They told an American that he will be slaughtered in Serbia, but he came nevertheless to Ziza and Ivan and he noticed that the guests are leaving 200 dollars in tips (PHOTO)

Ziza and Ivan from Gornji Milanovac started doing rural tourism 11 years ago, while the relatives warned them that they don’t have the conditions for it and it doesn’t pay off. They invested their home in the countryside into the business, Ziza’s creativity and the need to please their guests. How they are practically living from domestic tourists, and there are more and more foreign ones.

A mother told an Englishman that he will be eaten alive in Serbia: He came regardless, and Sinisa, Jovana, and Stefan prepared a lunch he will never forget (PHOTO)

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Everything began from the trouble which they turned into an opportunity. 

– The child was supposed to go to college and we couldn’t finance that since we lived from a shoe shop in Gornji Mladenovac. We had a home in the country and I had creativity. The two things came together and the result was – rural tourism. Half of the family told that “it’s not going to happen”. I was determined to succeed. While others thought that I was only dreaming about it, I draw rooms and I started working. I did a lot on my own since I know how to sew, knit, paint on glass – Ziza said.

Village house of Ivanovic family is in Milanovac village Grabovia, at the top of the hill which has a view of the environment. The name “Melody” was given by Ivan’s uncle, a conductor  Milivoj Ivanovic, who constructed the house in secrecy so he can surprise his wife. And even before everything was finished, Ziza and Ivan started their website. They just jumped into the unknown.

– The website attracted guests, and then you have to do everything to make them your commercial. It’s not hard for Ivan and me to welcome the guests in a folk wardrobe when it is hot, and we are bringing bread in front of them with their initials. I am painting glasses with their names and I serve them to the tourists, with the date of arrival to Serbia. People were so moved by it that they left 200 dollars of tip once. And it is not about the luxury of the house or yard. The secret is to use new ideas and dedication that we are giving to the guests. They can differ business smile and the real one – Ziza said.

She did not rely solely on her own creativity, she also attended training for rural tourism. For this reason, she offered to the guests a feet massage with raspberries, where you press the acupuncture points with the little seeds. Then the guests are putting on Serbian “spa slippers“, or the woolen socks, which extends the effect of wellness sessions. Then there is ethno-fitness, playing of Serbian Kolo in peasant shoes.

Agencies are sending guests with very specific requests. A couple from Singapore reserved a stay in “Villa Melody” where they want to learn how to paint eggs in a traditional way.

– An Israeli with his wife from America was staying with us and he wanted to learn the natural way how to process the ground on a newly bought property. He was running after Ivan for three days, learning how to plant a potato, how to dig, and he was following me to learn how to create a cream. He was amazed. Then we taught him how to play Kolo. He left exhausted and happy – Ziza said.

Ivan explains that tourists come here because the capacities are not large, there is no crowd. Parents with children just need to close the gates and to leave the children in the sand.

– Tourists are coming back here each year. A couple from Illinois came here 4 times, and we also got very close with a couple from Slovenia who was here many times. We have guests from Belgrade who are celebrating birthdays with their children here and they see their friends since they don’t have the time in their own city – Ivan explains.

And of course – food. There are vegetables from the garden and children can eat them as soon as they pick them. For refreshment – ice tea from common nettle, mint and lemon balm. For lunch stuffed paprikas with potatoes, zucchini with mushrooms, chicken, roast, and pancakes. 

– However, it wasn’t an easy task to convince an American working for NASA to come to our house because he was afraid that Serbs will butcher him, and he was so amazed that he didn’t want to leave – Ivanovic family said.

VIDEO: They replaced their job with unusual craft in the village 

(Telegraf.co.uk / Marija Raca)