I happened to return to my birthland about the same time as another Estonian girl mostly residing in the USA - Kerli, a new up-and-coming singer in Hollywood with some nice media buzz about her recent debut album. 

I, however, wasn't greeted so jubilantly. Quite opposite, the one and only person to meet me at the Tallinn Harbor was about to leave since it seemed that there's no one left on the ship. At the same time I was wrestling with two shopping carts that hardly could hold my so-called life baggage while passing through seemingly endless corridors. Old Estonians have a saying: Where's hardship the greatest, there's help the closest. I received helping hand from a port official whom I thought hard of hearing after multiple attempts to get a word out of him. Nevertheless he was a champion of the hour who helped me to get to the arrival area just in right time before my very hopeless greeter would leave. 

Well, once I stepped outside the Estonian skies greeted me with warm tears and the brightest rainbow ever. I felt welcomed by my country indeed. Two weeks later, I have second thoughts about this teary-eyed long-time-no-see greeting. You see, it has been raining ever since. Estonia could be dubbed as the Rain Country and would deserve this name 100%. Only one day, September 1 when kids returned to school it was sunny and clear. I guess even nature conspired the kids to have a good start.

Is it truly bad and depressing here because of rain? No, not at all. If outdoors are so grim, it is the best time to look within yourself and find whatever resources you have to brigthen up your day and life. No wonder Estonians often end their conversations and correspondence with a wish "Päikest!" (Sun!)

As for me, I have got useful lesson in humbleness and appreciation of small things and blessings (incl. 5-minute sunshine) life never fails to deliver. But for everyone else: If you don't like weather in Estonia stop complaining because it never changes!

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