Normal Things Considered Crazy in Estonia
What are some normal things in your homecountry but considered crazy in Estonia?
I asked this to an expat Facebook group, and the answers were surprisingly fun.
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💡 TOPICS IN THIS VIDEO 💡
•Life in Estonia
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★ TABLE OF CONTENTS ★
• 00:00 I make a Joke
• 01:22 Taking off shoes
• 03:03 Inviting for Dinner at home
• 04:03 Men Hugging
• 05:26 Getting to know your neighbours
• 06:28 Tea breaks
• 07:44 Shops opening late
• 08:39 Small Talk with Strangers
• 09:51 Street food culture
• 12:40 Tipping Culture
• 11:00 Being Emotional in Public
• 13:32 Smiling at Strangers
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I don't want the tipping culture to change. Adequate service should be a norm established by paying the service staff a proper wage, not something offloaded to the customer.
It' annoying however, that you are basically forced to do it. Also, in my country waiters get a very good payment and don't actuayneed the tipping.
@@water9584 That was my point. I guess I should've mentioned that im estonian. I don't want the tipping culture to pervade here. It's exploitative on the servers and customers alike.
@@Meehuuu usually here it's just rounding up, when paying cash, more just in order to not be bothered by small change. can be any sum from coupla cents to e.g. in restaurant, if you're rich and generous or pretending to be, pay 80 smth € bill with 100€ and say it's ok, no change. 'tagasi pole vaja'.
I tip everyone when I'm in Estonia and no one turns it down 😂
@@MercyKat haha thank you! It means a lot to me 😅😅
Handshakes for me are reserved for a) introducing myself to new people, b) meeting old acquaintances after a long time. I don’t shake hands with people that I meet regularly every day/week/month.
fist bump 'll do at least for me
Yes in public trantsport it is inpolite to even talk loudly, specialy on long ride busses, even having a phone call.
The "smiling at strangers" section reminded me of an incident that took place a few weeks ago. I was riding the escalator and with me (on the same escalator) there was a group of who I think were tourists. At some point they started chatting me up and asking for my name and how I was doing etc. My social anxiety got the best of me and I froze. I didn't say a word. As soon as the escalator took me to upstairs, I walked off quickly. But before that, I heard one of the guys jokingly comment on my reaction: "How Estonian". Well, he wasn't wrong lmao.
😂😂😂
I might be one of the rare ones, i am introvert but haplily chat with random foreners. Mostly due to self training for several years now. (Used to have massive cripling social anxiety too. I still have it but i have trained myself to ressist it, still habe teouble in larger audiances but dealing with that corrently.)
@@MananAnwar I very very heavily disagree with you in 3rd I remember one time I was invited to Dinner at Restaurant, and about 20 when in was invated to someones Home Form Dinner, about 14 Times I invited someone to my house, and 0 Times It invited someone to Restaurant For dinner
Estonians are not such talkers, we rather keep to ourselves
Estonians are mostly introverts compared to most of the world. For example, if someone smiles at me, I smile back, if someone waves to me, I wave back, but I'm usually not the one going first (unless it's someone I know). It depends on the situation, of course, if I see a lady drop something, I pick it up and hand it to her with a smile, but that's it, I imagine Antonio from Southern Europe would try his luck and score with her, but that's considered rude in Estonia. Men do hug, but it has to be a good friend you've not seen for a long time. We don't kiss each other on the cheek, in France it took me some time to get used to people trying to kiss me, it led to some awkward moments. Taking off shoes is a must. The only people who don't get to take their shoes off are the emergency workers. All the others - shoes off! And you better have clean socks too, otherwise you'll be talked about for years to come. It's serious, we called a plumber once and he had dirty sweaty socks and my wife can't stop talking about how she had to wash the floors afterwards. Street food culture - I'd like that, but there are simply not enough customers for them to thrive. You can buy fast food from the gas stations, there are some independent kiosks here and there, but that's it. Loud talk in public is absolutely considered rude in Estonia. No one gives a damn if you won a lottery, just keep the voice down.
I agree with this comment 100%
100 pre cent agree 😂
you guys smile at people?!
As an Estonian, I agree.
Nice. Coming from Finland this is so funny. We find Estonians as talkative and rather impulsive people. Love visiting Estonia! ❤
You guy's are more due north😅... The more you go to north the colder people are (I am Estonian working in Kemi at moment) anyway you are nice and kind neighbors for us 😊
For Estonians it also has been a stereotype of loud/yelling Finnish tourists visiting old Tallinn or just to get/buy some alcohol. This means both sides have some loud/annoying people, does not mean all are. Some of my best friends, family friends and childhood friends and even family members are Finnish (even spent several of my whole summers in Finland when i was young, pre and durning school), so plenty of examples for me to see that stereotypes often are the exeptions. 😉 🇪🇪♥️🇫🇮
I refuse to believe that smiling at strangers is the norm around the world.
