You're one in a million....

Last night I asked my friend how to say I love you in Estonian. There was a slight pause then she said ... "We don't really do that". But she indulged me and taught me what an Estonian would say we're they to express love. Which reminds me of something I've been thinking about - I've been chatting with my friend peri who is American and has been living in New Zealand for the past year. We're both American, whatever that means, and really quite similar in the grand scheme of things. But I'm lots cuddlier for example (although, side note, I think I might be getting a bit stiffer!!!). So a lot of the conversations I have with European friends about the differences in our home societies connect to how Americans are expressive and emotional. No matter how much I try to say that the US is huge blah blah I can't stand for everyone, it's human nature to see the person you know as somewhat representative. I certainly do it with my Estonian friend and her family and friends. And they're AWESOME which means Estonia is awesome.

Anyway... I've learned how to say some essential Estonian phrases... cannot spell them so I'll settle for phonetics:

I'm becoming Estonian - "Ma Hawkin estlasex"

Cosy head pat - "pie"

Twelve months - "cokstes kood"

Cheers - "dervysex"

The one in a million thing... I realized last night as I was sitting in the Estonian high school presentation, missing the finer nuances of the students' projects due to my less than complete grasp of Estonian, that Estonians kinda ARE one in a million! Then that song was stuck in my head as I watched their films and poems and speeches... Ok there are a bit more than a million Estonians, but still, it was entertaining for me ANC my dorky sense of humor.