Close to Foreign Shores. The Almanac of Works by Belarusian Émigré Poets and Writers The almanac was arguably the first robin from exiled Belarusians who had been routinely dubbed as traitors and refugees. By quirks of fate, these people found themselves far away from their homeland, but they have never stopped being Belarusians and patriots of their Fatherland. They printed Belarusian newspapers, magazines and literature. The title Close to Foreign Shores emphasizes the emigrants' attitude to countries in which they settled down. Most of the works expose the authors' nostalgia and longing for homeland, the parents' home and places that most of them were unable to visit again. All works included in the almanac had appeared in the newspaper Batskaushchyna. The best pieces were selected for this collection.