SLOVENIA'S 5 CORE VALUES

The smell of freshly made ice cream was deeply etched in his memory - it was the smell of home, security and pride.

But he didn't want to remain part of the family story forever. He wanted to create something of his own. Something that would bear his mark. So, despite his insecurities and fears, he decided to open his own ice cream parlour.

He found an old, abandoned café on the edge of Celje's town square. From the outside, it looked nondescript, almost forgotten. When he first crossed the threshold, the smell of musty wood and dust hit his nostrils. The walls were plastered with patches of damp, the floor was worn, and a broken glass display cabinet sat in the corner, covered in a veil of dust, as if it had shyly hidden itself from the world over the years.

Jascha did not see the crumbling space. It was as if he could already see the future before his eyes - a place full of life, laughter and sweet moments. But as he set about the renovation, reality quickly crept into his thoughts.

The days were long and tiring. For the first weeks he worked alone. His hands were full of dust, his back was literally bent from the weight of the work. He painted the walls, repaired what he could and sat on the floor at night with aching hands, drinking lukewarm coffee from a paper cup.

One evening, as he was leaving a pub, his long-time friend stopped in front of him. With his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face, he looked up at the illuminated windows.

"I hear you're creating something special," he said.

Jaša smiled tiredly and nodded. "For now, I'm just removing old traces of the past."

Nejc shrugged. "Well, then you'll need extra hands."

Before Jaša could protest, Nejc had already stepped inside, rolled up his sleeves and grabbed a broom.

The next day, he was no longer working alone. Word spread around town that Jaša was opening something of his own, and people started coming. The old master carpenter brought some wood and started working on the counter without a word. An electrician from the next street fixed the lights and checked the wiring. 

Everyone contributed what they could - not because of the money, but because they believed in it. They knew that Jaša was an honest, persistent and hard-working guy and that he would bring something to this place that no one else could - a place where you don't just get ice cream, but something more.

When the final details were finished and the counter glowed in the warm light of the new lighting, Jaša stood in the middle of the room. The old café was no longer cold and empty - it was full of warmth, filled with effort, sweat and friendship.

In a few days, Jaša starts his story. Welcome to the ball!

27 Feb 2025, Zala Krupljan