As an American born and raised in the United States, I often take for granted my right to vote and to hold my government representatives accountable. The United States has been independent since 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and we officially split from being a colony of the United Kingdom to become our own country. However many countries in the world, including Estonia, have been occupied and treasure their modern-day sovereignty after years of territorial occupation at some point in their history. In light of this realization, my time in Estonia so far has lent me a great appreciation for American self-determination, or our country's ability to determine our future and culture ever since we became independent. Unlike Estonia, since that time, America has never been occupied.
Most recently, Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union from 1944 until the fall of the U.S.S.R. in 1991. During this time the Estonian language was suppressed (not allowed), Estonian history ceased to be taught, and traditional Estonian song and dance was discouraged. Estonians had no say in the administration of their territory for years, a fact that my friends suggest explains why current population participation in government is so high compared to in other democracies.
