​If you meet a Belarusian woman that seems a bit stressed out, it might be because she’s getting married this year. Sound weird? Well then, you must not know about Belarusian weddings! You see, from the moment two Belarusian people make the decision to get married the excitement quickly fades into total stress… but over the course of an entire year!
 
While in many countries, especially in the Netherlands, a wedding means a quick official ceremony followed by a quiet celebration (slightly boring), a Belarusian wedding could not be more different! Belarusian weddings are very special events packed full of traditions (some a bit crazier than others), and involve a lot people (not just relatives), and a number of different ceremonies with feasts of food and wine. It is no accident that in Belarusian a wedding is called “vyaselle”, literally translated as merriment.
 
Because we are so amazed by all the wedding traditions and feel slightly sorry for Belarusian newly engaged couples (mostly the bride) who have to arrange so much, we have made a ‘What happens after she says YES’ list, to highlight some of the more extraordinary traditions and possibly inspire others for their own weddings.  
 
What happens after she says YES list:
 
Everything starts once the bride says YES, as she not only says yes to her marriage, but also agrees to everything that comes with the wedding rituals and traditions. Possibly one of the more frustrating things to organise and the first on our list is THE DATE. Why frustrating? Well you see Belarusians are quite superstitious and there are a number of days during the year seen to be either bad luck or not good traditionally speaking. For example, it is not wise to set the wedding date during Christian fasting periods, or on the eve of major church holidays. The entire month of May is a bit taboo (marry in May, ruin the day) and definitely not in a leap year. Luckily there are 99 days left in a calendar year that are suitable. 
 
One of our favourite traditions takes place just before the start of the ceremony and is known as the Buy Out. A modern spin on the traditional dowry.  The groom comes to the bride’s house accompanied by his groomsmen and he must undergo various challenges, showcasing his strength and intelligence (the challenges are usually prepared and organized by the bridesmaids who decide whether it’s payback time or not). If the groom fails any of these challenges, he must pay with money, chocolate, or alcohol. In the end, he usually gets the bride.
 
After the Buy Out the couple leave in separate cars accompanied by family and some close friends to the registry office to officially marry. The registry is usually not the cheeriest part of the wedding. Imagine Mendelssohn’s Wedding March playing in the background, while your family and friends watch you exchange vows in front of the antiquated registrar with the well trained voice who reads a ‘heartfelt’ speech. After the ceremony, the newlyweds leave in one car to their reception.  
 
Once married, it’s time to seriously celebrate! Traditionally, the reception would take place at the groom’s house which has now been replaced by a banquet hall or a restaurant. Upon arrival, the newlyweds are greeted by their parents who say: ‘God grant you advise and love’. Each Father gives them a blessing with an icon, and the mothers - with bread and salt. The bread loaf is another tradition in and of itself. The newlyweds each snap off a piece and compare whose portion is bigger. The one with the bigger piece is then meant to be the head of the household.
 
Another fun tradition during the reception is the Kissing tradition. When glasses are raised, guests start chanting ‘GORKO’ (which means 'bitter') and ask the newlyweds to ‘sweeten it’, by kissing!  
 
During the course of the evening, the groom must pay close attention to his wife’s whereabouts and her shoes because chances are she or them will be ‘stolen’ by partygoers. Often people will try and distract the couple while someone climbs under the tables. If they are successful, the maid of honour or best man must drink champagne out of the bride’s shoe to earn it back!
 
To add even more merriment to the evening, Belarusian weddings are packed full of games and contests. Weddinggoers have a love/hate relationship with these contests. You’re either ‘where can I hide’ or ‘please poor me some more’. We must admit that the games have a certain level of entertainment at least for those watching and not participating. The games include anything from guessing how many sweets are on your chair with your butt or, who can wrap their partner in toilet paper faster, to who can dance the longest with an apple stuck between their bodies.
 
However, don’t be scared if you are invited to a Belarusian wedding. It’s becoming more popular in Belarus to organise weddings in a Western European style. But, even at these weddings you will most likely encounter some sort of Pagan/Christian undertone/traditions.  Maybe, if you’re lucky, you will get a chance to see a real Belarusian wedding… hopefully you’re the type who likes to wrap themselves in toilet paper, and if not you can always play the boring tourist card.
 
