Aleksander Petrov, who has returned to his grandmother's homeland, emphasizes the importance of communicating in Estonian, because this is the only way to practice what you have learned and thereby expand your circle of friends and find new opportunities for development, study and work. 

What brought you to Estonia? 

I came from St. Petersburg to my grandmother's homeland in the fall of 2022. I am an Estonian citizen because my paternal grandmother was born in Mustvee during the period of first independence in 1931. Now Estonia has becme home to my family. 

What do you like about Estonia? 

I like almost everything in Estonia - cleanliness, security, silence, fairly high standard of living, nature, opportunities offered by electronic administration and much more. I haven't found any sharp negatives for myself so far. 

Why did you decide to learn Estonian? 

The main motivation for learning the language was that I am not planning to move anywhere from Estonia soon. I can therefore highlight several aspects of everyday life where language skills are necessary. First, my son goes to kindergarten here and will go to Estonian school. I consider it important to be able to support him. Secondly, in any case, I do not want to limit my social circle only to the Russian-speaking population, even though it is quite possible here. Thirdly, knowing any language, especially the official language of the country where you live, always opens opportunities for development, study and work. I am also used to showing respect to people and not putting them in an uncomfortable situation - living in Estonia, it is normal to communicate in Estonian without switching to Russian or English. 

What are the difficulties of learning a language? Have there been times when you wanted to give up learning Estonian? How did you overcome the difficulties? 

A few years ago, in the middle of January, I applied to the Integration Foundation and already in the middle of February I started learning the Estonian language. I got into a good friendly group with a great teacher. Then I went on to the next course and so on until this summer. Of course, there were, are and will be difficulties - sometimes you don't understand the grammar right away, sometimes you don't have enough vocabulary... But I think it's normal and I didn't want to stop studying. 

How did the adaptation in Estonia go? Did the locals welcome you? 

Adaptation was easy. At first, I lived in Narva, where there is no language barrier and in general everyone was ready to help me and give advice if possible. At first it was quite difficult for me to understand that there is no need to fill out a bunch of documents and all you need is an ID card. Work, taxes, doctors and so on - you can figure things out on the internet in a couple of hours and there is always someone to help. We keep in touch with the friends I made in Narva, even though I moved to Tallinn. 

What did you do to communicate more in Estonian? 

After moving to Tallinn, I started to communicate more in Estonian, and of course this increased my language skills. But even here, communicating in Estonian without advanced language skills is quite difficult, because if you think about it, if you try to understand what was said to you or simply ask to repeat the same sentence a little more slowly, people will very quickly switch to Russian or English. Of course, this makes it easier to cope, but unfortunately, the quality of communication and thus learning the Estonian language suffers. 

What would you recommend to other newcomers who have arrived in Estonia? 

Everyone's situation is different and there is probably no single piece of advice. In general, you should not be afraid of moving to Estonia if you have the desire and the means. And of course, learning the language in any possible way is very important here both for communication and securing a job, coping with everyday life and ensuring the best future for your family. 

FOR INFORMATION

The Settle in Estonia Programme is a free educational programme provided by the Estonian state which is intended to help the foreigners who have arrived in Estonia to adapt and become accustomed to local life more easily. We offer courses for people who have come to live or study in Estonia and have lived here for less than 5 years. For example, war refugees to whom Estonia offers international or temporary protection, as well as people who have come to Estonia to work or do business here or relocate with their family member. We offer language training and other courses to help you cope with everyday life in Estonia. Read more and register: https://integratsioon.ee/en/kohanemine. The adaptation programme is co-funded by the European Union and the state budget. 

In the framework of the Integration Foundation’s cultural education programme introducing the Estonian cultural space, in cooperation with the Estonian National Museum, an educational programme was carried out this spring and summer, offering communication practice in Estonian, where the language was practised through the introduction of the Estonian cultural space. The programme consisted of five study trips to the Estonian National Museum, where the participants could learn the Estonian language and get to know the Estonian culture through the exhibitions of the museum and the discussions that followed.

The course concluded with the round table event ‘The Power to Speak’ at the Estonian National Museum on 22 June. Dariia Ruda, a young Ukrainian living in Valga, was also among the participants and she kindly agreed to share her impressions and experiences with us.

Please tell readers a few words about yourself.

