Arturas Nareiko is a real estate agent, a native of Vilnius, and a man with Belarusian roots. A year ago, he made the decision to move to Belarus. In the “Land of Blue Lakes,” he found a home, a summer cottage, a beautiful wife, and obtained a residence permit.
Career: From Vilnius to a New Start
For over five years, Arturas built a career in the Vilnius real estate market: building trust, forming a client base, and mastering the mentality and nuances of the profession. Parting ways with colleagues was painful, but he didn’t burn any bridges — two close friends from work continue to maintain contact with his former clients. For many, the move to Minsk seemed like an unconventional step, yet the support from those around him was sincere. The Belarusian real estate market required a mental shift: at first, the “numbers didn’t add up” in his head as he constantly converted everything into euros. But a year later, he feels confident again. The income is comparable; the path to achieving it is different, but meaningful.
Love as a Compass
The key factor in his decision was love. He met his future wife in Minsk on the final day of his second visit, during breakfast at the “Vasilki” cafe.
“I messaged her and we agreed to meet; she picked me up in her car. We walked in the park and drank coffee. The irony is that at first, we didn’t like each other. There was even a moment when she said, ‘This isn’t going to work.’ And that was exactly when I realized I didn’t want to lose her. We got married a year later.”
Everyday Life Without Anxiety
Daily life brought unexpected discoveries: affordable utilities and the ability to eat well and heartily without constantly counting expenses, including Minsk canteens with authentic home-cooked food. Healthcare was a pleasant surprise: he received a consultation regarding a deviated septum within a couple of days, whereas in Lithuania, he would have had to wait for weeks. State health insurance for employees and the absence of monthly fees for basic services added to his sense of stability.
Borders: Politics vs. People
Observing the political decisions of neighboring countries—bans on bus travel, restrictions on importing currency — he notes with regret that ordinary people are the ones suffering.
“I don’t know why this is being done. Ordinary people suffer: families, relatives, businesses. They simply cannot visit due to political reasons. It’s very upsetting, of course, because politics is politics, but everything is being done against the individual. Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia — they have always been neighbors. And I want to believe that common sense will prevail sooner or later.”
Here Is My Home
He is grateful to Lithuania for his education, his profession, and his start. But Belarus gave him something else — tranquility, the feeling of being “in the right place,” and he hasn’t regretted his choice once. In the future, perhaps the path will lead elsewhere — life is unpredictable. But right now, all his energy, dreams, and plans are concentrated here in Minsk, beside the person he loves.