If you wish to become an e-resident of Estonia and plan to travel here, we would like to share with you some tips that will help you to win our hearts right away and start doing business in Estonia!
Let’s get acquainted with Estonia’s etiquette and culture!
1.Learn at least one phrase or word in Estonian
If you walk into a business meeting or a social gathering, if you can say as little as ’Tere!’ in Estonian, believe me – every jaw in the room will drop. Our language means a lot to us and it is one of the most difficult languages to learn. So, if you can speak even a little, the welcome and the relationship will become a heck-of-a-lot warmer and you are immediately one step closer to doing business in Estonia.
2.Be polite!
Estonians by nature are calm and held back, at least in the beginning. Hardly ever you’ll see loud Estonians cursing or seeking attention in public. We have a respectful manner, especially to our elders and expect the same from people who visit our country. Do not chew loudly at the dining table and always use a fork and knife.
3.Personal space is important to us
Estonians are somewhat reserved and we can get overwhelmed if a stranger invades our personal space or is really insistent and intense. Unless you know someone really well and you are all familiar with their quirks etc, hold yourself back a little, watch and learn, and see what is acceptable in some group or another.
4.Don’t be late. Ever.
Estonian’s live by the words ’time is money’. Being late is considered rude and if you do not put the fire out quick enough, the relationship could be ruined before it even starts. We are all human, if being late is unavoidable, have the courtesy to inform us as soon as possible via phone call or email.
5.Straight to the point
As was mentioned in the former point, Estonians do not like to waste their time. We are not into a lot of small-talk, especially in the beginning of a social or professional relationship, and we . Estonians enjoy building life-long
6.Eye contact
Due to our past we tend to be rather proud and if somebody talks down to us or underrestimates us, we don’t take it slightly.
7. Trust is the key!
We place a lot of value on trust. We are happy to network with more Estonian businesses on your behalf and arrange introductions once we feel comfortable doing so.
8.Welcome to Wi-Fi-wonderland
Nowadays, Internet access is not just a necessity, its the way of life. Most of our life is managed by our technology and us in Estonia sure know how important getting online is. Most of the public places such as pubs, cafes, malls, restaurants etc have free WiFi. With 4G and 5G data you can facetime or make social media posts in the middle of a swamp or forest across the whole country. Freelancers love doing business in Estonia!
9.The currency in Estonia is EURO
Formerly the currency was Estonian kroon (EEK), 1 EEK was equivalent to 0.06 euro cents. In January 2011, the currency was changed into euro.
10.Tipping 10% in restaurants is given
If you are happy with your meal and service, it is given to tip your waitress. Not doing so is considered as if you were not entirely satisfied with your experience. If you do not have cash, it is worth asking if you could leave a tip with your card.
11.Don’t be cheap
We are not the people to bargain or have somebody bargaining with us. Prices that are normally marked in shops and/or websites are usually not negotiable. A lot of businesses offer loyalty cards for discounts and have sales every now and then.
12.Brutally honest
Estonians have thick skin and we like to speak our mind. We tend to not mess about and if we say something, better believe its true and if we say we do something, consider it done. So when you come across an Estonian, be ready for some brutal honesty.
13.No shoes in the house
If you are invited to a home of Estonian, be prepared to take of your shoes in the front room or corridor. Wearing shoes inside is considered filthy and disrespectul towards the home owner and their property.
14.As safe as it gets
In spite of the fact that petty crime does occur in Estonia, violent crime against tourists is unusual, so use common sense and take general precautions like you would anywhere else: Be aware of the people and places around you.
15.Get ready for the feast
Estonia does not have one main cuisine. We do love our fish, potatoes and dairy products, and rye bread is on every table. But in the past few decades Estonia has catched up with trendy foods and now have a variety of different cuisines to offer to locals and international tourists. Chinese, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Italian, etc. – pick whatever you desire and you will not be disappointed.
16.Don’t judge a book by its cover
Estonians are believed to be reserved or even arrogant at times, but once you put in effort to get to know them, you will have a friend for life! As they say - ’’Still waters run deep’’.
17. Drink away!
Tap water in Estonia is drinkable. The quality of water varies and comes down to the location, but usually Estonians prefer tap water to bottled water.
