I had an incredible experience during my time in Dubrovnik, Croatia and would highly recommend it to anyone! I enjoyed collaborating with the University of Dubrovnik in order to improve their marketing strategy to create more opportunities in their global presence to attract students. Conducting business in a foreign country is a learning experience and also comes with difficulties. The language barrier can certainly prevent engaging, clear communication to occur but luckily many Croatians speak both English and Croatian. However, some of my taxi drivers made communication difficult. Besides the occasional language barrier and difference in timing expectations, conducting business and engaging with Croatian individuals was enjoyable and fairly easy! I learned it is crucial to be clear and concise in all communication and to not expect Croatian business to be similar to American business. At the beginning of the trip, our class was striving to apply A&M student behaviors to DU students. However, we learned to first understand lifestyle differences and instead enhance the current motivations of DU students rather than attempting to change DU student behaviors to American student behaviors. Upon entrance to the country without containing any knowledge of the Croatian war of independence, my perspective has certainly changed since learning about the war. We had a tour of the war museum and spoke to multiple Croatians who experienced the difficulties of life during the war. After these experiences, I understood why Croatians are a little more shyer than what I was expecting. One Croatian emphasized how many individuals experienced PTSD and mental issues after the war and were unable to receive help as mental health isn’t as highly recognized in Croatia. I felt sympathetic for the individuals who experienced the war and was inspired by their strength and persistence. My initial impressions of Croatian culture were relatively accurate with beautiful scenery, slower lifestyles, and quieter, more reserved personalities. However, I didn’t have a full understanding of why their culture was like this until I got to speak firsthand to Croatians and receive a better understanding. With more knowledge of different cultures, I desire and am encouraged to continue exploring other cultures in different parts of the world. I truly enjoyed and treasured every moment during my month of June through the Europe Innovation program in Dubrovnik, Croatia! Truly a trip of a lifetime and one I will never forget!
Center for International Business Studies Blog