As you know, not the whole world knows about a rather big country in the very center of Europe. Belarus to this day remains unpopular with tourists, although we have enough sights, there is something to see. What do foreigners say about Belarus before and after their trip?
American Richard Gilbert decided to travel all over Europe, and Belarus, of course, was included in the list of countries that must be visited. “My friends didn’t know what country it was or where. And I myself thought that Belarus is more like a village. The first thing that caught my eye when I arrived in Minsk was how tall your people are. They are just giants. Minsk is very clean and quiet. Even in the center. And at night, and even more so, you will not meet anyone on the street. True, one day is enough to see Minsk. But I liked it here, and I will definitely tell my friends that this is not the poorest country in the world and it is worth coming here.”
Edel Pons, a Spaniard by nationality, a Cuban by nationality, but at the same time a resident of Norway, has come to Minsk for the first time. He says that he has a soul for both Belarus and Russia. “You are incredibly good. Calm, clean, beautiful. Before that, I lived in Russia for four years and decided to change my comfort zone. It is to Belarus that I want to move eventually. There are not many people in Norway who would like to at least look at Belarus. They have completely different views on life, although many of my friends from Europe know about the existence of such a country. This is a country, in my opinion, for those who do not strive to earn millions, because there is little potential for building a career here.
Americans Sarah and Tom say that few people in their homeland know about the existence of such a country. “We just opened a map of Europe and realized that we had already traveled to Italy, Spain, Germany and other European countries and we knew everything there, when we suddenly noticed Belarus. Never heard of such a country before, but why not. One of our friends even heard the name of the country. In fact, this is not always the case. On the Internet, we met many Americans who visited Belarus, who reassured us and assured us that there was nothing to be afraid of. And really, there is nothing. Minsk is a very beautiful city, although of the Soviet type, but very clean. On the first nights spent in Minsk, we thought that Belarusians do not know how to hang out at all, they do not go to bars and clubs, but as it turned out later, you just need to know the places. It is difficult to say whether we will come to you someday, because a visa to Belarus is needed separately.”
Harut Voskanyan from Armenia came to Minsk for three months to study under the program. “In Belarus, I met many interesting people. First, we were placed in a hostel in the Grove. At that moment, I was insanely angry and do not envy the Belarusian students who have to spend three hours of their time every day to get to and from the university. Later I moved to the very center and saw Minsk better. I even managed to go to Mir and Nesvizh. Belarus is beautiful and clean, everyone says that. But the girls, whose beauty Europeans admire, are not so magnificent. Ours is better! (laughs). But I can say this. You have many young people in Belarus with great potential who, unfortunately, do not use it. Many of my friends know about Belarus, many of them have been here, so even before my trip I heard a lot about you.”
Mikhail Sender, the director of Kufar, meets foreign guests in Minsk almost every week. For several years, he had a clear opinion of what and how (not) to do with a foreigner so that he fell in love with our city.
As a person who has lived half his life outside of Belarus, visited dozens of countries and hundreds of cities, and also received many foreign guests in Minsk, I must say right away that this essay concerns, first of all, foreigners from developed countries.
Residents of third world countries can be safely allowed to freely swim through the streets of Minsk, and they will be admired by almost everyone. But when receiving guests from Western Europe and North America in Minsk, it is important to keep in mind that Minsk, for all its charms, is still very difficult for cosmopolitans who are accustomed to convenience and comfort.
Any foreigner in any country is a walking prejudice
If you want your guests to have a good impression of Minsk, you should understand one important thing. Foreigners always go to a new country with a whole baggage of previously formed prejudices, stereotypes and expectations. These expectations are built on the reputation of the country in the world and on the information that manages to seep through various channels into their heads. These expectations are not always fair and objective, but they are often the basis for visiting the country.
It is important to understand that foreigners will first of all look for confirmation of these stereotypes and prejudices. So, arriving in New York, tourists try to count the number of fat men and fast foods, in Amsterdam they sniff the smell of marijuana and look for LGBT couples, and in Bangkok - fried insects and transvestite prostitutes. One or two matches to a stereotype seen on the street are enough to reinforce prejudices about the country and the city. And only if a person during the whole trip did not see a single confirmation of the stereotype, his prejudices can be destroyed.
This is where you, as the host, need to make a choice: either you give guests what they came for and help them validate their preconceptions, or you aim to surprise them by challenging stereotypes. In the case of Minsk, I prefer the second option - at least because all the stereotypes and prejudices of foreigners about Belarus, as a rule, are extremely negative. They can be divided into two categories: general Eastern European stereotypes and mental associations specifically with Belarus.
What prejudices do foreigners have about Belarus?
