Croatia – Week 3

Spending one month in a new country may seem like plenty of time to explore the sights and get a good feel for the culture but remember we’re also working! Trying to find the balance of work and adventure is even more tricky when your workspace is on the beach.

 

The first two weeks were filled with program orientation, code of conduct, managing expectations and introductions to staff. Moving into week three meant time to get out and explore and I was busy!

 

I attended tango lessons (offered by one of our fellow Remotes to get us ready for Argentina), language lessons (so I can ask for chocolate croissants in Croatian) and Wednesday game night (where wild laughter ensued over Uno, Jenga, and poker).

 

I signed up for a guided walking tour of Old Town including the history of Diocletian’s Palace, the significance of the palace layout, descriptions of what life was like back then, and the many influences conquering nations left on the city. It’s always valuable to have a local show you their town, to explain their history and point out hidden treasures you might otherwise walk by unnoticed.

 

We did a quick road trip north to Plitvice Lakes (yes, where I got lost), spent the night in Zadar and checked out the sea organ, then over to Krka National Park, dinner in Trogir and back to Split. I drove and I’m sure that doesn’t surprise anyone (after so many years working in road safety, I have a hard time trusting anyone else to drive!)

 

We spent an afternoon at Split’s only “no-kill” dog shelter, bringing food and toys and being rewarded with barks, licks and puppy snuggles. There’s nothing like seeing dogs play or holding a puppy to melt away any stress.

 

My roommate and I hosted a “wine and words” event, inviting fellow writers to our home to share something they’d written or simply a piece of writing they enjoy. Seven people attended and the mix of writing was fantastic – from a screenplay to a blog entry, a poem and even lyrics for a new song – everyone participated in lively conversation. We plan on continuing this event in each city.

 

We had “cocktail roulette”, a twist on the typical ice-breaker for new groups. Anyone who wants to participate signs up, names are randomly selected into groups of four and given a location to meet. Everyone shows up, has a drink and gets to know each other!

 

We even had a networking event with the local business community, inviting them to our co-working space to share stories, ideas and refreshments.

 

A last minute decision saw me jumping in a car to join a group for a tour of a local olive farm. Note to self – do a little more research before being spontaneous!

 

We thought it was going to be a leisurely afternoon sampling olive oils and learning about the process of making olive oil but it turned out to be a “work bee” for the olive farm! We were greeted with work gloves, a change of clothes and a selection of tools. We looked around at each other but no one knew how to politely step out of the situation so we put on our gloves and got to work.

 

I decided I might as well try something new so picked up a machete and followed our guide into the olive grove. While he cut off large branches with a chain saw, my job was to hack off the small branches, putting them into a pile for burning, then stacking the larger pieces for firewood.

 

Five hours later, drenched in sweat, covered in dirt and ash from the fire, I hobbled along back to the farmhouse and sat on the steps to watch the sunset. Although I hadn’t planned on a day of manual labour, I did ask for an adventure this year and now I can say I’ve worked on a olive farm!

 

I’ve been longing to get on the water ever since I arrived. There is something so peaceful and calming about being on the water, plus it gives you a different perspective of a city. My first adventure was jumping on a ferry with a new friend and heading to the island of Hvar.

 

The two hour ferry ride gave us a chance to chat and realize how many things we have in common (including a baby sister turning 30 while we’re away!) We found a path through the forest, along the water and agreed the town looked like a movie set – cute and quaint with no one around. It’s not yet tourist season so everything is still closed for winter. Heading home, we caught the sun setting into the sea.

 

Then on Saturday I checked off a bucket list item – go on a sailboat! We left Split in the morning and spent the day sailing to Brac island, stopping in the town of Milna for lunch. I knew sailing involved a bit of work but I had no idea how much up and down and pulling ropes and adjusting lines and checking sails was involved! Our captain had a full workout while we took in the sights.

 

The first hour was spent at a crazy angle, with half of us hanging on and feeling like our heads were in the water and the other half bracing themselves and trying not to topple head over feet into the water! Our captain assured us that sailboats don’t capsize but there was nervous laughter from the group as we tried to keep our eyes on the horizon.

 

When we reached calmer seas, I scrambled to the front and laid under the sails. Gazing up at the clouds, seeing the sails blow in the wind, listening to the water gently lapping against the boat, my heart was full. I never imagined my first trip on a sailboat would be on the Adriatic Sea! That’s the wonderful thing about dreams – you never know exactly how they’ll come true.

 

One week left and there’s still so much to see!

 

What’s one thing that’s been on your bucket list for a long time? Is this the year you check it off?!