Travelling

Millions of people all around the world adore travelling. It keeps us from growing stale and old; it stimulates our imagination; it gives us that movement and change which are necessary for our wellbeing. Some people travel in search of beauty, others to satisfy their curiosity, and many people consider traveling to be a good form of rest.

While traveling we look for different things. Some people look for natural wonders: waterfalls, mountains; others search for ancient sites and great monuments. Some of my friends want to see romantic historical cities or exciting modern cities. As for me I like beautiful beaches and a coastline.

Some people travel light, and some take a lot of luggage on their travels, journeys, voyages or trips. They may choose various means of travelling: by air, by sea, by train, hiking, by car, by coach, on a bike, on foot or even on horseback.Travelling by plane is the fastest, but the most expensive mean of transporation. Many people travel by plane, though, some people are not good for height. I have to notice that in Belarus the most popular means of transportation are travelling by car and by bus. But still, tastes differ.

While travelling you discover different lifestyles, arts and crafts, taste different food, visit museums and picture galleries, enjoy nature.I’m extremely fond of traveling. I think it is the way to learn the world and get unique experience. Travelling is an adventure. Though you usually plan and arrange all the things you never know what people you’ll meet, what decisions you’ll have to make and what you’ll learn about yourself.

Fortunately I can say that I have travelled a lot in my life, I have been to Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, I have visited a few towns in Belarus, but, of course, most of all I was impressed by my visit to England. And I hope that in future I will have more opportunities to travel and to visit different countries.

Leisure time

They say that “Life is a big headache on a long noisy road”. This statement truly explains life nowadays. Life in the twenty first century is full of stress. From dawn to dusk, everyone has to go through a buzy schedule. Even children are not exempt from this rush. Everyday there are deadlines to meet, reports to write, bills to pay, meetings to attend, papers to submit. Life is a never-ending race to most people.

People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Really, there are many things in the world that help us to enjoy our life. Besides, if you have the money the world is your oyster. I dream about visiting exotic countries, helicopter tours, plane trips, parachuting, hot air ballooning and other stomach-churning activities.

It is known, that people can do all kinds of things in their spare time. They go shopping, do some household duties, go in for sports, gardining, collect records or stamps. Of course, some of the time activities, like visiting relatives or taking driving lessons, may not be fun, nevertheless this is the way to spend your free time.

In big cities people spend their free time by going to the theatre, cinema, museums, art galleries, concert hall, fitness or disco clubs. I live in a small town and I can't choose any of them. But when the weather is fine, I prefer to walk along the streets of the town with my friends, enjoying this pleasant conversation and fresh air.

Also I’m fond of listening to music, as it helps me to relax and relieve stress. I like watching some films or serials, reading, surfing the net, hanging out with friends. A usual set of any teenager. Nevertheless, sometimes my activities can be more spontaneous and then I don't feel restricted by a preset routine.

In a nutshell, If you have chosen a hobby according to your character and taste you are lucky because your life becomes more interesting.

The Republic of Belarus

A lot of people say “There is no place like home” and “Every bird likes its nest”. Such a nest for me is my homeland. Officially it’s called the Republic of Belarus, a sovereign independent state with its own government, constitution, state emblem, flag and anthem. Belarus is a presidential republic, governed by a president and the National Assembly. Alexander Lukashenka has been the president of Belarus since 1994.

Belarus is situated almost in the centre of Europe. It occupies the territory of over 207 600 sq km and borders on Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Ukraine. Belarus is a landlocked country. It isn’t washed by any seas or oceans. The population of the country is about 10 million people. Belarus is divided into six regions, which are named after the cities that serve as their administrative centers.

Belarus' two official languages are Russian and Belarusian, but Russian is the main language. According to the government sources, most people in Belarus adhere to some kind of religion, among them Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

The climate of Belarus is continental with a comparatively mild winter and warm summer. Our native land is very beautiful with its blue lakes and ribbons of rivers edged with thick forests, with its endless fields, meadows and swamp, with its varied and plentiful animal and plant kingdom. Today it is more often called “blue-eyed”, the country of thousands of lakes. And thanks to forests, which occupy one third of the territory of the country it is also called the “lungs of Europe”.

Most of the Belarusian economy remains state-controlled and has been described as "Soviet-style”. Nowadays Belarus is a country of developed industry, education and culture. Its biggest enterprises produce tractors and Lorries, refrigerators and TV sets, watches and bicycles. It exports potassium salt, tractors, electronic equipment and products of light industry. Agriculture in Belarus specializes in milk and meat production. Potatoes, grain, flax, herbs and vegetables are cultivated here.

Moreover, Belarus has four UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites: the Mir Castle Complex, the Nesvizh Castle, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha (shared with Poland), and the Struve Geodetic Arc (shared with nine other countries)

Let’s talk about Belarusian cusoms and traditions

“So many countries, so many customs”, - an English proverb says. The combination of the words tradition & custom means a usual manner of doing something, of conduct passed on from generation to generation.

People in Belarus celebrate May Day, Victory Day, Independence Day, Christmas, Easter, Kupalle, Kalyady, Maslenitsa and other holidays.

Kupalle is one of the most poetic, and mysterious holidays in Belarus. The tradition is very old. There are a lot of traditional rituals, believes, love and magic. In ancient times Kupalle was celebrated in the night from the 6th to the 7th of July. On Kupalle Eve girls collect different plants - cornflower, fens and some others. The central part of Kupalle celebration is bonfire. During the celebration young people jumped through the fire, bathed in the river and danced. People believe that in the Kupalle night the fern glowing in the dark, and if you find "paparats-kvetka" you'll live happily. But no one has found it yet.

