Triin from Estonia : From pro volleyball Europe to new life in Tasmania 177 Nations of Tasmania

Although Estonia is a small country far away on the other side of the world, there has been a long-standing, though small Estonian community since the aftermath of WW2, when many migrants from the Baltics settled in Tasmania.



Triin is a more recent arrival, having settled in Tasmania a bit over 10 years ago after a career in professional volleyball in Europe. In fact, volleyball is the main sport for women in Estonia, and was through this that she met her Tasmanian husband, who was also playing volleyball in Europe.



When they both reach the stage in the careers when retirement was looming, they had to make a decision as to where to live together, and Tasmanian seemed to be the most viable option.

Though in some ways, settling down in Tasmania was a relatively smooth process for Triin - she got work quickly and the language was never a problem, but there were some cultural differences that were a challenge to adapt to, not least the very different style of communication and social relations compared with the norm in Estonia.

Triin continues to play volleyball in Tasmania and help develop local players with the skills and knowledge that she brings from Europe.

We also discuss the Estonia love of foraging and choral singing, a strong feature of other Baltic cultures also.