A few thoughts on the resilient Estonian spirit
By Ben Gardner-Gill ‘19
This past summer, I worked as an intern at Estonia’s Museum of Occupations, which chronicles Estonian history under Soviet and Nazi regimes from 1940 to 1991. My main project was to research Estonian identity since the restoration of independence in 1991, focusing on four aspects of identity: language, European integration, singing, and the digital revolution.
Through this research, I not only learned a great deal, but was also able to make an impact on the museum’s work. If certain plans and actors align, the museum will be putting on a traveling exhibition in the U.S. and Europe in 2017, and my research will directly inform the curators of the exhibit as they begin their planning.
Outside of the office, I enjoyed living abroad on my own for the first time, and traveling around the region. I had been to Europe several times before, but never further east than Prague or further north than London. Seeing not only Estonia, but also Helsinki, Riga, and St. Petersburg gave me a great appreciation for the vibrancy of our world, and enhanced my desire to be a better global citizen.
I returned from Estonia on September 1, happy to be back but sad to leave the country I’d called home for the last nine weeks. I’ve had some time to think about my experience, and I have a few parting thoughts.
First, on the Estonian spirit. Estonians are quick to label themselves as a quiet or even antisocial people, who may be difficult to get to know. While Estonians certainly don’t share the same openness with strangers as you may find in the American South, let’s say, getting to know an Estonian is a pleasure and not all that hard. The young people whom I met were universally friendly, positive, and thoughtful. Moreover, whenever I talked to an Estonian about their country, or the future, there was a noticeable optimism. Young Estonians truly believe that the world will be a better place, and that they have the ability to change it. Sten Tamkivi, of Skype fame, termed this the “start-up mindset” — a healthy mix of optimism and cautiousness. It was a pleasure to be around people with this mindset, and even to pick it up a bit, during my time there.
Second, on the value of cross-cultural communication. I learned a great deal about Estonian culture and history through both my work at the museum and the people I met outside of it. From the history of the occupations, to the song festivals, and the persistence of the Estonian language throughout years of repression, I gained a deep respect for the country, its history, and its culture. It went further, though, as I was able to hear Estonian (and Hungarian, and Czech, and Turkish, etc.) perspectives on more than just Estonia, ranging from Brexit to the U.S. election; from abstract political theory to artificial intelligence.
There is simply no learning experience that can rival that of learning from someone with a different perspective, and I think this is what I will take away the most from my summer.
The Global Studies Internship program sends Stanford students from any major to pursue internship opportunities in more than 20 countries every summer. Visit the website for more information about the program.
