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We wander around one of the villages. The bus runs four times a day, but only if you call in first. A sign points the way to the post office, the doctor and the library, all of which are typically located in the same building. Värska and Petseri are at the center of Seto life. For centuries, this ethnic minority has lived in the borderlands, undisturbed by German or Russian occupiers. Aare and Rieka Hõrn, cultural ambassadors of the Seto, invite us into their cozy home for pancakes with sour cream and smoked meat so tender you could almost suck it through a straw. The couple have plenty of stories to tell, and the table is piled high with books, photos and recipes. In between courses, they serve us home-brewed spirits. Seto culture is a happy mix of orthodox Christianity and natural religion, and the Seto are proud of their independence. “We have learned to live outside borders,” says Aare. Does he consider himself European? “Small units are more important to us. This is Setomaa. It’s like Wales, or Swabia.” He refills our glasses, always from the right, always clockwise. He doesn’t join us at the table but instead sits beside it, in Seto tradition. We are unaware that the polite way to refuse more drink is to say: “It looks like water! Drink it yourself!” By the end of the evening we are quite tipsy, whereas our host is not.
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