They say that from the outside we know better: we, Belarusians, are interested in how people of other nationalities and cultures judge us. The recent World Hockey Championship in Minsk made it possible to confirm in some places and in others refute stereotypes about Belarus and its inhabitants. And now on the Internet you can find many reviews from championship guests from different countries about your stay in Belarus. It is very interesting to read them: what can foreigners say about our country, except for the notorious “yours is clean and beautiful”?..
“Zhytstse Palessya” decided to again visit 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 subsequent impressions of the city and the university, whether the realities of Belarusian student life are difficult for them, and much more.
This year, 9 foreign students will receive diplomas from Moscow State Pedagogical University named after I.P. Shamyakin: 8 citizens of Turkmenistan and a citizen Russian Federation.
Student from Turkmenistan: “We don’t feel like strangers”
The Faculty of Philology, with its strong traditions and philosophy of unity and cohesion, accepted the girl as if it were family, and she is trying 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 is studying, and is convinced that the main task for her compatriots who have become students at Belarusian universities should be to obtain strong knowledge that will help them achieve success in their homeland.
We are talking in the dormitory room, which my interlocutor shares with her classmate Ogulnabat, although Enesh herself, to my surprise, calls her friend Olya: Belarusian fellow students come up with Slavic “analogues” of Eastern names, which successfully “take root” and become part of the everyday life of Turkmen students.
“I like studying in Mozyr, I don’t regret at all that I came here,” the student admits. – I like the nature here: the beauty is indescribable. My friends and I often walk in the city park “Pobeda”. I know Mozyr almost like my hometown. And I myself am from the city of Mary, this is a regional center in Turkmenistan, much 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 learning difficulties can be overcome if the main objective your arrival - to receive a good education, 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 spent a lot of time teaching him. My parents always convinced me that I needed to know Russian because 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 “kali laska”, “provytanne”, “dzyakuy”, “vinshuyu”, “da pabachennya” and some others are already known.
Together with her friends, Enesh traveled to the cities of Belarus, visiting religious places of our country on excursions.
– Brest Fortress left us with a lot strong impressions, - the girl recalls. – In general, historical places are closer to me, considering that I am a historian by profession. We were in the Mir Castle, in Nesvizh - we really liked it, madly interesting story and culture.
– What opinion have you formed about modern Belarus? In what distinctive features Belarusians?
– Each nation is unique in its own way. My opinion is that it is not so important what nationality a person is, what is more important is his human qualities. But still, the Belarusians lived up to my hopes: they are hospitable, tolerant people. Tolerance towards people of other nationalities and religions is yours distinguishing feature. Many other nations could do with learning from the Belarusians, and we should also strive to be like that.
– Do you plan to work in your specialty after graduating?
- Certainly! The teaching profession is in great demand in our country. Teachers are respected and their work is paid decently. Moreover, I will teach history. I like the saying that a people who do not know their 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 confusion of my interlocutor and her roommate, the answer is yes. But, as she explains, it is still possible. For many Turkmen students, studying in Belarus is quite affordable.
You have to visit your relatives only once a year, during 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 visit, he will do so 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 I.P. Shamyakin Moscow State Pedagogical University can be found in the newspaper issue dated December 17, 2013 - author's note) is already in Mozyr 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 It’s been in the plans for a long time, but so far Richard is the first of them. And being the first is always not easy: when we last met, the guy didn’t know Russian at all, and he was a bit gloomy in appearance. Now he has already settled down a little, learned Russian, has become more relaxed, even cheerful. This time we are meeting without an interpreter.
– Last time you said that you felt out of place because everyone was looking at you on the street...
– Everything is fine, I got used to it a little, although I didn’t look any less (laughs).
– Do you like Belarusians?
- Yes, you have good people, Very beautiful girls. No one is offended, 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 finishing the preparatory courses I would go to university in Gomel. But now I want to stay and study here more and more.
– You master the Russian language quite quickly. What helps you with this?
– I don’t even know, probably, that I mostly communicate in Russian, there is no other way out - I have to remember. The Internet is also good for studying.
- How do you spend it? free time?
