I have a friend, let’s call him A., who is very energetically concerned about a certain “gene pool of the nation.” At sight sweet couple, where the role of the stronger half is clearly not a descendant of the Radimichi - he is too dark, black-haired and brilliant-eyed - A. tsks as a sign of disapproval. He also doesn’t like two-meter-tall Swedes with a red beard, but a Swede is a rare bird in our area. Historically, guests often fly to us on Turkish Airlines. They fly in and then captivate women’s hearts.
Tugruldemirel.com
« This is all because you women are complex. You don’t know your own prices. Follow the first one who beckons with his finger“, says A. and confidently leans back in his chair: he solved the infinity sign, no less.
I do not know. Maybe it's the other way around? We believe that flowers should appear in our lives so often that we no longer want to be photographed with them. We believe that we are worthy of the words “beloved”, “the only one” (or “bunny” at worst), and in what language is the tenth matter. Dear A., you can’t blame us girls for wanting to hear compliments, especially if the eloquence of the interlocutor is more inventive “ beautiful eyes" And although “compliments” and “complexes” are similar words, the latter seem to have nothing to do with it. Even beautiful girls fall asleep with a photograph of the boy who taught them to dive in the Red Sea.
« There are few gifts - but there will be an economical husband, everything will go to the house, and no ostentatious gestures“, - the grandmother will say. Oh, grandma, why do I need all these slow cookers without love? Without love, carrot cake will always be missing nuts...
« Modesty hides deeper feelings”, - the next series will promote us not the most recent idea. But you don’t need to be a genius to understand: not every modest person is an enviable match. What if the man is not at all modest and economical, but boring and greedy, worse than Shakespeare’s Shylock?
« Exactly! And you are fooled by money“,” A. grins condescendingly, as if he had checkmated a yellow-haired chess player. You can’t, they say, seriously love a person with a belly. And with a bald head. And even in old age... Stop, stop, stop. Since when did belly fat become a sign of ethnicity? It’s not just Apollos walking around the Belarusian streets (and it’s good, because we don’t have production of aphrodites on the assembly line either).
Even the most patriotic girl who uses Tinder will have a hard time ignoring absolutely all foreigners. Unless she specifically pays attention to names. The reality is this: if your avatar is well-groomed and courageous man with an infectious smile at all 32, this is in the vast majority of cases a foreigner.
Read in full in the source with photos:
menrules.com
Foreigners immediately write “hi” and easily take the acquaintance offline. Our guys often remain silent after mutual liking, like partisan grandfathers. Marinate them, huskies. Statistics are collected. At the same time they look stern. This is understandable: autumn, the dollar exchange rate, a car loan... Of course, a hurricane of passion may be hiding behind an icy wall, but not everyone has enough warmth to test this theory. And then, suddenly Kai... that's it? In other words, it cannot be resuscitated. Some people don’t smile because the weather is November, but others are just a boring misanthrope who needs to be run away from, and as soon as possible!
The tummies do not check the coat of arms on the passport. Everyone's bellies are growing. And by the way, there is a huge difference between an overweight, always dissatisfied guy in sweatpants and a fake Rolex, in whose look you can read: “I’m that guy who is always rude in line,” and a jovial fat guy who cooks the best pizza in the world and knows how to laugh so hard the walls shake.
By the way, there are also fans of the bald head.
Read in full in the source with photos:
finebathroomvanities.com
« Nobody gives birth in the country“, grumbles A. I can see him at the table of the Minister of Labor and Social Protection. By the way, A. himself has exactly zero children so far. I don’t know what’s stopping him from creating blue-eyed charmers for an entire hockey team. The dollar exchange rate or the fall, or most likely the fact that A. does not understand the main thing. If a girl married a foreigner, flew to Munich and supports Bayern, then it’s better for her. For others (the majority of them), no matter how many speeches sweeter than baklava are poured into their ears, it is much more important to experience similar emotions with the chosen one at the sight of an electronic toy, where the wolf from “Well, wait a minute!” catches eggs, and laughs at the same moments in “Yolki.”
Cultural commonality often outweighs openness to imports. Gives a ten point handicap. But you can earn at least five more if, in addition to knowing the chords of “Spleen,” you learn to switch your seriousness to hibernation mode at the right moment. Worth a try.
