Belarus - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Culture Smart / Cultuur Bewust

by Anne Coombes

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships. Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include: * customs, values, and traditions * historical, religious, and political background * life at home * leisure, social, and cultural life * eating and drinking * dos, don'ts, and taboos * business practices * communication, spoken and unspoken

Genres: Travel

168 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2008

Reviews

[Freddie Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This text was essentially the author's journey and study through Belarus, noting their customs, lore, history and social atmosphere. Belarus is a country full of generally hospitable people, who may be stubborn at times, and have strict social codes. There hasn't been a truly democratic election in a long time, due to the corruption in President Lukashenko's methods of election. Media opposing him is censored, those younger citizens who want to speak out against him are understandably afraid to do so, and he keeps amending their constitution to allow for his continued rule. Belarusians, however, have a strong, patriotic sense of national identity, due to it being taken from them by the Russians & Germans so many times. Their customs, culture, and lore all reflect this. So many Belarusian plays, operas, ballets and other performances are celebrated and upheld along with this cultural identity.
American culture is a culture of plenty, of every-man-for-himself, and of independence and liberalism. Belarus isn't as progressive as America, homosexuality is still frowned upon, there is a more old-fashioned view on women at home, in the workplace, and in social situations. They are not as technologically advanced, and inflation seems to be a major problem, as well as poverty in general. Despite this, they remain hospitable, with a familial attitude and agenda, and united.
As this was mainly a guidebook, the purpose was simply to inform the reader on the customs and culture of Belarus, to help them in their journey through, based on their own experiences and lessons. If there was a theme, it would be to get to know a place, country or culture before you assume anything about it, like assuming Belarus would be a crime-ridden cesspool because it's a poorer, non-western nation. (I'm not referencing anyone there, just guessing at what others might assume.)
I would recommend this, if one was curious about the culture of Belarus or was planning on taking a trip there. It is extremely helpful and extremely informative.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat dated, but otherwise positive and informative.

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic overview of the culture of Belarus. A must-read for anyone interested in the former Soviet Republic.