Says Tatsiana: Two years ago I found out that my mother had an abortion in her past. I asked her about it. Mom spoke reluctantly, almost in a whisper. “Abortion” is a taboo word for many women in Belarus. They try not to pronounce it or replace it with another...
Alexey Shlyk: The Appleseed Necklace
Says Alexey: Every time I think of my country (Belarus), I am reminded of how wonderfully resourceful and creative the people are. Probably those qualities were inherited - together with tolerance - from the Soviet period. As I was born in 1986, I was a citizen of the Soviet Union...
Jasper Bastian: A Road Not Taken
The border between Belarus and Lithuania, two countries previously part of the Soviet Union, was once little more than an insignificant, thin line on a map. The people of this area interacted freely with one another. The bonds of their communal life were strong despite their national diversity. Families often...
Jadwiga Bronte: Invisible People of Belarus
Belarus, located in the far-flung reaches of Eastern Europe is the last dictatorship on the continent and for some is still considered to be part of Russia. This is a place where the president, Alexander Lukashenko is seen as an unchallenged, fearsome and almost ‘God-like’ figure. Belarusians still fear the...