Nasta Bazar and Dasha Churko

Nasta:

I was born on the Belarusian-Polish border in Hrodna. My dad and I used to listen to Björk concerts on Radio Trojka at night since that station was reachable in the areas around the border. Among other reasons, that’s why I can speak Polish. I spoke Belarusian with my dad. We had a tradition back home: when someone came home, everyone rushed to greet them with hugs. We called this kind of greeting a “sandwich.” A similar atmosphere prevails in my family now.

Until 2020, the NGO sector in Belarus was developing very well and actively changing the consciousness of Belarusians. It was more about ecology, human rights, women’s and children’s rights, education, but not politics. I got involved in homeschooling and the feminist movement trying to support women.

When armed forces stormed into our neighbors’ houses, I was very scared. I decided to leave Belarus for two weeks. However, those two weeks dragged on and on…

I moved to Kyiv, where I met Dasha, and we got married. After some time, we decided to move to Poland. I took the train from Kyiv to Przemyśl with my daughters Mila and Nika, my wife Dasha, and our cat Vladik. All the luggage racks in the coach wagon were filled with our belongings.

I used to have a large house near Minsk. It’s no longer mine. I took many things from the house; a bicycle, ukulele, mugs, photographs… It’s all important to me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to see my parents again. I left behind beloved streets, close relationships, and parents who I can’t see. My mom underwent a serious surgery. I never thought I would be so happy to read that she took three steps! I hope that someday we’ll be able to have an Aperol on the pier, even if she will be in a wheelchair.

Dasha:

I thought I was leaving Belarus temporarily. I left for the same reasons as Nasta- I was scared. I didn’t even bother getting documents for my cats. I told my relatives that I was leaving for a month. That was the last time when I saw them. Within a year and a half, my dad passed away and my mom died from cancer. My grandparents aren’t alive either. I have only my grandma, but she doesn’t have a cellphone. The only things I have with me are my photo albums.

Dasha Churko, Nasta Bazar, and their daughters arrived in Poland in 2021.