You are correct. Not many people, not even many Finns realise that Finland is a very bitter reminder to Estonians what Estonia could have been.
Estonia and Finland gained Independence within 3 months of each other and by 1940 were equally as wealthy. However, Estonia got short end of stick and was occupied.
Many people don’t know this, but despite Estonia and Finland being like brothers, we will not forget that almost all Estonians who reached Finnish shores were given out to Soviet Union. We have forgiven, but memories will last.
And then in 1991 when we finally got independent, Estonians had to accept donations from Finland. Country that once was on equal standing with us, but then in 1990′s (and is even now, but gap is bit smaller) far ahead of us. Despite all that, Estonians admired Finland for managing to keep it’s Independence.
So those mocking Estonia for being poor and wanting to be like rich, powerful Nordics – learn the history behind it.
official-estonia: On 23rd August 1989 at 7 pm Eastern European Summer Time, two million Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians linked hands to form a 675km long human chain that started from Tallinn, Estonia and ended in Vilnius, Lithuania to peacefully demand freedom that was forcefully robbed from them by Soviet Union because of the secret protocol […]
Seekesotsibteadmist 
