In this episode—5,400 miles from home—I sit with my new friend, Anna Avstriyskaya. She’s an anthropologist who is passionate about people, cultures, borders, and migration.
Born in the Soviet Union, Anna was raised on the Estonia/Russian border and lived in Moscow for 13 years. We discuss what it was like growing up in a place caught between worlds—Estonian on paper, Russian in culture—and how that shaped the way she views identity, language, and belonging.
I ask about the Stalin-created famine in Ukraine in 1930s aka Holodomor. You’ll hear stories about life in Moscow, opposition leaders being assassinated, and what most concerns her about the Russia/Ukraine War.
Anna also opens up about how hard (and rewarding) it is to be a single mom. She discusses the lack of support from the father of her 2-year old and how difficult it was to lose her own mother shortly after her baby was born.
From anthropology studies to her dream destination, Anna’s story is one of quiet resilience and determination.
Topics discussed:
- Growing up near the Estonian-Russian border in Narva
- Life in Moscow & reasons for leaving due to political unrest
- Boris Nemtsov’s assassination in Russia
- Cultural stagnation & lingering Soviet mindset in Narva
- Vladimir Putin’s regime
- Lack of national belonging
- Family history near Ukraine & memories of post-war generations
- War stories & generational trauma
- Fears of Russian invasion
- Estonia’s historical occupations & present geopolitical anxieties
- Anna’s educational journey & decision to study anthropology in Tallinn
- Adapting to a new culture & learning English through immersion
- Estonia’s public transport & cost of living
- Recommendations when visiting Finland
- Anna’s motivation for studying anthropology & interest in migration
- Thesis on identity & the power of the individual among immigrants
- Evolving nature of identity in diaspora communities
- What Anna thinks about borders
- Voluntary migration & refugee experiences
- Anna’s experience as a single mother & abandonment by the father
- Legal limitations on enforcing parental responsibilities across borders
- Navigating motherhood without family support
- Being a solo mom & accompanying social stigma in Estonia
- Estonian attitudes toward religion & connection to nature
- Cultural differences among Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania)
- Story about an Iranian immigrant shot in Sweden
- Affordability of Estonian education & government support
- Long-distance relationship & co-parenting challenges
- What Anna thinks of Donald Trump
- Sources of international news & skepticism of Russian media polls
- Attending international daycares
- Making new friends while traveling
Questions asked:
- Why did you move from Russia to Estonia?
- Did something happen specifically that made you feel like you had to leave?
- How long did you live in Moscow before leaving?
- What was it like growing up in Narva?
- What was your upbringing like?
- Do you still have family in Russia or Ukraine?
- How do you feel about living in Estonia now, especially given its history with Russia?
- Why did you choose anthropology?
- What’s your thesis about?
- Do you feel like your identity changes depending on where you are?
- How do you define identity in a place where people are constantly moving?
- What do you think about borders—do they help or hurt identity?
- Have you ever wanted to live in the U.S.?
- What’s been the hardest part about being a single mom?
- Were you able to get any legal support or child support?
- Is it common in Estonia to be a solo mom?
- What’s the general attitude in Estonia toward religion?
- What are some major differences you’ve noticed between Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians?
- What was your experience like living in Sweden?
- Is it true that Sweden took in a lot of immigrants from Iran and the Middle East?
- How affordable is education in Estonia?
- Do you worry about political regimes changing your freedoms?
- What are your thoughts on Trump?
- Where do you get your news from?
- What does your typical day look like now?
- Where would you most like to visit next?
- What got you interested in traveling in the first place?
- What were some of the first books that sparked your curiosity about the world?
- Would you ever go back to Russia or Ukraine to visit?
- Do you think identity is more cultural or more geographic?
- What’s been your favorite place you’ve visited so far?
- What’s your favorite thing about America?
Fun questions:
- If you could go anywhere in the world for a month and live there, where would you go?
- Is there a book that’s most impacted your life or your thinking?
- If you could switch lives with anybody tomorrow, just to see what their life is like, who would it be?
- If I gave you half-a-million euros tomorrow, what would you do with the money?
Listen here:
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