Common stereotypes about Eastern Europe include gray concrete boxes typical of post-communist cities codenamed “buildings”, poverty, dirt, crime, prostitution, dyed blondes in stilettos willing to do anything for money, short-haired sullen men in tracksuits and classic headscarf-wearing grandmothers, known as babúshka.
But specifically from Belarus, in addition to the above, they expect even more. Regularly communicating with foreigners who have never been to Belarus, I have a rough idea of how they see it. Arriving in "Europe's last dictatorship" and the only non-Council of Europe European country that still applies the death penalty, a foreigner expects to see oppressed and intimidated people in fur hats, tormented by corruption and bureaucracy, soldiers marching everywhere in giant caps and portraits everywhere and statues of Lukashenka. In addition, Belarus is often expected to conform to numerous stereotypes about Russia, which are also very unpleasant.
As you have already understood, Minsk has a good potential to destroy many of these prejudices.
Minsk is quite clean and safe, which is already a break in the mold, and the people don't look so depressed either. At the same time, it must be admitted that Minsk is indeed full of signs of militarism and communist heritage, which you will not be able to hide in any way.
But this is not bad! Speaking in IT language, this is not a bug, but a feature. After all, to tell the truth, without this Soviet heritage, there would be nothing special in Minsk. The feature of Minsk is precisely that it is an ideal monument to the "scoop" in its best form. There is no such thing anywhere else in Europe, and this is really interesting for those who know about the USSR only from historical books and films.
Our task is to ensure that during the stay of a foreigner in Minsk this "scoop" remains at the level of the monument and does not crawl in front of the guests in reality, confirming some of the prejudices listed above. To do this, I recommend the following precautions…
Things to remember when meeting a guest at the airport
Fortunately, despite the completely anti-market symbiosis of Belavia and the Minsk-2 airport, the first maintains a quite decent level of service, and the second has been brought into a more or less divine form in recent years. Nevertheless, there are traps at the first stage of visiting Belarus.
Before departure, warn your friends that they must be given a migration card on the plane, which must be filled out on the plane. This is important for two reasons. Firstly, although Belavia flight attendants distribute them to everyone right on board, they do it quite imperceptibly, moving in a hurry along the aisle, without looking at the passengers and accompanying the distribution with indistinct muttering in Russian typical of many young Belarusians.
It can be assumed that a migration card is most often needed by passengers who do not know the Russian language. But, apparently, such assumptions are not spelled out in the job description of flight attendants. Over the past four years, I flew Belavia to Minsk forty times, and each time everything went according to the same algorithm.
Secondly, your guests will not have to run around the airport and look for a pen (according to eyewitnesses, there may not really be pens in the arrivals hall) in order to end up at the tail end of the queue for passport control.
Remember: the migration card will immediately reinforce one of the prejudices of foreigners about Belarus as some kind of autonomous region of Russia. For on the left at the top it says "Russian Federation". This is one of the very few physical manifestations of the so-called "Union State" which, I assure you, no one outside of itself has ever heard of.
No one has ever heard of the CIS, the CSTO, the Eurasian Economic Union and the "post-Soviet space", so you don't have to bother trying to translate these abbreviations and expressions into English. Nobody understands anyway. Just say that we have an open border with Russia and therefore the same migration card is valid when entering both countries. You will be left behind for a while, but get ready for the fact that you will have to wash off the image of Belarus as an independent country more than once.
By the way, for those of you who are offended by the constant attribution of some Russian stamps by foreigners to Belarus, I advise you not to overdo it with patriotism, because this can play in the opposite direction.
It's hard not to confuse Russia with a country where everyone around speaks Russian, the currency is called "ruble" and 9 out of 10 pronounce the English adjective "Belarusian" ("Belarusian") as "Belarushan". For those who are not sure how to pronounce correctly, listen here:
I very often see how Belarusians, out of patriotic motives, are constantly trying to tell foreigners about the differences between Russia and Belarus, Russians and Belarusians, exposing their people in a positive light. Should not be doing that. First, it smacks of xenophobia. Secondly, paradoxically, by doing this you only strengthen the logical connection between these peoples in the minds of foreigners.
The more often you think about Russia during a visit of a foreigner to Minsk, the more he will associate this city with Russia. If you do not want this, compare better with other countries.
Do you pick up the guest from the airport
Also, do not forget to warn your friends that they definitely need to buy insurance at the airport, which is sold by Belgosstrakh (just say that the green booth with the word Insurance) right at the entrance to passport control.
It doesn't matter that they, like all normal people, already have insurance covering expenses abroad, and it doesn't matter that formally this is enough. With 90% probability, they will be turned into a green booth with this insurance at passport control, because their insurance does not have a Belgosstrakh stamp (free competition in Belarusian). Fortunately, thanks to the unpronounceability of this brand, your friends will never understand the absurdity of this objection and will decide that they themselves are to blame. You still have a chance to save face for your homeland.
