It's been twenty years since the worst nuclear accident in the history of humanity happened, and when we hear the word “Chernobyl” we still think of children with malformations, adults with visible tumors or people going crazy. But we never think about those thousands of Russian, Ukrainian or Belarussian, mostly kids, in whom high levels of radioactivity are occulted by a healthy aspect. This radiations are permanently menacing to become thyroid cancer, problems on their immunological system and some other affections that come from that catastrophe in 1986. They are blond and really cute kids that could be ours. Most of them are livestockers and farmers´ sons from the contaminated areas that eat and live from the fruits and products the earth and cattles give them (everything contaminated ). Some live in orphanages. Thousands of them leave their places every year to go and spend some time in foreign countries. Periods of cures that are hidden under the form of holidays, when they breath clean air, they eat food that they cannot find where they live or that are contaminated, and they can also practice healthy activities. This has been the experience of Krystina Hud, a Belarussian girl aged seven who lives in the small village of Prialniki, in Volozhyn area, about 130 km far from the capital city, Minsk,. She has been going to Spain since the summer of 2003 to spend a month guested by the Rueda-Hernández family, formed by: Félix, Marta and their daughter Estel (same age as Krystina). Thirty-seven more kids from Belarus came with her. We can surely say that the levels of radioactivity in her body will have come down considerably when she goes back to her country. She takes with her some health and energy reserves to tolerate the winter without being ill so often. She also takes with her friends and unforgettable experiences that have let her discover such simple things as a computer, a swimmingpool, a prawn or the chocolate ice-cream.
Krystsina Hud has just arrived to Spain to spend one month in Sant Andreu de la Barca (Barcelona). She is being hosted by the same family that hosted her last year, the Rueda-Hernandez. Although she knows them already she feels intimidated by the new situation.
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Krystsina Hud has just arrived to Spain to spend one month in Sant Andreu de la Barca (Barcelona). She is being hosted by the same family that hosted her last year, the Rueda-Hernandez. Although she knows them already she feels intimidated by the new situation.
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Estel plays with a puppet while Krystsina watches.
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Krystsina (left) is tiny and Estel is tall, but they both are the same age, eight.
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It is surprising to ride an escalator for the first time.
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Krystina returns her meal tray in the dining room of the summer school she's attending in Sant Andreu de la Barca.
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Krystina (centre) plays with Estel (left) and Natalia during a break at the summer school they're attending.
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Exhausted, Krystina falls asleep on the way from Sant Andreu de la Barca to Barcelona, where she spent the afternoon going shopping with Marta (driving) and Estel.
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Krystina pretends to be sick in order to not eat, under the mocking sight of Marta ----------------------------------- Krystina finge estar enferma para no comer, ante la mirada burlona de Marta, seguida por Estel
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Buying winter clothes for Krystina to take to Belarussia.
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Buying winter shoes for Krystina to take back to Belarussia.
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Krystina wit hMarta (holding her hand), Estel (ahead) and Teresa after a shopping afternoon in Barcelona.
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Krystina rode a bike for the first time in Spain.
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Krystina shouts, excited, on the big wheel of the Tibidabo fairground as Estel tries to shout her mouth.
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Krystina is not used to eat meat, so she looks at the pork loin with distrust. She does not even know about cherry tomatoes and white asparagus. Beside her, Félix Rueda, the father of the family that hosted her.
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Krystina and Estel buy some chicken for dinner at the market of Sant Andreu de la Barca.
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A quiet moment playing with dolls.
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Krystina saw a swimming pool for the first time when she came to Spain. She learnt to swim in two weeks.
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Krystina brushes her hair after a swimming session at the summer school she's attending.
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Marta watches, funny, Krystina's steps ---------------------------- Marta observa, divertida, los pasos de Krystina
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After an intense shopping day, Krystsina (right) and Estel fall in bed exhausted
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Krystina's farewell with Marta (ahead) and Estel. She will take the bus to Minsk with 37 other children.
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Krystina says goodbye to her Spanish family with her hand on the window of the bus that will take them back to Belarussia after a two-day trip.
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