Pastoral

Sasha and I got married when I was in my last year of university. Later, he was assigned to work in Znamenka, and I went with him. By then, I was already on maternity leave, tagging along like a little caboose. He taught other people’s kids while I raised ours, and that’s how we spent six years there.

For me, those years were like a fantasy. Before that, I had always lived in the center of Brest. My father was an artist, and my mother was a music teacher, so I had grown up as a kind of Turgenev maiden. The village house was a completely different world for us, one we couldn’t have been further from.

For example, when Sasha tutored a student, the family gave us a two-kilogram piece of pork as a gift. We didn’t even know what to do with it! I called my mom and said, “I’ve got this huge piece of pork — what should I do with it?” She said, “Just boil it.” So, we figured that must be right. We cut it into pieces, boiled it, and added some cabbage and potatoes to the broth — it turned into soup. That’s how our village life began.

Our first daughter was born, and shortly after, I became pregnant with our second daughter, and then our third. I still remember those days when we’d take the kids out to the forest almost every day. We’d go to White Lake and light a fire on the shore, pick strawberries and blueberries.

Later, when we were eligible for housing as a large family, we moved back to Brest, to the Southwest district. That’s where our two sons were born. At first, after returning, we really felt the contrast. Rows of identical houses, winds blowing through, and saplings instead of trees. Of course, when we lived in Znamenka, there weren’t enough extracurricular activities or developmental programs for the kids, but I’m a teacher by education, so I worked with them myself.

Thanks to Znamenka, we had the experience of a mother being everything to her children. Of course, there were difficult times, especially with household issues, but those memories have faded. What remains are the moments when our family was completely devoted to one another.

That was largely because my husband did everything he could to help and support me. For instance, I told him I needed about an hour a day to myself. He would take care of the kids, and I’d retreat to another room or step outside to read. I still remember the sound of raindrops falling as I sat under a canopy reading Wheat Under Your Sickle.

Now, in Brest, the kids are busy with dance, horseback riding, and martial arts. Whenever we have free time, we try to connect with nature. There’s an ecological trail near us in the Southwest, and we walk there regularly from spring to late autumn.

Our youngest is now 5 years old, and our eldest daughter is studying in Minsk. For now, we’re managing on Sasha’s salary. I’m not ready to work full-time yet because I feel it would negatively impact the children. Just talking to each child for 20 minutes a day takes at least two hours. Maintaining that connection, managing the household, and organizing their development takes a lot of energy. For now, I take on occasional translation work.

I realize none of this would be possible without my husband’s support. And I can confidently say the children are not just “mine” but also “his.” Sasha has always created an environment that allowed me to be there for our kids, and they feel that.

I believe our traditional way of life developed because we spent those six years in the countryside, living a simple life close to nature.