Belarus in New York: about living in the hipster district itself and finding yourself

For some, New York is a city of fulfilled desires, for others, the collapse of all hopes. The author Ksenia Tarasevich spoke about life in America’s largest city and her search for Nika Nikonova from Belarus publication TUT.BY.

About dream

Belarus Nika Nikonova moved to New York, following her dream - to make documentaries and change the world. She was born in Minsk. Already from 13 years, the girl knew who she wanted to become, an actress in Hollywood. To get closer to her dream, she studied at a theater school, played on stage, and sometimes acted in films.

The next step was the submission of documents to the acting school in Los Angeles after graduation. However, then Nika was not granted a visa, and she had to postpone the American dream for a while.

“This is a very difficult and emotional period: I was preparing hard for two years to enter, and then it turned out that some migration officer decided that I did not need to go to America! - said the girl. “Then I lay in bed for a week, trying to figure out what should I do next.”

Now, several years later, Nika says that that refusal played into her hands, and her life turned for the better. A temporary pause made it possible to better understand herself and find out what she really wants to do, and why she needs to do this in the USA.

About Hitchhiking, Surfing and the Paradise Island

At the end of school, Nick went hitchhiking in Europe. “All that I had with me was my backpack,” she recalls.

Then she studied at the specialty “Media and Communication”, however, and this did not last long, since at the beginning of the second semester, the girl wanted to surf. “It was a cold March in Vilnius. I watched a video on YouTube how professional surfers conquer the waves. And suddenly I realized that I want to do this, ”she shared.

Therefore, study was also paused: Nick took an academic leave and flew to Bali for two months, which dragged on for three years.

At first, she explored the island, surfed, yoga, and traveled to neighboring islands. Then she worked as a diving instructor, tutor of the English language and cameraman in documentary projects. Then Nika learned the Indonesian language and began working in real estate.

“Bali was the perfect place for me. There I was able to base myself and travel all over three years to different countries. It has always been long trips: on 2 − 3 months, ”said Nick. “But it was nice to return to Bali, plus I already had remote work.”

In addition, she noted, on the island a lot of money is not necessary for happiness, since the prices there are very pleasant.

Many people from all over the world come to Bali. Nika compares the island with a large village where the inhabitants are doing well. Therefore, it is difficult to leave from there. On the "paradise island" the girl lived from 19 to 22 years.

The formation of personality and the path to documentary

It was in Bali, according to the girl, that her formation as an individual passed. “It was in Bali that I realized that I wanted to do documentary films, and not acting or directing feature films,” she explained.

During her life in Bali, Nika met with the creators of documentaries. According to her, these are the most amazing and pleasant people she has ever met. Make sure that this is her calling, helped the summer school of documentary in Berlin. After her, Nick decided to enter the department of documentary directing. Considered Berlin, London and New York. However, she won the New York Film Academy - the place where she wanted to study back in 13 years.

“The New York Film Academy is one of the top ten documentary film programs in the world. And I completely agree with that. The work of two of my teachers was nominated for an Oscar this year, ”said Nika.

Then there was the preparation of documents, which took 9 months. Nick had to re-take English, collect portfolio and recommendations, write an essay and make a resume.

According to Nicky, everyone comes to documentary with their own purpose. “I like to study people. And documentary projects are another opportunity to delve into something that you would not even think about in ordinary life, ”she said.

About study

14 people from 11 countries studied at the same course with Nika. Each of these people wanted to change this world in their own way, she noted.

The training program took a year, but it was a very active year, when there was nothing in Nika's life but the academy. Study began at 9 in the morning and could last until 10 in the evening. At the weekend, it was necessary to shoot projects or prepare for the shoot. The only vacation is two weeks at Christmas. But even in this period, I had to look for new heroes and work on further projects. With such a schedule, I had to forget about my personal life, parties and entertainment. “All that was in my head was what I want to shoot further and which hero I need to find for this,” the girl explained.

As for the production process of the film itself, it, according to Nicky, consists of several parts. In particular, students were taught: to shoot, produce, write scripts, work with light, record sound, do post-production, and distribute.

“The academy is taught to shoot projects ... sending students to shoot projects. On the course we were united in teams, and on each project we changed roles. Someone was an operator, someone worked with sound, someone was an assistant, ”recalls Nick.

According to her, this is done so that everyone tries himself in all roles. Having gone all the way, after graduation, students could choose in which direction to develop further.

About love for New York

Speaking about New York, Nika noted that this is a city in which one minute from love to hate: today this city takes all your strength, and tomorrow it bestows the best on everyone. It’s never boring here. “Yesterday I went to a performance of an artist from Iran, and even earlier - to a lecture on Anna Politkovskaya. Handing out food for low-income families a week ago, ”she explained.

In this city, everything breathes freedom, and you are free to do whatever you want. “A year ago, Nick shaved her head, and everyone did not care,” the newspaper writes. - Here you can walk in slippers and a bathrobe to a coffee shop. They say this is the city where you find yourself. In the case of Nicky, this is so. ”

Such freedom of action attracts incredible people to New York from all over the world, with different plans and ambitions. “When you are in the midst of such a crowd, it motivates you to move on and try something,” the author notes.

At the same time, it is difficult to relax in this city. Perhaps because of constant stress, or because of the eternal need for money. There are a lot of people here, and you are constantly in line or in the crowd. You have to look for other things that allow you to feel the balance in life. For example, yoga helps to bring back the understanding that nothing will happen if you devote a day to yourself.

Long live New York!

After the move, Nick took three months to just recover. The city sucked out all its energy. “In New York, they say that you are always in search of three things: work, housing and personal life. You can have one or even two, but never all three at the same time, ”the author emphasizes.

In addition, there is a lot of competition. Often you have to compete with the best of the best in your profession. This is a serious challenge for those who are just starting their careers.

Nick admits that she sometimes wants to quit. In this case, she goes to the bar alone, and the next morning she wakes up “happy and in love with this city again”.

The scale of New York is also very popular with the girl. Indeed, in order to go on a trip, you just need to sit on an unfamiliar subway line and exit at the last station - and you find yourself in a completely different place.

City streets are another reason Nika loves New York. Moreover, the girl lives in the most fashionable district of the metropolis - Bushwick. “As soon as I came here for the first time, I said to myself:“ I will not live here! ” But now I really like it. This area is the personification of how I feel, ”the girl laughs.

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It used to be the most common work area, but it has changed a lot over the last 10 years. Yes, and the city itself changes every year: earlier in Brooklyn Williamsburg was the most fashionable, but then it became too expensive, and New Yorkers began to move to the cheaper Bushwick following it. Among the inhabitants there are many artists, in the city there are many underground galleries, illegal parties and cool bars.

But despite the love of New York, in general, the girl does not like the United States. According to her, this is a country with a lot of egoism, racism and patriotism not in the most correct things. “Although I came to the freest country, I don’t feel free here, at least because of visa issues,” she said.

And she added that so far she likes to live in New York, but as soon as she takes everything that is possible from him, she will leave. And when this happens - Nika does not know yet.

“I would like to go to war”

Now the girl works as an assistant professor at her academy. The plans are to become a war correspondent and shoot stories in hot spots.

“I would like to go to war and see everything with my own eyes. “I want to be on the stage of everything that happens, and not in the audience,” Nika said, and added: “I’m at the very beginning of this path, I have a lot to learn. Therefore, after some time I plan to continue my studies: I will study journalism, political science and human rights. ”

She also plans in the future to engage in humanitarian projects around the world, as well as shoot documentaries.

Plans and ambitions are a mass. It remains only to find the time to realize all these plans.