April 1, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, with Tin Bojanic from Argentina our sixth contributor.

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. Having started with an excellent contribution from Romanian Mirela Rus, American/Irishman Jason Berry in Split and Gabriela Lopez Zubiria from Mexico, Steve Gaunt in an English pub in a field in the middle of nowhere near Vinkovci, Barbara Grauning from Munich in Istria - time to go back to Split via Buenos Aires with Tin Bojanic, the popular owner of Marvlvs Library Jazz Bar. 

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to Tin. 

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels. 

I am like everyone I guess, wishing that this nightmare would finish as soon as possible. I am with my family and we are all good. I own a bar (Marvlvs Library Jazz Bar) in Split’s Old Town, and apart from financial losses, the big issue these days is that the City looks like it does at Christmas or New Year’s, a ghost town, and there are no police around, so crime is enjoying a big party. To protect our businesses, we arranged with other owners, to walk around town checking on our properties and trying to clean the trash a little bit from the previous evening.

Also, there is a park where I live which has people drinking all night long, fighting each other and not allowing us to sleep, and leaving big amounts of trash behind that nobody ever will come to pick up or clean.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

I do remember the previous flu viruses when I was living in Madrid, so it is not new to me to see people with masks around town. But I realized this one was different in February at Rome airport when I went through security in one minute because it was almost empty. And I started to get worried when politicians started to talk over scientists: nothing scares people more than that.

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

I understand that nobody was prepared for this around the world; this are times where people should understand the importance of choosing good leaders.

I follow the idea that you have to pause this horror movie so you can organize the health system for when you will have to press play again. The virus is not going to disappear, and you will have to deal with that. My main concern is that Dalmatia, in this case, cannot get through without a season, and unfortunately Croatia cannot isolate itself as it does not produce all goods needed for its people (hopefully we learn from this too).  

But I feel cheated when I do my part, staying home, and only going to check on the bar for protection, and then I see all older people - who are at the biggest risk- during daylight sitting on the park in front of my house, and at night, as there are no bars, people drinking on the streets. Why I am paying taxes if bars cannot sell alcohol but stores are good for that? No controls, more trash, and beers being sold without receipts.

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

I am from Argentina -and Croatian as well- and I am in contact with my people and very well informed about what is going on there. The quarantine is stricter there than here, but the army and security forces are doing their job.  Argentina is better in that, if the government is smart enough, it can satisfy all needs and goods for its people as the country produces all, but there are many poor neighborhoods that if this virus gets in will be a total disaster.

On the other hand, in Argentina are talking about very low salaries of politicians and to deal with taxes in a circumstantial way. Here there are no clear rules of what is going to happen regarding that and that was always the main problem for business in Croatia.

It is good that here they understood that running is very important as runners are in low risk to get the virus. In some countries they did not allow it at the beginning and now they make it happen again as they have learned. The world is learning day by day.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

Up to now all the information that I got was by word of the mouth as on media is very confusing and they contradict themselves. To be honest, TCN was always one of my sources of news, and nowadays it has become a landmark against fake news.

In Argentina politicians are using this mess to position themselves trying to look they have an answer to everything and doing most of things wrong; but here in Croatia I think politicians would love to hide away and not face this situation.

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation?

My friends say to me that I should do the self-isolation at the bar where I have everything to survive: music, cinema, alcohol, cheeses and prosciutto…

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

As a journalist I have been in conflict zones so is not the first time that I have to adapt myself to what is going on around. If I can read, I am good.

My concern is that for most people is going to be hard to be all day at home, especially in Dalmatia where people love to be on the streets. But the main thing is going to be - if quarantine is extended-  that who is not going to run the risk of a virus if you are hungry or you need a job? If this goes on you will see few heroic acts and many miserable actions between people.

Not to finish on a depressing note I would like to say that we will make it through and Croatia will proclaim independence once again, this time from a miserable invisible enemy.

ABOUT MYSELF. I am a Croatian citizen and I was borne in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am a writer and journalist and I always had businesses like restaurants, magazines, editorials... and bars.  My grandmother was from Stari Grad Hvar, and years ago I came to Croatia looking for to do something here. I found the House of Marulic destroyed in the Old Town of Split and I decided to refurbished and to take care of the building. Now, to tribute the Father of Croatian Literature, I opened 6 years ago a Library Jaz Bar, where the jazz was my decision as it would not work out with only medieval music. Now Croatia is my home too.

