Olga Loitsenko, the latest guest on EstoCast, is on a mission. Well, a number of them actually, if you count hunting for coffee and employment, but above all she’s working to climb her way up as a comedian here in Canada. And the stakes are high, as this snippet of the new episode indicates.

In advance of her performances at VEMU Estonian Museum Canada on Saturday May 23rd (part of Doors Open Toronto), listen to the show to hear about:

😁 How her study of linguistics opened her up to many more potential misunderstandings

😁 Her observations of Australians versus Canadians

😁 Her reluctance to cross-country ski

😁 and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode include:

-Olga’s profile on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olgaloitsenko/

-Olga profile on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@olgafromestonia

-A bit about her show “Olgavision”: https://www.aussievision.net/post/olga-loitsenko-combines-therapy-and-eurovision-for-her-new-comedy-show-olgavision

-The “Võõrkehad” podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/54SvkIVgGFvINyhAFEVaHM

-VEMU Estonian Museum Canada’s programming for Doors Open Toronto 2026: https://www.vemu.ca/event/visit-vemu-with-doors-open-toronto-free-live-comedy-featuring-olga-loitsenko-and-alex-kotsyk/

-Olga performing in Australia for “Tell Us Another One”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6bjoXqW0WA

-Olga at Melbourne Comedy Festival: https://eesti.org.au/2024/03/04/estonian-comedians-at-the-melbourne-comedy-festival-apr-2024/

-The town of Rakvere, where Olga is from: https://goodtravel.guide/rakvere/

-Cafe Belém: https://www.instagram.com/cafebelem.to/

-Arvo Coffee: https://arvocoffee.com/

Socials:

➡️ @estonianmusicweek
https://www.facebook.com/EstonianMusicWeek

➡️ https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

➡️ @eestielu.ca
https://www.facebook.com/eestielu.ca/events

➡️ @vemu.emc
https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

Kaarel Piirimäe on ajaloolane ja mõtleja, kes avab oma käsitlustes Eesti ja Euroopa mineviku keerukaid kihistusi ning nende mõju tänapäevale. Praegu viibib Kaarel Torontos, töötades uue raamatu kallal ning külastades ka kohalikke eesti kogukonna üritusi, kust mitmed teda ehk juba tunnevad. Värskes saates kuuleme tema retkedest maailma arhiividesse ja ajaloolase rollist ühiskonnas.

Tänases episoodis kuulete:

🔎 kuidas jõudis Kaarel Eesti lähiajaloo uurimiseni

📙 kas ja kuidas on töö erinevates maailma arhiivides mõjutanud tema arusaama Eesti ajaloost

🌎 milline on olnud väliseestlaste roll Eesti lähiajaloos

📝 millised teemad Eesti lähiajaloos vajavad uurimist

📖 kuidas paigutub Eesti lähiajalugu laiemasse Euroopa ja maailma ajaloo konteksti

Saates mainiti:

- Kaarel Piirimäe, Yale: https://macmillan.yale.edu/europe/baltic/person/kaarel-piirimae-0

- Briti Riiklik Arhiiv: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

- BATUN (Baltic Appeal to the United Nations): https://www.vdu.lt/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/BATUN-poster.pdf

- Kaarel Piirimäe, “Ameerika sajand: USA ja Eesti suhete sada aastat.”: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/in00000086614

Socials:

➡️ @estonianmusicweek
https://www.facebook.com/EstonianMusicWeek

➡️ https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

➡️ @eestielu.ca
https://www.facebook.com/eestielu.ca/events

➡️ @vemu.emc
https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

Montréal-based artist and Antarctic enthusiast Valmar Kurol believes that artists and tourists play a major role in the protection of Antarctica, as discussed in the latest EstoCast episode.

Which is partly why the continent has been the focus of his music (in addition to research and painting). It’s a region with an Estonian connection, a great deal of wildlife, as well as an urgent need for environmental stewardship from the whole world.

In this episode of EstoCast, hear about:

🇦🇶 the vital role of the Antarctic Treaty and the modern challenges facing the Southern Ocean

🐧 how Valmar and his musical collaborator and friend Michael Stibor depict penguins’ movements and sounds—among other exciting and colourful facets of the continent—in unexpected stylistic ways

🚢 the legacy of Estonian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and the 200th anniversary of his expedition

🧊and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

-A listing of Valmar’s artistic works: https://www.antarcticart.net/

-The Antarctic Circle website Valmar built, an immense resource for Antarctic literature and film: http://www.antarctic-circle.org/valmar.htm

-A review of one of his album’s: https://eestielu.ca/a-passionate-affection/

-The website for the latest album On Track for Antarctica: https://ontrackforantarctica.com/

-Theme from Antarctica by Vangelis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX9XyddZTtA

-Valmar’s friend and musical collaborator Michael Stibor: https://www.instagram.com/michaelstibor/

- Estonian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen: https://eestielu.ca/estonians-in-the-arctic-and-antarctica/

-”Estonia and Antarctica,” Cambridge University Press: https://sci-hub.box/10.1017/s0032247411000234

-Juhan Smuul’s book about Antarctica, “Jäine raamat,” translated into English as “Antarctica Ahoy!”: https://www.abebooks.com/Antarctica-Ahoy-Ice-Book-SMUUL-Juhan/22610172754/bd

-The song “Dinosaur Extinction Blues”: https://open.spotify.com/track/5DBNfLciJTTTqgvJDW7QsO

-The Thwaites Glacier or “Doomsday Glacier”: https://www.wired.com/story/the-doomsday-glacier-is-getting-closer-and-closer-to-irreversible-collapse/

-An Eesti Elu article and photo gallery giving a glimpse of what a trip to Antarctica is like: https://eestielu.ca/saaremaa-and-antarctica-whats-the-connection/

- Listen to Valmar's music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6j376aXdCjeuw7zyut6Nbh

Socials:

➡️ @estonianmusicweek
https://www.facebook.com/EstonianMusicWeek

➡️ https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

➡️ @eestielu.ca
https://www.facebook.com/eestielu.ca/events

➡️ @vemu.emc
https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca