New life coming: four stories of fresh TalTech students
Kirsten Woods, Fernando Guime Toral, Elena Shirokova and Francisco Tienda are four new-coming international TalTech students, who will start their education at TalTech in coming September. What motivated them to decide to come to Estonia, how they chose their study programmes and what they expect from their new life — in today’s material.
Kirsten Woods
I live in the U.S.A.! I’m in a funny place of transition at the moment. I just finished up a year’s worth of work at a local grocery store, but now I’m off to do a lot of travel across the states. For now, I’m converting a cargo van into a tiny house. It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s been a really rewarding experience. My interests tend to bounce around with the seasons, but I love playing music.
How did you learn about Estonia and TalTech?
Well, my family on my mom’s side IS Estonian, so it would be a shame if I didn’t already know about Estonia. TalTech, on the other hand, came as a surprise turn of events. In the fall of 2020, I was preparing for a school in Virginia, when COVID really made that option not as appealing as it used to be. What I really wanted was to learn and grow with peers in person. When I mentioned this to my mom, she talked about how schools in Estonia were doing just that. After doing a bit of research, I found TalTech!
What to expect?
I feel like I’ve always been one to look on the brighter side of things, so I’m excited for such a big change! Estonian life has always seemed to line up with my values more so than American life, so I’m excited to give it a try. I’m excited for my academic career at TalTech, but I’m hoping some friendships come out of it, too.
How did you choose your TalTech programme?
I got accepted into the International Business Administration. For the past couple of years, I’ve been fascinated with the exponential growth of the ecommerce industry. There are so many ways that multiple sources of income are becoming increasingly available to average people, instead of just the millionaires. I feel like a good education in this industry can set me up to understand these things better, and how to help people get off on the right foot as well.
In my free time…
I like to think that I do so much that I really don’t have free time, haha. When I think about free time, I think about the quiet time I have in the morning when I just wake up. I sit down with a cup of coffee, and spend time with my thoughts. Everyone should have time in their day to reflect on their goals and aspirations. After that, it’s a full day of putting 110% into academics or work, and then the evening with friends and family.
My favourite place back home…
In my hometown, there’s a lot of hiking trails. My favorite trail (and place to be) follows the steep mountains through the woods. The sunshine filters in through the leafy trees, and you’re always slightly out of breath because of the incline. Once you get to the top, it’s a rocky plateau with a few trees, and then miles of open air with forested mountains all around. You can see a historic town from the top, and the rushing water of a massive river below. That’s my favorite place to be.
I will miss…
My family is tightly knit, so I think I will miss them the most. I do have family over in Estonia that I’m excited to get closer with, but there’s nothing like the family you come home to everyday. I think I’ll be missing the sunshine, too.
Upon my arrival to Tallinn…
The first thing I want to do is grab my cousin and have him show me all the cool places to visit. I love food, so I can’t wait to find all the best restaurants, coffee shops, bars, etc. If anybody else has some good recommendations, we’ll go there too.
Fernando Guime Toral
I am from Guayaquil, Ecuador, South America. I am currently working at a bank “Banco Guayaquil” and on a part-time basis in a project with my father concerning IOT to monitor air purifiers. I like to travel a lot. And even though I have never been to Europe yet, I have visited many foreign countries like the US, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, and the list goes on. I would describe myself as a person who likes to try new things, in every ambit, I enjoy putting myself out of my comfort zone.
How did you learn about Estonia and TalTech?
I learned about Estonia and TalTech from a counselor in my senior year at a high school. When he introduced me to TalTech and told about the projects students are working on, university facilities and Integrated Engineering programme I immediately fell in love with the university.
How did you choose your TalTech programme?
Since I was a little kid, I have always been interested in and fascinated about engineering. My grandfather (a mechanical engineer) used to take me to his workshop when I was little and so I saw how he repaired big ship motors. I really liked to observe his work and learn from him. I think exactly that “woke up” my interest towards this amazing and vast field. In addition, in my school I had a chance to choose to specialize in physics, math and chemistry, and even though sometimes I found it challenging, I knew this was the field I wanted to follow. When it comes to TalTech, Integrated Engineering programme offers me a vast knowledge in different engineering areas, not limiting me just to one, allowing me to develop more skills for my future professional career.
