I was in Belarus recently and it did feel like I was the only non-Slavic person, and tourist, on the bus there (yes, bus, because no European country except for Turkey is flying to Belarus). Everyone else seemed like locals going back home for a visit (including my wife!).
But once you get to Minsk, it's actually pretty modern and nice, extremely clean... and clearly a vibrating city with lots of things to do, buy and see... there's quite a few non-westernerns there (Indians, Chinese and other Asians, Africans), seems like mostly students. I was told they have programs to have exchange students which was already going on since Soviet times, and Belarus has some pretty good universtities apparently.
We also had very international food! I noticed there's Domino's Pizzas everywhere. One of the best restaurants we visited was a big Chinese one in the most popular area of the city. Also tried the local Belarussian cuisine, of course, a large Georgian restaurant (both were delicious and really good prices), some Italian food etc.
We visited lots of museums and art galleries, and they have excellent ones! In most of them we were very nearly the only visitors, despite being in the middle of summer. The attendants were really happy to receive us, and we had basically private tours of everything, they gave us much more attention than I've ever got anywhere else. Forget queues to get in or crowds around the main attractions!! My wife had to translate every word, but they still made sure to answer every question and point out every detail to us, slowly so that my wife could translate everything.
Even though our world is messed up and Belarus right now is seen as an "enemy country", I hope people can understand that they're a beautiful, honest people just trying to live life, like all of us. I think if more people visited, perhaps we would be better able to understand each other and keep a closer connection that could've avoided the mess we're in. I know the EU was trying to get closer to Belarus and vice-versa before "you know what" (I saw some restored buildings in a country town that were paid for by the EU!).... that totally stopped now, unfortunately. Hope countries like Belarus and Moldova continue their modernisation and getting closer to the rest of Europe without changing their own cultures too much, they have a rich and proud history and culture that should be maintained, we shouldn't make the mistake of expecting them to become just like us... they don't even want that, they just want to be as prosperous, which is a very different thing.
But once you get to Minsk, it's actually pretty modern and nice, extremely clean... and clearly a vibrating city with lots of things to do, buy and see... there's quite a few non-westernerns there (Indians, Chinese and other Asians, Africans), seems like mostly students. I was told they have programs to have exchange students which was already going on since Soviet times, and Belarus has some pretty good universtities apparently.
We also had very international food! I noticed there's Domino's Pizzas everywhere. One of the best restaurants we visited was a big Chinese one in the most popular area of the city. Also tried the local Belarussian cuisine, of course, a large Georgian restaurant (both were delicious and really good prices), some Italian food etc.
We visited lots of museums and art galleries, and they have excellent ones! In most of them we were very nearly the only visitors, despite being in the middle of summer. The attendants were really happy to receive us, and we had basically private tours of everything, they gave us much more attention than I've ever got anywhere else. Forget queues to get in or crowds around the main attractions!! My wife had to translate every word, but they still made sure to answer every question and point out every detail to us, slowly so that my wife could translate everything.
Even though our world is messed up and Belarus right now is seen as an "enemy country", I hope people can understand that they're a beautiful, honest people just trying to live life, like all of us. I think if more people visited, perhaps we would be better able to understand each other and keep a closer connection that could've avoided the mess we're in. I know the EU was trying to get closer to Belarus and vice-versa before "you know what" (I saw some restored buildings in a country town that were paid for by the EU!).... that totally stopped now, unfortunately. Hope countries like Belarus and Moldova continue their modernisation and getting closer to the rest of Europe without changing their own cultures too much, they have a rich and proud history and culture that should be maintained, we shouldn't make the mistake of expecting them to become just like us... they don't even want that, they just want to be as prosperous, which is a very different thing.