After university in Los Angeles and moving to Arizona as a newlywed to start a business with my husband, I took a 3 week language course in Tallinn in 2008 and have enjoyed discovering my Estonian heritage as I had more free time as an adult.
2. Why were you willing to take on such a big responsibility to organize this festival?
My husband and I recently moved from Arizona to San Francisco and I wanted to reconnect with my Estonian friends that we had when we grew up here. I found out that LEP-ESTO 2013 was the event coming up that everyone was talking about, so I offered to help.
3. Do you have previous experience attending and/or organizing previous LEP And/or ESTO?
My family had been active planning the LEP in 1993, and I felt that I was somehow connected to this event. I personally had not been since then, but my recent reconnection with Estonian life and culture has motivated me to be more active in the Estonian community.
4. What event specifically do you recommend, especially at this ESTO, for people to attend.
I am also the Registrar for the event, so it is fascinating for me to see what events people are choosing to attend. I'm a little biased, as I think we are planning an amazing festival, so I can't wait to go to everything. I think our Opening Ceremony and EXPO is really going to excite and impress everyone.
5. If someone has never been in SF before, what place would they have to visit?
San Francisco is such a diverse city. There is no shortage of wonderful things to do here. When the weather is nice, I love to go to Golden Gate Park, specifically Stow Lake, and walk around with our dog and our baby. If the weather is not so nice, then staying near the Embarcadero and Ferry Building is pleasant, as there are lots of shops to check out, and the weather is usually decent near the Bay Bridge.