Thanks Tin, stay safe and see you on the other side.  You can follow events at his bar and join him for a drink when all this over via the official Facebook page.

You can find more foreigner corona stories in our dedicated section here.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out covid-19 here in croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone? First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mate Rimac is the protagonist of one of Croatia's most inspiring entrepreneurial stories. In a country where it seems that doing business and attracting investment is almost impossible due to draconian laws and ridiculous processes all wrapped up in a tangled mess of red tape, the Rimac Automobili owner has shown it is, still, more than possible to succeed.

Rimac Automobili is not only an example to other Croatian companies when it comes to how things should be done, but its management is a reflection of the views and opinions of its founder - Mate Rimac, born in Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and certainly with no silver spoon in his mouth.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 30th of March, 2020, respected businessman Mate Rimac posted a video on his YouTube channel explaining how his company Rimac Automobili is coping with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, in which he stated that while the wellbeing and health of his employees is paramount, there won't be any layoffs for his staff to worry about.

“A lot of people (journalists, entrepreneurs…) have been asking me me how we're handling the crisis, they've been asking for interviews, etc. I decided in this way to share that information so that half of it doesn't end up getting lost along the way. I know a lot of things will be misunderstood even in this way, but it's still better to do it this way... I hope that it will be useful and that we can share more concrete and useful information in the coming weeks/months,'' the Rimac Automobili founder posted on his Facebook profile.

According to him, the health of his employees and their families comes before anything else, which is why everyone has been working from home since March the 16th, and everyone's salaries have been and are being paid properly and on time.

He says there are no cases of contagion among Rimac Automobili employees and that all jobs are being kept, that is, there will be no layoffs for his staff to be concerned with during this tumultuous economic period.

If you understand Croatian, watch the video below:

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for rolling information and updates in English on coronavirus in Croatia.

April 1, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, with Barbara Glauning from Munich our fifth contributor.

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. Having started with an excellent contribution from Romanian Mirela Rus, American/Irishman Jason Berry in Split and Gabriela Lopez Zubiria from Mexico, Steve Gaunt in an English pub in a field in the middle of nowhere near Vinkovci, how are things with Barbara Grauning from Munich in Istria? And is it better to be here or Germany right now?

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to Barbara. 

Yes, I feel much safer in my Istrian village Višnjan than in my home town Munich. Although the regulations in Bavaria are stronger than in the rest of Germany the feeling in a village is much safer than in a big town like Munich.

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

Thank you, I am very well. I came here on March 14^th, the first day of closed borders. The border police were surprised to see me. But as I have had a house here for 20 years and could present all papers of my ownership, they let me pass. Of course I followed regulations of the home isolation orders for 14 days. I brought some food so it was easy for my to stay in my house. As I have a small garden, I can be as well outside, as far as the weather is fine. I am alone with my cat, she likes it the most of course! My wonderful neighbor is taking care of me, already for 20 years, so she gets me food from the shop, because she goes there every day to buy for her meals for her family.

My problem was that my Internet didn’t work after the long winter. Luckily I had installed last autumn online banking, but I never did online payments. But with the help of the bank clerk by phone I managed to make my first online payment. It is never too late to learn something new!

As I am dividing my life for many years between Munich and Višnjan anyway - winter in Munich, summer in Istria- March 15^th is my normal time to move. I have a job – actually two - that allow me to work from home. Here and there I have an equipped office, therefore it is no big deal to be here until September. How long the lockdown will take, I can accept it, as long as it is not time to go swimming. I hope that by June we will be able to drive at least to the seaside again.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

When I heard about the first cases in China and how fast the virus spread in Asia, I watched things carefully. Then the first infected people appeared not far away from Munich, in fact next door. We all, my friends and colleagues started to be very carefully towards each other. No meetings anymore, no hugs and already taking care of physical distancing. The moment when the news spoke for the first time about countries were closing the borders, I packed my stuff into my car, actually 5 days earlier as planned, and left Munich. It was a strange drive down to Croatia through Austria and Slovenia. No controls nowhere, all toll stations on CC payments. The first people I saw after 5 hours were the policemen at the Croatian border.

