698

698

NameNatalia
Genderfemale
Country of OriginPoland
Destination CountryEstonia
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I first came to Estonia as an exchange student. I was supposed to stay here for five months but obviously, things changed. The decision to stay here was very intuitive, it wasnt rational. I just felt very comfortable here and thought if i stayed here longer, good things would happen. Then, of course, I met an Estonian guy, and now Ive been living here for two and a half years. When I first came to Estonia, I had no excpectations. If we think about migration nowadays, people mostly go to Scandinavia or Germany, the United Kingdom, France. I could imagine life in those countries but I had never been to this region at all. Having no previous knowledge or expectations made it so much more interesting to come to another Eastern European country. What I like about Estonia the most is the way people treat each other. I think its because its such a small country: people take friendships more seriously. Its harder to get close to people but once you do, the friendship is forever. Another thing I like is the people's secular attitude. In Poland, I always felt the need to protest, especially when it came to womens rights. Poland is very traditional and conservative: many things there shouldnt be like this in the 21st century. In Estonia, I feel more comfortable as a woman. Right now, my life and my heart is in Estonia. I will definitely stay here for a while. In many respects, I feel closer to Tallinn and the Estonian culture. But of course I also miss Poland: I miss the very open, emotional style of communication and I miss Polish culture, going to the theatre, cinema and local exhibitions. I think to feel integrated, one should know the local language. Im a bit ashamed I still dont speak it. Since everybody speaks very good English here, you can get by with that, but you cant read the local news and feel part of the community. Here, by organizing some cultural events, I have gotten close to the locals, but I wish I could also read the news or Sirp to see what my friends are writing. I think participating in cultural activities is really what integrates you into the society. In the last year, Ive really noticed how multicultural Tallinn is getting. In the centre of the city, you mainly hear English! I dont know if its a good or a bad thing but I think Estonians have nothing to worry about: their sense of national identity and culture is so strong it cant be endangered by migration. And since so many people are leaving the country, you need immigrants to keep the economy going. Also, more migration brings more good food and enriches the local cuisine! I really feel at home in Tallinn. Geographically and demographically, its perfect here. Honestly, it feels so cool here - I live in Eastern Europe but I feel so cosmopolitan! And Ive been welcomed so warmly by Estonian, I was helped a lot by Estonians. Im thinking I probably wont be able to repay all this kindness but I would like to give the society something back in the future.

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