Interview 2: Anna Jankovich de Jeszenice, Writer, Coach

  • 1 Jun 2015 12:00 PM
Interview 2: Anna Jankovich de Jeszenice, Writer, Coach
1. What’s been happening at work and at home since your first Xpat Interview?

Click here to read her first interview.

I now work as Certified Life and Business Coach and my clients are both in Budapest and spread across a few continents. I coach individuals, although recently I have begun organising workshops for maximum 10 participants at a time. I empower my clients to move forward from where they are today and where they want to go. What I enjoy most about Coaching is that it is only about the future. Like I say "don't look back, you're not going that way."

2. What will be your greatest challenges in the next 6 months?
Balancing my time between work and family! I will organise workshops aimed for Upper and Middle Management. Many managers struggle to move their teams forward, reach targets, several have miscommunication challenges and often feel they are missing tools to lead from within which leads to lack of confidence.

As we all know, you cannot change others, but you can change yourself. In addition, in September, my website will be 1 year old and I would like to refresh it, as well as making a new photos, maybe video...suggestions welcome for www.annajankovich.com! My priority remains my family and carving out my daily "me time."

3. How do you relax?
In a bath

4. What hidden talents do you have?
Basketball: I can still run and I can still score

5. What was the most interesting travel trip you have ever taken?
Recently, we went with my family to Mozambique and South Africa, where we drove ourselves across the border on Xmas day - quite an animated journey! It was interesting to notice immediately the differences in infrastructure, shops, houses, language and attitudes of the people between the two countries.

As a parent, it was most interesting to see how our children adjusted from feeling insecure, uncomfortable and withdrawn to allowing their minds to open to a new surrounding and coming to terms with these new sensations and then feeling very much at ease.

6. What’s your most treasured possession?
An icon given to us as a wedding gift from my parents that my great grandparents received at their wedding, in Russia, in 1909. They took the icon with them as they escaped Russia in 1917 with their five young children, heading to France and eventually settling in the US.

7. Which characteristics in yourself do you like most and least?
I have a curious mind and I can lack patience!

8. What’s the last book you read, and movie you watched?
I recently read Mindsets by Carol Dweck and started watching the series House of Cards

9. If someone wrote a biography about you, what would the title be?
Moss Does Not Grow Under My Feet

10. What is the perfect pizza toppings combination for you?
Ruccola, prosciutto, mozarella di buffala, cheery tomatos, olive oil

11. If you could trade places with any other person for a week, real or fictional, with whom would it be?
Richard Branson

12. What was the luckiest moment in your life so far?
To be healthy

13. What’s the best website you’ve ever visited, and why?
As I was looking for ideas for my own website, I came across this one that caught my attention www.uniquehomestays.com. Clear, attractive, simple, inviting and inspiring.

14. Who do you admire the most, and why?
My grandfather who escaped Russia in 1917 and had to start his life over many times with integrity, humour, hard work and never complaining.

15. What do you like best and least about living in Hungary ?
I like the mix of "East meets West" that you can find around Hungary. As a Coach, you only look forward towards the future, which is not the case for many Hungarians who continue living in the past and that can be heavy to be around at times.

16. What has made the biggest impact on your life so far, and why?
Without a doubt my husband and children!

17. If you won USD 30 million, what would you do with the money?
Education for children and Coaching for adults are areas where I would want to have the most impact. Inspiration, motivation, ideas, opportunities are all important to me and I believe that everyone is entitled to that no matter what. I cannot comprehend how much that amount means!

18. What’s the best party you’ve been to in Hungary , and why?
My husband and I once went to a 70's/80's party that ended quite early. Dressed up in our disco outfits from head to toe, we decided to go to a nightclub. It must have been 1.00am and there were many people standing and drinking, the dancing had not begun.

We decided to go onto the stage and start dancing. Within 10 minutes, the whole club was dancing and people were taking photos of us from their phones...they must have thought we were "the show." Ten minutes later, we took a taxi and went home and left the club in full swing!

19. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
France

20. What question(s) would you ask last if you interviewed yourself?
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