– I walk around the city a lot with friends. Sometimes I walk alone; I already know the city quite well. Previously, I only went into the city accompanied by someone, but recently I went to Gomel myself. I also do music. I play the guitar and rap well.
– What can you say about Belarusian prices?
– If you compare with our prices, it’s more expensive here. My studies cost me $2,200 a year. I mostly spend my money on food.
– What products do you buy?
– Fruits, vegetables, meat. I’m already a little used to Belarusian cuisine. I love borscht and pilaf. I like it, it's 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 $1000.
– And after you receive your diploma, do you plan to work in your specialty?
- Yes, in engineering. I want to enter the Faculty of Engineering and Pedagogy.
– I wonder if the Russian language can be useful to you in your homeland? Will knowledge of it play an important role in finding a job?
- No, but knowledge foreign languages- this is good in any case.
Student from Russia: “People in Belarus are more moral than here”
Vasilina Busel, who comes from the Tyumen region of the Russian Federation, has very little time left to complete her studies at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. She is completing her 5th year majoring 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 a student’s life there is a place for volleyball, handball, even mini-football, as she herself says later.
But first of all I ask: where does a girl from the north of Russia have such a surname - Busel? Vasilina smiles: her father comes from these places. He went to the Tyumen region to earn money and stayed there. Several years ago he returned to his homeland, his daughter followed 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 production is underway. 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 heating system breakdowns are common, then you can imagine what it’s like. But it was okay, we somehow managed without complaining too much. There is practically no off-season there: either winter or summer. There was a time when snow fell 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 good preparation for adult life. While studying, she also worked as a waitress in this cafe.
– Are your classmates and 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 “residents of the Far North.” By the way, the life of the peoples of the North today has also stepped forward; for example, they are not alien to high tech, Internet (smiles).
– Over the years spent in our country, what impressions did you have about it and its inhabitants?\
- In general, everything is fine. I don’t think that some are better, some are 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 the people, especially the young people, as they say, “shkolota,” and I felt very sad for my city. In Belarus, people are probably more moral. The leadership of your country has a responsible attitude towards educating the younger generation, and I like it.
– As for finances: is it expensive for a student from Russia to live and study in Belarus?
– Average, I’ll say this. I'm not a picky person. Although our salaries are higher than here, prices are also higher, renting housing is more expensive. In general, both in Belarus and in Russia prices rise at the same rate. 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.
Vasilina will soon pass state exams, after which she plans to go home. She was not assigned, but 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 I.P. Shamyakin Moscow State Pedagogical University T.N. Chechko.
– Tatyana Nikolaevna, you have been working with foreign students for several years and have probably noticed some of their most striking distinctive features...
– Yes, for example, Turkmen girls are feminine, sociable and hospitable, homely. They are more flexible in communication than their male compatriots and than Belarusian female students. As for the guys from Turkmenistan, they are characterized by mutual assistance, tenacity of character, and masculinity. They are fond of sports; almost every day after classes they can be seen on the volleyball court. In general, Turkmens are distinguished by their loyalty to traditions and hospitality.
Richard, a student from Nigeria, has a more difficult time than most other international 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 higher education in the field of mechanical engineering and work in their specialty in their country.
– How difficult is it to teach foreigners?
– Of course, there are difficulties, especially in the first and second years. After all, this is a period of adaptation: a new linguistic, sociocultural environment. What is being done to alleviate these difficulties? So, for example, in the case of students from China and Nigeria, we assign a curator to a foreigner. Initially, this is an employee of the international relations department, and then a student of the Faculty of Philology who speaks English (as a rule, foreigners speak English well). The curator accompanies the foreigner in his studies and everyday life for one semester.
Elena MELCHENKO
Photos from personal archives
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 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 human face”, which 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, only citizens of countries outside the EU pay for cars. 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, the 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, I’ll 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 get into 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.”
“Visa-free regime is a great idea”, “trouble with English”, “expensive hotels” - foreigners share their impressions of Belarus
Last month spring traditionally becomes a tourist destination for our country. Residents of neighboring countries, mostly Russians, come to Minsk for the May holidays, and they can tell almost more about excursion Belarus than the locals. The recently adopted visa-free regime has added color to the capital's streets and expanded the picture of nationalities: from outsiders who are prohibited from entering, residents of 80 countries have turned into welcome guests (even if only for five days). Onliner.by took to the decorated streets of Minsk to ask tourists about their impressions of the country and its capital.