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 made from animal entrails – this is the composite portrait of the country in the West. I’m glad that at least for an Albanian girl it’s easy to meet a Belarusian guy - just say in Russian: “Hello, I love you. That's it, come on!"
Matthias, Switzerland: “Men and boys in Belarus are strong and big, and wear sweaters that their grandmothers knitted”
I know that the capital is Minsk, but I cannot say what the city is like. Your president, Lukashenko, is called “the last dictator of Europe” - he has been in power for probably 15-20 years. Politic system quite autocratic, democracy is not well developed, and in addition, Belarus is quite closed to a European country.
It's probably cold in Belarus because you're close to Russia. In winter the temperature is -10 or -15, or even -20 - when the wind comes from the northeast, from Siberia, it must be completely cold here. But in summer it is hot - above 30 degrees. In Belarus there live foxes, maybe arctic foxes, and many small fluffy squirrels.
I don’t have a clear idea of what Belarusians look like: girls and women probably almost always wear skirts. Men and boys in Belarus are strong and large, 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 military is popular: military boots, camouflage, short haircut. These are not skinheads, not political activists - they just like the military style.
I have a feeling that Belarus is quite conservative country in relation to gender roles: men are strong, and women mostly stay at home and raise children. Therefore, to get to know 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 free time Belarusians do the same thing 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 that happened a few years ago. Belarusian writer won 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 yours.
But they didn’t give me a visa: I had to provide an invitation and couldn’t get a regular tourist visa. The email said: “You cannot go because your nationality is prohibited.”
Why is unclear. Although I did not have the opportunity to visit Belarusian cities, I can imagine 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 media it is more limited here than in Europe: there is no access to all sites. You use VKontakte instead of Facebook - and therefore you seem to be separated from 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 application with attached photos and videos. Users set a limit for how long recipients can view them - approx. KYKY).
Belarusians eat borscht, 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, they don’t like to talk and show their feelings - even when I ask them about the country, they don’t want to tell anything. To get to know handsome guy in Belarus, I would say in Russian: “Hello, I love you. That's it, come on."
Laina, Latvia: “Belarusians have soft facial features. Looks a little round to me"
Your president is Lukashenko, and people call him “Dad.” Your flag is quite beautiful because on the left side it shows national pattern. I know the anthem, but I can’t sing it now. I was in Belarus, came to the competition. True, I don’t remember what kind of city it was. I know that there is a stadium there where preparations for winter are taking place. Olympic Games and biathlon training.
Belarusians are very kind and sympathetic people. Our car broke down and we had to stay three more days. Not only did we run out of money, but we didn’t even know where we could get the car repaired – we were in an isolated place. But they gave us free nice room, fed us and helped us get to the border - this really saved us.
I noticed that Belarusians have soft facial features: there are no sharp lines on the jaw or 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 what I can say 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 the center-right are in power - it seems so to me, because your past is connected with communism. I 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 clean, 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 moose, like in Estonia. I think also potatoes and vegetables, like broccoli.
To meet a girl, I would pretend to be Spanish ( Richard considers himself a Catalan - approx. KYKY). There’s not much southern here, and it’s different from what people in the north are used to – that’s why something from the south seems cooler.
Leonor, Luxembourg: “It seems to me that Belarus has always been part of Russia before”
I don’t 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 part of Russia before.
Belarus gained independence after the Bolshevik Revolution or after the First World War.
The country probably wanted to become independent for a long time, but after these events such an opportunity arose. I don't know what Belarusians look like National symbols. There is definitely a red color because communism ( laughs), dark green. Perhaps it looks like the flag of Lithuania. There's probably a third color - but I have no idea what it is.
I think that Belarusians are similar to Russians. Belarusians have stern faces and eyes, women are cold and distant. Strong in Belarus family tradition: You have many children, three or four each. You probably love political jokes, irony and satire. The IT sector is important for Belarus. For some reason it seems to me that Belarusian men They really love computer science. Agriculture can hardly be the main sector 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 - not in the EU, but it borders the Baltic states and Ukraine in the north. This will probably sound racist: Belarusians do not have a Slavic type of appearance, but are more Russian. But Russia is a very mixed country, so I will say that Belarusians are similar to Siberians, northern people: blondes with blue eyes.
