To Estonia!!

Well, today's the day I finally leave for Estonia. It's all feeling a little deja vu-ish as not that long ago, I was on my way to study abroad in France. However, I'll only be in Estonia for 3 weeks which is hardly any time at all. It kind of seems like no big deal after what I've already done. So I guess it kind of takes the excitement out of it. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited, just not as excited as I feel like I should be for such an event.

The thing that's most exciting for me is the fact that I'll be getting 6 credits for spending 3 weeks in a beautiful European country. Yay! It's allowed me to have the rest of my summer free for working, and hanging out with family and friends instead of taking classes from May to August. 

So some of you may be wondering, where the hell is Estonia? Well, Estonia is a small country located far north, just south Finland, and just west of Russia (quite near St. Petersburg). It's also bordered by Latvia to the South, and across the water to the west, there's Stockholm, Sweden. They have a low density population of about 1.3 million people who speak Estonian, a language closely related to Finnish. They're a country which has been occupied by many different people such as the Soviet Union and the Nazis. 

Ok, that's enough history for you. I'll be updating this thing everyday (as mandated by my program), so you'll get to hear about all my misadventures. So let's see, I should probably write about some of my expectations. I expect that Estonia will be much like the rest of Europe; picturesque cobblestone streets with historic buildings from centuries past, great bakeries and cafés around every corner, dimly lit nightclubs exuding electronica and techno, well dressed 60 year old women with oddly colored hair. Yes, I know it's far from the influence of Western Europe but they are a part of the E.U. and I think Eastern Europe is still quite similar, just with less money. However, it will be interesting to see how previous occupations by the USSR have contributed to cultural practices and ideologies. I imagine this influence will create a different atmosphere than the other European countries I've visited since their independence from the USSR was gained less than 20 years ago.

That's all the writing I'm in the mood for right now. I suppose I'd better get ready for my flight today. Miss you all!!!

p.s. I REALLY miss my Bolivian :(