Jobshadowing in Estonia

From the warm and sunny late summer Italy I arrived in Tallinn on a chilly evening at the beginning of October. I had actually been craving the cold, although my minimal backpack that I had brought did not quite supply me with the necessary jumpers and warm trousers. In the following two and a half weeks I would go into many of the secondhand shops of Tallinn to supply me with a true Estonian wardrobe. 
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I had come to Estonia for a jobshadowing, following a project I had been a part of in February, when the country was still covered in snow. I had fallen in love directly with the clear air and the space the country supplies, but this October strengthened my love for it. The first snow had not fallen yet and I could see the orange and brown colours belonging to early fall. I had plenty of time to explore the nature and different cities, seeing the culture and tasting the food, which was a big change from the Italian kitchen I had gotten used to. 

The jobshadowing mostly asked me to give workshops in schools, something I had never done before but came to love directly. The workshops handled different themes, from explanations on what living abroad had done for me (a lot, and all positives) to discussions on discrimination, privilege and mental health. The students ages ranged from 9 to 18, giving me many different opportunities to practice my communication and teaching skills. My time in Estonia made me realise how much I love teaching about things that I am passionate about.

I travelled quite a bit through the country, following a training course close to Viljandi, staying in Türi for a few days but spending most of my time in Tallinn, a city that I explored a lot. I met some people who took me to museums and showed me different corners and views.  I also organized an event on the LGBTQIA+ community, a cause very close to my heart. This opportunity brought up interesting conversations with young people and gave me new insights in the international variety affecting this topic. 

Overall I learned a lot: independence, bravery, consistency, confidence. I realised that there is a big difference between teaching people that choose to be taught, and people that have to be taught, and this is something I have found myself thinking back to often. It is something that fascinates me. I am very thankful for this opportunity, and the lessons I learned.