Estonia 1998: Spring Student Days

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.

May 1-17, 1998

This week Tartu hosted the university’s Spring Student Days. It was basically a week-long festival of beer drinking, concerts, parties and strange contests ranging from a soap box derby style downhill race to a giant rubber raft race in the Emajõgi River. It was a lot of fun, made even better by the simply fabulous weather that we have been enjoying here in Estonia. According to one friend, Estonia was actually the warmest place in Europe one day last week.

1 May 1998
Friday

I spent the day with Silke and we had a good time watching the homemade vehicle rally, which basically consisted of 21 groups of drunken individuals constructing some very bizarre contraptions out of very dodgy materials and attempting to roll them down a slight incline. More exciting than it sounds. We saw several things fall off, over and apart on their way down the hill. No matter, though. Everyone seemed to have a good time and no one got hurt. At the rally we met Herle and found about all of the goings on at the sorority last night since she got her colors (awarded full membership). It sounds like she is having a great time in the organization. I wish that I had that with Põhjala, but with a month and a bit left there’s really no point in worrying about it now.

In the evening I had dinner, drinks and wonderful conversation with Ann and Marty, two friends of Raivo and Ene. We had a good barbeque and talked for several hours. It was the best conversation that I have ever had with Raivo. It’s amazing how good my Estonian can be if I just force myself to use it.

I finished up the evening at the Spring Days party at the physics building. There I met Silke and danced with Herle, Nuri, Christopher and Sue until 2:00 and they threw us out of the building.

5 May 1998
Tuesday

Today Gordan Lehman was back in the classroom. Apparently he blew his knee something fierce a month ago helping a friend move, and has been suffering with it ever since. I hope that he is not in too much pain and that he is able to have a speedy recovery. It was good to have him back and gave me a good opportunity to talk sports again. That is one part of my life that I have really missed being in university. When I was in high school I was competing in all different sports, but now I haven’t competed physically in anything for at least two years. That is way too long and I must do something to fix that. I hope that will come with the addition of a mountain bike to my lifestyle once I get back to the States. We’ll see.

8 May 1998
Friday

I spent most of the day doing research and typing my term paper for Neil’s International Human Rights class. I am trying to decide whether or not Estonia has violated international human rights with their citizenship laws. I am trying to write a paper that says in effect “legally no, but they’d be stupid to carry on like they are right now”. I’m so tired of sitting here and staring at this computer screen.

This evening I babysat Getter. It wasn’t anything too difficult. I went outside and played some hide and seek and tag with her and then ended up the evening playing frisbee all evening until Raivo and Ene came home.

11 May 1998
Monday

After classes I came back here and caught up a little bit with email and just tried to enjoy a beautiful day with glorious sun and warm temperatures. I sat out in the back yard and just soaked up every bit of daylight that was possible. I wasn’t suntanning (I’m not sure that’s even possible here) just living it up having a bright and warm day. This spring is so different from this winter. I still can’t get over it.

In the evening I went to the park to have a talk with Nuri. We sat for several hours and discussed everything under the sun. It is wonderful talking with him. I love the fact that despite our religious differences we have nearly identical spiritual beliefs and it is a great feeling to know that I have a mutual soul here who is going through the same kind of spiritual struggles that I am. Incredible. These are the kind of people that I would never meet at home. Coming halfway around the world and making contact with Americans. Isn’t life ironic?

I love life. And talking with Nuri tonight really reminded me of how much I see the glory of the Lord in everything in the world and just being alive gives me a chance to see the beauty and love that comes to us from God our father. He is so wonderful. I’m so thankful that I’m going to spend the rest of my life serving him. What a privilege.

13 May 1998
Wednesday

Honest exhaustion right now. I finally finished up the most difficult paper that I have ever written, a paper for my international human rights class. I had to research and argue why or not Estonia was violating human rights in its handling of the Russian minority. I said not legally, but it’s not very wise anyway. Or at least I tried. The worst part about this whole paper is that as a non-legal student, writing a law paper is like speaking a foreign language. I have no idea of the style, tone, or even organization that I should use. I just wrote something to the best of my ability and think that it turned out fairly well. We’ll have to see what Neil says about it.

The big news other than writing is that I’m going to see Kristina tomorrow morning. She is back in town today and will be here until the weekend. It will be nice seeing her again and I think that we are already getting set for some incredible discussions with the citizenship project just finished.

14 May 1998
Thursday

I got up early today to go meet Kristina for breakfast. We had a wonderful conversation and it was a long needed opportunity to catch up with what has been happening in each other’s lives. I especially enjoyed it because talking with her is always a challenging and exciting opportunity. She is one of those people who actually make me think about what I am saying and someone whose intelligence is more than capable to keep up and actually challenges me in every level. This kind of excitement and friendship that I truly relish.

I finally turned in my paper for human rights class. I couldn’t find a working printer anywhere so for the first time in my life I turned in a web address as my paper. I guess I’m just going back to early days when the web was used as a method of exchanging academic information.

In the evening I met with Kristina and a large group of the international crowd. We visited the new Vernas cafe and then went to Zum-Zum for a nightcap. It was a relaxing end to a successful day and tomorrow morning I’m off on a picnic with Kristina.

15 May 1998
Friday

Today with Kristina was everything that I thought it would be. We went to the airport and had a wonderful picnic sitting beside the main terminal. We only saw one plane all day, but still a wonderful time. We talked about everything under the sun and it felt good to be able to open up to someone and be myself in my entirety. I need more of this. I am going to try and see her next month since I have all of this free time and a lot of dreams to try to make come true in that period of time.

In the evening I came back here and just relaxed. I watched the film Iron and Silk, a film about a man who had gone to China to teach English and detailed his life as he got to know the country and to understand the people from such beautiful and enchanting land. (based on a true story) I would love to see China with my own eyes someday. I’ll get there somehow, come hell or high water. I’m tired of typing. I’ve been typing too much recently and my hands are really beginning to hurt.

16 May 1998
Saturday

Tonight we had a farewell party for many of the international students. In just a couple of weeks people are going to start departing and the world here in Tartu will change dramatically. We went to Kathryn’s place to celebrate still being together and had a great time. We heard Emmi play her violin which in itself made the night. We also made some plans for next year when Arno is brining some Swedes to the States and we are taking a cross country car trip. I am already looking forward to it. Life here is so incredible.