Here are some tips just in case you are invited to a Belarusian wedding:

- If you cannot come, it is better to call the bride- or groom-to-be in advance to personally explain why you will not be there or send them a letter.
- What to give as a present? Well if you want to save yourself time it is customary to give money ($50-100), or you may ask the couple if they have a wish list.
- Look for a sign from the Master of Ceremonies when to give the present (or money): there is usually a time specially dedicated to this during the wedding.
- Try to engage in the wedding activities and games as much as you can, even if you are not a big fan — you don't want to seem rude (but no one will judge you if you decide to tie your shoe or drop something on the floor and duck under the table when the MC is choosing victims for the next game).
- Have some petty cash on you for the contests — some of them involve bargaining or lotteries, so it might come in handy.
- Belarusian weddings often involve a lot of drinking — you will have to raise your glass many times, so try to monitor your consumption, or someone will have to carry you out the banquet hall, making this special day forgettable.
- If you are asked to make a toast, try to oblige, but do not make it too long — no one likes long speeches (especially when you have to sit through several dozens of them over the course of a few hours).
- Do not engage in heated discussions nor get involved with those started nearby — by the end of a long day of dancing, eating, and drinking, atmosphere in the room might get quite tense and even 'explosive'. Best to excuse yourself and join the fun elsewhere.

​There is something magical or just a bit strange about Belarusian holidays! You know how in most countries when a holiday falls on a Thursday, people often take the Friday off using their allocated holidays to enjoy a long weekend? Well in Belarus this happens automatically and officially! So you don’t even have to think about it! Magic, right?
 
However, don’t be surprised when your Belarusian friends now and then have to work on a Saturday. This is called ‘Perenos’ and it literally means ‘shifting’. Belarusians love to shift their days off, so they can spend extended weekends at their dachas or go on holiday.
 
So how does it work? Well, imagine a holiday, for example Constitution Day (June 3rd), falling on a Thursday. Belarusians are given the Friday off to give them a four-day holiday.  To compensate for this long weekend, Belarusians must make up this lost work day usually working the previous Saturday.  This of course means that the previous work week was a full six days! However, in return they do gain four whole days of vacation. That could be worse right?  
 
So, when you ask your dear Belarusian friend to do something fun on a Saturday, chances are he or she might need to work. But don’t feel too bad for them because they have plenty of time to rest and have fun the following weekend!  
 
We think it’s quite a good idea and that other countries should take note.
 
Always check the calendar to see whether such a magical shift is happening when planning your long weekend away! 

Dear friends,

After some hard work and preparation,
we are proud and excited to present our
Crowdfunding campaign page! 

Visit us, see what we have made just for you! Have fun, share this with your friends and on social media (we will greatly appreciate it!), follow our news on facebook and SUPPORT our project! 

Much love,
-Heta Belarus Dzietka team

As our Heta Belarus Dzietka book has become more known among Belarusians and we've been getting so much positive and encouraging feedback from our vast readers (in Belarus and abroad!) - that we feel it is time to celebrate more Belarusian uniqueness! With TWO more BOOKS!

First book: we feel it is a part of our mission to involve children into getting to know their Belarusianness and Belarusian language. That is why our next task is to write a children’s book. More specifically: a Belarusian fairy tale for children and grownups (“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” ― C.S. Lewis). This fairy tale will be based on an Belarusian folklore fairy tale with a modern Heta Belarus dzietka twist.

Second book: knowing where we came from and our history is a very important for shaping our identity. Yes, very philosophical indeed! But it is for this reason we got very curious about the Belarusian history. We would love to tell our friends about some important historical moments Belarusian people have lived through. Therefore Marta and Masha will have to go back in time and report on the period of Russian empire and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but in a fun and exciting way! So our second mission is create a bundle of short stories about important historical moments for the Belarusian population, Heta Belarus Dzietka style!

In order to write these new books we, of course, need funds, 6000 dollars to be exact (we will have to spend at least 8 months to write, translate, publish and market these books). Because we believe that Heta Belarus dzietka is a product for all Belarusians, we choose crowdfunding as a means to provide all our readers with the opportunity to invest in our product and thus in our mission of Celebrating Belarusian uniqueness.