If you can't meet guests at the airport yourself, send a taxi from some decent company (say, "Friday") to pick them up. Don't even think about recommending the bus. They will immediately stumble upon a ticket machine, where there is no English interface, and you cannot avoid shame and grief. The express train will be able to solve the problem of transfers to the city in five years, when the rails will be laid to the terminal itself and the train will not have to be approached by bus.
If a foreigner decides to take a taxi himself - expect trouble for him. As happened at many Eastern European airports in the 1990s, short-haired men in sweatpants would start pestering him at the exit, offering taxis. An experienced traveler will immediately smell a divorce and, ignoring the athletes, will head to the taxi parking lot following the signs. Taxi drivers will not understand him and will send him back to the brothers in tracksuits, thereby reinforcing the prejudice about Eastern European crime and racketeering.
Your next task is to take guests to Minsk without exposing them to the horrors of the Belarusian village. You should prepare topics for conversation in time to divert the attention of passengers from the landscapes of the Queens of the Stan. For example, you can pay attention to the flat landscape on the right side of the road, noting that Belarus is the flattest country in Europe. The Netherlands also claims this title, but who will check them ...
Approaching Uruchcha, pay attention of your friends to the cornflowers decorating the facades of some panels. I'm not talking about flowers, but about the cruciform element of the Belarusian traditional ornament, which we use as a decoration wherever you spit. This is a very unusual feature when a symbol that is not an official coat of arms is used everywhere in architecture and design of everything - from interiors to clothing.
By drawing the attention of guests to this, you can encourage the most gambling of them to start looking for cornflowers everywhere. With luck, this may distract them from looking for confirmation of their vulgar prejudices.
Just imagine how difficult it is for a foreigner to understand the names
Few people in Belarus thought about this, but by world standards, we have a completely anomalous situation with the names of cities and streets.
There are many countries in the world with two or more official languages. But not in many countries, street names differ depending on the language. As a rule, names, like other brands, are not translated. And we even translate our own names.
For a foreigner accustomed to the fact that everything has one name, this can be very confusing. For example, you invite him to go to Victory Square. He writes in Ploschad Pobedy's notebook. Then he looks on the map and can't find it because it says Victory Square. Then he takes the subway, and there they announce Plošča Pieramohi. It is impossible to understand with the mind.
Therefore, I personally try to adhere to the UN international toponymic standards, according to which all names are transliterated from the Belarusian language using the official Belarusian Latin alphabet, and to be consistent in this. Our city authorities are also trying. In the subway and on signs, everyone writes like that. But on the cards it happens that it’s not so ...
Which restaurants and cafes to take a foreigner to
Many Minsk residents do not realize this themselves, but compared to many European capitals, Minsk has a very high level of quality of restaurants and cafes. In the center today it is difficult to find a place where one can feel ashamed of the interior and where the food is disgusting. But there are some things to watch out for.
One point - we are allowed to smoke in public places. So if your friends don't smoke, then you shouldn't take them to places like Malt & Hops, where their fancy clothes stink and they'll hate Minsk (and you) for it.
The second problematic point is the complete unpreparedness of most establishments to serve foreigners. Most of the waiters either don't speak English or speak very badly. Many restaurants do not have menus in English. Some have it, but outdated, with prices in old rubles with twenty zeros. Therefore, when booking a table, it is better to clarify these points in advance and ask for a table that will be served by a knowledgeable English waiter. Reliable places in this regard are Pinky Bandinsky, ID Bar, The View, Don Coffe’on, Grünwald, News Café, Mai Thai, but there are others.
Arriving at a restaurant, ask for English menus for everyone, including yourself. For what? Repeatedly discovered that the English menu differs from the Russian / Belarusian in content and pagination, not to mention the flaws in the translation. This circumstance can significantly complicate the discussion of dishes and create misunderstandings and disappointments.
There is another point: many waiters, although they speak English, try to avoid it if possible. If they see that there is a local in the company, then they begin to conduct all communication regarding all guests only with you, in Russian. Personally, this is terribly tiring for me, since I have to work as a translator in my free time and do part of his work for the waiter, taking responsibility for possible translation errors and forgetfulness. And I, too, came to rest.
To avoid such cases, when I am in the company of foreigners, I try not to show that I know Russian, which I advise you to do as well. Let them train!
What to see in Minsk?
Be sure that your guests in Minsk will be much more interested in everything scary and ugly than what you would like to show them.
No one is interested in the Trinity and Rakovskoe suburbs, the Upper Town with its microscopic town hall and the modest churches of the Holy Trinity, Symon and Alena, etc. Their overall architectural value does not greatly exceed the level of many provincial Western European cities.