Uhm...not exactly smiling indiscriminately at everyone you happen to pass by. But more like discreetly acknowledging another person exists near you, no matter how brief or transitory the meeting is. Too many big city people are in such a rush that they treat other people around them as if they're invisible, and depending on the situation it can come off as very self-centered and rude. Of the cities I know well- Stockholm can be like that and New York even more so!
When the opposite gender smiles at you in a traditional society, you know what that means right? Also, if you hug the opposite gender that’s not your family member, then it means only one thing for the most part.
that doesn't even happen in my small village where everyone knows everyone. when we don't say hello we just nod. maybe some smile, but i know i don't
Here in South Africa, we SMILE!
Here in the South (USA), we smile and chat! Connections are so important. I've gained so much perspective by being the recipient of many unsolicited conversations. How to get stains out of clothes, new recipes, dating advice, who has the best coffee and etc.. All those interactions have been such a gift. *Don't miss the opportunity to share this life.*
The small talk bit is so true. I actually teach small talk in my English classes. But one of my closest friends in Estonia and I can sit, drink tea/beer, and never speak. As a Canadian, it was hard to learn this but I like it. Also I have been fortunate to be on a smile-basis with several others in my neighbourhood. I like that. And we do know a couple of our neighbours because we often meet on Fridays down in the garden to have wine and get out of the heat of the building. Maybe the neighbourhood friendliness is due to all of us walking dogs?
In the old days when mobile phones weren't that common, Estionans often had short visits and then it included always a cup of coffee and some gossip, quick updates amongst friends and relatives. Not many snacks, though. But there is a rule in general when you are going to see someone, you never go with empty hands. You always take some food and wine with you when going to see friends or family. So, we are food lovers too, even when our food doesn't look very tempting to foreigners :D Every gathering usually has a huge amount of food, especially when the older generation is involved. But as you mentioned, we do not invite people very often out of our usual circle, so these things may stay unseen and happen behind the curtains ;)
This. If someone invited me to have tea/coffee at their home, I would take cake or biscuits with me! I've always been taught it's rude to go empty-handed. However, I've noticed that this tradition is dying among younger people (younger than 30, I mean). Maybe I'm wrong.
agreed, im 27 and i never really picked up that habit.
I am not sure if it's dying, but might be less common. I'm 24 and still whenever I go to see a friend or visit someone I feel wrong not bringing something. It's kinda built in me as being polite and nice. Seems wrong not to. I don't live in Estonia anymore, and here in Sweden people find it odd, but I just can't help myself, it feels wrong to go somewhere and not bring gifts.
The whistleling story is told to children because it's just annoying if someone whistles in house. Don't think many actually believe it's bad luck 😊
Whistling can also be categorized as keeping to yourself in public. Just because you like to whistle doesn't mean everyone else wants to hear you whistle.
The current US “compulsory” tipping culture is because of low wages for waiters etc. They are not paid a living wage. I would give a tip only for an exceptionally pleasant service.
About hugging and shaking hands. You have to be quite close to the person to hug if you're leaving or meeting them. Hugging basically a stranger or not that close acquaintance is considered very weird. Most people don't shake hands when meeting friends. Shaking hands is more of a russian culture thing, estonians usually don't shake hands but if a local russian wants to shake hands then estonians do shake back but don't feel that comfortable doing that.
Only when you know the russian and they make the first move (or you if): it means you know them and you trust them and they trust you :)
I think the reason for not really knowing your neighbors comes from the fact that classically large apartment buildings built during the soviet days were basically just for sleeping and the waking hours would be spent elsewhere - working or tending a garden (usually in a separate location) or visiting relatives or at the summer home or spending time in the city. Back then people would stay at home to watch TV, but not to socialize with people in the same building.
When you don't live in an apartment, you usually know all your neighbors.
I've lived in my apartment for almost 3 years and I don't know the names of any residents. It's a small complex with 8 apartments
The whole country is like a library... it's so true 😂😂😂
🤫
@@MananAnwar As Estonian do not argue with that! :)
I hadnt noticed the handshaking thing before but damn now that Im thinking about it its so accurate. My dad only shakes his best friends hand (they have been best friends for almost 20 years) on his birthday, on the new year when everyone is wishing each other a happy new year and when our family trips end successfully (as in they have managed to herd 12 people in 3 different cars for 3 days straight without any casualties).
