Join Us in Croatia: A Pop Up Village on the Adriatic
Dear OEG Fam,
This past summer, I spent three weeks on the island of Hvar as a Fellow with The Field School of Hvar. I came home a little sun-kissed, a lot inspired, and completely convinced of one thing: you need to experience this place with us.
A summer that changed how I think about learning
As a Fellow, I got to see the brilliance of Field School in action. Kids learning from farmers, fishermen and artisans. Teens leading their own projects. Parents slowing down long enough to actually be with their kids. I facilitated workshops on systems thinking and regenerative leadership with teens and educators, and we had some of the most honest conversations about the future of education I have ever been part of. Over gelato. In the shade of olive trees. With the Adriatic sparkling a few steps away.
It was magical. And I knew almost immediately that I wanted to bring the OEG community here.
Dreaming it up with Carolyn
So I did what any good villager does: I started dreaming out loud with the founder of Field School Hvar, Carolyn. We kept coming back to the same questions. What if families didn’t have to choose between adventure and meaning? What if teens could have real independence, real work and real mentors, while the whole family got to rest and reconnect? What if the village came with us?
That is how the OEG Family Impact Retreat: Hvar 2027 was born. Carolyn and I are building it side by side, weaving OEG’s youth leadership and impact programming into the rhythm of Field School and the town of Jelsa.
A pop up village on the Adriatic
Here is the big idea. For two weeks, a small Dalmatian town becomes our village. Families from all over the world, Croatian artisans and farmers, Field School fellows, teens, toddlers, parents and grandparents, all sharing the same streets, the same water and the same long tables. As Field School puts it, traveling is like parenting: it’s more fun with a village.
This is something I think about all the time in my work on modern villages. We were never meant to do life alone, or in age-sorted boxes. On Hvar, you get to feel what it is like when everyone has a role. Teens look out for the little ones. College students mentor high schoolers without anyone calling it mentorship. Grandparents learn a thing or two from the teenagers. And the adults finally get an afternoon that is genuinely their own.
What the days look like
Young people ages 12 to 20 spend afternoons and evenings out on the island: apprenticing with a local chef, skipper, scientist or artist, making things with their hands in artisan workshops, swimming, biking and exploring. Companions join shared family dinners, intergenerational workshops and island exploration days. Weekends are wide open for boat days, beaches, Split or doing absolutely nothing.
And then there are the in-between hours, which might be my favorite part:
Sunrise swims and bike rides for the early risers
A nightly soccer game in town, all ages welcome
Long lunches and late night gelato walks
Coffee in the square that turns into a two-hour conversation
Very little time on phones, and a whole lot of laughter
Bring the whole crew
Families with younger kids: please come for the full two weeks! Children ages 3 to 12 can enroll directly with The Field School of Hvar, whose programming runs at the same hours as ours. The first week is for settling in. The second week is where the magic happens, when the kids have friends, everyone knows the best pastry spot, and island life just takes over.
Families with young adults in college or early in their careers: we want you here too. Older siblings, cousins and family friends ages 19 and up can join as companions. They become role models for our teens, swap stories over coffee, and meet parents and leaders from around the world over a swim, a boat day or a long dinner. Some of the best connections are never planned.
The details
When: June 19 to July 2, 2027 (one week option: June 19 to 25)
Where: Jelsa, on the island of Hvar, Croatia
Youth Program (ages 12 to 20): $3,450 for two weeks or $1,950 for one week
Companions: $995 for two weeks or $595 for one week
Reserve: a $500 deposit holds a place, due by November 15, 2026
October bonus: use code OEGOCT for 10% off when you register by October 31
Scholarships: if your family needs support to attend, please reach out to me directly at opportunityeducationglobal@gmail.com
Places are limited so that every young person is known by name. Explore the retreat and apply here.
This is a once in a lifetime summer. Sunlit mornings, salt in your hair, real work that matters, and a village that feels like home by the end of week one. I cannot wait to share it with you.
Hugs and high fives,
Annie
Photos courtesy of The Field School of Hvar.
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