What It Is Like to Travel as a Russian Digital Nomad
The Unexpected Challenges You Face if You Lost the Lottery of Being Born in the Right Country
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights
— Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Art.1
So that means we are all equal, right?
Wrong.
I was born in Russia. At the age of 13, I lost my mother, and there was no one to take care of me. So I got a job and started working to survive. I never planned to leave the country, but there is no way you can stay there for long alone at such a young age.
The government will take you. Or the streets.
So I decided to leave.
I never chose to be born in Russia, nor did I choose to leave the country. But I had to.
I was lucky to have had some relatives in Belarus. Another country I never chose. I moved there, and my lovely aunt offered to adopt me. I stayed there until I turned 17 and left to explore the world.
Up to this day, the only passport I carry is Russian. And I have a permanent residence permit in Belarus. What a mix, huh?
Traveling the world has never been easy if you are born outside the US or the EU, especially as a Russian. The truth is that you were not welcome anywhere, even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Anytime you want to travel, you can’t just go. There is a short list of countries you can visit. The rest require a visa.
A visa is a travel document that allows you to enter a foreign country for a specific period. That is, no visa, no entry.
Each country requires different documents to apply for a visa. You need to answer a long list of questions.
For example, a few years ago, to get a UK visa for a short business trip, I spent the whole day filling out a visa application form. One of the questions was to list all my international trips over the past ten years. Impossible, huh?
A visa application with a bunch of documents sometimes is not enough. Some countries want you to come for an interview.
You can hear a “No” at every step of the process. So no trip planning until you have a visa.
And you pay pay pay. You pay
- a visa application fee,
- for insurance (you need it to get that visa),
- for the accommodation pre-booked for the whole stay (even if they deny the visa for you, uh-huh),
- to a third-party company if they help you prepare the documents,
- for urgency, if you want to get a faster decision on your visa (the standard process takes a ridiculous amount of time)
…the list goes on.
Even though it has never been easy, it was possible. It just took a lot of money, time, and effort.
Now some countries have suspended visa issuance for Russian citizens.
I never chose to be Russian. Neither did I choose the government. This is the birth lottery I lost. And now the world is angry with me for that.
As a student, I attended an international law contest in the Czech Republic. It lasted for eight days. Eight days is precisely how long my visa lasted.
If the bus I was traveling on had broken down or anything else had delayed my exit, I would’ve been in trouble. Not a day more.
I often travel with friends from the EU. And they are always so surprised to see me preparing for the trips beforehand, getting visas, and gathering many documents.
Even with that, sometimes a visa is not enough.
If I travel by bus, the bus often gets delayed because of me.
The border officer spends quite some time looking at my passport. They need to take this weird blinding picture of me. The customs officer wants to go through each personal item I have. They have to check how much money I carry and ask me many questions. Sometimes I have to show my employment or apartment lease contracts just to enter a country.
Because… Just because I’m Russian.
And the fellow travelers on that bus would get mad at me. I understand the frustration. But what have I done? I never chose any of that. I wish I did not have to go through all that every time I travel.
A Polish friend of mine was so surprised when she realized that I could not come on a whim. She can, and I cannot.
I asked her how she travels. She looked puzzled and answered,
Well…I grab my passport, get a plane ticket, and I just… Travel.
Sometimes, having a visa is not enough. You can always hear a “No” at the border. Border officers have the right to deny you entry without specifying the reason. And they are happy to use it.
The world is closing the doors for Russian citizens. But most of us never chose to be Russians. And no one seems to care.
What unexpected challenges have you faced when traveling? Let me know in the comments!
About the Creator
Aleksandra Kunitskaia
A polyglot digital nomad living out of a backpack.
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Hind Rajab: A Child the World Heard Too Late
Cinema has always been a powerful medium for telling stories that history books often reduce to numbers. When a film chooses to focus on a single child caught in the machinery of war, it forces audiences to confront reality not as statistics, but as human loss. The movie inspired by the tragic story of Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian girl, does exactly that. It is not merely a film; it is a testimony, a memorial, and a question posed to the conscience of the world. Hind Rajab’s name became known globally after reports emerged of her final hours during the Gaza conflict. She was a child trapped in circumstances no child should ever experience. The film based on her story does not sensationalize her death, nor does it turn her suffering into spectacle. Instead, it approaches her story with restraint, dignity, and an unwavering focus on innocence lost amid violence. The Story at the Heart of the Film The movie centers on a young Palestinian girl who becomes separated from safety during intense military escalation. Through her eyes, viewers witness fear, confusion, and the fragile hope that someone, somewhere, will come to help. The film follows her final journey—both physical and emotional—using minimal dialogue and powerful visual storytelling. Rather than relying on graphic imagery, the filmmakers choose silence, pauses, and close-up shots to convey terror and vulnerability. This artistic choice makes the film even more haunting. The audience is left to sit with the child’s fear, her calls for help, and the unbearable waiting that defines her final moments. By focusing on Hind as an individual rather than a symbol, the film restores her humanity. She is not portrayed as a political tool, but as a daughter, a child with dreams, and a life that mattered. A Child as the Center of a Global Tragedy What makes this movie particularly impactful is its refusal to shift focus away from the civilian cost of war. The story does not revolve around soldiers, strategies, or power struggles. It revolves around a child who should have been worried about school, friends, and play—not survival. This narrative choice challenges the audience to rethink how conflicts are discussed in media and politics. Wars are often framed in terms of borders, ideologies, and victory. This film asks a different question: What is the price paid by those who have no role in choosing the war? By centering the story on Hind, the film exposes the imbalance of power and the devastating consequences faced by the most vulnerable. Artistic Direction and Emotional Weight The film’s direction is deliberately restrained. There is no dramatic background score overpowering the scenes. Instead, ambient sounds—distant explosions, static-filled phone calls, the quiet breathing of a frightened child—carry the emotional weight. This realism makes the film deeply unsettling. The young actress portraying Hind delivers a performance that is heartbreakingly authentic. Her expressions alone communicate fear, confusion, and bravery far beyond her years. The filmmakers avoid overacting or melodrama, allowing the story’s truth to speak for itself. Cinematography plays a crucial role as well. Tight frames and limited perspectives reinforce the feeling of entrapment, while long, unbroken shots force viewers to experience time as Hind did—slow, uncertain, and terrifying. A Political Film Without Political Speeches One of the film’s greatest strengths is that it does not rely on speeches or overt political messaging. Its power lies in its simplicity. By telling one child’s story honestly, it exposes the broader reality of civilian suffering in conflict zones. The film does not tell audiences what to think. Instead, it asks them to feel—and that is far more powerful. Viewers are left to grapple with difficult questions about responsibility, accountability, and the value of human life. This approach has made the movie resonate across cultures and ideologies. Even those unfamiliar with the details of the Palestinian struggle can connect with the universal themes of childhood, fear, and loss. Reception and Global Impact Since its release, the film has sparked intense discussion on social media, in film circles, and among human rights advocates. Many viewers describe it as one of the most emotionally challenging films they have ever watched. Critics have praised its ethical storytelling and refusal to exploit tragedy. For many, the movie serves as an entry point into understanding the human cost of the Gaza conflict. 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