As an Estonian, just found your channel, and its really interesting to watch
Tere Tulemast
i would like to live in Estonia some day...i love it
My family has always been prone to tipping, I guess it depends on people. However we don't tip if the service is not good. Whistling inside would be considered quite rude, true. If I drink tea with a friend we usually have some snacks too, not much but something. Most Estonians would rather have coffee though.
There were a few laugh out loud moments in your video for me. Two weeks in Tallinn and I saw much of what you said. Of course, I know that two weeks is not long enough to see everything and know everything, but yep, you nailed it.
Thank you
About shoes - it's also about showing respect for household that you're visiting. It's disrespectful to come inside with shoes on, kind of equal to sitting into someone's car with very dirty clothes. But in hotels nobody cares, you are living in the room and you can make the floor as dirty as you like.
Nabour thing is in Tallinn and few bigest cities in Estonia🇪🇪 in every small place/town/vilage nabours are close.
Love your videos, it's so fun to hear about Estonia from a different perspective
Glad you enjoy it!
Street food. Estonia joined the European Union and had to comply with the rules. In Estonia, there is a Food and Veterinary Agency that monitors compliance with the rules. In order to offer food, there must be a certificate of health, one must undergo food hygiene training, one must have a quality of washing dishes that is in line with food hygiene requirements. I myself have sold food at home and fulfilled these conditions. I have been to festivals in Germany. The organizer of the art festival prepared food for his cafe. Germany is trusted more in the European Union and the rules are a bit more relaxed. But the rules are stricter in areas of the former German Democratic Republic. This is what my East German friends in Sweden told me. This is not discrimination. It's a matter of reputation. Newcomers have to prove themselves. The topic of street food is also related to climatic conditions and competition. Also with people's standard of living.
It's not that the handshake should be very firm. It should be an appropriate level of firmness, it shouldn't give pain to the other person but should be reassuringly firm.
Yeah, but if you drop a "jello" in others hand, you will not be thought of well (unless you have medigal reason), especially by men.
hugging is very common if you are drunk :D and that is also very common. shaking with firm hand is absolutely true.
Whistling! OMG this was a huge challenge for me especially since I whistle a lot. I got several warnings before it stuck that I'm not supposed to whistle indoors
Dont understand who are those people around You - still havent heard anything against whistling. Very strange.
@@Raiaramis24 Not about whistling in general but whistling indoors is very undesired.
The neighbor knowing thing is generally pretty situational. I have had both experiences of living in an apartment and knowing almost all of my neighbors, and living in a single family home, not knowing anyone in the surrounding houses.
I'm from Latvia, but I think I understand Estonians, we have always lived in separated houses not in villages, so - strangers are strange. But the reason why we really don't trust the first stranger is KGB times when your closest person could betray you (meaning your and probably your families death). Also there are a lot of superstitions, they're funny, whistling indoors not welcomed also in Latvia, meaning - there will be no money. But if we will talk some words with you - you will be welcomed that no fake smile, no fake words could compare. All of our feelings are deep and real.
If I feel like whistling, I'll whistle. I hate this, I dunno, very Catholic approach to life - don't whistle, it's a sign of joy! And if something brings you joy, you better believe it's a sin! Screw that mindset.
@@kraanz its actually not catholic approach its totaly pagan. Estonia Was last pagan stronghold in Europe and even when crusaders concuered us it took almost 2 centurys to breake our will and root out big part of our traditions, thouse whatthey coulnt root out they integrated to Christianity
Avoiding ppl, too. In a bus, when there are 3 people inside, one sits on the front, the other on the back and the third one right in the middle. It's considered creepy and potentially harrassing when you sit next to someone in a half empty bus. Also, as an introverted Estonian, I go to swim the earliest in the morning in a local pool complex and use the facilities there bc it's the time when almost no one is there. I feel awkward when I have to share a small jacuzzi with strangers so I only use it when it's free and in case others are coming in, I'll soon be going. And you have to do everything you can to avoid sitting right next to strangers, as well. It's ok only when all other places are taken.
If u wanna tip just leave cash on the table, or in the box where the bill comes.
