Interview Time with Michela Quercetti
Meet Michela Quercetti, an Erasmus+ Intern at the University of Tartu, working with the EMPSOLID project. With a background in East European and Eurasian Studies, Michela is exploring displaced archives, contemporary Russian affairs, and the role of civil society in the Eurasian space.
Michela has shared her experience regarding EMPSOLID and her stay in Tartu, in the interview below.
Please share a little more about yourself, your background, and what are you up to at Skytte Institute.
My name is Michela and I come from Italy! I arrived to the Skytte Institute a month ago and I will stay until the end of July. Last March I graduated from my Master´s programme “East European and Eurasian Studies”, hosted by the University of Bologna. I have both literature and political science background, since I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages and Literature with a focus on German and Russian. At Skytte I am mostly helping researchers with their projects, mainly with the process of data collection, and I am improving my writing skills. I am also perfectioning my skills with literature updating, focusing on contemporary Russian domestic and foreign affairs.
Please share a bit about your connection to the EMPSOLID project.
The project is just amazing and super original! I feel lucky to be involved in such a high-level research initiative, and I feel that I can learn a lot. I am not an historian, but since I am interested in diasporas and civil society, I matched the project which engages in researching private charity organizations across late Romanov empire. I go once a week in the archives to collect data, and I am so enchanted by the opportunity of working with more-than-a-century-old documents. Aside, I scan digitized Russian-language newspapers for looking for relevant information for the project, like donations and charity initiatives. Moreover, the National Archives of Estonia is a good place to stay and to focus, and I sometimes have fun doing the interactive activities. I thank Catherine and Skytte for putting trust in me and for involving me in such an enriching research opportunity!
How would you describe your experience in Tartu so far? What do you like most about the city?
Tartu seems to be a very comfortable city to live in. I live near Old Town and I reach every place by foot or by cycling. Tartu combines nature and nightlife in a very cozy way. Although being a small city, it is possible to find weekend events to visit, and I like the care that is being put into this. I have grown up in a small town in Italy, so I am already used to more quiet cities like Tartu. However, as long as I feel warmly welcomed by Skytte people – social integration as a foreigner can be a challenging experience in smaller cities. I am also feeling a bit challenged by the Estonian weather too. I do really love springtime sun, and I think I have to wait just a little longer here to experience what I am sure will be a wonderful spring!
Do you have any favourite places in Tartu? What would you say is a must visit?
My absolute favourite parts of the city are the colorful buildings in Karlova and Supilinn, which are absolutely a must visit! I take regular walks in those neighborhoods. Another special lieu is of course the Emajõgi river. It’s regenerating to walk in sunshine along the river until you feel that your legs are tired, and suddenly end up getting catapulted into green, natural, and silent surroundings.