Belarusians drink in their free time, but I’m not saying this because of a stereotype. All people do this: in Spain, in Germany, in the Czech Republic... I think that famous and important personalities: poets, musicians.
Airen, Cyprus: “Belarusians eat hot fish soups with fish and herbs or meat soups with animal entrails”
I learned about Belarus several years ago in a geography lesson at school - before that I had no idea that such a country existed. And the only thing I know is that the capital is Minsk. Belarusians are similar to Russians and Ukrainians because they are closely related. Belarusians probably 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 economist or businessman. I say this because I have a friend from Minsk who is studying 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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As you know, not the whole world knows about a rather large country in the very center of Europe. Belarus to this day remains unpopular among tourists, although we have enough attractions and 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, naturally, was included in the list of must-visit countries. “My friends didn’t know what kind of country it was or where. And I myself thought that Belarus was more like a village. The first thing that caught my eye when I arrived in Minsk was what kind of tall people. They are simply giants. Minsk is very clean and quiet. Even in the center. And at night you won’t see anyone on the street. To see Minsk, however, one day is enough. But I liked it here, and I will definitely tell my friends that this is not the poorest country in the world and it’s worth coming here.”
Edel Pons, a Spanish national, Cuban by nationality, but at the same time a resident of Norway, is not coming to Minsk for the first time. He says that his soul lies with both Belarus and Russia. “You are doing incredibly well. 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 even like to 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 in their homeland few people 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 knew everything there, when suddenly we noticed Belarus. We have 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 had visited Belarus, who reassured us and assured us that there was nothing to be afraid of. Indeed, there is nothing. Minsk is very beautiful city, true, Soviet-style, but very clean. On the first nights spent in Minsk, we thought that Belarusians don’t know how to party at all, don’t go to bars and clubs, but as it turned out later, you just need to know the places. It’s difficult to say whether we will ever come to you again, because a separate visa to Belarus is needed.”
Harut Voskanyan from Armenia came to Minsk for three months to study under the program. “In Belarus I met many interesting people. At first we were placed in a hostel in Roshcha. At that moment I was incredibly angry and do not envy Belarusian students at all, 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 got a better look at Minsk. I even managed to go to Mir and Nesvizh. Belarus is beautiful and clean, that’s what everyone says. But the girls whose beauty Europeans admire are not so magnificent. Ours is better! (laughs). But I can say this. In Belarus you have many young people with great potential who, unfortunately, do not use it. Many of my friends know about Belarus, many have been here, so even before my trip I heard a lot about you.”
On the eve of such a wonderful opportunity as a visa-free visit to Belarus for foreigners, we have collected several reviews from foreign tourists who have already seen our country and have interesting opinions about it.
« They don’t like their own milk, there are no normal hotels, there is no Belarusian self-awareness“- such comments could be read on numerous traveler forums. But there is also positive side— someone praises the roads, cleanliness, order and Belarusian hospitality. But rather than talk about it, you can see for yourself:
Russia
« It is noteworthy that there is a line behind them - to find fault with oneself.
And they complain about their products (about the quality) - they prefer Polish in the border areas, at the same time the Poles are exporting milk - the Poles like Belarusian milk. “Kommunarka” and “Spartak” are tired, they prefer the Ukrainian “Roshen”. In hypermarkets, Ukrainians load their carts full, while in Ukraine Belarusians stock up.”
“The biggest problem in Belarus is the almost complete absence of normal hotels in the European sense of the word. I can put up with everything else, but breakfasts with semolina porridge and gray toilet paper...”
Estonia
“What’s amazing is that all the fields along the roads are planted with something. Even in Lithuania they have never seen anything like this, let alone Estonia. Or oats, or corn, or potatoes, or something else that we city dwellers could not identify. In some places, some seedlings were planted using the square-cluster method. In general, the fields in Belarus are amazing - you drive, and on the right or left, as far as the eye can see, some kind of tops are swaying :)
All forests in Belarus are carefully marked - which belongs to which forestry. The names of forest districts appear on roadside billboards.