An interesting description of cultural differences. I'm a Canadian who has lived in Stockholm, Sweden for many years. It surprised me how much of what you observed also applies to many people in the Nordic countries. Some of these differences I've adapted to while others still seem a bit peculiar. Nowadays, I like the relative silence on buses and the subway. People talking TOO LOUD, either on their phones or to their equally loud friends is not pleasant nor considerate. On the other hand, hugging of casual acquaintances has become endemic now in Sweden, some sort of PC ritual. Personally, I'm not fond of it. I prefer to reserve shows of genuine affection to people I really care about and not to people I barely know-where "See ya or Nice meeting you!"would be good enough.
True, no need for disposal of energy, when there is no energy to acquire. I'm estonian. Meet, greet, ok, cool.
I live in a private house and I frequently talk to all my neighbours, apart from one. The outlier has installed a 2-2.5 m privacy hedge around his property, that’s why. Although, he and his family very rarely spend any time in their yard. The only movement there can be attributed to a robomower.
also, what's the point of small talk - why would you spend any time in meaningless exchange of statements of the obvious?
Another well made and prepared (good rounded info) video. Major kudos 👍
Thank you. Glad to have you here.
@@MananAnwar Glad to be able to participate. ATM still on treatment (was in ER last week as the reason/problem i had to cansel got worse) but will definetly let you know when am able boddied enought. Also thanks for the reply 😄👍
It is accustumary to take off your shoes when you enter the home but not always. It is very usual for the host to say "don't take your shoes off" (ära jalast ära võta). Usually when it is a short period visit. It is not rude to take your shoes off anyway.
All of these are absolutely true, like i never talk to my neighboar, never.
Yes to the library like atmosphere! I visited my son, who is living in Tallinn, and he said my daughter and I were getting the side eye because we were chatting and laughing like normal in a coffee shop. So interesting because generally we are viewed as quiet overall. I'm going back in a few weeks and I can't wait. I loved Tallinn and I am thrilled to get to see more of it.
A big open air library.
You can tip when paying by card/mobile, when you especially like the food or service etc. Just tell the sum you're willing to pay.
I have noticed that smalltalk exists, but only when people get drunk enough. I have had successful smalltalk in pubs in the queue for the toilet or outside where people smoke.
Smokers are a sort of "club" they can do smalt talk even with strangers. Smoking areas are considered places where people chat and get to know new people. Smoking rooms at offices used to be places, where problems were solved and new people (smokers) accepted to the "family".
Bigger and better chains like Selver are open until 22.00 or 23.00 daily, Konsum/Coop usually similar. Some Prisma stores are open 24/7. Markets close early and Rimi closes early often. Smalltalk is not northern European thing. Considered breach of privacy and waste of time and energy. We'd like to keep tipping culture the same - servers get paid legal salary for their work and tip should only be given when there was extra good service or you were left extra satisfied with something. In this case tipping is easy, you just leave few coins on the table, when leaving. Servers here don't depend on tips for salary (like in USA) and should be only tipped for cases when there's something special to the service or food. Tallinn is in Estonia but Estona isn't Tallinn. Tallinn has different traditions, countryside IS different. At large- for most Estonians Tallinn is just for work (making money) and sleep. For weekends people go back home to countryside, to their own people. Real Estonian life and relationships in general happen outside of Tallinn. Tallinn is filled too much with tourists, forigners, especially russian speakers, soviet mentality people left from soviet times, and therefore people trust people less in Tallinn, and Estonians don't always feel at home in Talllinn anymore. Totally different culture from countryside, where people communicate with neighbours, willages have strong communities and festivities etc. Where people trust people a lot. Naturally there are 100% city dwellers too, but they usually have no clue of Estonian traditions, they sort of lost the culture and roots and also they lost the ability to build/fix stuff with their own hands.
talking about hugging, this reminds me of this one time when I was still in middle school and my cousin had come over for summer(we got really close). when she was leaving via train she came in for a hug and out of utter shock of such a situation I stepped back and said no, she got shocked as well and slapped me. she did call me later and apologize for overreacting. This became a core memory and after that when someone wants to hug me i just go with it - its not like im losing something, and its a rare occurence.
Valid points! However, smaller places in Southern Estonia, especially in Setomaa are exceptionally chatty and do not follow this rule, I believe. You have random older ppl coming over to chat in the bus stop with strangers, etc.
Now I want to visit Setomaa.
I almost always tip but the difference is I guess that it is not semi-mandatory like in some countries. Stores... compared to southern Europe the stores are open way longer. Everything else is mostly accurate but there are always exceptions. Great vid!!
Smiling, Small Talk, Manners (saying Please and Thank You): But slowly changing.
Thank you for create this kind of content for the people that is interesting for moving to Estonia. Good explanation in an objective way, thanks again! You have been another suscriptor!
