A Belarusian man proposed to his beloved near the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome — to the applause of dozens of tourists

Hanna and Aliaksei. Screenshot from Instagram video

In Belarus, Hanna graduated from a medical university, completed her internship, and then started working as a radiologist in one of the polyclinics.

In 2020, like many others, the girl could not stand watching the falsification of elections and violence, so she repeatedly went out to protests. It so happened that in late August, Hanna met Aliaksei there.

Hanna laughs: she later heard stories that some people hoped to meet their soulmate somewhere at a march. But she says she herself had no goal of meeting anyone during the protests.

Aliaksei's acquaintances, however, joked: "Come on, dress a bit more decently, maybe you'll find a girl for yourself."

Hanna says that at first there were no romantic relationships between them — for several months, the young people simply "partisanned" together. And, apart from protest activity, nothing united them.

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Hanna at Freedom Day in Warsaw

The girl admits: she felt that Aliaksei was not just a guy with similar views and values — after his detention in November 2020.

— He was detained quite harshly after one of the rallies... He was given several days of detention — first Akrestsina, then Zhodzina. I myself was surprised, but at that moment the thought crept in that he would return and that's it, I wouldn't let him go anymore. And when he got out, I realized that I loved him very much.

In late 2021, the couple decided to leave Belarus.

— Due to, among other things, threats from the head doctor. She didn't like my political views. The idea that people have some rights — and that they can defend them — doesn't really fit into the Belarusian medical system.

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It was dangerous for Hanna's beloved to stay in their homeland. As a result, they both emigrated to Poland. Here, Hanna has already successfully passed several mandatory exams for medics, had her diploma nostrified, and started working as a family doctor. And she also entered a residency in neurology.

Hanna is a moderator of the "Write a letter to a political prisoner" initiative, and also a volunteer at the Belarusian Youth Hub.

Many Belarusian couples broke up after emigration: not all relationships withstand trials, which are more than plentiful in a new country. Hanna admits that there are such sad examples even among her acquaintances — when people broke up even after 5-8 years of marriage, despite having children together.

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Hanna with her beloved

But the forced relocation did not negatively affect Hanna and Aliaksei's relationship.

— As soon as some difficulties and hardships occur in life, we, on the contrary, unite with Liоsha. Like in the Power Rangers movie — we assemble into one powerful robot and just go straight ahead. Head-on, solving questions, tasks, and problems that, unfortunately, don't end when you are a first-generation immigrant.

The girl admits: after three or four years of relationship, thoughts sometimes crossed her mind that her beloved would soon propose.

— In general, it was clear that everything was leading to marriage. We discussed how we saw our future. And our plans always converged — there was a place for us there.

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But in the end, the proposal came as a surprise to Hanna. It all happened during a trip to Italy with friends. On that day, the couple walked a lot around Rome. They really wanted to see the famous Trevi Fountain — but during the day there are too many people near the landmark.

So Hanna's boyfriend suggested going there in the evening — it was their last night in the capital, there was no more time to put it off.

— Honestly, I was very tired and planned to stay in the apartment. I changed into my home clothes and was almost asleep. I gave in because we rented accommodation in the old city and the fountain was literally 200-300 meters away. So I went in my house slippers. Lyosha walked ahead and smiled. I asked: "Come on, tell me, what happened?" — and he replied: "Nothing." And he smiled again, but wouldn't admit it. I remember quoting "The Lord of the Rings": "Alright, keep your secrets."

They arrived, sat by the fountain, admired the beauty... And then suddenly Aliaksei suggested filming a dance video, which the couple planned to record against the backdrop of some landmark in Rome.

And so, the couple dances, Hanna twirls, at some point turns around and sees her beloved on one knee. It was so unexpected for the girl that she immediately thought: did Aliaksei stumble?

— And then I suddenly see a ring in his hand. My ears start ringing — I heard nothing but my name. I started crying — I didn't expect that from myself. I used to think that in such a situation I would shed a tear, because it's sweet and all that. But the emotions overwhelmed me so much that I just cried and cried. I suddenly realized that I hadn't answered for a very long time, and nodded.

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The crowd, which was quite large despite the late hour, reacted enthusiastically: they applauded, shouted "Bravo!", and then came up to congratulate the couple. And they also shared videos — the proposal was filmed from all possible angles. Because people were filming one of the most beautiful fountains in the world — and then such a show happened.

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After Rome, the couple and friends planned to go to Naples, then to Pompeii to see Vesuvius. On the way, they decided to stop at a beach to cool off in the sea.

And then a real drama unfolded. Hanna was putting on the jewelry she had taken off before swimming. And the engagement ring — that very longed-for ring! — treacherously slipped from her finger into the sand.

— I shouted: "Everyone stop! My ring slipped off my finger!" I looked down and saw nothing. We started searching — it seemed like it couldn't have flown far. Ten minutes passed, twenty... One of the friends said: "Well, this is unrealistic." Then another admitted that it was unlikely we'd find it.

But Hanna says she would never have left the beach without her engagement ring. She already imagined herself digging through the sand at night with a phone flashlight.

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They considered various options — including calling someone with a metal detector.

There's a happy ending to this story: the bride herself miraculously managed to dig up the white gold ring, which had flown several meters away.

Now the couple is waiting for Aliaksei to sort out his document issues. And then — the wedding!

Hanna and Aliaksei's story also received many reactions on Threads. Among those who congratulated the lovers were Margarita Levchuk and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

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