The future of Estonia is safe after all. This from Eesti Päevaleht columnist Grete Helena Kütt:
I am concerned by Estonia's relations with our vast neighbour, Russia, whom we have had a difficult relationship with throughout history. Not only do we share a border with them, but many Russians live in Estonia, which is why I feel it makes more sense to extend the hand of friendship to them. Even if there are people who consider Russia our enemy, remember what Oscar Wilde said: “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
Grete Helena Kütt is in the 4th grade at the Rocca al Mare School in Tallinn. I mean, I knew it was posh, but 11-year-olds quoting Wilde in essays on foreign policy??
http://www.blogger.com/www.epl.ee/arvamus/391580
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5 comments:
It would be interesting to see what her parents think of her essay. Estonian parents, in my experience, tend to be shocked when their kids are friends with Russians. Then again, this little girl may not be friends with any Russians, in which case her parents would have no problem with her essay at all.
I mean her Oscar Wilde quote isn't exactly "positive."
I taught an afterschool English class with 4 Estonian 11-year-olds and two Russian-Estonians. They all got along fine in class, but the moment that class was over -- the Russians went one way and the Estonians the other. ANd there were occasional anti-Russian comments made. One student laughed whenever he heard the Russians speaking Russian. He'd exclaim, "What a funny language!" I urged him to take a more objective look at his own, if he thinks Russian is so funny . . .
I like this *remember what Wilde said* bit - at the age of 11 she can already refer to Wilde as somehing she learnt long ago
Maybe they read The Importance Of Being Earnest at Rocca al Mare Kindergarten instead of Goldilocks?
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