Minsk Business Trip

Since I started my current job in 2016, we have worked with a team located in Belarus (mostly in Minsk).  Over time, we have developed a deeper technical relationship with the team there however sadly we have generally neglected to visit and develop personal connections.  Since taking over my team about a year ago, I became convinced that a trip to better understand the team and improve our personal relationships was appropriate.  My manager agreed and it was approved.  The timing came together so that I could visit before winter sets in.

On the morning of Friday the 15th I was off.  My itinerary took me to Chicago, Frankfurt, and Vienna before landing in Minsk on Saturday afternoon.  The flights went well and I met two of my team members (Michael and Volha) at the airport.  Together we went into Minsk and Michael and I got checked into our Airbnbs.  Volha helped us greatly during this process and it was very much appreciated!

After getting checked in, we had tickets for a KHL game so we were immediately off to the arena.  On the way we met Dmitry and the three of us (myself, Michael, Dmitry) watched the game.  The rules were quite similar to the NHL but the crowd was rowdier and more passionate than any I've seen at a NHL game.  Sadly, Dinamo Minsk allowed a late goal in the 3rd which led to overtime.  In overtime, Dinamo lost to Avangard in a shootout.  Around midnight I got back to my Airbnb for some sleep!

On Sunday, Michael, Volha, and I visited the highest point in Belarus.  While not an impressive summit, it was interesting to see the countryside and collective farms just outside of Minsk.  There we met Val (a former coworker) and after summiting we then spent some time at the National Library of Belarus.  The library is a very unique building with an observation deck whose views were sadly limited by the weather.  We spend some time catching at the library cafe before retiring for the evening.

The week was mostly focused on work and team meetings.  This was very productive and justified the expense of the trip.  In the mornings before work I ran along the river, which was good for some sightseeing.  We did have a team event at an escape room one night - it was a unique experience and the three of managed to escape in 45 minutes!

On the following Saturday and Sunday I spent some time at a cubing competition held at one of the universities in town.  The cubing competition was enjoyable the but the language barrier was more of a problem than I expected.  While not cubing I did some more sightseeing and collected a few souvenirs for the trip home.  On the morning of Monday the 25th I flew home through Vienna, Frankfurt, and Denver.  I just barely missed a snowstorm in Denver and was happy to be home Monday evening!  Jet lag after getting home was a little bit of a problem and it took me several days to recover.

In all, I really enjoyed my time in Minsk.  My team was great to spend time with and the city itself has a lot to do in a very different cultural environment than I have experienced.  The only negative was the language barrier but the people were always friendly and accommodating of my poor Russian language skills.  There is a chance I will return in 2020 and I am looking forward to it happening!

Minsk 2019 Photos!