In my free time…
I practice some sports, like soccer and volleyball, go to the gym or play guitar.
My favourite place back home…
In my hometown it is probably the stadium of my favorite soccer team in the weekends. However, my favorite place in Ecuador is Salinas during summer time. Salinas is a well-known beach in my country, where you can just chill in the sand, go out for a boat ride, and/or party with your friends at night.
I will miss…
Ecuadorian weather and food, my family and friends.
Upon my arrival to Tallinn…
I want to visit Old Town, and to get to known the whole city.
Elena Shirokova
I’m from a small science city in central Russia. But as I did not see myself as a scientist or a techie, I decided to deep dive in economics and finance instead. So I received my Bachelor’s Degree of Economics last year in Moscow. Then I started to think bigger, namely about some kind of international studying experience. In that period of my life I also happened to meet a good friend of mine by now, from Tallinn, who told me about Estonia and studying opportunities there. It has really changed my life and made me lean towards the idea of moving abroad and studying in Estonia.
What to expect?
I know that Estonia is considered one of the most technologically and digitally developed countries in the world and it’s the forge of startups! But first of all, any startup is a small business that has to be well managed. So I think that the programme of International Business Administration in TalTech should contain this synergy of economic rules and technological breakthroughs that may help to make business administration much easier.
How did you choose your TalTech programme?
I have always been interested in studying economic rules and business practices in different countries since they all contribute to global growth and higher standards of living. So after I had carefully studied Russian economic system, I decided that the Master’s programme of International Business Administration in TalTech is the best way to expand my knowledge in international business management.
In my free time I…
I enjoy playing piano and guitar, watching movies. For active leisure I prefer playing volleyball and exploring nearby surroundings to find some eye-pleasing places.
My favourite place back home…
I really like Nizhniy Novgorod city — the main city of my region. It combines historical heritage, engineering industry and the beauty of nature as the city is located at the confluence of two mighty rivers.
Right upon arrival to Tallinn…
I would like to come to the seashore — I find open water absolutely mesmerizing and calming.
Francisco Tienda
My name is Francisco better known as Paco, Pancho or Panchito, most common nicknames for any Francisco in Mexico. I am a civil engineer currently working as a freelancer and managing my own business of construction equipment renting. I am currently living in my hometown Monterrey, Nuevo León one of the most industrialized cities in Mexico located in the northeast.
How did you learn about Estonia and TalTech?
After having more than 5 years of experience in the industry I decided to try something different and look for a master’s degree in order to improve my professional and technical knowledge. After seeing several options on study portals, I came across TalTech, located in the most advanced digital society in the world (or at least that is the first fact Google threw at me). The Environmental Engineering and Management programme corresponded very well with my interests and also brings awareness about the impact of industry on environment. And of course, the challenge of studying in a country so far away and completely different to Mexico is something that caught me.
What to expect?
As for TalTech, I expect to find an interdisciplinary and multicultural study environment, where I will learn and grow. Regarding Estonia, I hope to find a society mindful of human and environmental well-being.
In my free time I…
My family comes from little towns in the south of the state, so I visit these places almost every weekend because I love to be in touch with the nature, hike hills and mountains, and spend time with family and during a barbecue, which is a very common and traditional pastime in Monterrey.
When I´m not able to go out of the city I still go for a jog or a bike ride as I like to keep moving.
My favourite place back home…
Iturbide, Nuevo Leon is by far one of my favorite places. It is the town where my father grew up and where I have made many memories myself.
Here, in Monterrey my favorite places are the Fundidora Park with its space for sportive activities, picnics, art exhibitions and concerts, and Chipinque, an ecological park , where it’s a pleasure to hike or bike.
I will miss…
Clearly my family and friends without any doubt. And probably, the food. I hope I can actually adapt myself to Estonian delicacies.
Right upon arrival to Tallinn…
I will first have to quarantine, which I think will feel like eternity. Once it’s over I want to walk around Tallinn Old Town and its surroundings. As well as take a look at TalTech and see how far it is from my accommodation place. Finally, I would really like to eat some traditional Estonian food. Overall, the truth is that I have tried not to look up many sightseeing places in Tallinn or Estonia to keep it a surprise.
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