But what amazes you most is the Belarusian countryside! Some kind of village in the outback, but in the center all the houses are neatly painted, there are markings all around, the sidewalks are tiled, there are monuments everywhere, both to war heroes and to all sorts of local historical figures. And there are no destroyed or abandoned houses or hangars with piles of broken bricks and scrap metal around!
Even in Belarus, it is striking that the country has managed to preserve local industry. Whatever products you look at in stores, you see Belarusian production everywhere. And this applies to both products and light industry. I'm not even talking about the heavy one. Yes, the salaries of the people working there are low, but if all production was destroyed and replaced with Chinese imports, would they be higher? And so, we have the same “socialism with a human face” that Gorbachev probably had in mind when starting Perestroika.
Well, Belarusian roads have already been written about many times. Indeed, the roads in Belarus are good, even in rural areas. They also have toll highways here. We managed to save more than 1000 euros on them. Now I’ll tell you how :)
While already walking around the Brest Fortress, we heard a question from our relatives that left us confused - did we buy a device to pay for Belarusian roads? - Device? No, what? “Do you know,” they say, “that if you don’t pay, the fine will be 1000 euros or even more?” They immediately began to tell stories about Europeans who came to Belarus and, unknowingly, traveled the entire country from end to end. And how they were later caught and fined exactly this amount. Do such fines really exist?
Then I began to remember. Indeed, when we entered from Lithuania, there was some kind of inscription on the roadside sign about toll roads. But no one collected the money, and we safely drove further along this road. And now we have doubts, maybe we really have already run into a tidy sum?
In general, after the fortress we rushed to the Belarusneft gas station, where there was a BelToll branch, where autobahn payments are made. There we saw a diagram of toll roads. Phew, my heart is relieved - only roads M1, M2, etc. are toll roads in Belarus. which we have not traveled. And payment occurs as follows. You buy a device for 25 euros, mold it under glass, and add about the same amount to your account. And then you drive on toll roads, and when you pass under special frames, you are remotely charged a certain amount. The device beeps, so you can be sure that everything is OK. Now, if it doesn’t beep, or beeps more than once, then you need to urgently find out what’s wrong so that you don’t get a fine later. We were told that for each frame that you pass without paying, there will be a fine of 100 euros, and they cost quite often, hence the fine amounts. And when leaving the country, this device is returned to BellToll, the money for it, as well as the remaining amount in the account, is transferred back to the card. Thus, having traveled from Brest to Minsk and from Minsk to Kamenny Log, we paid approximately 12 euros. Yes, and that’s typical. As they explained to us, for Cars Only citizens of countries outside the EU pay Customs Union. So it turns out that Russians drive on Belarusian roads for free? Did not know.
In general, the system for taking away money in Belarus is well established. All over the country, even in rural areas, there are cameras and they catch people speeding. I missed the sign once settlement in some village and noticed the camera only when it moved its red lens and then sparkled so deliciously in our direction. Well, I thought, now they’ll fine you at the border. But we didn’t have time. Now, apparently, they will send a fine to Estonia?
What else struck me? Refills. In rural Estonia, the chances of finding a normal gas station are minimal. Here Belarusneft has very decent gas stations everywhere. But there is, however, one point. Belarusians, apparently, refuel exclusively with 92-octane gasoline. 95 gasoline is not available at all gas stations, and if it is, it can only be at one of the available pumps. And there is no 98 at all. And this despite the fact that there are practically no Zhiguli cars in Belarus.
What else didn't I like? Belarusian language. Yes, I know that the Belarusian language in Belarus serves more of a decorative function, and almost no one speaks it, with the exception of rare nationalists. But. Absolutely all signs, signs, street names, bus routes are made in Belarusian! When you drive on Belarusian roads, you constantly have to read all these DZYARZHYNSK, BREST, CHIGUNACHNY VAKZAL, PERAMOZZAU PRSPECT, etc. Moreover, if in about half of the cases it is easy to guess what the corresponding city will be called in Russian, then the other half is quite difficult to guess due to the abundance of all these E and Y. Often you drive into a city and don’t even know how to pronounce it correctly. Yes, and the road atlas is in Russian.