We do not have huge Gothic castles, cathedrals and palaces. Even the National Library is of little interest. Ugliness and backwardness is what foreigners expect to see and what they can then tell their friends about. Your delicate task is to take them to places where deformities are the least, but do it under the pretense of visiting something interesting.
For example, everyone is interested in seeing the largest monument to Lenin in the country, standing in front of the Government House. (Remember, this is a feature, not a bug!) Heading there, you can take guests along Karl Marx Street, showing the presidential administration and the tank monument (this is also a feature).
And after the photo session with Lenin, take them along Independence Avenue to the Upper Town to visit the bars on Zybitskaya and at the same time show the KGB building (the fact that the KGB still exists is a super-mega feature!) and GUM (just don’t let them inside). This way, your guests will be within a decent-looking part of the city at all times, and this will form their overall impression of the architecture of Minsk, contrary to the stereotype of gray concrete boxes. They will be surprised that Minsk is quite nice and tidy, although there are no outstanding works of architecture here.
How can you definitely impress foreigners?
Evening illumination. I really have not seen anywhere else in the world (and I have visited more than 150 cities in 45 countries) that all the facades in the city center are illuminated every evening for several hours. Walk with guests along the avenue before dinner. Beautiful, original and really memorable.
Keep in mind that the most pleasant impressions about Minsk will not be left by buildings and statues, but by good times. After dinner, wander around the bars on Zybitskaya, have a good time in the "Attic" or dangle in the "Hooligan", chat with interesting and pleasant people, and your friends will have the warmest memories of Minsk.
Well, remind them goodbye so that they don’t forget the migration card, otherwise other memories may be added at passport control.
Stay in the country without registration for more than 5 days
If you stay at the hotel for more than 5 days, the hotel staff will do it for you. But if you settled in an apartment or with relatives, then you need to register yourself. Otherwise, when crossing the border, problems will arise and you will have to pay a fine.
Say "Belarus" and "Your house is very clean"
Belarus is the Soviet name of the country, like, for example, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan or the Baltic states. It is correct to say "Belarus", as it is written in UN documents. And many Belarusians do not like it when the country is called Belarus. You won’t get in the eye for this, but the attitude towards you will be better if you call the country correctly. Clean streets are the only thing tourists see in Belarus. And they often associate this with the authorities, which also makes many Belarusians nervous. We believe we have much more than clean streets. So it's better not to talk about it.
Pay in Russian rubles and other currencies
You can pay in Belarus only in Belarusian rubles or by card in any currency. Russian rubles, dollars and other currencies are not accepted anywhere (otherwise illegally). But in Belarus there are no problems with currency exchange - you can safely change it at any bank without risking falling into an undervalued exchange rate. The course is almost the same everywhere, there is no commission and a receipt is issued.
Joke about a bomb in the subway or airport
For such jokes in Belarus, you can easily go to jail. And this has already happened. A Russian woman at the control at the airport joked about a bomb in her bag, but aviation security officers did not appreciate the joke. I had to spend some time in a pre-trial detention center, and then several months under house arrest. The most harmless joke about it will prove to be a test for you.
Take pictures of the KGB and railway stations
In fact, it is possible, but there is a risk. In Belarus there is a list of objects that cannot be photographed. Moreover, the police does not show this list to anyone, it is for internal use. But there were cases when tourists were detained for trying to rent the building of the registry office and a cinema in Ivye. And the photographer of the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda" - for the picture of the building of the Academy of Sciences. But, as a rule, nobody touches tourists.
Drink alcohol on the street
In Belarus, you can not drink alcohol on the street, even beer. Even on the balcony of the house (hotel) is impossible. In public places it is possible only in special open areas at the cafe.
Park on the sidewalk
Especially in the city center. This is often abused by drivers on Russian license plates. In Minsk, such cars can be evacuated to a car impound. Yes, and citizens themselves often film violations on their phones and send them to a special channel of the metropolitan police "Interception".
Travel through Belarus to Russia by car
Foreigners can enter Russia only through international checkpoints. And they simply do not exist on the border of Belarus and Russia. Therefore, it is impossible to travel by car to Russia in transit through Belarus. There is no border between the countries, but passports are checked. Ukrainians and Poles are deployed and sent to international checkpoints - the nearest ones in Ukraine, Latvia and Minsk airport.
Pass by the Central supermarket
This place is unique. People come here to drink beer or coffee with cakes. Here you can meet a homeless person and a famous writer who treats a homeless person with beer. And pay attention to the stucco on the walls and ceiling.