@Manan Anvar Foreigner ticket! Yes! 😂 Nice name for that phenomenon! I suppose we just go with the hug to avoid awkward decline. And I'm a woman. And about shaking hand for the first time you meet someone.. My grandmother taught me as a young girl that a handshake has to be right kind of firm (not like handing someone a dead fish). Also when you meet someone and shake their hand they also give you evaluation by your handshake. ;) I don't think we have tea breaks. We have parties, dinners and BBQs. And most of them (if not for small kids) take place in the evening or at least on the second half of the day. If a stranger starts small talking to me in public then they are probably interested in me (that's an Estonians' point of view). I think the tipping culture is changing. Our family tips about 10% when we are happy with the food and service (I hope those who are wealthier, give more :D ).
Everything depends on the region, nothern estonia (mostly harjumaa) is much quieter than anywhere in the countryside.
Hi, I’m writing to you from Toronto and want you to know how much I enjoy your comments about Estonia and Estonians. I was born in Estonia in 1941. However, now that I’m Canadian, Estonia is still in my heart. We Estonians in Canada have lived a very multicultural life and we have become louder, smiling individuals with friends at our dining table from all around the world. Estonians are slowly going to change with the influx of immigrants and that is a very good thing.
So good to hear from you. Comments like yours make my day. Please reach out to me on IG. Would love to know more. :)
My grandma always said no whistle long indoors. In Asia like Japan, there are no shoes indoors. It is common sense because you don't bring dirt inside. For me, it is a full to watch when people go indoors with their shoes and jump in bed with those. If you live countryside and you live in a house or little village. Everybody knows their neighbours, but we don't visit or talk to them all the time.
Huging: when you met your siblings you actually hug them but just friends you don't hug so much or it's just me. Beacuse of that i'm a teenager boy we don't do anything, we just say "goodbye" or don't say anything and leave in Estonia (at least at my friends zone).
also, may be germans can explain, what's the point in opening a shop until 17.00, if no one can attend it during working hours? The 4 hours after 17.00 would have twice as use as 8 hours until 17.00
As an Estonian, fully agree. I do have seen quite a few things change compared to like 10+ years ago: more street food, people (especially younger ones) being more open in public and smiling more. With the last one I myself had an experience around 15 years ago. Was a nice sunny and warm spring day. I was waiting for my city bus to go home. I felt really nice and decided to smile at people in the bus. Oh my... if looks could kill xD I do like the tipping culture. You tip only when the service is good or exceptional.
Yes, tipping is not a must, but you can always tip if you want and staff will be very happy (they earn minimum salary or less). Paying with card is never a problem, you can tip with card. You just have to let staff know how much you want to tip them and they will change the sum for the card terminal. I, myself, always leave a tip when I eat or drink somewhere where everything is served to you to your table.
Super! You nailed it! That,s us! Thank You!
...and 🙃😉🥰come and visit south Estonia...
Would love to. DM me on IG.
Ära vilista toas, tuba läheb külmaks. We do have street food at summer, mostly ice cream. It's 23 ºC outside, it's sooo hot! I do small talk with strangers if I see they are in trouble. I am so helpful.
Shoes indoors and specially at home - never I want to use them inside. In my experience people in Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway in most cases are taking shoes off at home as well. I think in Russia as well. Whistling in doors - this is new to me. Dinner - mostly birthdays and barbeque. Neighbors - completely true. I do not even know why is it like that. Some kind of "do not disturb and keep the privacy" thing... Shops opening time has been changed over the years. In soviet times shops were closed for sure after 5, later some where open even 24/7, specially gas-stations and so one. Small talk is getting better - younger people have experience prom other countries, and it is not as strange as it was years ago. I worked in Ireland in a shop for one year in my early 20-s, and small talk with strangers is absolutely normal to me if possible. Street food in eastern countries is amazing. I think that short summer might be one reason it is not common in Estonia as it is only seasonable. Beeing quieter than most nations - for sure. Don`t also know is it bad or good... Tiping - personally I like the way it is! Please add the extra cost to the bill in my opinion! Smiling to strangers - it is getting better. I can feel it with my own experience! Of course it is far away from kindness of most of the nations! Very good videos and good arguments! Keep going!
Great video, thank you so so much! 🙌 I'm Spanish and I'll go to Estonia in September, I'll stay there for 10 months, so I truly appreciate all this information... Spain is completely different 😅 but I really like many things about Estonia, so I'm very excited! (I won't show it too much, anyway 😂).
Welcome and let me know when you’re here.
