Winter in Estonia - Ski Marathon

It's Winter in Estonia! It means Winter Sports time!
If you already practiced Ice Skating and Skiing, it's time for the ultimate winter challenge - Run a Winter Cross Country Ski Marathon!

38. Tartu Maraton (15.02.09) - 63/31km (Classic Style)
Tartu Ski Marathon, the most important winter marathon of Estonia, hosted in Tartu region every year, from Otepää to Elva. This year, with more than 5000 participants.

XII Tallinn Suusamaraton (22.02.09) - 48/24km (Open Style)
Tallinn Ski Marathon, happens every year in Harju region (near Aegvidu, a small village 55km away from Tallinn), presents a little easier challenge.

So, have you ever run a marathon? Over snow? Add your comments!

Living in Estonia - Renting a Flat

You have decided to come for a bigger stay in Estonia, and don't want to stay in Hotels or Hostels. You want to rent your own flat. So, what do you do?

First, check online the available flats for rent in the biggest real state portals:

and

These portals collect entries from mostly all Real State companies websites, and has nice search interfaces in English, so you can browse the Estonian Real State market.

When you see the price of the rent, remember that at the first month you will have (usually) to pay 3 times its price for the Real State Agency: the Rent in Advance; the Deposit; and the Real State fee; So if you want to rent a flat for 5.000 eek, you will have to pay 15.000 when signing the contract.

Check with attention the Heating System of the flat. There are many options in Estonia, going from Oven heated houses (where you have to buy wood to heat it in winter), Electric Heaters (the most expensive system), Gas Heating, Central Heating... Ask always for the prices of the utilities (water, electricity, heating) in summer and winter!

Be aware that this is a very volatile market, so if you saw a interesting place, you have to call the agency, book it for visitation, and in 24h decide if you are taking it. It might happen (often) that you will be racing against other consumers, and the first one to sign and pay everything gets the deal.

Usually you will find information in English, but here is a little glossary to help, just in case:

Kinnisvara - Real State
Üür - Rent
Müük - Sale
Korter - Flat
Maja - House
Korrus - Floor
Tuba - Room (including living room and bedroom)
Magamistuba - Bedroom
Vannituba - Bathroom
Hind - Rent Price
Tagatisraha - Deposit Money (usually the same as the rent)
kommunaalkulud - Utilities (water, electricity, heating)

Well, if you speak Estonian, you might try to find a flat in the newspapers and rent straight from the owner (avoiding paying the Real State company fees), but its not common to find owners that rent to foreigners. Also another option for the young foreigners is to share a flat. Do you have any good hint for living in Estonia? Post it in the comments!

Traveling to Estonia - By Sea

Estonia has connections with many countries by the Baltic Sea, with very nice and calm boat trips to many cities (sometimes a little rough and bumpy in autumn). You can bring also your car or motorcycle, if you would like to drive around Estonia (many Finnish come with their motor-homes).
Tallinn Port (Tallinna Sadam) is located quite in the city center, with a beautiful view to the Old Town. In their website you can find more information about ferry companies and timetables. Usually, you can book and buy tickets for ferries in their company websites or in travel agencies all around Estonia.

Tallink
Estonian company that operates ferries between Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Germany. Unfortunately, website only in Estonian language, but there you can book the tickets and find discounts and season-offers, which are great (like a day-cruise from Tallinn to Stockholm for 500 eek). But you can always go to their office or call and talk in English.

Viking Line
A Finnish company that has ferries between Tallinn and Helsinki, part of a bigger network that offers 5 Ferry routes to Estonia from Sweden, Finland, Germany and Russia. Website in English and Estonian.

Eckeroline
A smaller Finnish company that has ferries between Tallinn and Helsinki, and cheaper prices (my local friends who travel frequently to Finland usually take this one). Website in English and Estonian.

Working in Estonia - Searching for a job

So, you are a skilled professional and decided to work in Estonia. Where to start?

First, add you curriculum to the main Estonian job seeking websites:

CV Online
A very good database of jobs of Estonia and the Baltics. You can add your CV and search for opportunities in English, as well as Estonian and Russian (for free). Plus, they have a very interesting feature for registered users: Salary Wizard! You select some options to describe your job position, put your current salary, and compare with others in the same categories anonymously, so you can see if you are making less than others in the same field!

CV Keskus
A good job database for Estonia, with plenty information in English. CV Market started in year 2000 as a e-recruitment company in Estonia. Part of CV Market group, offers jobs also in Latvia, Lithuania, Czech, Netherlands, Hungary and Poland.

Some other options (harder, though) are the Labour Market Board, and to search in Estonian newspapers; Eesti Päevaleht group has the Hyppelaud, Eesti Ekspress has the EkspressJob. Be aware, it requires Estonian language.