I am from Ukraine and came to Estonia two years ago. I finished high school in Ukraine online and now, I am trying to get into the Pallas University of Applied Sciences. Besides that, I am trying to integrate into Estonian life, to get to know Estonia more, because unfortunately, I have not had the chance to do that so far.

How did you hear about this language learning programme?

I was just looking for different language learning and practice opportunities online. My aunt recommended me some courses. I called the Integration Foundation and asked for recommendations and found the course of the Estonian National Museum. I live in Valga and going to Tartu is not difficult, so the opportunity to visit the Estonian National Museum suited me well.

Today, you will attend the fifth and also the last event of this course. Looking back, what did you like and dislike about the course?

I really liked the course where they talked about the Urals and Estonia’s connection to this culture. The course was very interesting and interactive, among other things. In general, the Estonian National Museum has very exciting exhibitions and there are opportunities to learn and practise the language. The information is also in Ukrainian, which will undoubtedly make learning easier for me. I liked the study tours and the discussions that followed them.

What I did not like is not at all specific to this course. My general language skills are not very good yet and so I sometimes had difficulties in fully understanding everything. I could not participate as actively as I would have liked in the different discussions. In the end, however, it was all to my benefit and motivated me to learn more. So my overall impression of the whole course is very positive!

What have been the biggest challenges for you in adapting to the language environment here?

In terms of language, the challenge for me has not been so much the language itself, but the fact that, firstly, you hear a lot of Russian in Valga every day and, secondly, the people who come to communicate with you immediately start doing so in Russian. So the opportunities for me to practise my Estonian have been very difficult to come upon. In other words, the biggest challenge for me was to find people with whom I could actually practise the language on a daily basis and learn through it.

Unfortunately, I have not had many opportunities to visit other parts of Estonia. Apart from Tartu, I have been to Tallinn a few times with our small Ukrainian community in Valga, but not much more. It has certainly been my own fault. Undoubtedly, a larger circle of acquaintances would have meant more language practice. Hopefully that will change soon, especially if I manage to get into Pallas. My entrance exams are coming up soon and I am working hard, especially on the language.

Would you recommend this course to others?

Yes, definitely! We had language café events in Valga in April and May. I did some advertising there, encouraging others to participate in such programmes. However, most people in Valga have jobs and are unable to go on trips like that. I am the only person in this group who is not from Tartu. It is much easier for the ones living there.

What are your future plans?

As for my future, I know that I would definitely like to continue my studies, live in an Estonian-speaking environment, and find a job. I think I have a pretty good and solid plan in place for the future.

In cooperation with the Integration Foundation and the Estonian National Museum, the next language courses of the Estonian National Museum will take place in August in Tallinn and in September in Narva.

The project receives support within project no. 2021-2027.4.07.23-0006 ‘Activities supporting Estonian language learning and civic education’, sub-activity No. 3.4.4.4 ‘Provision of various cultural and leisure activities to support Estonian language learning and practice’, financed by a grant of the European Social Fund+.

The Integration Foundation launched the Language Friends programme in 2020 to provide language learners with the opportunity to continue practising language online due to the emergency situation in effect at the time. The programme got off to a good start and has continued successfully also after the end of the emergency situation. To this day, a total of 5,365 language learners have taken part in the programme. This year, the largest number of people so far – 827 learners and 810 mentors – found a language friend.

Mailis Sütiste-Gnannt, an Estonian national who is a German and Estonian language teacher, freelance journalist, interpreter, and translator living in Guermantes, near Paris, France for most of the year, was a mentor to Emine Cetinkaya, a Turkish housewife living in Tallinn, for two and a half months this spring. The women kindly agreed to share with us their impressions of the journey they had together.

How did you benefit from participating in the programme and what did you like most about it?

Emine: It is always exciting to meet new people. My language partner Mailis is a wonderful person. We chatted on Skype on Tuesdays for 30–40 minutes at a time. Mailis also wrote down the words and expressions that came up during the conversation in the chat window and explained the grammar with different examples if necessary. That was particularly useful, as I now always have the option to review the words if I happen to forget something.

Mailis: I have been involved in the Language Friends programme since the beginning and this was my fifth season. It is great to help others and especially to encourage them to speak our language. My language friend Emine is warm like the sun, always cheerful and very positive. I learned a lot of interesting things about Turkish life, customs, and food. She was always happy to talk about what she is doing and share her recipes. The interviews also coincided with the Ramadan period, when she ate nothing and drank no water from sunrise to sunset. It is amazing how much willpower a person must have to do this.