Walk drunk on the subway
Or if you're a girl and don't feel confident in your heels. There really was such a case in Minsk. Blogger Elena Stogova claimed to have drunk some champagne and was wearing high heels. But the metro guards decided that the girl was drunk and did not let her into the metro. So drunk people are really not allowed into the Minsk metro by the guards. Of course, they don’t force you to breathe into a tube, but they look at your gait.
Residents of Switzerland, Albania, Latvia and Luxembourg told KYKY how they imagine Belarus. The answers turned out to be controversial: authoritarianism, "part of Russia", dishes from the insides of animals - this is a composite portrait of the country in the west. I am glad that it is easy for an Albanian girl to meet a Belarusian guy - to say in Russian: “Hi, I love you. Everyone, come on!"
Mattias, Switzerland: “Men and guys in Belarus are strong and big, and they wear sweaters that their grandmothers knitted”
I know that the capital is Minsk, but I cannot say what the city is like. Your president, Lukashenka, is called “the last dictator in Europe” – he has probably been in power for 15-20 years. The political system is quite autocratic, democracy is underdeveloped, and besides, Belarus is quite closed to a European country.
It is probably cold in Belarus because you are not far from Russia. In winter, the temperature is -10 or -15, or even -20 - when the wind blows from the northeast, from Siberia, it must be quite cold here. But in summer it is hot - above 30 degrees. Foxes live in Belarus, maybe arctic foxes, many small fluffy squirrels.
I don't have a clear idea of what Belarusians look like: girls and women probably almost always wear skirts. The men and boys in Belarus are strong and big, and wear sweaters that their grandmothers knitted and hats (but not French ones). There are not many hipsters here - maybe 0.5% of everything. Maybe something related to the military is popular: military boots, camouflage, short hair. These are not skinheads, not political activists - they just like the military style.
I have a feeling that Belarus is a rather conservative country in terms of gender roles: men are strong, and women mostly stay at home, raise children. Therefore, in order to meet a Belarusian girl, I would act in this direction. You need to appear strong, that you are able to provide for your family and so on.
In their free time, Belarusians do the same as the Swiss: they watch TV, the guys play football. Maybe you play chess? You are close to Russia and its culture has influenced you and Russians love chess. You probably also love fishing.
Arilda, Albania: "Belarusian writer won the Nobel Prize - to be honest, I expected her to be sent to prison"
I study in Lithuania and know a lot about Belarus. Your president has been in power since you gained independence. Therefore, he is authoritarian: he tries to control not only politics, but also society. The coolest thing is that you can't clap in the street because of the protests from a few years ago. The Belarusian writer won the Nobel Prize - to be honest, I expected that upon returning to Belarus she would be sent to prison.
I wanted to visit Belarus, and I had the opportunity: the university organized a trip for foreign students to several countries, including you.
But they didn’t give me a visa: I had to provide an invitation and I couldn’t get a regular tourist visa. The email read: "You can't go because your nationality is banned."
Why is unclear. Although I have not been able to visit Belarusian cities, I can assume that they look a little Soviet - similar to Klaipeda, for example.
About this theme: Architectural features of Minsk that foreigners like 
It seems to me that the Internet and social networks are more limited here than in Europe: there is no access to all sites. You use VKontakte instead of Facebook - and therefore you kind of separate yourself from the Western world and connect more with the Russian community, because only Russians and Belarusians use this network. I think you also use Instagram and Snapchat ( messaging app with attached photos and videos. Users set a limit on how long recipients can view them - approx. KYKY).
Belarusians eat borsch, maybe something similar to Lithuanian zeppelins. But a special product is potatoes. Probably Belarusians eat it three times a day. The Belarusians I know are very quiet, do not like to talk and show their feelings - even when I ask about them about the country, they do not want to tell something. To meet a handsome guy in Belarus, I would say in Russian: “Hi, I love you. Everything, come on."
Laina, Latvia: “Belarusians have soft features. They look a little round to me."
Your president is Lukashenka, and people call him "Dad". Your flag is quite beautiful because it has a national pattern on the left side. I know the anthem, but I can't sing it now. I was in Belarus, I came to the competition. However, I do not remember what kind of city it was. I know that there is a stadium where preparations for the Winter Olympic Games and biathlon training take place.
Belarusians are very kind and sympathetic people. Our car broke down and we had to stay for another three days. Not only did the money run out, we didn't even know where to get the car fixed - we were in an isolated place. But they gave us a good room for free, fed us and helped us get to the border - it saved us a lot.
I noticed that Belarusians have soft facial features: there are no sharp lines on the jaw, nose. They even look a little round to me. Women are quite short, and men, on the contrary, are very tall. At least that's how I can talk about the people I've met. How to meet a Belarusian guy? I think I would say: “I think you should be able to dance!”