What do foreigners notice first? What will they tell their friends about and will Belarus be able to captivate foreign guests so much that they want to come back here again (or even more than once)? We asked tourists to tell not only about the good, but also about what could be changed in our way of life to make the life of an “overseas” guest more comfortable and familiar.
A young man named Hock, although born in Taiwan, lives permanently in Australia. A year ago, a travel lover, thanks to the Internet, met a beautiful Belarusian woman. And I decided to find out more about her home country.
What's cool
- I immediately planned to stay longer than five days, so I had to apply for a visa,- explains Hawk. - I have been in Belarus for a week now. I spent most of this time in Minsk. Just yesterday I drove through the whole city on a special red tourist bus - I climbed onto the second floor and looked around the city. I like it. I heard that there is also a green bus, which also introduces you to the sights, I’m going to take a ride on it.
Minsk is a cool city. I was impressed by the buildings in the center (beautiful architecture) and Independence Square. I also liked Belarusian food, especially vegetable pancakes (I don’t remember what they are called). True, there are not many establishments where you can try national cuisine - I go to Vasilki.
I live in a hotel - I stayed at BonHotel, the hotel is good, and the room prices are comparable to Australian ones - on average $60-70 per night. I haven’t explored the nightlife of Minsk yet. And here public transport I liked it - so far I have only used buses and the metro, the travel seemed very cheap to me.
What can be changed
- Simplify the procedure for obtaining a visa. When you are used to flying around the world without any visas at all, all these extra hassles and worries are difficult to perceive. It was very difficult for me. Well, there’s a problem with English - not all passers-by understand what you’re talking about.
Dominic also has a complex geographical history: the man is originally from Germany, lives in Ukraine, and came to Belarus to visit his wife’s relatives. This is not the first time he has visited our country and notes the changes.
What's cool
- A visa-free regime has appeared - it is very convenient. Five days, in principle, are enough to resolve basic issues and even explore the country a little (we arrived for four days in general). The only inconvenience is the connection to the airport.
The city is constantly changing: new buildings are being built, things are being restored, new bars and restaurants are opening. I can note that there is a lot more going on in the Old Town: before the streets were empty, but now there are exhibitions, festivals - in a word, activity.
What can be changed
- Sometimes there are not enough inscriptions in English. In the center everything is fine, but if you move a little further, problems begin. Of course, you can ask passers-by with a question, but not everyone will be able to give advice - young people, in principle, speak English, but older people no longer do. And this is very important. I don’t have any problems, since I speak Russian fluently, but if my father were traveling alone in Minsk, it would be difficult for him even in the metro - the inscriptions there are non-standard. My advice is to promote English at all levels.
Olya and Nastya are representatives of the largest tourist class for us; the girls came from Moscow. In just a few hours, we packed our things, jumped into the car and rushed to Minsk.
What's cool
- The trip was very spontaneous, but it’s always like that with us,- the girls laugh. - Why Belarus? Because vacationing here is inexpensive and not very far from home. Initially we wanted to see the Mir and Nesvizh castles, so we went there on the first day. We were not disappointed - we really liked the castles. On the way back we'll stop by Vitebsk.
Minsk is cool, and your people are very kind - everyone is smiling and happy to give advice. It's captivating. We live in the "Tourist" hotel - great option for little money. As for food, we try to try only national cuisine. All good. We will definitely tell our friends about Belarus and advise them to come here.
What can be changed
- I would like there to be more activities in the city: something that would attract young people, otherwise in the evenings the streets are empty and quiet. A problem arose with the independent excursion: we tried to download a guide to Minsk, but there were very few options. And when they finally downloaded one of them and listened to it, they almost fell asleep - “it was built in such and such a year, by such and such a person, who was a relative of such and such a person.” Bored, terribly uninteresting. Although it could leave a lot more impressions if everything was thought out and designed for young people.