So what is this crowdfunding, I hear you think. Crowdfunding involves raising money, usually in small amounts, from a large number of people. In this way a starting organisation or a project can get funding from their network instead of going to a bank or robbing one.

The way crowdfunding usually works is this: you, the initiator, pre-sell your product that does not exist yet, and people can buy it on the crowdfunding platform. After you have risen the target amount you needed you can start making the product. But there is also another way, Heta Belarus dzietka way! Instead of making our supporters pay for the 2 books that do not exist yet, we have decided to use this opportunity and sell our existing book together with a new Heta Belarus dzietka product made by the best Belarusian handmade designers (like Vitalina Gordievska)!  So by purchasing one of our packages you actually invest in the making of the two books.

On the 30th of March at 12.00 we will start our crowdfunding campaign on a Belarusian crowdfunding platform Ulej.by. During these nerve-racking 50 days our team will be organizing different events, flashmobs, presentation and more surprising actions in Minsk and different regions. Each week we will celebrate another theme: Traveling, Diplomats, Ecology, Food, Money and more! And we want you to Celebrate with us! How? By following us, by spreading the word about our campaign and of course by purchasing a great Heta Belarus dzietka package.
​
Let’s make it happen!: Heta Belarus dzietka!  #hetaCFdzietka 

How many ladies named Olga, Daria, Anastasia, Kseniya, Masha, Anna or Tatsiana do you know? Or how about gentlemen called Dzmitry, Aliaksandr, Aliaksey, Ivan, Andrei, or Mikhail? Let us guess, at least 51 per cent of your acquaintances?

While most parents in countries such as the Netherlands try to be most original when it comes to naming their newborn, names like ‘Storm’ or ‘Sun’ show this quest for originality. Belarusian parents don’t seem to be struck by this phenomenon. Quite the opposite is true as it seems many follow google’s most popular name list and don’t bother for their newborn to carry the same name as at least six other children in their future class.

We have looked at the statistics and found out that from the year 1991 until 2010 Anastasia, Maryia, Hanna, and Daria have been indeed dominating the Belarusian name market. This means that these names were in the top 10 from 1991 until 2010. The same goes for Dzmitry, Aliaksandr, Aliaksey, Ivan and Andrei.

While not being very original with the first names the Belarusian surely make it up with their nicknames and diminutives of most first names. Welcome to the labyrinth of Belarusian first names.  

Imagine you were dragged along to a birthday party of a friend of a friend and the birthday boy just introduced himself to you as Aliaksandr. A second later a friend of him calls him Sasha, yet another refers to him as Ales’, then his mom suddenly screams “Shura, your grandma just arrived, come and say hello”.  So this guy has four different names, what is going on here??

​You see, many Belarusians have this luxury when it comes to first names that change depending on the occasion and who you’re talking to. Belarusian names have one or more standardised diminutive forms (often with a “chka” or a “shen’ka” suffix added), and judging by the name-form a person is being called by, you can find out how close people are to one another. 
​
So, for example, names like “Aliaksandr” or “Natallia” would be used on official forms and documents (like a passport), as well as during business introductions. The less formal variants (“Sasha” and “Natasha”) might be used during more informal introductions as well as friendly communication. Nicknames and affectionate forms (“Shura” or “Sashen’ka”, “Nata” and “Natashen’ka”)  are used in the personal lives, thus among close friends and family. To a foreigner this is a cause for a headache. Don’t be alarmed to find out that  Vova, Uladz and Vladimir are the same person! How about Anastasiya, Nastya and Asya? The same person, too!

You might think that Belarusian and Russian names are identical. And we can not blame you for this thought because Belarus and Russia do share many features. However we can  tell you that not only does Belarusian spelling of most names differ from the Russian language, like the name Aliaksandr instead of the typical Russian spelling ’Alexander’ or Alena instead of Elena. But there are also more typical Belarusian names that should not be forgotten, but revived! Such as Alesia, Adela, Miron, Amila, Mira (from Miraslava), Viliana or Paulinka. And what about  Arsen’,  Ales’, Kastus’, Vincent, Janka, Jas’, Symon, Akim, Branislau, Vasil’, Zachar, Zianon, Franacysk, Liavon.  

