March in Minsk + local life and view of life

March has arrived and went by. There were some warmer days with around 17-18 degrees outside, but here it is usually a quite chilly month with frosts. As of today (30/03/2014): it is about 6 degrees outside and if the predictions come true, we will welcome April with 5-7 Celsius in daytime and frosts in the nights. As usually, I got a bit of cold in this transitional weather, but it is getting better. The warmer weather has its advantages: I’m not freezing anymore in the study room.

I like observing people in general and I had plenty of time to do that here in the past 2 months. Especially, since the local people are rather different from what I am used to.

Though the locals earn a great deal less, than what is considered average in Hungary, let alone Western Europe, they have great liking for fashion, pretty dresses and high heels. Appearance is of the utmost importance.

Usually I get to university a bit early, thus it became my morning ritual to sit in the window and just watch people. The majority of the girls come to the university everyday dressed up with such pomp that just baffles me. I would never dress up like this, not even if going to e.g. the theatre.

The basic concept is to show as much as you can and wear as high high heels as possible. It is said, that what drives to local girls the most is to find a husband (and to leave the country in search of a better life). Note: I’m not making generalizations. It is what my observation and I share what strikes me as the most extreme.

Many girls dress up like this, because they go to different bars after lectures to get acquainted with men.

This is where you can see the cultural differences. I can accept why they do it, but I cannot always understand it. For example when they stare at me, because they think I’m not dressed well enough. Their looks are just sometimes annoying. We are frequently being stared at, if we speak in English, and just the other day I got despising looks from some girls, because I dared to wear my hiking boots (since we were walking around all day long in Vitebsk). Bloody hell. They can be nerve-racking as hell. Well, they like whores sometimes and I don’t care if they despise me. I shall proudly continue wearing all of my clothes.

It is hard not to be prejudicial and not to pass an angry look towards them in such times. Sometimes, I admit, I do not manage. For my eyes the way the girls dress here is most of the time outrageous, but I’m trying to keep my thoughts to myself. I just hope that they shall succeed in their pursuit of happiness.

When it comes to males, there are several groups I can define. First, the metrosexual look seems to be a fashion here as well. Thin men, skinny jeans, etc. We all know it.

Then, there are certain men (foreigners), who came here seeking a wife. Interesting indeed. Many of them come from Turkmenistan. Well, those who have some prior knowledge of the country and the current living circumstances shall not be surprised. In their pursuit of happiness, freedom and better life they ended up here.

Though I uttered it several times, this environment is the most interesting. One can learn so much.

What a pity I am not a sociologist. There is a great deal of material.