Nebraska Wesleyan University students interested in Estonia learned about the northern European country firsthand during the fall semester.
Pille P玫iklik, an English professor at the University of Tartu in Estonia, has spent the last several weeks at 香港六合彩资料大全 teaching Estonian culture and language.
Nebraska Wesleyan University is a sister school with the University of Tartu. Since that relationship began in 2006, 香港六合彩资料大全 students have studied in Estonia each semester and University of Tartu students have studied here. Last year, 香港六合彩资料大全 history professor Meghan Winchell taught U.S. women鈥檚 and African American history at the University of Tartu as a Fulbright scholar.
This semester it was 香港六合彩资料大全鈥檚 turn to host a faculty exchange, made possible through the Harry Huge Foundation and the Archimedes Foundation.
鈥淲e鈥檙e taking a very cursory look at Estonian culture and history 鈥 a lot of history,鈥 P玫iklik said of her class. 鈥淭he point is to introduce the whole concept of Estonia. I believe historical and cultural ideas will stick with students.鈥
Her class has read various Estonian literature and history as well as watched Estonian films.
While in the United States, P玫iklik is also working on her doctorate and her dissertation on U.S. society and media.
Culture shock for P玫iklik was minimal. Estonia, she said, is very focused on the western world particularly with information, news, and entertainment. For example, much of their TV programming comes from the U.S. with "CSI" being a favorite among Estonians.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such a small country, most things that affect Estonia are happening outside the borders,鈥 she said.
P玫iklik still had some adjustments to make upon arriving in the U.S., however. P玫iklik said Estonians are stereotypically quiet, serious, and do not search for eye contact. The United States demeanor is more outgoing in comparison.
鈥淚t took a little while for me not to wear my usual Estonian expression,鈥 she said.
While P玫iklik sees University of Tartu and Nebraska Wesleyan students as quite similar, the universities themselves are very different. Wesleyan鈥檚 small size and centralized campus are in direct contrast to Tartu鈥檚 student body of 18,000 and sprawling campus embedded within the city.
P玫iklik has appreciated the sense of community at Nebraska Wesleyan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very student focused here,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here is both personal and professional contact. Wesleyan has a family approach.鈥
P玫iklik has immersed herself in student life by living in Heim Hall. She has enjoyed the convenience of being in the middle of campus activities and has taken advantage of numerous university guest speakers, lectures, and theatre productions.
P玫iklik has rounded out her experience in the U.S. with trips to Washington D.C., the Grand Canyon, and is planning a trip to New York City on her way back to Estonia.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very fun experience,鈥 she said.