What was the most challenging part for you?

Emine: The most difficult part was definitely the grammar. It is hard! Mailis explained the different rules to me over and over again and I also reviewed everything I was learning in the Estonian language course. Mailis was a great support to me!

Mailis: We did not really encounter anything too complicated. The only misunderstanding we had was not because of the language at all, but because Estonia and France have a time difference and there was a small misunderstanding about the time of our meeting.

Why should other language learners and mentors participate in the programme?

Emine: That is because we only speak Estonian here and these conversations are very practical. I wish to continue participating in the programme as well. I feel it is very necessary for me. I think the programme could be even longer; I would like to speak Estonian much more!

Mailis: It is great to contribute and help language learners of other nationalities. It is also an enriching experience for you, as you can broaden your world view with new insights into other cultures and customs.

Do you plan to continue your conversations in the future?

Mailis: We only got to see each other in real life for the first time in the Estonian Language House in Tallinn after the official programme had ended. We took a picture together and afterwards sat in a café and chatted about our lives and the weather. We will definitely meet again when I come back to Estonia this summer. Emine’s firm wish is to provide us with home-made Turkish food.

Emine: The programme is not actually over for us yet. We continue to chat online every Tuesday morning, just as we did during the study period. We have probably missed the meeting only once or twice. I am really looking forward to our new meetings!

In March this year, the Integration Foundation started organising language missions for people with another mother tongue working in the public sector to provide them with Estonian language practice in an Estonian-speaking work environment. The language missions take place during 12–30 calendar days in an organisation in the same field in another county or city. The language missions are for people who wish to improve their Estonian language skills to fulfil their work tasks. The language missions, or the labour mission programme for language learning, is financed by the European Social Fund.

At the beginning of April, Tatiana Podpovedkina, a class teacher at the Soldino School in Narva, spent two intense and exciting work weeks at the Pärnu Kuninga Street Basic School, where she was mentored by one of the school’s class teachers Katrin Kurvits. Both teachers have kindly agreed to share their experiences, emotions, and plans for the future.

What inspired you to join the language mission programme?

Tatiana Podpovedkina (TP): First and foremost, I wanted to improve my Estonian language skills. However, my class in Narva is also a language immersion class, so I really wanted to create opportunities for the future, to bring my students together with children from other Estonian schools, so that they could improve their language skills by playing and communicating with each other. It is difficult to achieve this locally in Narva.

Katrin Kurvits (KK): Our school joined this programme for the first time. I am usually open to new challenges, which is why I decided to participate in the programme. As a quick responder, I immediately grabbed the first (and only) class teacher from the list. This turned out to be Tatiana. To be honest: at first, I had no idea what was in store for me. It just seemed exciting, something I had not done before. Tatiana’s expectations became clear to me only when we met.

Do schools in Pärnu and Narva differ a lot – in terms of their teaching methods, work culture, or something else?

TP: I had always had the impression that children in Estonian schools are generally more restrained and do not run around as much as here. In fact, children are the same everywhere, especially the younger ones. In terms of teaching, however, it was noticeable that Estonian teachers, for example, try to calm down the children who were just playing outside as the lesson starts, so that they could focus better. Katrin, for example, says hello to each child separately in the morning and wishes them a good school day. This alone immediately helps the children adjust to the day of learning. At first, it seemed like a waste of class time, but later, I realised how useful it really is. And in class, the children truly are really polite and obedient. However, all of this very much depends on the teacher. It was quite amazing to see how patient both the teachers and other school staff can be with the children. Children are taught discipline from the ground up and it shows in the school, especially in older students.

Now that the language mission is over, how do you see it in retrospect – was it all worth the trouble?

KK: At this point, I am extremely happy that I made this decision and that it happened to be Tatiana who I ended up working with. The kind of energy that Tatiana has, was very much needed. The children in my class liked Tatiana straight away and quickly accepted her. The presence of a guest in the class was not unusual because we often have interns or other guests in class.

Those two weeks with Tatiana were what I always dreamed of. I was not alone with my burden of responsibility, but had another teacher by my side with whom I could discuss things. Tatiana was a real help and we got along very well. She came and stayed as if we were old friends.

