense conference in the Baltics. As an international relations major, my experience with ICDS has been invaluable. I had no experience in a think tank environment, but my supervisor and fellow interns were always ready to provide advice and help me develop my professional skills.

Part of what has made my time at ICDS so useful is the diversity of people and opinions. The interns are a highly multinational group, with whom I have been able to develop close personal relationships. Though I cannot overstate my interest in defense and security analysis work, the highlight of the internship has undoubtedly been the relationships I've made during my time there.

Additionally, Estonia is one of the few places where you can work on Russian language skills in an organic environment. Though Estonia has a complicated linguistic and cultural relationship with Russia, Russian speakers in Tallinn are
usually willing to engage in conversation. Furthermore, these complex cultural dynamics in present-day Estonia provide an excellent example of productive civil discourse.

The level to which Estonia has digitized its society is truly astounding. The living standard here is far beyond what I expected, and there are many perks that I'm never going to be ready to leave behind. Though Estonian is a famously hard language to learn, it was remarkably easy for me to integrate into Estonian society. Grocery stores are modern, museums are cheap (sometimes free), and learning the transit system took about thirty minutes. Should you get lost, you'll never be more than ten meters from someone who speaks English.

To reiterate, Estonia truly is a hidden gem. It has the standard of living of an advanced Western nation, combined with a rich culture of resilience and tradition. Estonia is a little secret so wonderful, I'm almost reluctant to share it with others. I urge all those interested to come see Estonia as it rapidly blossoms on the world stage as a beacon of technology, strength, and democracy.
 

CIEE Referral link:
https://my.ciee.org/?rc=dbf59306-8803-f011-9e4f-0050561072ea-5-web