Daniel Lorell (USA)

PROGRAMME: Master's in Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English, Russian, Hebrew

Why did you choose to study this programme?

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At heart, I have always been most passionate about human expression of culture and historical narratives. Every person has a story to tell, a culture to express, and a way of doing it. Wanting to examine all of these phenomena through an academic lens, I set my sights on the Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies programme here in Tartu. In the programme, students are given remarkably wide latitude to conduct research and fieldwork in the areas in which their interests lie, supported by qualified (and friendly!) experts. MA students are afforded the opportunity to learn from theorists who represent a wide spectrum of thought and opinion regarding the current field of heritage research. For example, who decides what qualifies as officially designated “heritage”, and what methods are used to make this determination? How can international frameworks support the preservation and appreciation of this heritage? These problems have tremendous political implications, which coincide with another dimension of my academic and professional interests. Importantly, the University of Tartu has the distinction of hosting the UNESCO Chair for Intangible Cultural Heritage. This represents a direct connection between the university and the foremost example of global cooperation towards the safeguarding of fragile and often underappreciated cultural phenomena. Studying here has begun to provide me with rich experiences and perspectives that would have been unattainable had I never left my home country.

Why Estonia?

There is one question I am sure to receive when talking to any individual in Tartu for the first time: “Why are you here?” To those people, I usually share my habitual answer: “Why shouldn’t I be?” Tartu may be a small city in a small country, but it has a tremendous amount to offer to any curious individual looking to learn more about this planet. Situated on the Baltic Sea, nestled between several strong military and political powers, Estonia has seen the rise and fall of numerous dynasties and empires. Here, one can truly feel the spirit of a nation that is quite actively individuating itself from its past.

Beyond the cultural and political, the Estonian countryside can proudly boast of vast forests, islands, lakes, and rivers. On a clear night, one can sometimes look out the window to see faint streaks of aurora borealis. Thanks to the excellently run RMK (Estonian State Forest Management Centre), locals and visitors alike can take advantage of the robust outdoors infrastructure that is commonplace here.

Regarding language, it is difficult to find an Estonian who is not extremely proficient in English. However, for those who are interested in making a deeper connection with locals, learning Estonian presents one with a great opportunity to expand one’s way of thinking. Estonian is what’s known as a “Finno-Ugric” language situated within the Uralic language family. The closest widely spoken languages to Estonian are Finnish and Hungarian. This is quite different from anything I’ve ever learned! Learning this new language is a very welcome challenge.

Lastly, I’d like to personally refute the rumors that Estonians don’t talk to anybody. Many Estonians will tell you that they are a cold, closed-off people. My own experiences couldn’t be further from the truth! Just below the surface, most people I meet are very willing and eager to meet new people; you just have to put in a little more effort!