And everyone here learns the Belarusian language at school, as well as Belarusian literature. And all in order to then speak and conduct office work exclusively in Russian. Yes, I certainly understand that there is a certain politics involved here. Lukashenko, apparently, does not want the topic of the Belarusian language to be saddled by the opposition, and therefore he headed this topic himself. Well, again, this shows that Belarus is not Russia, but another state.
About the sights. Belovezhskaya Pushcha was not impressive. The forest is like a forest. It may be surprising for those who have lived in Moscow all their lives to ride a bicycle on forest roads, but here in Ust-Narva the forest is absolutely the same. Yes, there are bison walking along it somewhere, but to find them, you either have to look for them for a long time, or you have to be very lucky. As it was, we saw bison only in enclosures not far from the main entrance. Bicycle rental costs 20 thousand rubles per hour. Another 10 thousand is charged for a map of the route you are traveling on.
But the most famous “tourist brand” of Belarus is, of course, Brest Fortress. The place is absolutely legendary for everyone who studied in a Soviet school finally managed to visit here. There are two museums on the territory, not particularly interesting.
Every Belarusian city must also have a pedestrian street, paved with tiles, with lanterns and benches. We walked along these in Grodno, Brest and Kobrin.
Palace in Nesvizh and castle in Mir. Well, it’s hard to surprise me here; I’ve seen a lot of such castles.
But Minsk pleasantly surprised me. I would call it “an exemplary socialist city” :) Huge wide sidewalks, majestic buildings with columns in the Stalinist style, bright modern high-rise buildings, and bicycle paths along the banks of the Svisloch. And in the center there was even a small restored Old city. And everything is clean all around, just like everywhere else in Belarus. In general, nothing special, but I really liked Minsk.”
Sofia, Bulgaria
“Okay, let me summarize my complaints about Belarus. Belarus is a country without national identity. The current dictatorial government, apart from street signs in Belarusian, does not in any way support the “national spirit”. People who speak Belarusian are considered freaks. The president himself speaks Trans and does not know the Belarusian language. There is no Belarusian national identity. That is, there are people who meet this definition, of course, but they are in a clear minority. The opposition, which supports the rise of Belarusian self-awareness, was crushed in the bud. The flag remained Soviet. Mentality too.
Some individual attractions are maintained, but most of them are far from in the best condition.
The Belarusian identity is not being raised, the Jewish identity has been lost (compare, for example, with Lithuania or Poland. What is the state of the Jewish monuments there and in what state are they in Belarus (the Bykhov synagogue has been turned into ruins)
I was at the Chagall Museum. This is a tiny part of what could be saved."
Canada
“Getting to Belarus is not so easy. And although getting there is quite easy, most nationalities find it difficult to obtain a Belarusian visa. This year I tried to get it in order to get to Minsk on May 1st. I will share all the details, where after a series of 37 emails (YES! 37) and several expensive Skype calls, I had to receive an invitation from an authorized agency, which was subsequently used to gain the right to enter the embassy and apply for a visa. I gave up and spent May 1st in Lithuania, where May Day celebrations were banned, and the only thing I saw was a small march that no one around was paying attention to.
At the same time, I applied for a transit visa, which is much easier to obtain, although it allows you to stay in the country for only 2 calendar days. It only cost 20 euros, but I had to leave my passport at the embassy in Ottawa for 9 days. When I returned (the issuance date was also delayed), the clerk gave me a passport, and it turned out that he was the only one there for a Belarusian visa. Belarus is simply not interested in developing tourism, at least Western tourism. Probably important to them Russian tourism, since many Russians come for wellness treatments, because... they are cheaper here. Be that as it may, statistics are very difficult to find because there is no control at the border between them.”
Mikhail Sender, director of Kufar, meets foreign guests in Minsk almost every week. Over the course of several years, he formed a clear opinion on what and how (not) to do with a foreigner so that he falls in love with our city.
As a person who has lived half of his life outside of Belarus, visited several dozen countries and hundreds of cities, and also received many foreign guests in Minsk, I will immediately say that this essay concerns primarily foreigners from developed countries.
Residents of third world countries can be safely allowed to roam freely through the streets of Minsk, and they will be delighted by almost everything. But receiving guests from Minsk Western Europe And North America, it is important to keep in mind that Minsk, for all its charm, is still very difficult for cosmopolitans accustomed to convenience and comfort.
