Who is this Latvian?

From a distance, we all look the same..in fact, we are not

Latvia has spent its entire life between Germany and Russia

Moreover - in different times Sweden and Poland have reigned in Latvia too

For a part of Latvians the occupation museum is a memory, not an exhibition

Yet, during 20 years of our freedom, we haven’t agreed which way to go

Our social integration has failed

There is enormous difference in national composition among different regions

..and there is a large part of society, who like to look back

In the same time Latvia has its own ideas of which way the EU should go

UndoubtlyPSRS has left a number of implications in Latvian society..

I. KGB have thought us to be very curious about other people

II. Latvians love to give flowers

III. We are very practical, thus we like to build interesting things

IV. PSRS has thought us to play hockey...and it has become a part our national identity

V. During occupation we have established a number of our largest companies

And yet, we have always managed to preserve our identity

Doing it “the Baltic way” in 1989 - two million people, 4 million hands

Raising money to build freedom monument in 1935

Latvians have a special way to celebrate winter solstice

...and summer solstice

We are used to live in messuages

And we have a keen sense of personal space and we don't like when someone crosses the line

Yet we love to gather in song festival, where are almost as many singers as spectators

Latvians believe you have to look deeper to understand some aspects of life

We are tended to make the same mistakes over and over again

We are still struggling to understand capitalism

Latvians think they are good drivers

Latvians have a special relationships with mushrooms

It is said that Latvian women are the most beautiful in world

But most importantly - we think we can do anything

And we can!

Thanks to Māris Bišofs for the excellent visualizations.