According to Barborak, in the case of Väliseestlased, people of Estonian origin or heritage living abroad, love for the language begins in the home, and the desire to learn Estonian and its culture remains very strong.

Speaking to Vikerraadio, she said: "When the parents have a love for the Estonian language, have contacts in Estonia, and there is a supportive community, then learning the language is also easier."

"Estonia seems like a small, nice, safe country to most families living abroad, and many parents send their children to Estonia for the summer, so that their language skills can improve. So if you hear a child speaking with an accent, don't immediately switch to English — help them speak in Estonian," she advised.

Barborak organizes all this from the U.S., where she has lived for 20 years now.
"I wanted to explore the world, and after graduating from the University of Tartu, I found myself in the U.S. I went to graduate school there, and although I had no plans to stay in America, life simply led me there," Barborak went on.

She felt the desire to be with and in contact with Estonians in North America, and so contacted the head of the Estonian School in New York, saying she wanted to help in any way she could. The principal "replied: Well then come work at the Estonian School," Barborak recalled.

The desire to learn is not only found in the U.S. but worldwide.

In addition, there is the online Üleilmakool, which has seen 350 students from 35 countries study over the last academic year.

Üleilmakool has been operating for over a decade now. "The school operates with the support of the Estonian state. The number of students is growing. The need for such a school is especially among beginners and learners studying Estonian as a foreign language," she explained.

Many students and teachers come to Estonia in summer, congregating at the Üleilmakool day camp in Tartu.

This summer, teachers from Estonian schools abroad gathered in Põltsamaa. "Over 60 teachers from 15 countries were present," Barborak added. "Our network has 350 teachers, and Estonian can currently be studied in 82 learning centers worldwide."

"What usually stands out at these events is the teachers' incredibly strong energy and specifically the will to teach Estonian, as the Estonian language and culture are very close to their hearts. Chapeau to them, because most of them do this work voluntarily; being Estonian is both a hobby and a way of life for them," Barborak noted. "The Estonian state supports us, we are not alone."

"Especially in larger community centers. Initiative is still the most important thing," she concluded.

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