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

In my eyes Croatia is dealing very well with the crisis. I can follow the daily report of the Health Ministry. My village is locked down. I even cannot drive to Porec -9 km away- for supermarket shopping without official permission by the village authorities. But so far there is no need to leave the village, the 2 shops offer all I need. The security system is very well organized and it is amazing, how people accept and follow the regulations. And the results of the numbers show that the officials do a great job with their restrictions.

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

Of course I follow as well the German situation and how they handle it. I think that for German understanding they do a good job. The government still allows discussions about the measures and the federal system of the individual countries allow different customary actions concerning the isolation or lockdowns.

Better in Germany of course is the fast taken decision about the financial support for smaller entrepreneurs, freelancers, artists, cultural people etc. How much it will influence the German economy will be shown in the future. Concerning Croatia I think that as well the European Union should pay and support the country.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

As I don’t have TV here in my house, I read online news in Croatian and English on different sites. I read as well Austrian newspapers online, because they are very well covering Slovenia, Croatia and other Balkan countries. I am well informed and my Croatian vocabulary increased a lot!

A pity that countries of the EU and their media always look to Asia, US or UK, but pay less or no attention to the smaller member countries like Slovenia or Croatia. It would be important for Europe to read and see, how e.g. Croatia is dealing with the virus.

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation?

A whole box of oranges by Crowd Farming from Spain. I have to find out if they can as well deliver to Croatia.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

I am very well organized, even under the ‘pressure’ of isolation. I can be on my own very well. Of course I miss meeting with friends here, or going out for a coffee with them, but in times of social media there are possibilities to exchange ideas, meanings, feelings. I am in contact with other house owners around Višnjan to keep them updated. Normally they all had planned to spend Easter here. I write more, I speak more on the phone and all my friends as well are much more communicating. My advantage is that I am used to be a ‘one-woman-show’ even in Munich, therefore I am the wrong person to ask about difficulties others may have in times of the isolation and lockdown.

Thanks Barbara, stay safe and see you on the other side.  

You can find more foreigner corona stories in our dedicated section here.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out covid-19 here in croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone? First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

As Vedran Marjanovic/Novac writes on the 1st of April, 2020, although not as directly threatened by the spread of coronavirus as the tourism, hospitality and trade sectors are, the Croatian IT sector is already slowly feeling the effects of the coronavirus impact on the economy, with widespread concern about how long the crisis will last and what its consequences will be.

''Due to the significant percentage of drop in orders and cancellations of already ordered jobs, there's a challenge with the workforce, and the number of cancelled projects is worrying because the inflow of new revenues can no longer be predicted and existing receivables are more difficult to pay off due to a kind of panic in the market,'' stated Ivan Ante Nikolic, a member of the executive board of the Association of Information and Communication Activities of the Croatian Employers' Association and the president of the board of Blink.

For understanding the position of the Croatian IT sector on the overall market, warned Nikolic, it is important that IT companies cooperate with different sectors of the economy, which has made and will continue to make them less exposed to disruption in certain parts of the economy.

''The impact on companies in the Croatian IT sector depends on the decline in activities in the sectors our clients work in. As expected, the biggest concern is with companies whose clients are in the tourism and hospitality, transportation, logistics, construction and other sectors which are more exposed to the effects of coronavirus,'' he noted.

On the other hand, companies in the Croatian IT sector which operate with banks, telecommunications or pharmaceutical companies, show less concern about the current situation, but, as Nikolic pointed out, everyone is fully aware of the uncertainty that the epidemic is bringing to their long-term business plans and the damage it might ultimately cause.

Commenting on the government's 63 measures to help the economy overcome the effects of the coronavirus, Nikolic proceeded to urge the Croatian Government not to forget about the Croatian IT sector, while it isn't exposed to the coronavirus crisis like other sectors are, the government must not forget to identify further ways of helping out businesses in the field.

''Emergency loans to preserve liquidity should be defended by all forces in these situations so as not to create side effects. We hope that these loans will not be much more generous than the HAMAG BICRO loan in the amount of 25 thousand euros,'' Nikolic said.