@@MananAnwar It'll be a pleasure
Welcome! It is nice to have you here. I hope that you will be open minded :)
my friends had spanish friends over and went to supermarket together. everything normal, got all stuff needed, then spanish friend asked: er... you have some national mourning going on or smth? referring to every body being as quiet as possible in shop :D also, have your sun lamp with you for winter. or book sun bed in spa. no sun gets to everybody, even if cold is no problemo.
@@SiiriRebane I can totally imagine that situation 😂 And if supermarkets are noisy here in Spain, public transport is just... crazy! It must be a shock at the beginning. Anyway, I really like that about Estonia, among many other things 🥰 Also thank you very much for the advice about the (no) sun, I'll keep it in mind!
So truth and so interesting!
Tipping in some companies are even forbidden. You should treat all customers equally good, and shouldn't get benefits for your work from clients.. equality and avoid of corruption
Estonia sounds perfect. All that silence and solitude. Dream land.
Great videos! Thank you! Greetings from 🇺🇸
Loving your channel Manan! Agree with pretty much everything but the hugging. But this could be just my social circle. If you're friends with someone, no matter if guy or gal, it would be considered almost rude if there was no hugs involved. Maybe even a little peck on the cheek if in a festive mood. If you're in the friend zone most Estonians I know are super touchy-feely. Also while there is no tipping culture, it's actually very easy and much appreciated. You don't have to carry cash, in most places you can just ask to add a couple of euros to your bill and the staff will get their tips in cash at the end of the workday. I'm actually surprised restaurants aren't communicating this more forcefully that it's an option.
One thing: I smile at people bc my mother told me to always smile. It makes people happier aparently.
Nice video man. iDK we still have tea breaks with the same things, dried goods.
I would actually argue against the 3rd point, men hugging and shaking hands. It really does depend on people, and I hug my friends every time I see them, and the same with handshaking, it's just a generally nice thing to do, a show of respect.
But maybe I'm just weird.
Its a really good thing, and I hope more men become like this :)
Nicely done. Like the chapters. A follow up video of which are Estonian, which are Soviet, and which are European features might be nice. The ways the Russian occupation changed Estonian culture might also be a nice spinoff topic. Not knowing your neighbours is likely a feature of Soviet culture because you did not live where you liked, but where the government allowed you. It also meant you spoke softly, wore dull colours, and did not try to attract attention, positive or negative, to yourself so that the NKVD and KGB left you alone. I notice that other channels like The Russian Dude use surveys to collect data. So you could do a survey for each cultural issue and see how many others have it or an alternative. Here in Lithuania, it is often felt by older people that a person who does not drink alcohol with you cannot be trusted. Until you have been really drunk with someone, you have no idea what secrets they might be hiding, goes the philosophy. Being invited into a home may be connected with that. The Russian Dude also uses surveys to promote videos, which is necessary since KZhead promotes his surveys but rarely his videos. Thus the survey for this video could list the 12 items as ask which is the strangest for readers. Or maybe they know a stranger one.
Well, same here in Latvia!
Sounds perfect.
I try not to, but I sometimes do judge people a little bit if their handshake is weak 😅
Spot on
I think that openness in rural areas could be influenced by environment. They have more open space to live in, often they have to take a hike to borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbor. We poor town rats live literally on top of each other in huge buildings, so we replace the physical space with the mental armor. Especially older generation, who experienced thin walls, chock-full buses (you had to squeeze for a moment to let the doors close), crowding in front of counters, etc. When I was little we lived in a pre-war building with only 8 flats, no hot water, and there everybody knew and visited each other. After we moved into the new flat, we just greeted the people we occasionally met on the stairs. Even after growing up I have had visiting-level relations with only 3 families. (Neighborhood kids don't count, we just played together and then went 'iga roju oma koju' (every malnourished miserable to its own home)). After cars became more available, families were not depending so much on public transport and could move from flat to house in the suburbs giving children more space. Maybe that's why post-SU generations are more huggy.
South estonians are way more open and kind than northern. People in the capital are very closed up
I had a woman speaking english come up to me in a grocery store to ask for help. I just did what she asked, nodded and smile while she thanked me thousend times. I didnt speak a word, my anxiety just made me forget how to speak english 😭 Other time I just helped a man pick up things from the ground cuz his bag broke right infront of me, he spoke in english too thanking me and I just said absolutly nothing and left 💀
Nice video, In this video we see Estionian very closely ❤❤❤❤
You can add a tip even if you pay by card, not everywhere and it's not very welcome because of transaction fees and taxes, so the waiter gets a lesser amount, but if you ask, they mostly add tips. I mostly have no problem with that(except for a couple of times in the last 7 years)
Good video, in my opinion, as an Estonian, quite 100% accurate 🙂
True.
