As a Fulbright Scholar to Slovakia in the mid 90’s, I became acquainted with a kindred organization: the American Bar Association’s Central and Eastern European Law Initiative. While at the the Comenius University Law Faculty’s Institute of International Affairs and Law Approximation, I was further tasked with teaching legal English courses to Ministry of Justice personnel, Justices of the Supreme Court, and other judges. Weekly lessons led to several week-long legal English seminars held in the spa town Trencianske Teplice, where the Ministry maintains a training facility. One night my colleagues took me to their favorite places in the area. Not only was it a wonderful and much-needed outing with friends, but the discussion and the camaraderie reminded me that whereas there may have been some language difficulties, I was dealing with very intelligent and highly accomplished people. Along with the wonderful support from the Fulbright Commission, this kept me in-country at a critical juncture. I stayed for another five years.
Paul Joseph Carrier – Fulbright to Slovakia 1996