1997: December already!?! Ain’t possible

From the archives: It turns out that I was blogging long before anyone had ever heard the term “blog.” Twenty years ago I was an exchange student in Estonia. While studying at the University of Tartu, I created an online travelogue to keep my family and friends apprised of my experiences. Both my life and the nation of Estonia have changed a lot the two decades since. This reprise is providing me with a glimpse at who I was back then and the excuse to learn more about more recent developments in my temporary home, even if some of the opinions that I expressed back then may make me a little bit uncomfortable today. It is interesting to see how people grow and change.

Previous entry: Thanksgiving week

December 1-7, 1997

It is really incredible how fast the time is flying by. The is such an incredible experience. When I look back at the calendar and see the fact that I have now been outside of the United States half of a year I simply cannot believe it. A year abroad seemed like so long until I actually started to do it. Since I got to Europe time has just flown by. During the time I was in Warrensburg last year it sometimes felt like Finland and Estonia would never come the time just seemed to drag by. Now that I have gotten here the exact opposite has proved to be true.

On the other hand, it feels as if I have lived a lifetime in that half-year. Just looking back over these journal entries shows me how exciting it has all been. The experiences are coming at all times almost faster than I have a chance to absorb and experience them. It’s like watching an epic movie, it’s over before you know it but in that short period of time one has seen more plot and adventure than would have experienced in a hundred lesser movies. The contrast of the two is fascinating and incredible. We are really only a small part of an incomprehensible whole. Humbling, really, no other word fits.

1 December 1997
Monday

I went to the university’s 78th anniversary ball and had a wonderful time. I really got to know a couple of people for the first time and surprised myself by actually not making a fool out of myself on the dance floor. Of course, it helped that so many of the songs were waltz and that there were so many people on the floor that we were able to stay to the inside of the crowd, hidden from all of the spectators.

3 December 1997
Wednesday

Sometimes I feel like I am truly making a difference in the world, even if it is just a small one. Today I helped to create an international student email list for the university and hope to make something truly special out of it. My experiences in Warrensburg have really inspired my here.

I was also able to help Katherine, an American guest professor here, get her coat back at Illegaard. Tonight a drunk guy walked out with her coat by mistake. The coats were quite similar and it was very understandable. As we were getting ready to leave she found her coat missing and after several phone calls we got his mom out of bed, bringing him immediately back with the coat. No serious problems, but I had a fun time begin forced into the role of translator.

5 December 1997
Friday

I am not quite sure how to describe how I am feeling right now. In so many ways I am still having a good time, but I have just run myself ragged this past week and am really starting to suffer from an absolutely unsustainable lifestyle. I have done more than I should have allowed myself to do. I had a great time, but in the meantime I am going to have to pay for it. It is sort of like if I have been functioning on credit and now the bill has come. My body has just decided that it does not want to take any more and there is nothing that I can do except just deal with it. I think that I need to learn from this week. There is definitely a lot of truth in the old children’s story of the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race.

The really bad part about the past week is that I have been so exhausted I have not even taken the time to record it in my journal. I’m afraid that much of it will be lost to history. What a shame, it was so exciting. In sum, Monday I went to the university 78th anniversary ball, had a great time. On Tuesday I went to have dinner with Silke and even got to meet Silke’s mom who has been in town visiting for a week. On Wednesday I went out to Illegaard and set an international student email list. On Thursday I actually put that list into operation and went out with Kristina, the Swedish friend with whom I had such a wonderful time on Monday at the ball.

Tonight I went ski window shopping with Raivo and am going to sometime soon go and make the big purchase, putting myself on skis. A great week, unfortunately I must now pay for it with a long night’s sleep. I hope my body forgives me. It was a great time and I promise to have a lot easier going fun from now on.

6 December 1997
Saturday

I had a good time today going to a Swedish glögg (eesti keeles hõõgvein, sort of like mulled wine) party. We went to Kristina and Karolina’s place for a few drinks and a little to eat. It turned out that I stayed there all night and didn’t come home until shortly after midnight. I think that the best part about it was that I have finally figured out my New Year’s in Sweden trip. I am going to go and see Håkan and Elizabeth in Växjö, but I am going to be able to see Karolina in Stockholm and Krisitina in Lund in the south of Sweden. This is suddenly a much more fulfilling trip. I can’t believe that this is actually going to work out.

7 December 1997
Sunday

I went to the Catholic church today with Ursula, a German law teacher here. It was an alright service, nothing special, but afterwards was really great. We went to have coffee in the parish house. There we met up with Father Miguel (from Chile) and had a great talk for almost three hours. Later we went to Pronto Pizza and had a bite to eat. It was a great discussion. It was obvious to me that I was talking with two Catholics. I agreed with a lot of what they said, but in many ways clearly solidified some of the major reasons I could personally never accept ordination in the Roman Catholic denomination. There is just still too much to pretend that we agree on everything. The basic truths are the same, of course, it is just a matter of details. I feel let everyone interpret the details however they like.

God doesn’t get caught up on the little things, that’s a human reaction. All things that are holy are eventually going to be changed by human involvement. We just have to remember to respect other people and remember that the viewpoint with which we do not agree is still an equally valid and important approach to God. There are many paths, the destination is the same. The most important thing that I have learned in Estonia.

Next entry: The Semester Winds Down