Companies in the Croatian IT sector assembled at the Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) to support a general request to exempt businesses from needing to pay income tax, contributions and surtax for a minimum of three months, as well as to abolish corporate tax advance payments and provide a moratorium on repayment loans and leases for twelve months.

They also want to hear the government's ideas for what will happen in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. For them, as they pointed out, the direction is clear and requires an unprecedented investment boom that would launch investments and alleviate the negative effects in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.

''Investments must and can be initiated through multiple courses of action. The government must establish a faster and more efficient system for EU funds so that the real sector can reach investment funds more quickly,'' Nikolic said, noting that private investment funds will also be needed to put the Croatian economy back on its feet after the coronavirus pandemic passes.

Make sure to follow our business page for more. For rolling information and updates in English on coronavirus in Croatia, follow our dedicated section.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 30th of March, 2020, with the start of the summer flight schedule, which is valid from Sunday the 29th of March, 2020, Croatia Airlines' entire flight volume has been reduced to direct flights from Zagreb to just four major European cities - Frankfurt (Germany), Brussels (Belgium), Amsterdam (Netherlands) and London Heathrow (United Kingdom).

The national carrier's schedule has been reduced down to flights from Zagreb to Frankfurt, Brussels, Amsterdam and London due to the coronavirus pandemic, a statement from the domestic airline read.

Namely, following the decision of the Civil Protection Staff to ban people from leaving their place of permanent residence unless they have a valid reason and a pass (propusnica), Croatia Airlines suspended all internal flights within Croatia from the 25th of March to the 19th of April, 2020.

Croatia Airlines says that these flights are being operated to continue to ensure Croatia's connection with the rest of Europe and the rest of the world, while at the same time facilitating the return of Croatian citizens and foreign citizens with legal residence to Croatia and the departure of foreign nationals without residence in Croatia back to their home countries.

In this way, the national air carrier, it is said, is providing valuable additional support for the protection of the entire public health system in the Republic of Croatia.

Croatia Airlines also announced the possibility of additional ad hoc changes to the already significantly reduced flight plan, depending on the development of the epidemiological situation in Croatia and abroad, and the recommendations of the Croatian and world public health authorities.

The company's website will regularly publish scheduled flight information as well as any other important passenger information, and each passenger and each airline ticket will be processed in accordance with custom rules issued by the air company due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic.

Travellers should contact Croatia Airlines sales outlets before the date of their planned trip, which is a basic prerequisite for arranging travel arrangements in the aftermath of the epidemic.

"Due to extensive and constant changes in our timetable, notice to passengers of any cancellations may be delayed and, in rare cases, they might not be notified at all. Croatia Airlines therefore invites passengers to follow the information provided on the company website to keep themselves informed about the status of their flight immediately prior to the trip,'' the statement concluded.

Make sure to follow our travel page for more. Keep up to date with our dedicated section for rolling information and updates on coronavirus in Croatia.

April 1, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, with Gabriela Lopez Zubiria from Mexico our fourth contributor.

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. Having started with an excellent contribution from Romanian Mirela Rus and American/Irishman Jason Berry in Split, Steve Gaunt in an English pub in a field in the middle of nowhere near Vinkovci, how are things with Gabriela Lopez Zubiria from Mexico? And is it better to be here or Mexico right now?

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to Gaby. 

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

I think the question of how I am depends on the day. However in general I feel good, I am alone in a small studio where I feel quite comfortable and being alone is something that I enjoy, but without a doubt I really miss being able to go running, to the beach, going out with friends and the simple fact of interacting with people, I also have emotions stuck with a work project that was going to start in April and well I keep hoping that it can be done as soon as possible. I'm doing yoga daily and things that keep me calm. It is frustrating sometimes but I try to think as I think many people think that everything will pass and in the meantime it is only sometimes difficult not being able to go outdoors and not knowing what’s going to happen next.

