Russell Bruce: This is Aleksander

He is working during the summer holidays as a guide at Katariina Kirik a 13^th century Dominican church and monastery in Tallinn’s Old Town.

Aleksander represents the spirit of  forward-looking youth in this new country of long tradition and cultural authenticity that has thrived since it emerged from the dark days of Stalin and post Stalin Soviet oppression.

So it has been just 24 hours since we touched down in Estonia’s capital on our direct flight from Edinburgh, but somehow Aleksander embodies everything we have seen in those few hours  – outgoing, forward looking and quietly ambitious.

Born in 1994 he has grown up during a period of rapid change. Aleksander’s world is entirely post Soviet, for this small northern European country is this year celebrating 20 years of independence.

With the whole of June, July and August off from high school, Aleksander believes in making good use of the summer months. But don’t think his education is less than ours in Scotland. In term time he starts at 8.00am.and does not finish till 4.00 or 5.00pm. Some days it is 6.00pm.

The Estonians we have met, whether 17 like Aleksander, or 70 like the man that shared our walk this morning to Freedom Square, exude that same spirit of pride and confidence that Independence has given them.

This is a very cosmopolitan city and – yes – Tallinn is full of visitors, Russian voices, American voices. Swedes, Finns, Germans Spaniards and Italians to list but a few others.

At lunchtime we met Mark from Alpine Switzerland who has been coming to Estonia since 1998 and has seen the changes. Independence brought in others who saw opportunity. In the vanguard were the Scots, Mark told us.

We think that was partly to do with a football game that left a lasting love affair between Scotland with Estonia. Some Scots decided to stay.

In reality, these new connections were but the re-establishment of links between Scotland and the Baltic States in the days before Scots foreign policy moved south with Jamie the Saxt.

Gets around does Mark. He will be in Scotland next month for his third trip this year. This time with plans to open a Fondue restaurant in Inverness.

But back to Aleksander. This young man, looking forward to University in Tallinn, impressed us with his knowledge of the world and it languages. He speaks Estonian, Finnish, German, Spanish, French and Russian.

There are special arrangements for Estonians going to university, he told us, so that they are not squeezed out by other nationalities or have to pay the cost they do. Hmmm must look into that!

But it is the quiet confidence above all. If you’ve been following the news about Greeks bearing Gilts, Ireland’s budget woes and the cost of borrowing for Portugal, Spain and Italy getting ratcheted up again this week, there is something you won’t have heard.

This small Northern European country with a population of 1.4million, member of the EU, NATO and now one of the Euro countries, runs a budget surplus.

Aleksander knows why. They got hit like everybody else when the banks came a tumbling. But they had put aside from the good years and have pulled things around. Even offered their southern neighbours ,Latvia, a loan to get their problems sorted out.

I’ve been looking at Estonian economic statistics but will leave that for another time. The Baltic sun is shining and I have no wish to make For Argyll readers sick with envy as to how much better things could be at home.

But we are too small, aren’t we? Aye right! Try pulling this one!

While we are here we will celebrate Estonian independence and all the things on in this special year in Tallinn, European City of Culture 2011.

 Russell Bruce

The photographs accompanying this article are by copyright holder, Russell Bruce and show:

• Aleksander
• Café Amore
• Old Town
• Thistle Grave Slab
• Fashion Corner shop