Richard, Spain (Catalonia): "Probably the center-right is in power"
Belarus is a post-Soviet country. It is medium in size, but smaller than Spain. Probably center-right is in power - I think so, because your past is connected with communism. Heard about your president, and that he is not completely democratic. He may have been in power for 25 years.
I think Belarusians are tall, white-skinned, with clear, clear eyes. Girls wear braids - because it is a traditional hairstyle. Belarusians usually spend their free time at parties and drinking vodka. They eat a lot of soups and wild animals: wild boar, maybe elk, like in Estonia. I think also potatoes and vegetables, like broccoli.
To meet a girl, I would pretend to be a Spaniard ( Richard considers himself a Catalan - approx. KYKY). There is little south here, and this is different from what the north is used to - so something from the south seems cooler.
Leonor, Luxembourg: “It seems to me that Belarus has always been part of Russia before”
I do not want to speak for all Western European youth, but personally I know little about Belarus. But in many ways I associate it with Russia - for me it's practically the same thing, because the names of the countries are consonant and they are nearby. It seems to me that Belarus has always been a part of Russia before.
Belarus gained independence after the Bolshevik Revolution or after the First World War.
Probably, the country wanted to become independent for a long time, but after these events, such an opportunity arose. I don't know what Belarusian national symbols look like. Definitely there is a red color, because communism ( laughs), dark green. Perhaps it looks like the flag of Lithuania. There is probably a third color, but I have no idea what it is.
I think Belarusians are similar to Russians. Belarusians have a strict face and eyes, women are cold and aloof. Belarus has a strong family tradition: you have many children, three or four. You probably love political jokes, irony and satire. The IT sphere is important for Belarus. For some reason it seems to me that Belarusian men are very fond of computer science. Agriculture can hardly be the main branch of the economy - the Belarusian climate is not very suitable for this.
Stella, Germany: “Belarusians drink in their free time”
The only thing I know is that the name is translated from German as "White Russia". Plus or minus I know where it is located - not in the EU, but borders on the Baltic states and Ukraine in the north. Probably, it will sound racist: Belarusians do not have a Slavic type of appearance, but more Russian. But Russia is a very mixed country, so I will say that Belarusians are like Siberians, northern people: blondes with blue eyes.
In their free time, Belarusians drink, but I don’t say this because of a stereotype. All people do this: in Spain, in Germany, in the Czech Republic... I think that famous and important personalities are depicted on Belarusian money: poets, musicians.
Airen, Cyprus: "Belarusians eat hot fish soups with fish and herbs or meat soups with animal entrails"
I learned about Belarus a few years ago at a geography lesson at school - before that I had no idea that such a country existed. And the only thing I know: the capital is Minsk. Belarusians are similar to Russians and Ukrainians because they are closely related. Probably, Belarusians have blue eyes, blond hair and always white skin! Belarusians eat hot fish soups with herbs or meat soups with animal entrails - like in Edinburgh, because it is a cold country.
Probably the most profitable occupations are an economist or a businessman. I say this because I have a friend from Minsk who studies marketing.
This suggests that this area is in demand in the country and, perhaps, a good future awaits people involved in this.
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They say it's better from the outside: we, Belarusians, are interested in how people of other nationalities and cultures judge us. The Ice Hockey World Championship that took place recently in Minsk made it possible to confirm somewhere, and somewhere to refute the stereotypes about Belarus and its inhabitants. And now on the Internet you can find a lot of reviews of the championship guests from different countries about their stay in Belarus. It is very interesting to read them: what can foreigners say about our country, except for the notorious “it is clean and beautiful here”? ..
"Zhytstse Palessia" decided to visit again the students of Moscow State Pedagogical University named after I.P. Shamyakin, who came to us from abroad. The guys talked about their first and further impressions of the city and the university, about whether the realities of the Belarusian student life are difficult for them, and about many other things.
This year, diplomas of Moscow State Pedagogical University named after I.P. Shamyakin will be received by 9 foreign students: 8 citizens of Turkmenistan and a citizen Russian Federation.
Student from Turkmenistan: “We don’t feel like strangers”
Filfak, with his strong traditions and philosophy of unity and cohesion, accepted the girl as his own, and she tries not to let her down. - 4th year student of the Faculty of Philology. As a future historian, she is interested in the past of the country in which she studies, and I am convinced that the main task for her compatriots who have become students of Belarusian universities should be to acquire strong knowledge that will help them succeed in their homeland.
– Before I came to enter the university, I had never been to Belarus. But I heard a lot about her from my friends, acquaintances who at that time were already studying in your country. In general, there are many acquaintances who study in other countries, but when I was choosing where I would study myself, I decided to opt for Belarus. There are a lot of good reviews about her: they say that Belarusians are hospitable, tolerant people, they mostly treat foreigners with respect,” says Enesh.