Mornings alone trying to keep the mind together self-isolating.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

In the hostel where I was, there was a girl who was going to go to Italy just a week before I went to volunteer in Montenegro, and that week (which was my last in Croatia) was when many Italian borders were closed and she did not make it to Italy, that's when I started to see that the situation was so serious as to close certain borders, I even thought twice about going to Montenegro. However, I went and, well, on my second day in Montenegro, the owner of the place where I was doing my volunteering, mentioned that he wanted to close the place since it was believed that there was a case of coronavirus in Montenegro, so I thought about where I preferred to stay in case the idea of quarantine became a reality and well, I returned to Croatia since I have certain projects and knew more people with whom I felt more secure.

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Honestly, I am very impressed how fast they acted and the measures they have taken since I think they were quite early compared to many other countries, Croatia has all my respect and I feel grateful to be able to be in this country., I feel really safe.

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

This is a  complicated question since honestly in everything Croatia is doing things much better. In Mexico, the situation is quite bad since there is absolutely nothing, and although certain authorities took measures about people staying at home, they did it when they were in the 3rd phase which was already a health emergency alarm, and even then, large events continue to take place in certain small towns.  Even the fact that there are people who cannot afford to stop working since in Mexico there are people whose daily food depends on the money earned that same day. 

If you have some symptoms they don’t test you because they don’t have the test so they send you home saying that you have the flu, and the hospitals are not prepared with anything because they don’t have the equipment, so without a doubt Croatia has done everything better. 

I am also very impressed by how the government seeks to help people who have difficult situations regarding their jobs and the economic situation.

This is a picture of the subway on Mexico City at 7.30 am. This was the people that needed to go to work when the schools were already online and people that could work from home. And there are stories about the situation of many people without water on their houses, without a home and the need to go to sell stuff to have money to eat.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

In Mexico, the big problem with the information that was given is that nobody has the same information. From the start, the president seems to be totally out of the subject since he did not mention anything relevant until the third phase of the health emergency where it was already advised not to leave home. 

The governors of each state said different things depending on the region in Mexico where you were, and those in charge of the epidemiology center did not have clear information either, so the information was quite confusing from the government. 

However private companies such as banks and schools were those that anticipated events two weeks before the official government statement and helped spread the message for people to stay home.

People are saying how in Mexico City there are no controls at all, but in other cities they were checking if people had fever.

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation?

My best friend.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

This is a good question ... one thing I have learned from me is accepting and letting go... and more now, because in many places there are so many things that stimulate you about starting a project with yourself, working out with an objective, and that is fine. However, I think that it can stimulate you too much to the point of forcing you to be well and maybe ignore what you really feel in that moment witch for me was anger, and I think that’s my most valuable learning - to accept the emotions that this situation naturally leaves, but after that acceptance came the real feeling of being able to enjoy and be creative with this new way of living this reality. 

I also remembered how fun it is to dance cumbias alone at home (: and one thing that I have learned from others is that we all need each other, as a psychologist it is clearer to me than ever that the human being is a social being, and well I think that if we can observe something in this situation, it is that we are all really vulnerable and in the end the only important thing is the moments where you laugh with all your heart among friends or family, how much it gives to us the way of expressing love with the touch, and those real moments are the only things that matter in this life.

Thanks Gaby, stay safe and see you on the other side.  

You can find more foreigner corona stories in our dedicated section here.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out covid-19 here in croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone?First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 1st of April, 2020, the Croatian Minister of the Interior, Davor Bozinovic was a guest last night on Nova TV, where he spoke about loosening the stringent anti-coronavirus measures Croatia now firmly has in place. 

He said that he was constantly balancing things between more restrictive measures and loosening those same measures.

''It's all dependant on the epidemiological situation in the country. We have a trend where the number of patients isn't growing exponentially, it's growing linearly, and it is important that we try to maintain this trend. It would be great if the number of patients dropped for a few days, in that case, we'd probably go for some additional relief [of the measures]. But that's something that is estimated on a daily basis,'' Bozinovic said.

He stated that there were still violations of the prescribed measures taking place. ''It was some sort of catering facility in Karlovac that was open and was discovered and reported by the police to the State Inspectorate. It has now been closed down and the owner has been fined,'' he said.

He recalled the fact that it is crucial that everyone adheres to the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus prescribed by the Civil Protection Headquarters.

