Polish travel blogger who traveled through Belarus and Russia spoke about hate, reputational losses, and impressions from the trip

Blogger Tomasz Jakimiuk

Doesn't regret traveling to the East

In an interview on the Studio Rozmów by Hanna channel, the blogger says that when he decided to go to Belarus and Russia, he was aware that it could cause misunderstanding given the current times.

"People always 'know best', so I stopped relying on what people say. I want to go myself and see what it's like in that place, evaluate it, and show people so they can also draw their own conclusions. That was my goal — to go and show what ordinary life looks like in Belarus and Russia," says Tomasz.

Павялічыць

Photo: screenshot from video

The blogger received many complaints that he portrayed life in Belarus and Russia as too rosy, avoiding negativity. Tomasz explains: he did not set out to delve into politics, as he is not a politician. Although, as he himself notes, during his travels, he sometimes touches upon politics. (And at least in the episodes from Belarus, he noted, for example, that it might be dangerous for people to speak candidly on camera about certain topics).

"I went to see how people live, what they eat, visit a shop, stay overnight in a hotel. To talk to people, to show what it's like in unstable, crisis times," explains the traveler.

Regarding conversations with ordinary people, the traveler felt that there were moments when people didn't say everything they thought. Especially when it was being recorded. And sometimes the blogger himself didn't include Belarusians' comments in the videos, fearing that harsh words could cause problems for them.

In Poland, Tomasz faced negativity after these trips.

"On the internet, on television or radio, there is a specific narrative: he speaks well of Belarus, but Belarus is our enemy, and the Belarusian government wants to destroy Poland," says Tomasz.

The traveler says that positive publications in Polish media did exist.

What did he understand about Belarusians?

"Of course, we know that what the Belarusian leadership is doing is not politically clean. But one should not mix this with ordinary residents of Belarus; they are not in favor of forcefully pushing migrants, destabilizing the situation in Poland, or inciting.

Belarusians are not for conflict with Poles, quite the opposite. But, unfortunately, power is power, and they don't have much influence over it. Especially when there is a significant Russian influence on Belarus," Tomasz reflects.

Tomasz himself calls Belarusians very close to Poles both culturally and historically.

The blogger notes that Belarusians are very warm towards Poles. "Many Belarusians I encountered on my way said: 'I feel half Polish, I have a Pole's Card, I lived in Białystok, in Wrocław, in Warsaw. I studied there, had a business, have relatives'."

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Białystok. Illustrative photo: Nasha Niva

Overall, regarding criticism, Tomasz believes that the larger the audience, the more criticism there will be.

The Polish blogger's channel grew from 339,000 subscribers to 368,000 since mid-November, when the first video about Belarus was released.

During his travels, according to the blogger's observations, people in Belarus and Russia treated him hospitably, without any hostility because he was Polish.

Tomasz believes that if anything, Belarusians, among all of Poland's neighbors, would be the first to respond to a request for help.

Notably, the first episode about Belarus garnered 593,000 views and became the second most popular video on the blogger's channel of all time. Another episode from Belarus amassed 369,000 views, ranking 9th in popularity.

Earlier, Belarusian journalist Dzmitry Hurnevich spoke out in defense of how Tomasz talks about Belarusians and Belarus.

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