Losing My Passport in Sunny Tallinn
Since I had to take a night bus back to St. Petersburg, I brought all my luggage out with me. When I tried to relax and go to sleep last night, a young couple who looked like German or Dutch college freshmen kept chatting endlessly and attacking me with their armpit sweat smell, so I couldn't sleep properly at all. I stepped outside with a stiff body and an annoyed mind, but regardless of my mood, the weather in Tallinn was incredibly clear and sunny.
I went into a souvenir shop to buy gifts for my mom and my girlfriend. It was a small, quiet shop without any crowds, and some wind chimes modeled after the cute local buildings immediately caught my eye. I've always liked wind chimes that ring softly in the breeze, and they seemed a bit more meaningful because they were hand-crafted by locals. (Of course, being handmade also meant they were a little crude.)
I bought two of them and strolled around leisurely for about 30 minutes. Suddenly, a chill went down my spine, and I felt like I was missing something important. Feeling this kind of anxious energy is almost an animal instinct for me, so I unpacked my bags and quickly checked for my most precious belongings. Oh no!! My passport was gone!!
I'm a very clumsy person by nature, but still, losing my passport? I immediately ran back and searched the guesthouse first. I was burning with anxiety, and no matter how much I tore apart that hostel—which I was already sick of looking at—my passport was nowhere to be found. I didn't look in a mirror, but I could instinctively tell my face had turned completely pale. With that look on my face, I sprinted to the souvenir shop I had visited next. As soon as I walked in, the staff member smiled and teased me, "You lost something, didn't you?" Ah... thank goodness. The relief of realizing I had left it there made my legs give out, and only then was I able to smile a little.
It was shift change time, and the employee told me they had waited a bit because they couldn't describe my appearance to the next person. I thanked them profusely and stepped back out onto the street. To be exact, I practically ran away in embarrassment. In a place with such kind and humorous people, I feel like I've just been walking around blindly. Come to think of it, the things that ruined my mood here were all non-Estonian things. The guesthouse, the people inside it, the restaurants... none of it was caused by Estonian people, but I had simply overgeneralized and projected my own gloomy mood onto this entire city.
I threw all my luggage on the grass and lay down flat on my back. Thinking about it, this isn't a new habit of mine. Even when things aren't directly related, I too often broaden the scope, overgeneralize, and then reject things on my own. When will I be able to judge things and people objectively without getting swept up in my emotions? Letting out a deep sigh while lying on the grass made me feel a bit better, at least.
Expenses
- Brunch 1.39E
- Souvenirs 4E
- Cola 1.10E
Total Expenses €6.49
Total Trip Expenses 525,936 KRW + 47,499 RUB + $312.26 + €92.07