Screengrab/BelTA
MINSK, 16 December (BelTA) – In The Honest Story project on BelTA’s YouTube channel, refugee from Latvia Roman Samul explained why he and his wife Olga chose to buy a house in a Belarusian village.
The couple had long wanted to have their own home and land. The value of being away from the city became especially clear to them during the coronavirus pandemic. “A city makes you perpetually dependent; your essential lifeline can be severed in an instant. Take our experience in Latvia during the pandemic when we had a curfew imposed. There was no war, yet a curfew was in place. That meant we couldn’t go out at night. We couldn’t even enter any stores unless we had that vaccination or at least a certificate confirming our recovery. So you realize, better than being cooped up within four walls, it’s better to have your own home,” he said.
“Plus, I remember the times we stayed with my grandparents during the summer holidays. It was so wonderful. And when you have children, you want them to be as close to nature as possible. That’s why we decided to buy a house,” Roman Samul shared.
He emphasized that he and his wife are happy with how things are progressing after the purchase, even if not everything is finished as planned. “We have our own house, our own plot of land, and all the utilities. It’s true the renovations aren’t finished, but that’s a secondary concern. What truly matters is that the essentials are all in working order. We have reliable heat, with the added convenience of all-electric heating at a subsidized rate (11 kopecks) that covers everything from the oven and stove to the boiler and heating system. Last month, with everything running, our total utility bill was just Br160. For the same usage in Latvia, we would be facing a cost of nearly €1,000,” he noted.
Roman Samul has become an inspiration for many who consider moving to the countryside in Belarus, and the family shares their experience in a video blog. “I’ve already inspired so many people to follow suit. I know people who are moving to Belarus and buying houses in the countryside. They’re starting to renovate them. It’s wonderful to give an old house a new lease on life, to revive a village, to hear children’s voices there, to enjoy the feeling of freedom. And only in nature is this possible,” he said. He noted that their village is also home to another family of displaced persons, from Israel.
Among the advantages of village life, Roman also highlighted the abundant nature: “Mushrooms, berries. The best part of it is that on your day off, you don’t have to spend hours getting ready at home just to drive somewhere out of town and then spend another hour on the road. You’re already here, already where you want to be. Anytime, even in the evening after work or chores, you can just step outside. You’re already near the forest, or even right in it.”
“When we first came here, we were stunned by how beautiful the nature is. It’s truly an amazing place. I met all the neighbors right away. They all came out; it’s a small village. We got to talking. They started asking who I was and what I was doing. One even recognized me from Belarusian television. We became friends right away,” said Roman Samul.
Plans include further construction and landscaping of the property. “I hope everything works out. It couldn’t be any other way. In Belarus, wishes tend to come true,” Roman added.
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