After spending the day exploring Minsk with another instructor from my host university, we made the 3.5 hour trip to Grodno. (If you need a map, look in "my links.") We left at 5:00pm so there was still plenty of daylight to illuminate the landscape, which looks very much like Nebraska but with more forests. I noticed right away that Belarusian drivers are a bit crazy! Our driver kept passing other cars and big trucks with only seconds to spare! Yikes! Rather than watching the road, I decided to chat with my colleague and look out the window. When we arrived in Grodno, we found Ludmila Sereda, “my keeper,” waiting for us at yet another hotel. We had a late dinner and a glass of wine to celebrate the beginning of my Fellowship. The next few days were filled with introductions, tours, and the most important task, finding my apartment.