Any foreigner in any country is a walking prejudice
If you want your guests to stay good impressions about Minsk, one important thing should be understood. Foreigners always go to a new country with a whole baggage of previously formed prejudices, stereotypes and expectations. These expectations are based on the country’s reputation in the world and on the information that manages to leak 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. Thus, when arriving in New York, tourists try to count the number of fat people and fast food joints, in Amsterdam they sniff the smell of marijuana and look for LGBT couples, and in Bangkok they look for fried insects and transvestite prostitutes. One or two stereotypes seen on the street are enough to reinforce preconceptions about a country and a city. And only if a person has not seen a single confirmation of the stereotype during the entire trip, his prejudices can be destroyed.
This is where you, as the host, have to make a choice: either you give your guests what they came for and help them confirm 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 exclusively 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?
To general stereotypes about Eastern Europe include gray concrete boxes code-named “buildings” typical of cities that survived communism, poverty, dirt, crime, prostitution, dyed blondes in stiletto heels, ready to do anything for money, short-haired, sullen men in tracksuits and classic babkas in headscarves, 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 can roughly imagine how they see it. Arriving in the “last dictatorship of Europe” and the only European country, which is not a member of the Council of Europe and still uses the death penalty, a foreigner expects to see oppressed and frightened people in fur hats, plagued by corruption and bureaucracy, soldiers marching everywhere in giant caps and portraits and statues of Lukashenko everywhere. In addition, Belarus is often expected to conform to numerous stereotypes about Russia, which are also very unpleasant.
As you already understand, Minsk has good potential for destroying many of the listed prejudices.
Minsk is quite clean and safe, which is already a break from the pattern, and people don’t look that depressed. At the same time, we must admit that Minsk is really full of signs of militarism and communist heritage, which you will not be able to hide.
But that's not a bad thing! In IT terms, 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 trick of Minsk is precisely that it is an ideal monument to the “soviet” in its best form. There is nothing like this 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 a foreigner’s stay in Minsk, this “scoop” remains at the level of a monument and does not crawl into reality before the eyes of guests, confirming some of the prejudices listed above. To do this, I recommend you the following precautions...
What to remember when meeting a guest at the airport
Fortunately, despite the completely anti-market symbiosis of Belavia and Minsk-2 airport, the former maintains a quite decent level of service, and the latter last years brought into a more or less divine form. However, the first stage of visiting Belarus has its own pitfalls.
Before departure, warn your friends that they will 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 discreetly, hastily moving 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 Russian. But, apparently, such assumptions are not spelled out in job description flight attendants. Over the past four years, I have flown Belavia to Minsk forty times, and every 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 actually be no pens in the arrivals hall), and then end up at the back of the queue at 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 at the top left 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, CSTO, EAU and the “post-Soviet space”, so you don’t have to bother yourself with trying to translate these abbreviations and expressions into English language. Nobody will understand anyway. Just say that we have an open border with Russia and therefore the same migration card is valid when entering both countries. They will leave you alone for a while, but get ready for the fact that you will have to launder 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 to Belarus by foreigners, I advise you not to overdo it with patriotism, because this can play in the opposite direction.
It’s hard not to confuse a country with Russia where everyone around them speaks Russian, the currency is called “ruble” and 9 out of 10 pronounce English adjective“Belarusian” (“Belarusian”) as “Belarashan”. For those who are not sure how to pronounce it correctly, listen here:
I very often see how Belarusians, out of patriotic motives, constantly try to tell foreigners about the differences between Russia and Belarus, Russians and Belarusians, presenting their people in a positive light. Should not be doing that. Firstly, this 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 remember Russia during a foreigner’s visit to Minsk, the more he will associate this city with Russia. If you don’t want this, it’s better to compare with other countries.
You are picking up a 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 there is a green booth with the inscription Insurance) right at the entrance to passport control.
It doesn't matter what they have, just like everyone else normal people, you already have insurance that covers expenses abroad, and it doesn’t matter that formally this is enough. With this insurance, there is a 90% chance that they will be turned into a green booth at passport control, because their insurance does not have the “Belgosstrakh” (free competition in Belarusian) stamp on it. Fortunately, thanks to the unpronounceability of this brand, your friends will never understand the absurdity of this objection and will decide that it is their fault. You still have a chance to save face for your homeland.
