Italian entrepreneur in Estonia: picking bottles, dreaming to be janitor

Photo: Valeria Mihhailova

Efisio Lippi (52) who moved to Estonia five years back, from Sardinia, is satisfied with the climate, lifestyle, nature and the people. His only problem being poor language skills, and the resulting difficulty to land a job.

In the light of our constant stream of I’m-going-to-leave-here stories, Efisio’s one sounds almost unbelievable. Who would exchange the Mediterranean climate for variating Baltic cloudiness? Meet the man.

«I don’t like the Italian climate, don’t like the people there, nor the lifestyle. I don’t like what’s happening in my home country. I was tired of the way life goes there, so I decided to leave. And happened upon Estonia. In June, it’ll be five years here, for me. And I like everything here. I sold all of my assets in Sardinia so I have some savings. I’m renting a flat at Faehlmanni Street; before that I lived at Tööstuse Street and at another place in Kopli. To make ends meet, however, and to have my coffee and cigarettes, I need a job,» Mr Lippi told Postimees in Russian.

Efisio doesn’t want to go work at the local Italians’ restaurant. «I know about ten Italians here, don’t want to deal with them. I’m tired from Italians,» he said. In Italy, Efisio owned a restaurant business. Even here, for a while, he kept a pub. «But it takes so much strength to be in business. I cannot and will not do that anymore.»

And so it is that, this past year, Efisio’s main means is picking bottles, securing him some €300 a month. «Not bad for a salary,» he laughs. But sure, he’d like to find something else to do. However, the language is the barrier. «My English is more-or-less fluent. Estonian and Russian, however, are hard for me. The main thing would be to understand what I’m supposed to do. The most realistic would be a janitor, or postman, I think.»

Back in Italy, Efisio left a Mother, sister, relatives and lots of friends. Here, he has made a couple of friends, among Estonians. «But, alas! One of them emigrated to Italy, family and all. So I’m now here and he is there – can you believe it?!»