Tallinn, Estonia
I've settled into an apartment here, right by Tallinn's medieval neighbourhood. I can't imagine how all Tallinn's club goers wear heals on the cobblestone streets, especially after a night of drinking at the cheesy Club Hollywood. If I hear "Gasolina" one more time I might barf.
In other words, the club scene here is pretty dull. Hollywood looks the exact same as it did when I was 16, here taking part in the folk dancing festival. Coming to Estonia has really made me want to polka, like the good old days. It was a different experience, I must admit that it is a little lonely here now that my friends have gone back to Canada.
At least the newspaper is keeping me really busy. I had a front page story run the other day and right now I'm working on four stories. Hours on the other hand, are totally laid back. I come in the office around 10 and leave by 3 or so. As long as I get enough published it doesn't really matter where I do the work.
So one more month of reporting in an office where they speak estonian to me all the time, even if I respond confused, in english. I'm not sure I could live here, the North American version of "Who wants to be a Millionaire" is a little better and I might get sick of potato salad and verivorst, or blood sausage. If you don't eat meat, you're not Estonian.
What I do like about Tallinn are the busy streets, filled with young, trendy people. And I especially love Raja Koja Plats, the big square in the middle of town. There are always so many people sitting around having a Saku beer (now available at beer stores in Canada) and there are often outdoor performances on the stage. I've even done the polka on that stage.
My time here has been a mix of nostalgic reflection and curiousity about how gentrified this place is becoming.
At the Baltic Times I've been writing about politics and environmental film festivals, the growth of the Estonian media since independence and about leaked documents from the foreign ministry.
I am yet to drink Estonian vodka with a slew of relatives, but I have taken a sauna (the best of Estonian traditions).
I hope everyone is enjoying their final year at Ryerson so far. It's hard to believe we are graduating.
Travelling all summer makes time fly by. I'd like to visit Copenhagen and Amsterdam again. Paris too, I didn't see enough.
I plan to buy a journal and reflect on the last few months and laugh at the stupid things that happened - like when I ran arond the corner in a panic in Valencia, Spain because guns were going off for a wedding and I thought it was a terrorist attack!
Maybe I'll actually get some photos downloaded before I leave in a month. Get to spend a few days in London with Owen who is doing his internship at the CBC over there.
I hope everyone saw Metric, for once a cool band plays at at campus event.
See you all soon
In other words, the club scene here is pretty dull. Hollywood looks the exact same as it did when I was 16, here taking part in the folk dancing festival. Coming to Estonia has really made me want to polka, like the good old days. It was a different experience, I must admit that it is a little lonely here now that my friends have gone back to Canada.
At least the newspaper is keeping me really busy. I had a front page story run the other day and right now I'm working on four stories. Hours on the other hand, are totally laid back. I come in the office around 10 and leave by 3 or so. As long as I get enough published it doesn't really matter where I do the work.
So one more month of reporting in an office where they speak estonian to me all the time, even if I respond confused, in english. I'm not sure I could live here, the North American version of "Who wants to be a Millionaire" is a little better and I might get sick of potato salad and verivorst, or blood sausage. If you don't eat meat, you're not Estonian.
What I do like about Tallinn are the busy streets, filled with young, trendy people. And I especially love Raja Koja Plats, the big square in the middle of town. There are always so many people sitting around having a Saku beer (now available at beer stores in Canada) and there are often outdoor performances on the stage. I've even done the polka on that stage.
My time here has been a mix of nostalgic reflection and curiousity about how gentrified this place is becoming.
At the Baltic Times I've been writing about politics and environmental film festivals, the growth of the Estonian media since independence and about leaked documents from the foreign ministry.
I am yet to drink Estonian vodka with a slew of relatives, but I have taken a sauna (the best of Estonian traditions).
I hope everyone is enjoying their final year at Ryerson so far. It's hard to believe we are graduating.
Travelling all summer makes time fly by. I'd like to visit Copenhagen and Amsterdam again. Paris too, I didn't see enough.
I plan to buy a journal and reflect on the last few months and laugh at the stupid things that happened - like when I ran arond the corner in a panic in Valencia, Spain because guns were going off for a wedding and I thought it was a terrorist attack!
Maybe I'll actually get some photos downloaded before I leave in a month. Get to spend a few days in London with Owen who is doing his internship at the CBC over there.
I hope everyone saw Metric, for once a cool band plays at at campus event.
See you all soon