Eures
Finally, the European Job Mobility Portal offers a high level database in all European languages, and its worth the visit. Maybe you find some good opportunities in Estonia there. As described in the website, "Job vacancies in 31 European countries, CVs from interested candidates, what you need to know about living and working abroad and much more brought to you by the EURES network."

You already know about the average salaries (bruto), but how much will you make? Estonia has a fixed income tax rate (21% in 2008), and you can calculate your neto salary, with all tax discounts in this Palga kalkulaator. Just type your bruto salary and click on 'Arvuta'. They explain in details your salary (in Estonian), how much goes for the government, etc.

Working in Estonia - Minimum Wage

If you are coming to Estonia for work, it's good to know how much you can earn. Estonia has a minimum wage defined by law since 2002. This year the minimum wage for a full-time job (40h/week) is is 4 350 eek (278 euros). You can see the evolution of this value (bruto, in euros) in comparison with other European countries:

	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Estonia	118.0	138.0	159.0	172.0	191.7	230.1	278.0
Latvia	107.0	116.0	121.0	116.0	129.2	172.0	229.4
Lithuania	120.0	125.0	125.0	145.0	159.3	173.8	231.7
Romania	62.0	73.0	69.0	72.0	90.2	114.3	141.4
Bulgaria	51.0	56.0	61.0	77.0	81.8	92.0	112.5
Belgium	1163.0	1163.0	1186.0	1210.0	1234.0	1259.0	1309.6

Statistics Estonia (Eesti Statistika) is a government agency at the area of administration of the Ministry of Finance. To see other European countries minimum wages, check Minimun Wages in Europe page in their web site, or the Eurostat web page.

Traveling to Estonia - By Land

If you don't live so far from Estonia, or you want to appreciate the landscape of a road travel, you can come to Estonia by the freshly renovated European roads. :)
Estonia has land borders with Russia and Latvia, so check your route to avoid crossing borders unnecessarily.

By Bus

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- Eurolines
European bus travel network, connects 500 cities in Europe. Very good service, you can buy tickets in bus stations or by their website. Prices are not always cheaper than train or plane, but offers discounts for seniors, students, children and groups.

- EcoLines
A Latvian bus travel network that connects 145 cities in Europe. With less lines to Estonia, but different time tables, and sometimes cheaper prices.

By Car

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If you like to drive, Estonia is not far away from you! You can take a ferry from Finland, Germany or Sweden (maybe Norway and Denmark also), and then drive your way in the Baltic countries. If you have a motor-home, or just like to drive in your vacations, its a good idea (specially in summer, because in winter, expect to use winter tires and very slow and slippery roads).

Some friends traveled from Spain to Estonia, in 2 winter days (almost) non-stop driving! Crossing France, sleeping in Germany, crossing Poland, trying (unsuccessfully) to get a shortcut from Belarus (remember that so far Europeans need visa to enter there) and all way up the Baltics to Tartu, the city of good thoughts!

So, do you have a good driving route to Estonia? Let me know in the comments!

Traveling to Estonia - By Plane II

So, you want to come to Estonia, but using a more adventurous route?

Why not come from one of the neighbors countries? Now that Estonia is in Schengen, you can travel to Helsinki or Riga (cities with bigger Airports) and then come to Estonia easily.


Finland

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Helsinki is separated only by 80 kilometers of Baltic sea from Tallinn (some say that on bright summer days, one can see Helsinki from Tallinn TV Tower) and the Vantaa Airport has very good connections with many cities in the world. Like in Tallinn, Port of Helsinki is very close to the city center, with great transport service. Finland use Euros, and you can easily communicate in English with anyone. Just remember that Finland has Nordic prices (more expensive than the Baltics).

- FinnAir
The biggest Finnish Airline, with good prices and service. Offers destinations to North America (New York and Toronto), Europe and Asia.


Latvia

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Riga, considered the hub of Baltics, is around 300Km from Tallinn. There you find more airlines (and more low cost airlines). But pay attention to some details:
- Latvia currency is Lats (1 Lat is aproximately 1.5 Euro).
- It's harder to get by with only English in Latvia (speaking Russian helps);
- Riga has a Bus Station right next to the city center, but the Riga Airport is not so close. You have to go by bus or taxi (and it can get expensive);

- Air Baltic
The biggest Latvian Airline, with good prices and service. Connects Riga to more than 50 cities in Africa, Asia and Europe (also many cities in Russia).

- Ryan Air
A Irish low cost Airline that connects Riga with some European cities like London, Milan, Frankfurt and Stockholm. You can find tickets for 1 euro (plus taxes), but be careful with traps, like extra luggage.


So, here you are! With more choices, you can enjoy a different trip, and spending some time at the neighbors capitals you should be able to answer: Estonia looks more like a Baltic country,or a Nordic country?