"Everything we do depends on the people. We can prescribe whatever we want to prescribe, but people have to stick to the measures. Most people have taken things seriously. This is the only way to get out of this situation. There are those who are violating self-isolation measures, that's the biggest issue. These people could potentially be infected and spread the infection to the people around them,'' Bozinovic said.

The minister also warned that so-called ''coronavirus profiteers'', who have kuna symbols in their eyes and are seeing some sort of macarbe opportunity to exercise their ''get rick quick'' plans would be sanctioned.

"We'll be very rigorous in regard to whoever wants to use this situation to get rich unfairly. The institutions are all involved with that - the tax inspectors, as well as the police. That's the way it is now, and it will remain that way in the future,'' he announced.

He remarked on Davor Bernardic's statements, saying that this isn't the time for such skirmishes.

"He first criticised the headquarters for failing to introduce rigorous measures several times. He is expected to be consistent as the leader of the opposition party. This is not the time for fights. Everyone should be giving their efforts to this to the maximum,'' he explained.

In regard to abolishing the current measures, he said that the reduction in new coronavirus cases is a sign that we're now on the right track.

"Until we know how this virus can be stopped either by the production of a drug or by vaccination, it's possible for it to keep being exponential. If a focal point [of infection] isn't immediately dealt with, we can expect a greater increase in the number of those infected. That's why it is important that this situation isn't underestimated, that no one underestimates it for themselves, their family and the environment in which they work,'' Bozinovic explained.

He then discussed the robberies that have been talked about in recent days, stating that he has received a report from the police that these situation are declining. "There's probably crime that isn't being reported in this situation to the extent that it would have been earlier, but I think the situation in Croatia is stable. The police are engaged in all lines of work including this for the coronavirus and I don't expect this to escalate,'' he added.

He sent a message out to pranksters to refrain from making epidemic-related jokes on April the 1st. "People can joke around, but they mustn't spread that some measure has been abolished, that people can go out and walk around outside, that can be dangerous. People can joke, but not on the subject of coronavirus,'' Bozinovic concluded.

For more on coronavirus in Croatia, follow our dedicated section.

ZAGREB, April 1, 2020 - If the epidemic is over relatively soon, the impact on the national economy will be weaker, however if all this lasts longer, Croatia's Gross Domestic Product could contract by 10%, says economist Danijel Nestić.

Nestić, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Economics in Zagreb, told the RTL commercial broadcaster on Tuesday evening that one should hope that the government measures for mitigating the impact of the crisis could temporarily halt a rise in the number of the jobless.

Businesses have stopped working, people are spending less and less, one in three workers is paid a minimum wage, 12,000 people were fired in the last 14 days, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.

The economist said that that one should hope that the number of the jobless would not rise on an exponential curve in the remainder of the year.

"The economy is stronger now than it was in 2008, the government measures are here, funds from the European Union are available, and I do not believe that the number of the unemployed would again reach record highs of 400,000 which was in the previous crisis," Nestić said.

He admitted that the decline in BDP was inevitable. The contraction of GDP will depend on the duration of the epidemic risk, he explained.

This crisis has one good thing, it is a crisis brought from abroad and the cause is not in the economy itself, the expert said adding that in the event of that the epidemic lasts rather long, the country's GDP could fall by 10%.

More economy news can be found in the Business section.

March 31, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, starting with Steve Gaunt from Leeds in the UK, currently holed up in Vinkovci.  

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. Having started with an excellent contribution from Romanian Mirela Rus and American/Irishman Jason Berry in Split, we move to an English pub in a field in the middle of nowhere near Vinkovci in eastern Croatia to see how things are with Yorkshireman Steve Gaunt from Leeds.

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to the one and only Steve Gaunt. 

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

Well, I have a large family, my wife and six children and all but one are with me. I am a very flexible person when it comes to change around me; I may not like it, but I can certainly deal with it. I have always dealt mentally with problems with humour, but there is little humour to find in the current situation.

The biggest problem is how it is affecting my children, especially those who should be at University in Zagreb. My daughter Emma doesn't know what the state of affairs is regarding her apartment in Zagreb after the earthquakes, and she and my son Daniel are finding it difficult to proceed with online studies as they have no access to their books, notes and other material. Luckily we all have access to computers so the younger children can still keep up with school work online. My wife Dragica works for the Red Cross and is allowed to move freely.

