I am writing this letter as an open request to the Estonian community, on behalf of those who are not fluent Estonian speakers.

I recently attended a large Estonian event, and had what has become a typical experience. A lovely woman struck up a conversation with me in Estonian, and I responded in English. The woman spoke eloquently enough in English to ask me for a detailed explanation of why I don't speak Estonian.

I would have liked to tell her that it was, in fact, irrelevant and none of her business. However, out of politeness I summarized that I didn't grow up in an Estonian-speaking household. This led to more questions. Why, why, why. Simply put, my family felt that my siblings and I were growing up in an English-speaking country, and should have the strongest grasp on our home nation's language as possible. They had experienced the challenges of being students learning English as a second language, and didn't wish the same experience on us.

Should that even matter?

I take issue with the woman's attitude, which is unfortunately shared by others--not only do some feel that fluency is what defines a true Estonian, but that it is their right to preach their case. The woman suggested that I take classes. I already have. "Ah." she said, "Then what you really need is to spend a year in Eesti, where you can be completely immersed." Is that all? All I need to do is put my life on hold, relocate for a year and deplete my savings to learn a language?

I attended several viewings at this year's EstDocs Film Festival in Toronto. The English subtitles allowed me and many other non-Estonian speakers to fully enjoy the event. I applaud the organizers for recognizing that promoting our culture means opening the doors to a wider audience. Similarly, Estonian publications like Eesti Elu have recognized the need to be inclusive of English speakers. There has been a happy upswing in overall involvement from Estonian youth in recent years, and much of this is due to the inclusion of English.

I was one of the many participants at the general meeting of the Eesti Maja recently, in which the community shared opinions for its future. Unfortunately, some conversations digressed into debates about who has a rightful place in the decision-making process. There were those who felt that non-Estonian speakers have no right to be included. This kind of thinking is the surest way to speed up the decline of the community.

Like many others, I hold an Estonian passport, spent my summers at an Estonian summer camp, and am now a member of one of the Estonian fraternities/sororities. I attend Estonian events and contribute regularly to the Estonian Foundation of Canada. Some of the most involved and patriotic folk dancers, singers and artisans aren't fluent in the language. We are marrying non-Estonians and sharing our culture with them.

My point is, fight the battles that matter. Instead of patronizing or excluding non-Estonian speakers, encourage them to keep being a part of the community. The language may come, but their enthusiasm for the overall culture is more important. It is easy to turn people off and turn them away, however they just won't keep coming back.

With best wishes for an inclusive community,
-An Estonian Canadian.

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