eesti

//estonia

Estonia, a tiny little country in the north east of Europe, has a history of being invaded by just about everyone. Having lost 32% of their population during Soviet occupation, Estonia is a country of young people. Some of their prominent government ministers are in their early 30s, a fact that is reflected in the government's stance that everyone has a right to internet access.

Emerging from recent terrors into a world of plenty has brought some strange contrasts to modern Estonian culture. Sweet faced girls in medieval costumes stand outside restaurants while red‑leather‑clad hookers walk arm in arm with embarrassed looking men. Most of the imposing structures built during Soviet times are frequently painted in bright colours lending a strange sort of duality to the streets. In spite of the horrors that occurred during German occupation, there are a number of skinheads here, while the most popular music genre in the country is reggae. Old people don't smile when smiled at; in general they look wary and tired, but a lost tourist is always treated with kindness and concern. The shades of Soviet occupation still haunt the country ‑ after all it's been less than 20 years since the country emerged from Soviet rule.

Estonians are sweet, stoic people. Recent injustices are remembered, even visible, but they are not dwelled on. The most important task at this point is to reinstate Estonian culture. That, and to party. There's a magazine ‑ B East ‑ which highlights all the cool stuff going on in various towns still considered pretty obscure to the western world. The nightlife is rocking and varied. Even under autumn's dark skies the air is buzzing with a strong sense of serious fun. Rebellious art forms that are traditionally frowned upon by more affluent societies are celebrated here ‑ street art is huge and graffiti is welcomed as a way to colour in the grey. One of the most famous eastern european artists gained his fame through illegal, anti establishment art. He now flies himself around Europe in his own Cessna and is currently wondering how he's going to continue to push the envelope when his once illegal works are now commissioned by various governments and corporations. When you look at the history of this part of the world, it seems incredible that there are any people left at all, let alone that they have such energy.

The thing that strikes me most about Estonia is that every day, I am passing people in the street who lived through atrocities that I can hardly imagine, yet the youthful spirit of Estonia is pushing past the dark memories one brightly coloured facade at a time.