Life In Belarus

It wasn't all negative and filled with struggles, though. A lot of people expect me to tell them the world was splitting in half and millions of soldiers were at our doors ready to harm us when I tell them the government used to be communist. It was never as serious as that, even though minor things turned into bigger issues. Life in Belarus was surprisingly simple. My father built our home and also helped build lots of houses in the village we lived in. That's right, we lived in a village.

Most people when they hear the word village, think of huts, campfires, hunting, and gardens. The stereotypical, disconnected from the outside kind of world. But today, every house has electricity, water, plumbing, wifi, all of the sorts. They just live a whole lot further from the city. Of course, back then when phones weren't a thing, they were a little bit like outsiders.

Living in a village is having friends you've been with your whole life just half a mile to a mile down the road. Farming and collecting food wasn't as necessary since there's small stores scattered throughout with plenty supplies.

This type of experience changes my outlook on many things moving forward. Most of the people I met after moving to the United States have been city dwellers their whole lives. It was definitely an antithesis, life was entirely opposite.