Exciting Estonia
After my bachelor’s degree in Political Science I decided to pursue my master's in abroad. Following my graduation in July 2015, I walked into the Ministry of Education in Nairobi, Kenya and sought advice on the most appropriate university and country to apply.
[caption id="attachment_27283" align="alignleft" width="300"] Samuel happily in Tallinn.[/caption]
They mentioned the traditional Western countries most Kenyans go to but also told me that the Baltic region is emerging in terms of education and has very good International Relations programmes. Thus I decided to apply for studies at Tallinn University, Estonia early this year.
I was required to send my bachelor’s transcripts by post to the university as well as write a personal statement detailing my short and long term career plans. Finally I did a Skype interview with the coordinator of the International Relations programme at TU. We discussed my personal statement and I got to know more about the programme. A week later I received my acceptance email.
The only in the whole of the African continent is located in Cairo, Egypt. I managed to convince my parents to support me financially and in May this year I made the voyage to Cairo. I attended the visa interview and in a week it was ready. I also took that opportunity to visit stunning Egypt and see the pyramids, river Nile and Mediterranean Sea in Alexandria. At last on 25 August 2016 I traveled to Estonia and in September studies commenced. It is now slightly over a month and things are going pretty well.
Estonia is a small country in the Baltic region. A huge percentage of its land area is covered by trees. The capital city Tallinn is neat and orderly. Owing to its distance from the equator, Estonia experiences the four seasons. Tuition fee and accommodation is fairly affordable in comparison with other European countries. Scholarships and grants are also available to needy and bright students.
My classmates come from all over the world: Finland, Pakistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Nigeria Kazakhstan, United States and Germany. The lecturers are super friendly and resourceful. The curriculum is made to enhance the understanding of both, current and former international relations' phenomena. The miniature size of the class ensures there is great professor-student interaction. Presentations in class help to sharpen our public speaking skills and have more confidence. I have made several international friends and also attended many events. Life is never dull in Estonia. Tallinn University organizes events, trips and seminars for international relations students. These events complement what we learn in class and also give us a good platform to network with people already working in this field.
I highly recommend Tallinn University and Estonia to any young person aspiring to advance their career through quality education. Application period starts every year in January. However, it is crucial to ensure one is qualified before commencing the process as only qualified applicants are selected. We are fortunate enough to live in a globalized world where movement of people and goods is easy. Therefore it is prudent we take advantage of that prospect and expand our horizons beyond our regions, countries and continents.
Text by Samuel Ng'ang'ira ( MA student).
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