"Those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik" -George Bernard Shaw

Last week, Abbie and I booked a few meetings in the southern coastal town of Dubrovnik, which is the farthest point from Zagreb. Unable to drive there and back all in one day, the company approved a flight for us to go there for a night!

A couple days before we left, I was calling resorts in Dubrovnik to set meetings with the general managers, and one offered us a free stay in their 5-star suite. He also promised us airport transport and offered to take us both out to dinner in old town. I was both shocked and impressed by his unnecessary but marvelous proposal, and looked forward to visiting Dubrovnik in complimentary style!

The drive from the airport to the hotel was enough to pin the town as one of my absolute favorites in Europe. The cab winded along the edge of the steep coastline, and all we could see was the wonderful Adriatic ocean and the Old Town of ancient Dubrovnik jutting into it from a distance. We entered a marvelous sea-front lobby with welcoming staff who guided us to our suite. We met the general manager, agreed on a time for dinner later that night, and then enjoyed the grounds of the resort and had a beer right on the beach!! The dinner later was meant to be somewhat of a business meeting, so we dressed in professional attire not quite knowing what to expect from the manager. When we met him in the lobby he was completely casual which triggered the awkwardness of the night that would partially ensue for the next three hours. However, I forgot about our real purpose of the meeting once the manager led us through the enchanting old town of Dubrovnik. You walk across a drawn bridge to enter the old town center, and once inside can only look around and up at the stunning architecture from ancient Croat times. Dubrovnik was the most heavily bombed city during the Yugoslav wars, so much of it has been renovated; however, the town still emanates a Roman and Greek vibe that cannot be ignored. We were led to a hole-in-the-wall entrance into the chosen restaurant, and Abbie and I tried not to let our mouths hang open as we gawked at the magnificent décor of the outdoor restaurant overlooking its own private harbor. We sat at a plush L-shaped couch with eloquent pillows and chose our wine, dinner, and desert for the night. I can honestly say I have never been to such a posh, lush (as Abbie would say) restaurant, and throughout the night the somewhat egotistical manager was name-dropping all of the celebrities who had dined at the tables right next to us! (Bill Gates, Beyonce, Jay-Z, etc.) We managed to talk about his hotel somewhat throughout the night, but mostly just enjoyed being treated to such an amazing evening!

View on the way into Dubrovnik

The next day was the most hectic so far, with five meetings in a row followed by a flight back home and more prep work throughout the evening for the following day. All went very well, and the prep paid off as we made another sale the next day! We met with the oldest shipyard in the WORLD. There are five main shipyards in Croatia that are all currently owned by the government. Before Croatia can become a part of the European Union, all of these state-owned companies need to privatized due to European regulations, so this is one of the last steps that need to be taken for the country to be an EU member state (Croatia and Turkey are the two main countries in the pre-accession process, and Croatia should be a member within the next year or two). The shipyard that we met with was the only one that had not had a private bidder (aka a private company that makes an offer to buy the shipyard from the state), so this was a great angle to play on to convince the director he needed more exposure to ensure the company was purchased by a private investor. After an amazing meeting, we sold the director who was extremely proud of the shipyard’s history and family ownership. Following the meeting, it just so happened that the Serbian company that had already purchased one of the other shipyards was at this shipyard, wanting to inquire about a possible privatization offer! The director therefore took Abbie and I out to a gourmet meal with the 8 other Serbian businessmen who were interested in purchasing the company. After three hours of wining, dining, and observing the unofficial multi-million dollar deal unfolding between a Serbian company and a Croatian company, Abbie and I headed home. This is just one example of the business situations I have been fortunate enough to experience in just three short months on the field, and I have learned and seen more than I ever thought imaginable on such a grandiose, international level.

Our big meeting at the Shipyard!

Last weekend Abbie and I, along with some other teams, flew to Brussels for training on Monday and Tuesday. There was a big group of us – teams from Kosovo, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Finland, Mexico, Belgium, and Malaysia were all there, and it was so wonderful to see some of my fellow trainees! We all stayed in the Brussels company house – a four-story mansion located on the edge of a nice park in Brussels. The Brussels office is right next door, so we had training and meals there during an intense two days of project presentations, role-plays, and lectures. I really love regional trainings – they are a chance to not only see people I have missed since I have been in Croatia, but also to meet new people within the company. For example, the team from Mexico was there, three girls from Czech (Adela), France (Laure), and Mexico (Karla), and I hung out with them a lot throughout the week. The different people I have met in this job is probably the best and most unforeseen perk – I have become so much more aware of and open to people of completely different backgrounds. Everyone has a different story to tell, a different personality, and a different outlook on the world, and I absolutely love learning from every single person I meet.

Adela, Karla, and I in Brussels

Wednesday through Friday Abbie and I worked from the Belgium office to set up more appointments for Croatia this week, as we are being sent back to ensure that all the work that needs to be done is completed. While I love Croatia and do not mind coming back, I am very ready for a brand new project! My coach told me that I will most likely stay in this region, so I will find out soon what country that will be! Until then I am bound to Croatia, the land of nice people, pristine coastlines, and excellent cappuccinos…