If you cannot meet your 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. An express train will be able to solve the problem of transferring to the city in five years, when the rails will be laid to the terminal itself and you won’t have to take a bus to the train.
If a foreigner decides to take a taxi himself, he will be in trouble. As happened at many Eastern European airports in the 1990s, at the exit short-haired men in sweatpants will start accosting him, offering him a taxi. An experienced traveler will immediately sense a scam and, ignoring the athletes, will head to the taxi parking lot according to the signs. Taxi drivers will not understand him and will direct him back to the boys in tracksuits, thereby reinforcing the prejudice about Eastern European crime and racketeering.
Your next task is to take your guests to Minsk without exposing them to the horrors of the Belarusian village. You should prepare topics for conversation in order to divert the attention of passengers from the landscapes of the Queens of Stan in time. For example, you can pay attention to the flat landscape right side roads, noting that Belarus is the flattest country in Europe. The Netherlands also claims this title, but who will check them...
As you approach Uruch, draw your friends’ attention to the cornflowers decorating the facades of some of the panels. I'm not talking about flowers, but about the cross-shaped element of the Belarusian traditional ornament, which we use as decoration everywhere you go. This is a very unusual feature when a symbol that is not an official coat of arms is widely used in architecture and design of everything - from interiors to clothing.
By drawing the attention of your guests to this, you can encourage the most adventurous of them to start looking for cornflowers everywhere. With luck, this may distract them from seeking confirmation of their vulgar prejudices.
Just imagine how difficult it is for a foreigner to understand the names
Few people in Belarus have 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 many countries have different street names depending on the language. As a rule, names, like other brands, are not translated. And we even translate proper names.
For a foreigner accustomed to everything having 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 at the map and can’t find it because it says Victory Square. Then he takes the metro, and there they announce Plošča Pieramohi. This 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 the signs, that’s what everyone says. But on the maps it happens that this is 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 is very high level quality of restaurants and cafes. In the center today it is difficult to find a place where you can feel ashamed of the interior and where the food is disgusting. But there are things to be wary of.
One thing - we allow smoking in in public places. So if your friends don't smoke, you shouldn't take them to places like Malt & Hops where they fashionable outfits they stink like crazy and they will hate Minsk (and you) for it.
Second problem point- This is the complete unpreparedness of most establishments to serve foreigners. Most of the waiters either don't speak English or speak very little English. Many restaurants do not have menus in English. Some have it, but it’s 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.
When you arrive at a restaurant, ask for English menus for everyone, including yourself. For what? I have repeatedly discovered that the English menu differs from the Russian/Belarusian one in content and page numbering, not to mention translation flaws. This circumstance can significantly complicate the discussion of dishes and create misunderstandings and disappointments.
There is also this point: many waiters, although they speak English, try to avoid this 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 tires me terribly, because in my free time I have to work as a translator and do part of the waiter’s work, taking responsibility for possible mistakes translation and forgetfulness. But I also 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. 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 don't have huge Gothic castles, cathedrals and palaces. Even the National Library is of little interest to anyone. Ugliness and backwardness are what foreigners expect to see and can then tell their friends about. Your delicate task is to take them to places where there is the least ugliness, but to do this under the pretext 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 a 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 them the KGB building (the fact that the KGB still exists is a super mega-trick!) and GUM (just don’t let them inside). This way, your guests will always be within a decent-looking part of the city, 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 beautiful and neat, although there are no outstanding works architecture.
How exactly can you impress foreigners?
Evening illumination. I really have never seen anywhere else in the world (and I have visited more than 150 cities in 45 countries) where all the facades in the city center are illuminated every evening for several hours. Walk along the avenue with your guests before dinner. Beautiful, original and really memorable.
Keep in mind that the most pleasant impressions of Minsk will not be the buildings and statues, but a good time. After dinner, wander around the bars on Zybitskaya, have a blast in the Attic or hang out in the Hooligan, chat with interesting and pleasant people, and your friends will have the warmest memories of Minsk.
Well, remind them before leaving so that they don’t forget their migration card, otherwise other memories may be added at passport control.