Cool video - like perspective like that :) (y)
I always give tip whenever I visit a restaurant but yeah the issue is that you can usually do this in cash only.
interesting video. as a local, i challenge some of these rules with my behavior. like smiling at strangers lol, and tipping, even though i don't want the culture to change and for tipping to become expected by employers, but it's just nice to leave something for the person who brought me food. the street food thing is definitely related to the climate imo. interesting point about inviting people to dinner, i don't think I've ever been invited to dinner at anyones place. the community culture overall is weak for sure. its quite sad. i think it's the cultural legacy of the kind of oppression we endured. i do appreciate not being expected to interact with people though lol.
1. Shoes - Climate 2. Whistling - No problem. 3. Dinner - Yes, we are more introverted, so it doesn't happen often. But not all that special. 4. Hugging - not a thing. Shaking hands - very common. 5. About neighbours - True. We don't feel forced to socialize. 6. Tea break - yes, no snacks. 7. Shops - They're open late. 8. No small talk with strangers. It's kind of bad we're so introverted and/or reserved. 9. Our street food is improving. Nothing like Asia of course. 10. Emotional in public - As said before, and as you may know, we are just reserved people who don't get rowdy, but it's not considered crazy to do so. When we feel comfortable and let loose, we can be very loud. 11. We don't tip. Everyone gets their salary. But this culture is somewhat coming over. I always tip the couriers who deliver food. They always appreciate it. 12. Smiling - Pretty much the same as point 10. Not a big deal at all. People smile for all kinds of reasons. If they look at you and smile, they like you. It's not weird at all.
about whistling: my gran always told me off and gave same reason for forbidding whistling indoors. only recently i cracked the code: if you are parent and tell children to stop whistling bc it's annoying, they ignore/forget. if you tell them it brings bad luck and fire, they listen and remember better. about taking off shoes: i sadly miss olden times (1930s) when esp in towns ppl wore galoshes/overshoes on their street shoes and took the former off when entering a house and leaving the latter on, thusly not worried about exposing their socks to elements inside said house. :) other things, might be considered crazy, but i still observe some: never put bread loaf on its back. bad luck, esp, lady of the house might die. never put cut loaf in position where cut end faces door. food walks out of door, i.e. hunger comes. better not: mend or sew button on clothing while person is wearing it, esp. child or pregnant person: stops child growing or brings illness to person. never point your finger at rainbow - rainbow gets angry and all kinds of bad things happen - finger drops off, gets rotten, or worst: rain stops coming, drought comes.
Very interesting comment. Thank you for sharing.
Putting bread on the "back" doesn't mean back luck, it means that you show disrespect to bread. Bread should always be honored, as any other food because they're hard to come by - a lot of work and a lot of risks. Therefore bread should always be on the "belly", whatever food was put onto the plate, should be eaten and not thrown away. If bread fell onto floor, you'd have to pick it up and kiss it. Disrespecting bread and food will lead to hunger. Also bread whould never be handed to another human on the knife - this is the way one would give bread to wolves not humans.
thank you all for visiting my country!
It's mostly true for urban Estonians. When you go out of Tallinn, even for 15-20 km, in older rural places you'll find chitchat with strangers, communicating with neighbours, etc. As for handshakes, it's gone out of fashion among native Estonians, but Russian speaking Estonians are still very much into handshaking on everyday level. As for smiling, well... You should have seen us in the Soviet times. Back then, everyone wore uniformly grim faces on the streets. Smiling was reserved only for friends or family (and even then performed in direst need), never done in public. It was curious to see how it started to change in the first years of our Independence. People somehow relaxed, opened up, and smiling to strangers became more and more common. Still, younger women are more prone to smiling than older women and most men. You hardly get a smile from a stone-faced "hot Estonian guy". 😄
@@CASULL455 And that's why we don't smile at strangers. How can you possibly tell if they are fifth generation true-blue Estonians? 😆
Shops in Germany dont close late unleas you are in Bavaria. In ither parts of the country supermarket and food shops stay open late.
About number five. Estonians have usually a set of friends, co-workers, relatives, or from some other place, and they communicate with them. No need to add another set.
hey manan! i just wanted to let you know that you accidentally made two premieres for this video, it still says there's a premiere waiting for you back from a few days ago.