We are talking in the dorm room, which my interlocutor shares with classmate Ogulnabat, although Enesh herself, to my surprise, calls her friend Olya: Belarusian classmates come up with Slavic “analogues” of eastern names that successfully “take root” and become part of the everyday life of Turkmen students.
- I like to study in Mozyr, I do not regret at all that I entered here, - the student admits. - I like the local nature: the beauty is indescribable. With friends we often walk in the city park "Victory". I already know Mozyr almost like my hometown. And I myself am from the city of Mary, this is a regional center in Turkmenistan, just like your Gomel.
– Is it difficult to adapt to life and study in Belarus?
- At first, of course, it is very difficult for every foreigner. But difficulties in learning can be overcome if the main purpose of your visit is to get a good education, to become a literate person. Then everything will work out.
– You speak Russian fluently. Did you know the language before coming to our country?
Yes, I taught him a lot. Parents always convinced that it was necessary to know Russian, as it would come in handy, and they turned out to be right.
– Did you manage to learn the Belarusian language during your studies? Did you like him?
- Yes, I like it very much. Russian is the state language in Belarus, but any nation is obliged to develop its native language. By the way, the Belarusian accent is felt in the local Russian speech, it makes it softer. Of course, it was interesting to learn, albeit not the entire Belarusian vocabulary, but some individual words and expressions: what is “kali weasel”, “prytanne”, “dzyakuy”, “worst”, “yes pabachennya” and some others are already known.
Together with friends, Enesh traveled around the cities of Belarus, visited religious places of our country with excursions.
“The Brest Fortress left a very strong impression on us,” the girl recalls. - In general, historical places are closer to me, given that I am a historian by profession. We were in the Mir Castle, in Nesvizh - we really liked it, insanely interesting history and culture.
– What opinion has formed about modern Belarus? What are the distinguishing features of Belarusians?
Every nation is unique in its own way. My opinion is that it is not so important what kind of nationality a person has, his human qualities are more important. But nevertheless Belarusians justified my hopes: hospitable, tolerant people. Tolerance towards people of a different nationality, a different religion is your hallmark. Many other peoples should learn from the Belarusians, and we should also strive to be like that.
- Do you plan to work in your specialty after studying?
- Certainly! The profession of a teacher in our country is in great demand. Teachers are respected and their work is well paid. Moreover, I will teach history. I like the saying that a nation that does not know its past will not be able to build a worthy future.
I start talking about finances. Is it expensive for Turkmens to live and study in Belarus, are the prices high? Judging by the embarrassment of my interlocutor and her roommate, the answer is yes. But, as she explains, while it is within our power. For many Turkmen students, studying in Belarus is quite affordable.
I have to visit relatives only once a year, during the summer holidays: the way home is also quite expensive, about 500 dollars. Enesh misses home very much, but says that after returning to his homeland, he will always remember Belarus warmly, and if he has the opportunity to come to visit, he will do it with pleasure.
Student from Nigeria: “Russian is not useful in work, but knowledge of a foreign language is useful”
Our old friend Okereke Kilechi Richie (material about students from Nigeria, China and Turkey who came to study at the Moscow State Pedagogical University named after I.P. Shamyakin can be found in the newspaper issue of December 17, 2013 - ed.) in Mozyr already 7 months. He arrived in the city to study at the preparatory department of the Pedagogical University. The university is actively working to expand cooperation with foreign countries, inviting students from African countries has long been in the plans, but so far Richard is the first of them. And being the first is always not easy: in our last meeting, the guy did not know the Russian language at all, and he was outwardly gloomy. Now he has already got used to it a little, learned the Russian language, has become more relaxed, even cheerful. This time we meet without an interpreter.
- Last time you said that you feel out of place because everyone on the street is staring at you ...
- Everything is fine, I got used to it a little, although they didn’t look at it less (laughs).
- Do you like Belarusians?
– Yes, you have good people, very beautiful girls. No one offends, everything is fine. I also like studying at the university: when I first arrived, I could not understand anything, but now it has become much easier. There was also a time when I thought that after completing the preparatory courses I would enter the university in Gomel. But now I want to stay here to study more and more.
– You learn Russian quite quickly. What helps you with this?
- I don’t even know, probably, the fact that I mainly communicate in Russian, there is no other way out - I have to remember. The Internet also helps a lot in learning.
- How do you spend your free time?
- I walk a lot around the city with my friends. Sometimes I walk alone, I already know the city quite well. Previously, I only went out into the city accompanied by someone, but recently I went to Gomel myself. I also do music. I play guitar and rap well.
– What can you say about Belarusian prices?
- Compared to our prices, it is more expensive here. Studying costs me 2200 dollars a year. I spend most of my money on food.
