An Expat Talks about Living in Tartu, Estonia

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Tartu

Describe how you "dreamed" expat life would be before you moved overseas. Please provide as much detail as possible.

The dream of working in Estonia is it would provide for me a very good experience which I could later take back home with me to the United States in the hopes of being more competitive in the labor market. I dreamed that things will go rather well, especially since Estonia is currently the most stable country in the EU following the economic crises. I did not expect to come here making an awesome salary, as we know salaries are not very high here. But I did come here for the opportunity to invest in an experience that could jump start my future career prospects either within Estonia or when I return home.

How has your expat experience met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?

All my expectations were met for the most part, as I have been here before. I at least knew what I was getting into ahead of time. I landed a job here and obtain my residency permit for employment. I expected to land a management position and I did. I got in with a company with an interesting product and a potential growth opportunity.

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How has your expat experience NOT met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?

My expectations were well met in the beginning, as I was working for a start-up venture. The biggest difference in my expectations is the culture shock I received as an employee here in Estonia. The culture shock was not a country specific "culture shock," but more like a shock to understanding the business atmosphere here, which is very different than in the United States. I find my days at work very relaxed, without much emphasis on getting any specific job done. It is very strange because I find that a number of businesses here have a very unstructured approach to capitalism.

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