​Tell us what you think! Did you also notice this trend? Maybe all your friends actually have completely different names? Share your thoughts with us! 

Read more about Belarus on our newest platform HiFive Belarus!

​Ask any young Belarusian who they want to be when they grow up. The most frequent response is likely to be "software engineer",  just like their older brother or sister. The popularity of this profession has developed quite remarkably in recent years. However it all makes a lot of IT-sense when looking at the past, future and present .

The past reveals that software engineering has been running through Belarusian veins for quite some time. During the Soviet period, Belarus was considered to be “Silicon Valley”, because it used to manufacture over 50% of the USSR’s computers and computer parts. Since the 1960s, Belarus has become a software development hub and is responsible for coining the term “programmnoe obespechenie” or “software” in Russian!

Very many smart boys (and slightly fewer girls) who were really good at math and “informatics” at school, quickly learned how to navigate their way around computers, technology and programming languages during the boom in the 2000s. It came naturally to them, it was almost like a game of chess: solving interesting problems on the fly. It won’t surprise you when we tell you that World of Tanks and Viber are both genius Belarusian inventions, and inside every programmer there is the silent hope that maybe, just maybe, he or she will develop a similar ingenious concept.
 
The future tells us that the IT sector will develop further and further for a couple of good reasons: the first is that you can get rich! Hurray! Someone in their 20s can be earning twice or even three times more than their 50­something, experienced and professionally active parents, just because he knows how to code. The second reason is the foreign trips and foreign payments attached to this profession, which are quite an attractive bonus for almost anyone.

The present picture of Belarus shows an entire ARMY of Belarusian software engineers: some working here for high pay, others working for export as freelancers, and a lot moving to other countries for even higher pay and cooler jobs. To be or not to be a programmer: that’s almost a no-brainer for the average Belarusian mathlete geek.

What do you think about all this? Do you ever feel like everyone around you is a programmer?
Please, share your thoughts with us!

Read more about Belarus on our newest platform HiFive Belarus!

Heta Belarus, Dzietka: THE BOOK
IS FINALLY OUT!

Our excitement is beyond! Huge thanks to everyone who helped us over these past few months, the help has been simply amazing!

Get Your Very Own Book:

Price: 80 000 Belarusian Rubles (~4€)
Language: the book is written in 2 languages: English and Belarusian, side by side.

How to get the book:
The easiest way to get the book is via direct meeting in Minsk, Belarus. Worldwide shipping is available, but we'd have to figure out the details individually. So, 
1) Send a request by email [email protected]
2) or call us at directly 375 (29) 340 2995 (Belarus)  or +375 (25) 729 1710 (also Belarus =) )
​
Payment options: 
Cash
Paypal
Bank transfer (EU, BY)
Money order

Starting this week the book will be available at the "Logvinov" Bookstore (=Gallery Y, Niezaliezhnasci 37a, Minsk, Belarus). It will cost a bit more (around 130 T). And a bit later the book will appear in a few other private shops.

In about 1 week the book will become available in many large bookstores (of the "Belkniga" network) in Minsk, including in Central Knigarnia (Niezaliezhnasci 19) and Svietoch (Pieramozhcau 11). It will go for a bit less (around 60 000 Belarusian Rubles)

The difference in price between Belkniga and ours is a sort of invitation to support us and our project. Until now, we have invested a lot of effort, time and soul so the project could come to life, all for our beloved readers! We hope you like what we've created and we'll be happy to know that you want to support us! All proceeds will go to the further development of the project. In any case, we will be happy if our book ends up in your hands, whichever way!

Thank you fans for being with us!

Superstitions are a part of many cultures and nations, and Belarus is no exception. And although a lot of them go way back and used to have at least some rational basis, most superstitions are now obviously no longer relevant. Yet people adhere to them like sacred commandments. For example, almost every child is careful never to whistle in the house - that blows all your money away! And don’t ever pass things over a threshold - that means instant trouble! Or how about this very special one for the unmarried ladies - don’t sit at the corner of a table, or you won’t be able to get married for at least another 7 years!

