“The idea to visit Iceland was born on a Friday morning in May, when we ran into each other on the corner of Andrassy and Nagymezo street in Budapest. We chatted for a few minutes about how we love hiking. Later that day, I received an email with the details about the Laugavegur trail, a long–distance track in southern Iceland. The subject line was short: ”Do you want to go?’ That was it – I was hooked,” describes Dorottya.
“One of the best things about McKinsey,“ adds Krisztina, ”is being surrounded by interesting, diverse people. If you already have an interest – no matter how exotic it might be – you’ll find peers who share it. If you are looking for something new to explore, you can ask around and get dozens of exciting suggestions. I was amazed by how flexible and welcoming McKinsey colleagues are, and by how easy it is to arrange activities together.”
Dori continues: “Flexibility seems like an inherent part of McKinsey’s culture and it’s visible across different dimensions of firm life. An advantage of project–based work is that it’s easy to plan vacations for the time when you’re not staffed. If you feel like you need a longer time off, that’s not difficult to arrange either.”
“I like taking longer holidays every year to recharge, follow my passions and travel,” shares Krisztina. “Dori and I spent seven days hiking, driving and admiring the nature around us in Iceland. Our actual hike started on the second day; a bus picked us up and took us to the middle of nowhere. The ride itself was beautiful and adventurous because the bus left paved roads and continued on gravel and through small rivers. Throughout the hike, the landscape was truly amazing – nothing I had ever seen. It was challenging at some places and we made it through together.”
“One of the best things was Dori and I instantly and instinctively complemented each other,” says Krisztina. “While she made the tent, I prepared food. When I crossed the river barefoot, she lent me her flip flops to protect my feet. Collaborative problem–solving took on a new meaning when we had to solve for food and a place to sleep 50–100 kms away from any form of civilization!”
Dori exclaims, “The week we spent in Iceland was the adventure of a lifetime, and I can’t believe it all had its start in a casual email. Following the success of our first trip, we now have a long list of places we want to explore together. I feel grateful to be a part of a firm that enables me to meet friends like Kriszti. The connections I’ve made here go beyond the work and, in many cases, end up lasting a long time.”