Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivana Vucenovic.
Ivana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and I spent most of my youth in Serbia where I had an opportunity to gain many different experiences. I had a great and supporting family, great friends, first love, first disappointments, and fears. But, since I lived there during the civil war and experienced how devastating a war can be. And, I don’t think that anyone should ever experience that. After getting an engineering degree in Serbia, I moved to Canada and started my corporate career. For many years I have worked in the financial industry in Toronto. I have enjoyed the challenges and I have moved through corporate ladders. I worked in many different banks and financial institutions. I have learned a lot. I was also very lucky that I have worked with many different, interesting and great people and I have learned a lot from all of them. We also traveled a lot and explored different cultures and met so many interesting people. Travelling has become one of my passions. All of those experiences changed me. Different people I met during my work and travel helped me to grow and to become a better person. But what changed me the most was yoga. I was so fortunate that I started my yoga journey a couple of decades ago. At the beginning, I enjoyed the physical aspects of yoga, but little by little I have started a journey within. I have started asking myself a lot of questions that I did not know the answer to. I really wanted to find out what my purpose in life was.
We all live in a world that is full of human suffering and a lot of fear. I wish to bring more fun, excitement, and play in people’s lives.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve never been on a smooth road. But what helps me the most is to try to see challenges as opportunities to learn. Things never go the way we want, but if we can see obstacles as opportunities to do better and to become better, we will always win. And, we just need to keep trying and change our approaches.
My secret power during difficult times is meditation and deep breathing. And, it also helps me to think that things are going to work out at the end.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I worked with Home Theme Orlando to create a rental vacation property- a place where everyone regardless of their age can have enjoyment and fun. We wanted to create a place where people will come to escape day to day life and enjoy pretending to be someone else. We have selected a pirate theme, since adults and kids love it, and represents the world of travel, explorations, sea, and fun. Pirates also have a reputation for living outside the box, they made their own rules up, and in the late 17th or early 18th century they had freedom and they did what they wanted. The world of pirates is inviting, gaining gold and wealth and doubloons is fun. Many can identify with trying to have the freedom to do what they want. We can also see pirates as an encouragement to live outside of the box, make our own rules that suit us, and enjoy our lives more.
I am so happy with the final product we have created – complete immersive experience & luxury villa for families and friends to enjoy and escape in the world of magic. The Magical Pirates World is an 8-bedroom 5 bath vacation villa. The villa also has a private pool & spa, the theatre room, and arcade games for everyone to play. All rooms are immersive themed – you have to see it to believe it. We have everyone covered up – kids to play in Dueling ships bedroom or enjoy the under the ocean experience in the Sunken ship bedroom or find treasures in our treasure island room. Adults can play the pool table in our loft that has been created to give an experience of playing pool on the deck of a pirate ship in the middle of the ocean or maybe pretend to be a captain in Captain’s Quarters Bedroom or meet the mermaid in our mermaid bedroom. They can all play arcade games together in our Lego Pirates of the Caribbean Arcade room or watch movies in our Pirates of the Caribbean professional theatre or they can learn about pirates from the big Pirates World Map in our dining room, or just enjoy the private pool and spa. I think we have created exactly what we wanted – a place that brings magic, happiness, and fun in our guests lives.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
It is almost impossible to remember everything. And what we did not include is my most important role- being a mother. I am a mother to a 19 years old boy who likes basketball more than Disney. I find that being a mother is the most enjoyable and the most challenging role of all roles I have had so far. Maybe because motherhood is teaching me patience, and that is a difficult skill for me to learn. but, like anything else in life, it will come with time.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @MagicalPiratesWorld
- Facebook: @MagicalPiratesWorld
Image Credits
Russ
