EVS in Estonia

Since we were in Estonia last year at the same time, we also wrote about this major event in the estonian summer. St John’s day, or rather this particularly short night is the time to get out of the cities and celebrate the arrival of summer together around a fire.
We were working the next day, so we had to stay near Tallinn, and since we liked it a lot last year in Viimsi, we came back, this time with Zsofia our hungarian friend (and volunteer) who was with her mother and sister. Ifat, a british volunteer was there as well, with three of her friends. We had a little dificulty finding a bus, so it was a group taxi that we took to and from viimsi, but a little comfort once in a while doesn’t hurt.
The weather had been very bad all day, with rain showers. We even wondered if they would be able to light the bonfire ! But it all cleared up and we had a magnificent sunset.
This year we could try the swing, at least, for some time, before it became too dangerous (it was falling appart) but it was very pleasant to be there again, at the same place, and listen to the estonian popular songs, eat greasy food and admire the fire on the beach.

The music in the video is from an estonian group we know and like called “indigo lapsed”.

While visiting Tallinn or in other cities of Estonia, one is bound to find a flower market. Generally open every day, even during the cold months of winter, these colourfull stands are very popular. From roses to jonquils, or even sunflowers, there is usually a large choice for all occasions.

Indeed, estonians tend to give flowers to each other very often : to visit a friend, to give to work colleagues, at any small ceremony, all excuses are good to offer some flowers. Men can give a bouquet to women without any misunderstandings on his intentions, moreover, men can even receive flowers, without putting aside their virility (this takes a little time to get used to, but it can become very pleasant !).

Students give each other lilies of the valley, not on the first of May (as it is the tradition in France), but to celebrate the end of the school year and success in their exams in June. This comes from the fact that these flowers don’t bloom as early in Estonia as in France.

Another difference : if we tend to wrap our bouquets in a nice clear paper, estonians like to keep the surprise until the very end and not show everybody in the streets what they’ve just bought. They therefore wrap their flowers in an opaque sheet of paper, almost like newspaper, and stapple it up so no one can see. Receiving flowers is then like opening a present !

Last Saturday, we participated in a song festival (laulupidu). It was a big event for the reserve, for it have been in preparation already since last year. In addition to the 500 singers, there was also an exhibit about previous festivals which have been going on at this site (at the meeting point between two rivers, closed to Jägala waterfalls) for ages.

Most of the participants were wearing Jõelähtme’s traditionnal dress, with a stripped skirt, with green yellow red blue, the villages colours. For those who were not lucky to have a traditionnal costum to wear, we had made some tee-shirts, on which were printed some of the local designs.

Jonathan played some flute to accompany the singers and it was very rewarding to be part of this event. The exhibit took quite some preparation to put in place, but the team work we did with Margit and her son Josep paid off.

Enjoy the video which will give you an idea of the atmosphere of this singing festival !

Last week, Jonathan had been invited to play at a concert, given in one of the prestigious places in the old town. The queen of england, Chirac, George Bush have all entered this building, which in medieval times, when Tallinn belonged to the Hanseatic league housed the St Maurice guild of merchants (also nicknamed guild of black-heads).

the idea was to help out and play a little of tin whistle, as a transition between the different scenes of the concert. What made it even more special was that the singers were….. babies ! Yes, 8 month old babies which were helped by their parents to do something on stage dressed up in ladybug costumes or wearing strange hats. Who would want to go to that ? Well, all the families of course, which were ready to pay 80 Kroons to enter and stand for 2 hours. There were about 400 people !

The time on stage being very limited for these small children (the oldest were 3 years old), there were many transitions, and each time the tin whistle played ! It was not always easy to improvise something in the spirit of the event, but it was good fun, especially for Amélie, who was enjoying the scene in the crowd.

Below is a picture of the famous entrance of the “Mustpeada maja”.