Pretty inconvenient to have to keep an eye out for all of these superstitions, huh? But we can reassure you that many Belarusians also find it stressful keeping tabs on them all! You can’t really do much about it: the power of superstitions is passed on from generation to generation and the rules must be followed! The very realization that they have broken some rule can change a person’s mood, and their inspiration and success may abandon them for a while. It’s much safer to just practice the ones that your family or friends have passed on to you, just in case ;)

But it’s not all scary, there are superstitions that give protection and are positive in other ways: one rather typical Belarusian superstition is the well-known Ruchniks - narrow cloths embroidered in red on white - which have long been thought to have protective qualities, like amulets against evil. You can buy a Ruchnik as a cloth (to cover bread), a towel or a scarf and walk safely through the streets. 

Another very commonly used superstition is the ‘sneeze for the truth’. When someone sneezes, they confirm what has just been said. The Belarusians then say ‘na pravdu’: which means ‘that is true’. So even if someone says the craziest thing ever, like ‘Heto Belarus Dzetka will be the bestselling book in 2016’, and someone else sneezes immediately afterwards, it means that Heta Belarus Dzietka really will be the bestselling book in 2016. Time to sneeze!

Here is a list of the most common local superstitions, which many people follow in all seriousness: 

1. It is bad luck to illustrate a Shocking or negative concept on your own body. Don’t show on yourself!
2. Never pass, greet or say goodbye to someone over a threshold. That’s bad luck for you! 
3. Never place an empty bottle on a table. Bad luck again.
4. Dog poo is good, dog poo means more money. So go ahead and stand in it as much as you like. Same goes for bird poo.
5. Sit down before going on a trip. This will assure you of a safe trip.
6. Putting your clothes on on backwards or inside-out means that you might get hurt today, So you better take them off, step on them slightly and put them back on.
7. Does your nose itch? That means you’re going to have a drink soon!
8. If you unintentionally step on someone's foot, ask them to step lightly on yours. That will prevent a conflict. But please, don’t do it on public transport, as people may think you are crazy. A simple ‘I am sorry’ will be enough.

What's your favorite superstition? Maybe one that we forgot to mention, but our lives actually depend on us following it? Share with us! Leave a comment below.

Read more about Belarus on our newest platform HiFive Belarus!

As you may have already figured out, Belarusians love to spend their time in good company. And many Belarusians would agree: the best place to relax, grow plants, go to a sauna and spend a nice time with their friends and family is the dacha. “Dacha” is a term for both their wooden country house and the few hectares of land around it where they do leisurely stuff.

If you ever find yourself near the city limits of Minsk on a nice Friday evening in spring, you may notice a lot of traffic driving out of the city. This is the start of the “Big Dacha Move”. Many city dwellers, especially seniors citizens, move away from their city flats for the entire summer and actually live on their dachas all the way through till mid-autumn. Family members who stay in the city visit their parents or grandparents and help them out on the land. In return they get a nice escape from the city, including a barbeque, a sauna and fresh produce straight from the garden!

You will be amazed at the quantity of vegetables and fruits Belarusians grow on their land. Not only BULBA (beloved potatoes), but also apples, pears, raspberries, gooseberries, cherries, plums, strawberries, lettuce, onions, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini. And if for some reason, you don’t have any apples growing on your land - no problem! You just exchange some of your raspberries with the neighbour for some delicious apples!

An important feature of the dacha is the Belarusian bathhouse, called ‘banya’ in Russian and ‘laznia’ in Belarusian. Usually the banya is located on the premises of a dacha, but not all dachas have this nice feature, of course. There are also many public banyas in the cities that you may visit to get the experience.

It’s really a unique experience, and once you’ve discovered a banya, you’ll never want to wash yourself in any other way! A very special ritual that Belarusians perform in the banya is ‘bench slapping’. This involves lying on a bench in turn, while you are slapped with a bundle of thin oak or birch branches and leaves tied together. It may sound like a HELLISH practice, but it’s actually very relaxing. After washing yourself and drinking a little bit more beer, you wish one another “S legkim parom” which literally translates to ‘with light steam’ and is a figurative congratulation on a great cleansing.

Despite the sometimes Spartan conditions in the dacha (like cold nights and no real plumbing), the warm, relaxing and welcoming social experience of it will leave you with the best memories, making you want to come back for more again and again!

What is your favorite part of the Dacha experience? Share  your comments with us!

Read more about Belarus on our newest platform HiFive Belarus!