It's nice to hear that some non-ethnic Estonians are embracing Estonian culture. This is what I was saying when I lived in America, that unless non-ethnics are embraced culturally into the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian Diasporas, these communities will to die out from assimilation and aging members.

Hello,

I just got back from a trip to the Baltics (Latvia, Estonia, and Finland). First of all, your countries are beautiful. Tallinn especially is a place I’d definitely come back to great architecture, solid infrastructure, and surprisingly good food (I expected worse :D). But one thing really stood out to me. Walking around Tallinn, I heard way more Russian than Estonian. A lot of restaurants, shops, and bars seemed to be run by Russian-speaking people (or maybe Ukrainians). What surprised me the most was that many young people seemed to speak only Russian. Do they not speak Estonian at all, or do they just not want to?

I’m from Slovenia, and we also have a large Serbian community. Younger generations there mostly speak Slovenian, even if the older ones don’t as well. But in Tallinn, the difference felt much bigger.

So what’s the situation like between Estonians and Russians there? Why does it seem like so many Russian speakers don’t integrate?

Proposals in the bill that have received the most criticism:

• The number of council members would be increased from 12 to 15, which would now also include a delegate from the Tripartite Council that is made up of the government, employers, and trade unions. This could mean the government having an additional council member, swaying the power balance in its favour.
• LRT Council would have its own staff to provide legal, analytical, and other support. This, according to critics, risks creating a parallel administration within the public broadcaster.
• A new supervisory board would be created, with its five members appointed by the LRT Council to supervise the work of the public broadcaster and report back to the Council.
• The director general could be dismissed more easily, including if they are found “to be performing their functions incorrectly”. The changes could make all subsequent heads of LRT prone to political influence and self-censorship due to the inherent insecurity of their position.
• “Other media outlets” and their representatives would be barred from involvement in LRT content without the permission of the LRT Council. Critics say this point is aimed solely at excluding several presenters who have founded other media groups and are critical of the current government. However, this risks having a cascading effect on things like joint investigative projects with other media groups, as well as content sharing partnerships (LRT currently has agreements with the BBC, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and other outlets).
• Proposal due to be discussed and is not part of the bill: LRT services would be provided under a contract with the government, which would also define the funding conditions. This could result in direct editorial control.

Now that I’ve lived abroad the same amount of time as growing up in Latvia, some things have stood out to me.

Here are some in a random order:

Our cuisine is cream and mayo heavy. My partner eats Mediterranean and when we visit, he struggles to find olive oil and balsamic based salads and dishes. Generally most things include dairy, including sushi.

We are obsessed with coffee. Coffee dispensers are everywhere from the airport to gas stations, newsstands, cinemas, and many other places. Comparatively in countries like France there are little to none coffee dispensers, even fewer good ones.

Artisanal coffee, if you can call Ezis and Caffeine as that, costs the same as abroad. 4-6€ for a flat white is normal and I always wonder how that math makes sense.

Latvians look in the eye when cheering while Western Europeans and North Americans usually stare at their glasses to avoid spillage. It’s not considered rude to not look at one another while cheering.

Fewer and fewer people in Latvia clap upon plane landing, especially if the descent wasn’t choppy. Don’t think I’ve ever heard North Americans clap once, Croatians maybe.

Our cemeteries are green and somewhat overgrown while in places like France they’re very manicured. Also Americans have closed casket funerals and you can only see someone’s remains during a wake. Latvians also have all of the cemetery celebrations (kapu svētki)

Might be controversial but if someone was to speak loudly in a movie theater, it wouldn’t be uncommon for a Latvian to ask them to keep it down, maybe even shush them. Abroad, especially the US, it would be unimaginable to say something, you just endure.

Latvians love their cards and flowers more than other nations like bringing flowers to your teachers on the first day of school. Must be a post-Soviet tradition. In that same vain, domestic studies (mājturība) is something that foreigners are not familiar with. The idea of teaching boys carpentry while girls learn to sew, cook, and knit seems so sexist.

What are some things you’ve noticed from your time spent abroad? I’m sure these are not uniquely Baltic

Just curious. Any interesting facts?

I've visited Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, and it was great. It's a shame that people 'visiting Europe' often stick to Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, etc., instead of including the Baltic region and Eastern Europe.

My visit to the Baltic region was short though, and I'd like to learn more about them, so perhaps you wouldn't mind me asking: Which of the three Baltic capitals best fits this city profile? (I've ranked them in order of importance)

1. Bicycle friendliness and walkability
2. Good public transport
3. Cultural offerings, especially other than the classic museums
4. Affordability
5. High-quality healthcare
6. Good quality of life
7. Vegetarian-friendly food scene
8. Good air quality
9. Safety
10. Ease of settling in (bureaucracy, residency)

And next time I visit I'll make sure to include the smaller cities and the countryside in my itinerary.

Paldies! / Aitäh! / Ačiū!