- What do you buy from products?
- Fruits, vegetables, meat. I have already got used to the Belarusian cuisine a little. I love borscht and plov. I like it delicious.
- I wonder if you were offered to stay in Belarus, would you agree?
- Well, I want to go home. I miss…
Will you fly home after the exams?
- No. It's expensive, almost $1,000.
- And after you get a diploma, do you plan to work in your specialty?
Yes, engineering. I want to enter the engineering-pedagogical faculty.
- I wonder if the Russian language can be useful to you at home? Will knowledge play an important role in finding a job?
– No, but knowledge of foreign languages is good anyway.
Student from Russia: “People in Belarus are more moral than ours”
Vasilene Busel, who comes from the Tyumen region of the Russian Federation, there is very little left to finish her studies at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. She is completing her 5th year with a degree in Mathematics. Computer science".
We meet the girl in one of the cafes in the city center. Vasilina looks like an athlete: tall, fit. Indeed, in the life of a student there is a place for volleyball, handball, even mini-football, as she herself says later.
But first of all, I ask: where does this surname - Busel - come from for a girl from the north of Russia? Vasilina smiles: her father comes from here. He left for the Tyumen region to work, and stayed there to live. A few years ago he returned to his homeland, his daughter came after him. So, in total, Vasilina has been living in Belarus for 7 years, although she has Russian citizenship.
– I was born and lived in the provincial town of Muravlenko. The city is young, but actively developing: oil is being produced. The climate in our area is harsh: in winter, the air temperature can drop to minus 60. And if you also live in a hostel, where power outages and breakdowns of the heating system are not uncommon, you can imagine what it is like. But nothing, somehow coped, not particularly complaining. There is practically no off-season: either winter or summer. There was a time when it snowed on June 1st. True, he immediately melted, but still. But the climate in Belarus is much more favorable for life.
– Do you like studying in Mozyr?
– Yes, this is a good preparation for adulthood. During her studies, she also worked as a waitress in this cafe.
- Are classmates, teachers interested in where you came from, do they ask about your homeland?
Yes, they are interested. Teachers often ask about the climate in my native land. Friends sometimes joke about the "inhabitants of the Far North." By the way, the life of the peoples of the North today also stepped forward, for example, high technologies and the Internet are not alien to them (smiles).
- Over the years spent in our country, what are your impressions about it and its inhabitants?
- In general, everything is fine. I do not think that somewhere is better, somewhere worse: the main thing is to have a roof over your head. It's not for me to judge where good people live and where bad people live. Although, when I recently went to my hometown, I simply didn’t recognize it: I looked at people, especially at young people, as they say, “shkolota”, and I felt very sorry for my city. In Belarus, people are probably more moral. The leadership of your country has a responsible attitude towards the upbringing of the younger generation, and I like it.
– As for finances: is it expensive for a student from Russia to live and study in Belarus?
Medium, I would say. I am an unpretentious person. Although our salaries are higher than here, the prices are also higher, renting a house is more expensive. In general, both in Belarus and in Russia, prices are growing in the same way. As for studies, the university has agreements under which Russian students can study on the same basis as Belarusians. But medical care is like for foreigners, even taking a blood test costs money.
Soon Vasilina will pass the state exams, after which she is going to go home. She did not fall under the distribution, but she says that she would not mind working in her specialty.
We also asked several questions to the head of the international relations department of the Moscow State Pedagogical University named after IP Shamyakin T.N.
– Tatyana Nikolaevna, you have been working with foreign students for several years and you have probably noticed some of their most striking distinguishing features…
– Yes, for example, Turkmen girls are feminine, sociable and hospitable, home-loving. They are more accommodating in communication than their male compatriots and than Belarusian students. As for the guys from Turkmenistan, they are characterized by mutual assistance, fortitude, masculinity. They are fond of sports, almost every day after class they can be seen on the volleyball court. In general, Turkmens are distinguished by loyalty to traditions and hospitality.
Richard, a student from Nigeria, has a harder time than most other foreign students: at our university, he is still the only representative of his country. But many teachers note his diligence in studies, responsibility and diligence: Richard studies with pleasure, purposefully, he has clear prospects - to get a higher education in the field of mechanical engineering and work in his specialty in his country.
– How difficult is it to teach foreigners?
– Certainly, there are difficulties, especially in the first or second year. After all, this is a period of adaptation: a new language, socio-cultural environment. What is being done to remove these difficulties? So, for example, in the case of students from China, Nigeria, we assign a curator to a foreigner. Initially, this is an employee of the international relations department, and then a student of the philological faculty who speaks English (as a rule, foreigners speak English well). The curator during one semester accompanies a foreigner in studies, in everyday life.
Elena MELCHENKO
Photos from personal archives
