Taking a Peek Inside the Kitchen

We spent a fun afternoon with Tarmo Randes, the U.S. Ambassador’s Chef. He spoke to us about the 4th of July reception preparations Wednesday afternoon. It takes a lot of work to prepare for this event. Chef Randes said that it took his team of six chefs three months to plan the event and about three days (16hrs per day) to prepare the meals.

The menu will include burgers (best in town!), hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches and, potato salad, as well as sandwiches, chips and pizza, provided by local sponsors.

The cooking team used about 120 kg of beef, 80kg pulled pork, 100kg potatoes and 60 kg of mayonnaise, which should feed about 1,000 guests.

We were fascinated by what life in the kitchen looks like when preparing for such a big event. The staff was working happily without any stress, which, we thought, is rare for a big scale event like this.

Also, Tarmo showed us a simple way to make a very tasty burger and cheered our afternoon with his enthusiastic spirit!

Best of luck to Chef Tarmo and his team with this event! We have many things to look forward to this evening: the reception, the company of great people and food, and the USA vs Germany World Cup game. For both instances, we say: GO TEAM USA!!!

Post & Video by Aylin Erdogan & Dmitri Lipovski

World Refugee Day

There are over 51 million refugees and internally displaced people around the world, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and they need your help. The UNHCR and other NGOs provide lifesaving assistance and protection to 34 million refugees. But even with that aid, one fact remains important:

• 1 refugee family without sehlter is too many

The number of asylum seekers in Estonia has been quite low compared to other EU countries. That might be the reason why studies show that the general public is not aware of this issue and that the subject has not been a priority. However, Estonia has worked on issues related to refugees.
Activities of the Estonian Refugee Council can be divided into three broad categories:

• assistance with cultural, social and labor market integration of refugees;
• raising public awareness on refugee issues in Estonia;
• Advocacy work and representation of refugee interest.

Don’t be indifferent. There are many ways you can get involved and spread the word about refugees on World Refugee Day (June 20) and beyond. Choose the ones that are right for you!

Post by Dmitri Lipovski

The U.S. Flag: Oh, Say Do You Know?

(Photo: By JeromeG111)

On Monday, 16 June, the American Space at Tallinn Technical University opens an exhibition about the American Flag.

How much do you know about the America’s “Stars and Stripes”?  Take our quiz, leave your answers here (in the comments section) and the winner gets a prize. (It's a book, but the title is a suprise.)

1) The white in the Estonian flag represents snow or freedom. What does the white in the American flag represent? 

2) How many stars did the “Betsy Ross” flag have?

3) The U.S. flag served as an inspiration for Francis Scott Key. What did he write?  

4) Which state was the last one to join? What year did it happen?

5) How many stars are on the current flag and what do they represent?

Bonus: Do you know what the stripes on the flag represent? 

If these questions stumped you, stop by the exhibit to learn more about the history and meaning of the U.S. flag.

Post by Dmitri Lipovski

Freedom and Song in Pictures: Take 2

This year’s Embassy photo contest is in honor of U.S. Independence Day and Estonia’s Song Festival. We’re asking people what music, America and Estonia mean to them. It’s a question we posed to one of our summer interns Aylin Erdogan. 

Freedom + Music = The Boss

When I think about freedom, music, America and Estonia; the initial word that flashes is “people”. And the initial thought is imagining Bruce Springsteen playing his guitar with an American flag in the background, but on the stage of Song Festival and not the Jersey Shore.

The dictionary defines music as “the art of ordering sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity.” We can change a couple of words in this definition and use it to describe what freedom means for people, regardless of their nationality. Unity and continuity in a group has always been the path towards freedom. People need to be united whether to sing in a chorus, speaking out against injustice or chanting at a march— to have their voices heard or to gain their freedom. Estonians initiated their freedom movement by assembling choirs, sang until their voices were strong enough to be heard and initiated a unique freedom movement.

As for why Bruce Springsteen, I see him as one of the singers whose songs represent American values. He understands America’s struggle and successes with freedom, feels it in his heart and relays these feelings through his music. The Rising (9/11), Born in the USA (Vietnam War), Streets of Philadelphia (AIDS epidemic) were reflections of American resilience. Americans come from different backgrounds, look differently, speak various languages but represent one united feeling towards freedom.

No matter who you are in America, you are passionate about your freedom. And Bruce Springsteen reflects these values for people across the globe.

To celebrate the 4th of July and Song Festival the U.S Embassy in Tallinn, has launched an online photo contest. Let us know what comes to mind when you hear the words freedom, song and Estonia. Photograph that image (we want to see how creative you are) and enter the contest.

Post by Aylin Erdogan

Freedom and Song in Pictures

This year’s Embassy photo contest is in honor of U.S. Independence Day and Estonia’s Song Festival. We’re asking people what music, America and Estonia mean to them. It’s a question we posed to one of our summer interns Dmitri Lipovski.

“The Song Festival”

What does freedom and song bring to mind? Song festival.

What I picture when I think of the song festival are smiles. For Estonians the “Song Festival” holds a deep symbolic meaning: the culmination of the national awakening of Estonians, which started back in 1860.

It can be seen in their happy and proud faces when they go to the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds in their traditional clothing, waving flags. 

 

(Photo: AP Photo/Timur Nisametdinov, NIPA)

This happiness and joy transmits to other people very fast, so it is only a matter of time before you start smiling as happily as Estonians do. Honestly, it is a rare thing when you see people attending a celebration with so much happiness. For some people it’s more than a simple celebration with songs and dances, which takes place by tradition every five years. But for many Estonians it is much more than that. It is actually a moment that’s hard to describe, it has to be felt and experienced, like a smile.

What do you picture when you think of freedom and song in Estonia? Snap a photo and enter our photo competition. The deadline is 23:59 on June 24, 2014.

Post by Dmitri Lipovski