1997: The Semester Winds Down

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: December already!?! Ain’t possible

December 8-14, 1997

This week saw the end of one of my semester classes and my first real concentration on things beyond this term. I am preparing for a New Year’s trip to Sweden to visit friends from Tartu and from my university in Warrensburg, Missouri.

The biggest thing about this week is just how busy it has been. Studying Estonian and Russian language so much of what could be considered to be studying consists of simply going and speaking with people. Now that the end of the semester is coming and exams have started to arrive I am having to put in a lot more book time. Not that it’s anything too terrible, just a little bit of adjustment to get used to.

8 December 1997
Monday

I had a bit of relapse of do nothing attitude today. I have got to learn to get myself out of bed and join the world. I only have one opportunity to enjoy life here on this Earth and I have got force myself to appreciate it all, everyday. Life is too short to waste it as I have developed horrible tendency to do as of late. I will learn. Someday. I just hope that it comes sometime soon.

I did get to go do a bit of cross country skiing with Nuri on borrowed skis. It is a lot of fun, not as great as biking, but in the absence of a good bike, I’ll just learn to deal with it. A good day, assuming I learn from my mistakes. I’m getting better. I think.

9 December 1997
Tuesday

I finished up my Russian course today. The exam was not too terribly bad, but of course I had not studied like I should have. I am learning, albeit slowly. I just need a few mistakes now and then to reinforce it.

10 December 1997
Wednesday

I had a good class today in grammar class. I spent much of the day trying to figure out what to do about my Christmas trip to Sweden. I am going to try to go and visit everyone that I can but I have to be careful or I will let this trip develop into something much too big for it’s boots. I am considering the possibility of going through Germany, but I think that may be a bridge too far. I am going to have to really seriously look at the calendar and figure out where I have the time and money to go. I would love to see it all, but unfortunately the physical realities of this will not allow that to happen. I guess I’ll just have to see what I can work out.

12 December 1997
Friday

I called Håkan today to check and see about getting everything set up for my trip to Sweden this January. I am going to be staying for about a week and half in Sweden, and probably three or four days of that will be in Växjö. It has been way too long since I have seen them I cannot wait to get there. I got to talk first to his daughter. She answered the phone just fine and had absolutely no problems in English. What an incredible thing, little kids learning foreign languages. Why can’t we figure that out in the States? We are so out of the loop when it comes to learning languages, it’s actually quite embarrassing. World power, and we can’t even communicate with people in their own language. Sad.

I watched the movie Car Wash with Kairit. It was a good period piece. One could really feel the seventies. The music, the fashions, the attitudes, the cars. Am I so glad I missed that decade. One of the main stories of the movies followed the problems of one inner city black who was struggling with his own spirituality, culture, and place in society. He was incredibly intelligent, and in many ways far beyond the childish antics of his fellow workers. He was misunderstood, maligned and often abrasive.

I started off disliking his character, it was not until the end of the film that we were able to see his true personality come out. It detailed his near brush with the criminal side and his salvation from crime by an ex-convict who was able to truly relate with him and his feelings. The two most intelligent people in the film were the ones who had the most trouble fitting in. This was a movie, but this kind of thing happens everyday in our world. How many people could be helped by giving them some hope and a world in which they have a place and a feeling of love? A little love and care is all that everyone is looking for. When will figure out how to give the most precious gift of all? It is not cheap and it is not easy, but is much cheaper and much easier than trying to undo the damage that our world has done to so many.

13 December 1997
Saturday

I spent another wonderful Saturday afternoon writing. I managed to get most of the way caught up with my journal homepage. All I have to do now is to put everything back into a html format. Once all that is done I will finally be back up to the present on my page. I truly wish that I took more time and care in keeping that thing up to date. I’ll just have to keep trying, unfortunately there are no easy answers.

In the evening I went to Krooks and met up with Conner and his friend Rainis. It was a surprise seeing them there and Conner was his usual boisterous self. It is nice to know people like that. Shortly before they left I met up with Silke, Herle and Arno. We talked for a few hours and then came home for a well deserved rest. A nice relaxing day.

14 December 1997
Sunday

I attended the Methodist Church this morning. They have finally gotten their housing situation figured out and will be spending at least the next year in the Seventh Day Adventist building. The service went well and it was nice to be back in the company of several people whom I have not seen for almost a month.

I went skiing with Raivo this afternoon. It was a lot of fun, but unfortunately I do not yet have my own skis, so we had to trade off. Definitely not the recommended way to do that. I truly hope to get my own sometime soon. First things first, though, I must get everything set for my trip to Sweden. It’s only a few days off. Time really does fly.

I ended the day with a Toomasmissa (St. Thomas Mass) at Pauluse (St. Paul’s) Church. The idea behind a Thomas Mass is to bring in the people who do not normally attend church. Doubting Thomas and the whole bit. There was a revised liturgy, more up to date songs and just a much more welcoming atmosphere than when I attend the morning services. It worked extremely well.

It is really a shame that they do not do such a service every Sunday. All of the Lutheran liturgy is there, and it is extremely faithful to Estonian tradition, they just manage to update it to a more contemporary flavor. I hope someday that they learn from this and try it on a more regular basis. It is a very good concept, and once a year is better than nothing, but I think that they would be well served to make this a weekly occurrence. In sum, this is the first time in the Estonian Lutheran Church that I have received anything approaching the same sensations I get everyday in my own church at home. A huge step forward, I just pray that it continues.

Next week: Christmas Time is Coming