Maslenitsa is a ceremony at the junction of two seasons; it sees off winter and meets spring. Popular festivals of folk music, dancing and national costumes are organized at the time of Maslenitsa.

Orthodox Christmas comes a week after the New Year and this week in Belarus is called Kalyady. During the celebrations groups of young boys and girls in smart clothes go from house to house, sing carols or limericks, or just cheer up people.

I love all kinds of holidays but most of all I admire the national traditions connected with them. My best loved holidays are New Year with a New Year tree, Christmas with plenty of delicious food to eat and Easter with red eggs and an Easter pie.

I am proud of our national traditions, they are unique and make us feel a little bit different from other nationalities. For example, the celebration of “Kupalle” is romantic and mysterious .When we celebrate Victory Day I feel proud of our people who went through great difficulties and showed courage and heroism. Traditions are a part of our culture, so we should carefully observe them to respect our ancestors and feel that we are a nation.

Belarusian(national) Cuisine

Wondering what to expect on your plate in Belarus? Meat and potatoes is a bit of a stereotype in this part of the world, but it's certainly not far from the truth. Similar to the cuisines of neighboring countries Ukraine, Russia, Poland and Lithuania, Belarus puts a lot of emphasis on pork, dumplings, soups, as well as the mighty potato.

Common in Belarusian cuisine were dishes from potato which is called among people "the second bread". For example, pancakes (draniki, in other words).  To my mind this dish is a speciality of our country, it is delicious. If you don’t mind I will give you the recipe. First you should peel some potatoes, then you should grate them, add an egg , some flour, some salt, mix everything and make little pancakes on a frying pan . Serve your draniki hot with sour cream or butter. Bon appetite!

A traditional Belarusian dinner must always start with a soup.  You can taste borscht and khaladnik. Borscht is popular in many Eastern and Central European cuisines. It is made with beetroot and beef as the main ingredients. It usually contains heavy vegetables including potatoes and beets, but may also contain carrots and peppers.  
The Belarusian khaladnik , a cold borscht made of beets, beet leaves and served with sour cream, hard-boiled eggs, and boiled potatoes  will be pleasant on a hot summer day. 

Most of all I prefer pancakes of various thickness, plain and filled, made mostly of wheat or buckwheat flour, but also using oatmeal.

Тraditional liquid desserts that accompanya meal include kompot, normally made of dried or fresh fruit, boiled, and then cooled, and kvass.

As you can see Belarusian cuisine has colorful history and a great variety of dishes for every taste. But the best way to understand it all, is to simply get eating!

Healthy way of life

A wise man said, “Never hurry. Take plenty of exercise. Always be cheerful. Take all the sleep you need. You may expect to be well.” Actually these are the basis of our health. I would add to this list of advice healthy eating habits and avoiding bad habits.

When you speak about healthy way of life it’s very important to stress that you should follow a daily regimen that has  enough  sleeping hours, regular meals, proper time for work and relaxation.

Today you have a great variety of ways to stay healthy and keep fit: doing morning exercises, working out in a gym, swimming, jogging, cycling, walking, yogi, fitness training. Sport also gives energy and makes better disciplined. Today everybody wants to be fit, feel well, look slim and stay young.

The next important thing I’d like to mention is nutrition. Nobody denies that home-made food is really better than junk or fast food. Specialists say that we need more than 40 different nutrients for good health. Our daily food should include bread other whole grain products, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, dairy products, nuts and vegetable oils.

But all your efforts will be in vain if you have any of bad habits like smoking or even worse if you are addicted to something. It’s known from statistics that smoking kills 5 million people a year. Moreover, this habit may cause heart diseases and spoil your teeth and skin.  Alcohol causes heart diseases and brain damage. A drinker becomes nervous and aggressive, loses friends, work, family.

The last but not the least factor is good mood. Having a good mood and good disposition in life makes us healthier. Being stressed and depressed could lead to  serious illnesses such as mental illnesses and could weaken our immune system in the long run. It is better to think positive and to look on the bright side.

Let's talk about sport

Sport takes an important part in our life as our state of health depends on it. Sport makes people healthy, keeps them fit, more organized and better disciplined. It can be a professional occupation, a road to records, titles, fame or self-expression. Sport is also a nice form of relaxation and entertainment, a way of spending leisure time or building up health. Today everybody wants to be fit, feel well, look slim and stay young.

Many sports are popular in Belarus. They are football, basketball, judo, hockey, shooting, figure skating and  skiing. Besides, a lot of races, competitions are held every year. Everyone who wants can participate in sports activities in our country. Many skating rinks, swimming pools, stadiums are built for people who go in for sports.

A lot of people do sports to keep fit. Fitness helps to reduce body fat, slows down the process of aging, reduces stress, helps to unwind, feel positive and full of energy. It helps you sleep better and feel more confident. It also reduces the risk of heart disease, reduces blood pressure, overall, it improves the quality of your life as a whole. Today you have a great variety of ways to keep fit: doing morning exercises, working out in a gym, swimming , jogging, cycling, walking, yogi, fitness training.

As for me, I am not a sporty person . I don’t take much interest  in sports. Nevertheless, I regularly do some exercises to be more active and healthy. Throughout my life I try to lead a healthy way of life. I also walk a lot. I think walking is the best sport. You don’t have to buy any special equipment, you can do it without special training. I am not a sports fan and  I don’t watch any competitions on TV because I find it boring.

But it goes without saying, that sport plays a very important role in people’s life, not only in the lives of professional sportsmen.