Our schedule was very packed and it was not only confined within school walls. There were only a few days when we did not do something together after class. Walking home from the theatre late one night, I admitted to Tatiana that I would have a class at 8 in the morning, but I had not had time to prepare anything and needed to improvise. I used an Estonian expression (puusalt tulistama) to describe my situation, but Tatiana was not familiar with it. Once I explained what it meant, Tatiana immediately offered to deal with the students herself in the morning, so that I could prepare the next lessons I had that day.

During the lessons, Tatiana diligently wrote down various Estonian expressions that I used, and then I had to explain them to her during breaks. However, it often happened that I had to go to our Estonian language teacher myself and ask her why some expressions are the way they are. There were lessons for everyone! That is how breaks turned out to be some of the best language lessons for us.

TP: My time in Pärnu gave me much more than I could have hoped for. I had the opportunity to communicate with many other primary school teachers and gain a lot of valuable experience and get advice and language practice, of course. I wanted to communicate with the children as much as possible as well. In the first days, it was difficult for us to make contact, because our language barrier was still hindering us at first, but we got over it pretty quickly. Communicating with children in particular opens you up to a so-called living language – one that you can never get from textbooks alone. Katrin and I really spent a lot of time together outside of school. We went to the theatre, exhibitions, and museums several times. I can only be grateful and happy that I received a mentor like Katrin!

On my last day in Pärnu, Katrin asked her students to write me letters to take with me. We read them in Narva together with my class. It was very warm and touching.

Does this method work for language learning and for bringing different communities together?

KK: Before Tatiana’s arrival, I had heard about the issues of language education in Ida Viru County only from the TV. It was a problem that I was aware of, but it was so far away. It was only when I was directly communicating with Tatiana that I realised how difficult the situation really is. Thanks to her, I have more motivation to visit Narva and Ida Viru County more. I have done this in the past too, but as I did not have any personal connections there until now, it has not been a priority. Hence, communication at this level will certainly contribute to the convergence of our different communities and the better understanding of one another.

Have you made plans for future cooperation?

TP: Just recently, we organised a joint online class for our students. We sang songs together; I made a presentation about the city of Narva and Katrin about Pärnu. Afterwards, we made a quiz about each other’s knowledge based on what people from Narva and Pärnu remembered about the other cities. In the end, the children shared phone numbers with each other to communicate more in the future. While we were in Pärnu, Katrin, and I also went to the Jõulumäe sports centre and made plans on how we could bring our students for joint events there.

KK: Our cooperation in Pärnu turned out so well that now, we are planning to visit Narva and Ida Viru County for four days in August with all the teachers from Pärnu who participated in this programme. I have a definite plan to see Tatiana teaching at her school sometime in the autumn and to shadow her. This programme could also work the other way around – teachers from all over Estonia could go to Ida Viru County and help their colleagues in learning the Estonian language.

TP: I am also planning to go to Pärnu again this autumn and continue my studies with the help of Katrin.

KK: It would be ideal if all language learners could have such a personal mentor in their field of work with whom they could discuss work matters even every day, if necessary, and who would be there and offer support when needed. It is a good feeling to know that you are doing someone good by simply being there and talking to them!

Urve Krause, the principal of the Pärnu Kuninga Street Basic School:

Pärnu Kuninga Street Basic School has hosted teachers from Narva Soldino School, Jõhvi Central School, Narva Central School, and Narva Kreenholm School as part of the Language Swallows’ Project. All the teachers at these schools have been very friendly and interested in the teaching and educational work done in our school. Their interest in the Estonian language, culture, and customs makes us really happy. We had long conversations about the culture of our school, work with parents, and creating a cooperative school team. The whole school welcomed the guests and they became members of our family. They participated actively in school life and events. The whole school was happy that we could share our experiences with our colleagues. We are certainly willing to host truly motivated teachers, who will share our experiences in other schools in the future. Participating in a language mission gives the school new experiences and acquaintances, as well as opportunities to learn from other schools.

The Integration Foundation awaits public sector organisations – schools, kindergartens, hospitals, etc. – that employ people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds who need Estonian language practice to join the language mission programme. We ask that the head of the organisation or the employee themselves notify us of their desire to participate in the language dispatch. Read more about language missions on the Integration Foundation’s website: https://integratsioon.ee/keelelahetus.

The language mission is funded by the European Social Fund’s programme ‘Activities supporting the competitiveness of people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and returnees on the labour market’ as a sub-activity ‘Offering a labour force mission programme for language learning’.