Shauna Soitu moved to Estonia two years ago, loves the country's nature, culture and outlook on life. Although learning Estonian's special characters proved quite a headache, she is determined to master the language.
Shauna Soitu, originally from the United Kingdom, moved to Estonia two years ago. Love brought her here.
"We met on vacation in Mexico. We were staying at the same hotel and we met in the swimming pool. The odds of us meeting were so small. I'm so grateful because now I live in Estonia and I have an amazing life here," Soitu told ETV's "Ringvaade."
Estonia was not entirely unfamiliar to her. For example, she knew that companies such as Skype and Bolt originated here. She had also visited Estonia a few times before moving.
"I fell in love with, not just Tallinn, but the countryside as well. We were going on hikes in the bogs. The peacefulness and the safety; everything I felt here, I just loved it. When we decided England or Estonia, I was like, 'Let's give Estonia a try.'"
Today, Soitu's observations about Estonia and Estonians have attracted tens of thousands of followers on social media. Her decision to start making videos about life in Estonia came about by chance when she wanted to share what she had learned in an Estonian language class on TikTok.
"I'd just learned fully how to introduce myself, say where I was from. I was so proud of myself! 'Oh my God, I need to tell everyone!' I was telling all my friends at work, too, like so excited. And I said I need to record this and send it to my mom and dad, like 'I can speak Estonian.' So I recorded it and said I'm just going to post this on TikTok as well. I didn't look at my phone for a while and it had just blown up on TikTok, which surprised me. So I decided to start documenting my journey," she said.
While the English enjoy making small talk even with strangers, Soitu has found that Estonians are rather different.
"The first time I went to work in Estonia and I was trying to talk to someone in the kitchen, they were so confused. They were like, 'Why is this girl talking to me? Why is she asking me what I've got for lunch? Why does she care?' I was a little taken back by that, but I'm used to it now. Now, I'm a little more reserved and protective of my time and energy, which I think is good," she said. "Also, I love being outdoors and I love the sauna. So I'd say I've been Estonianized."
Soitu still vividly remembers her first sauna experience. She was visiting the parents of her husband, Kert, in Rapla at the time. What stood out most was the traditional practice of vihtlemine or striking the skin with a bundle of leafy branches.
"I was like, 'what the hell is going on?!' I was blown away and I'd never had a sauna like it. But it was a cool experience," she said with a laugh.
A couple of months ago, Shauna and Kert held a big wedding celebration. That, too, came with plenty of surprises for Shauna and the other English guests. One particularly memorable experience was the traditional Estonian custom of "bride kidnapping," in which the groom must complete challenges to win back his bride.
"My husband was challenged to do some things. He had to change a doll's diaper and sing a song to get me back. The English [guests ] were just like, what is going on. It was crazy! But they loved it. I'm just getting such good feedback from everyone that came to Tallinn. They want to come back, they want to see more of Estonia. And they said it was the best wedding ever!"
There are still some things Soitu has not quite gotten used to, however, such as how much pork Estonians eat. She has yet to develop a taste for blood sausage, either.
"Maybe this year I will like it. I don't know? Apparently, it grows on you over time," Soitu said with a smile.
At home, Shauna and Kert speak a mixture of Estonian and English. Shauna believes it is important to learn at least some basic Estonian as a sign of respect.
"I want to have children and raise them here. They're going to speak Estonian. How silly that the mom doesn't understand her children. I'm definitely going to be putting full effort into being fluent in Estonian."
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