It would be great if there were original excursions in Minsk, like, for example, in St. Petersburg on the roofs. Or so that you can complete a quest around city attractions. It would also be nice if the metro worked longer and the train intervals were shorter (in the evening you can stand for a very long time). There are not enough good grocery stores - most of them are small with little choice, and prices for goods are the same as in Moscow.
Alexey and Yulia with their two sons, Stepan and Kirill, came to Minsk for the May holidays from the Volga region. For the first time, the head of the family found himself in our latitudes on work matters, and after getting to know the city, he was so inspired that he decided to show the neighboring country to his household.
What's cool
- We decided to spend the May holidays usefully - both to relax and to see how they live in the neighboring state,- Alexey explains. - We arrived by car, so I can safely say that the roads in Belarus are different: there are better ones, and there are worse ones. If we talk about entry into the country, it requires improvement - after all, this is the face of the state. And everything is not bad in Minsk.
We've been here for about a week now. Taking into account the fact that we have two children, we rented an apartment in the center, not a hotel. There are plenty of housing offers in Minsk. But after studying the options on Booking and Airbnb, we decided to look at local housing rental services. It turned out to be more profitable. We contacted landlords directly, talked, and people agreed to work for honestly, no prepayment, which is very nice. The most important thing is that there is no discrepancy at all between what is shown in the photo and the real condition of the apartment. I would like to note that Belarusians are honest and decent people. They are very similar to us in mentality.
I liked the city center - there is no dominance of signs, everything is very organic and laconic. We have already visited the Mir and Nesvizh castles - the impressions are the best. They often say that Belarus is the USSR, but I disagree. We found echoes only in GUM, but again this was said not as a reproach, but in in a good way: a large store with its own goods.
What can be changed
- We need to develop the tourism sector. Even we Russians don’t always know about Belarus and its attractions. Should be normal marketing strategy, it needs to be implemented. You have excellent products and services, but this information needs to be conveyed. It is also worth emphasizing national cuisine- there are not enough establishments with Belarusian flavor and original food. For some reason little attention is paid to this.
Carolina and Marcello are originally from Italy, but study in Moscow, and decided to spend the weekend in Minsk. Young people just arrived in the country yesterday, taking advantage of the visa-free regime, and are now enjoying walking around the city.
What's cool
- Before coming, we knew almost nothing about Minsk and Belarus. And they would hardly have dared to take such a trip if not for the visa-free regime. But since we have many friends in Moscow and they often visit Minsk, we decided to try it. Before that, we only looked at their vacation photos. You know, expectations and reality coincide so far, there is no feeling of disappointment.
We spent the first night at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel - it was nice, but very expensive. Today we moved to a hostel: 10 euros per night is already a normal price. But finding a place was not easy; almost all hostels in the center were booked for the May holidays.
In Minsk, new establishments open every week for lovers of gastronomic delights and healthy lifestyle. You can read about them and choose where to go on the rest of your day off by following the link.
If you are planning to visit the Mir and Nesvizh castles, but are afraid that your car will let you down, look for the best car repair specialists in the section
Mikhail Sender, director of Kufar, meets foreign guests in Minsk almost every week. Over the course of several years, he developed 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 his life outside of Belarus, visited several dozen countries and hundreds of cities, and also received many foreign guests in Minsk, I will say right away that this essay primarily concerns 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 speaks Russian, the currency is called “ruble” and 9 out of 10 people pronounce the English adjective “Belarusian” as “Belaráshan”. 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 that they, like all normal people, 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 away to 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...
Approaching Uruch, draw your friends’ attention to the cornflowers decorating the facades of some 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. Therefore, if your friends do not smoke, then you should not take them to places like Malt & Hops, where their fashionable outfits stink 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, since 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 pretend 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.
I have a friend, let’s call him A., who is very energetically concerned about a certain “gene pool of the nation.” At the sight of a sweet couple, where the role of the stronger half is clearly not a descendant of the Radimichi - he is too dark, with black hair and a sparkling eye - 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 his years... Stop, stop, stop. Since when did belly fat become a sign of ethnicity? It’s not just Apollos walking 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. It’s 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.
