February 4, 2021 - The global pandemic rages on and we’re still locked down with restrictions and social isolation. Some people are surviving and others are thriving. What’s their story? Episode #2 with… Janette Buba from France.
It’s almost one year since the World Health Organization declared covid-19 a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Nobody expected what came next and certainly nobody expected things to last this long. But here we are, wondering when it will be over and hoping the vaccine will restore some sense of normalcy.
In the meantime, how are people filling their days? When it’s all said and done, how do they want to remember this time looking back? In this new series we’ll hear from all sorts of people in Croatia about their pandemic experience and their predictions for the future.
Episode #2 with… Janette Buba from France.
Something I’ve noticed about people who have roots everywhere is that they tend to have heart—for life, people, and community. Janette Buba is one such soul. She was born in the Philippines, where her family originates, raised in Texas (USA), and has been living in France with her Czech husband Ervin. After falling in love with Croatia during a sailing visit, the couple decided to stay for a while. It was a perfect place to escape France’s hard lockdown and severe covid-19 restrictions.Janette is an early retiree; her previous professional life includes marketing management with Johnson & Johnson. Now she considers herself a professional “volunteer,” assisting in various community outreach programs and helping where needed. She met a special VIP during a reforestation project with the Croatian Scouts Association (you have to watch the video to find out who) and she’s a regular at the No Kill Animal Centralis shelter. It seems that having a passion for people, building networks, and kindness are pretty great retirement skills.
Story and photographs ©2021, Cyndie Burkhardt. https://photo-diaries.com
For more of Cyndie's experiences, check out her Croatia Through the Eyes of a Digital Nomad column.
Are you an expat in Croatia who would like to share your experiences during the pandemic in Cyndie's video series? If yes, please contact her on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We are also keen to interview any digital nomads who have successfully applied for the new visa, after the first success in Istria - Meet Melissa Paul, Owner of Croatia's First Digital Nomad Visa. Please contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Nomad Visa.
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