I’m estonian and have lived here all my life, but I have never heard that whistling indoors means bad luck or should not be done. Depends on the whistling skills I guess…
Yeah, we dont smile-dental care is still really expensive here :D
Strange. I've noticed that in my circle and other people from the office or whatever tend to hug each other, both male and female, but perhaps this is more so if you were born after 90'. Shaking hands is usually done between strangers. Then again, I mostly talk to Estonian Russians.
well, i want to move to estonia at one time in my life as a kind of partaly inhabitated home, so setting up a home or so or maybe even building one?!? i dont know, but i rly mean it and yes, i appreciate and love estonia a lot, its my new most favourite country in the world!
very, Very, VerY, VERY hahahaha :D true that. I never thought about those situations but, oh yeah, you nailed it again.
I think it could be not enough exposure to the rest of the europe. I think Estonians are no worse than others to adapt other cultures and will most likely bring the useful habits home. Mingling with the western europe is a very recent thing.
dunno... mingling with the western europe was very much thing since 13th century, hightest time being 1400s. :) not thing mostly only since Soviet annexation/occupations.
@@SiiriRebane oh sure, if you were free born hanseatic merchant. But I think for every free tradesman there were dozens if not hundreds of slave born villagers who lived and died never setting a foot outside their county. Back to the 21 century - having first hand experience how others live will not only enrich our own culture but also gives you more access to the market of the west. Seeing first hand the values and spending habits of western culture allows you to tailor your own possible product ideas to appeal western buyers. Customer care in UK is very different from Estonia but I don't blame them. Being nice for the sake of being nice is not enough. It has to serve a practical purpose. In UK better customer service has direct impact on sales and customer loyalty and they make sure you know that firsthand. This is one thing worth bringing back home. I'm sure over time everything that is practical and helps to prosper finds it's way to Estonia. Just a little bit more time
Wtf nr 2???? Never heard about it. 1 and 3 are correct. 4 is so-so. Shaking hands is official and hugs between men are there but not dailly but for special occasion. 5 is correct again. 6 it isnt - if somebody asks You to stay tee or coffey they always offer something sweet. 7 - what? All the big shops are open til 22.00 and some until 23.00. Smalltalk in short time situations will not happen..but in taxy or in airplane, when You know that You are sitting with the person longer time..at least I am curios to talk and even more then smalltalk. Streetfood ok, i agree. Emotions in public i can agree also. Tipping, probably true, but it may depend of a people and places. Smiling in public is also probably true - smiling to stranger is not common ;)
Funny....!😂
Our food markets or also just any kind of public markets are killed by local tax system! in our country, starting a business has been made easy, but the tax office does not make exceptions for business types, and because of this, grandmothers selling pies, handmade gloves on the street or successful international IT companies are taxed in the same way! A so-called "enterprise account" system has been created, which in reality taxes these people even more heavily. Unfortunately, since our markets already have a small clientele due to the small number of people, and the tax system is very well controlled, these businesses will not survive. As an Estonian, I am very sorry for this, it kills the romance and certainly prevents many potential flowers from blooming. It is absolutely essential that the tax be paid, but someone needs to come up with something clever about it before the memories die too. By the way your video is almost all true, not mandatory but we still tip ... of course only in cash, because otherwise a big part of it will still go to taxes;))).
We tip. We carry cash intentionally for that. BUT we only tip if the service/ food is excellent, meaning only 4-5*
How often does that happen?
Every once in a while you meet an Estonian who has a limp handshake and you immediately judge them :D What? Didn't your parents teach you how to show your character??
This should be included in the country handbook.
@@MananAnwarfunnily enough, at least in my school growing up, they thought us all how to shake hands properly, if I remember correctly, in 5th grade? It was part of our teaching to how to get a job, amongst building a resume and having an interview etc.
Topic: How Estonians behave. 2011 population census: Estonians (67.3%), Russians (28.76%), Ukrainians (0.72%) Finnish (0.29%) English (0.19%), Latvians (0.16%), Germans (0.11%) other (2.48%). By the year 2000, the percentage of Estonian language speakers in the population had risen to 80.4%. Only every third Russian living in Estonia speaks Estonian. The majority of Russians live in Tallinn. Empire-minded Russians do not learn the Estonian language, but wait for the restoration of the Russian Empire. Every third Estonian living in Estonia lives in Tallinn. Therefore, there are nearly 150,000 people living in Tallinn who do not know the Estonian language and do not behave like Estonians. A person walking on the street cannot understand who is walking towards them. In order to observe how Estonians behave, you have to travel from Tallinn to some smaller cities: Tartu, Pärnu, Võru, Põlva, Elva, ..... et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eesti#Rahvastik