Are you interested in respecting local people’s cultural differences and avoiding conflicts, but you keep making mistakes in interacting with Estonians? This is a common issue whenever you travel to another country, so it is beneficial for you to know what to expect when you will arrive in Estonia. This post contains 6 things that annoy Estonians from my point of view.
1.Personal space
Often a lot of jokes about the topic of personal space regarding Estonians are made. However, it is obvious that personal space is vital for them. It does not always mean that they do not like you, they just express their feelings in other ways. They need to get to know a person better before letting him/her into their lives. So, no hugs or cheek kisses at first meetings.
2.Small talk
There are lots of people who love to start pointless conversations about how a person’s life is going on without even being interested in it. Moreover, there are many people who even see small talk as a requirement. However, if you do not know the person that well, it can seem like an irritation. Estonians prefer conversation to be direct and to the point. Generally, if there isn’t a good reason to engage in conversation, most Estonians would simply prefer not to.
3.Volume of your voice
Estonians appreciate peace and calmness. Of course, it does not mean you have to be super quiet and invisible, just behave ethically and respectfully. It is different compared to my hometown, where people laugh and loudly talk all day long. We love being emotional and that is how we let people know that we adore them! Estonians instead prefer a calm, quiet and patient demeanor.
4.Smiling
Have you ever been so happy that you were just smiling at people on the street? Well, bad news my friend, for Estonians it is not commonplace. People do not expect you to smile at them and they do not even realize it when you do it. So, there is no one to blame. However, some might seem a bit more irritated by that and put their “dying from cringe” faces on.
5.Conflicts
Estonians do not like arguments. It does not matter if it is a toxic atmosphere or open conflicts. They always try to solve problems in communication without any stressful situations. As I mentioned before they appreciate peace and calmness and if something does not suit them, they try to solve it in the most unproblematic way. It refers to everything: work, friends, and relationships with people.
6.Punctuality
Estonians do not like it when someone is late without any reason. It does not matter if it is a very important meeting at work or a family dinner. If they invited you by 18.00, they would expect you at this exact time. In Kazakhstan, it is not that strict. People are late even to important events such as weddings, not because we are lazy or unorganized, it is just ingrained in our culture. Nonetheless, it is important here to be on time.
Those were top 6 things that are unpleasant or annoying for Estonians. Of course, this is only my opinion, and it does not apply to everyone because every individual has her/his own view of living. I hope you will use these tips only for good reasons! 🙂