I admit I was confused and annoyed when restrictive measures came into force one after another, but I am much more at ease with them now than I thought I would be. We had a problem that my son Daniel was stranded in a village not too distant and couldn't come home.

You asked how we deal with "self-isolation" but the fact is we are not doing anything different other than what is forced upon us, like the schools being closed or businesses being shut down.

I can still travel to my land in a nearby village without hindrance and I can work on my land and enjoy a beer in my pub. I also have a pass which was very easy to procure and can travel a little further afield. I also got a pass for son Daniel so he can now return home should he wish, but he still hasn't. I see very few people about town but many in the countryside, walking, jogging, riding, biking and I feel they are absolutely right to do so; nobody should be isolated by walls, they should be in the fresh air and sun, isolated only by natural space. But the easy to follow basic rules should always be adhered to. 

On my land it is rare to see more than one or two people passing each day, nowadays dozens come by each day. People are sociable animals, and it is comforting to see people passing by and enjoying the fresh air and greeting each other (though at a safe distance!). In the town it is different, the few people who venture abroad scurry about with their masks on, trying to avoid each other. Depressing to witness.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business?

As an army invalid and pensioner, this doesn't really apply to me, though it doesn't stop me from being concerned. Croatia has never had the best economy, though we seemed well blessed by having a stable currency. I worry about small businesses and their ability to ride out this period of inactivity, but Croatians know how to deal with serious problems as the Homeland War showed.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

I realised quite late. I am used to seeing news predicting or discovering potentially disastrous calamities. Swine Flu, Bird Flu, Global Warming caused freak weather and more. The media loves a good disaster, so I took it all with a pinch of salt. I wasn't even concerned with the spread patterns and actually became less concerned when it was revealed that the virus wasn't airborne. But the daily death toll in neighbouring Italy really put things in perspective for me.

My son Paul and I succumbed to a nasty case of flu in early February. It passed quickly for him but laid me low for three weeks. Comparing the symptoms then to the symptoms known today for the Covid virus, I see they were very similar. I wasn't concerned at the time but if this flu attack had have happened now, I admit I would be very frightened. I take it seriously. If I catch this virus, I know it will kill me.

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

I feel safe enough, though I take care. Not to the ridiculous extent that some citizens have, like locking themselves in their homes, but enough to avoid any situation that could infect me or my family. Croatia is a country used to doing what it is told and the measures placed upon the populace through repressive are effective. Nobody seems to be complaining. The virus came to us locally recently and that caused anger more than pity, that the carrier could have been so careless. There is little more the authorities can do and hopefully folk with tolerate the annoyances of restriction, but the question is, for how long?

There is one stage of regulation I will not conform with, however, and that is being forced to wear a mask.

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

Well that is an easy question, Croatia is doing very well, not just the authorities but the general population. I sometimes think Croatians welcome a crisis, just to show how they can deal with it and rise above it.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

I cannot speak for the UK as I have no information regarding offical communication. But here it is endless. It is this continuous barrage of news, information, warnings and instructions that worry me more than the thought that the virus could affect my family and friends. There is literally nothing else on the News. The Zagreb earthquakes crept in for a while on a national level, though friends and family in the UK had no idea of the disaster. 

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation?

As I said earlier, our isolation is natural or forced on us by circumstance. I can't go for a beer in a bar or to a restaurant for a meal, but then I didn't do that very much before. I can still travel a little, buy fuel, metal detect, cut the grass, prune my apple trees. The TV works and I have my books and my web sites to manage. I am actually more active than normal. If I was in total lockdown, I cannot think of a single thing I would take with me, other than prescibed medicine.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

That I am less selfish than I thought. I reserve comment on others.

Thanks Steve, stay safe and see you on the other side.  You can learn more about Steve and how he came to open a pub in the middle of nowhere here.I am sure he will be glad of the company when this is all over, but at the moment there is a typically welcoming message from Yorkshire on the board at the moment (see below).

You can find more foreigner corona stories in our dedicated section here.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out covid-19 here in croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone?First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

March 31, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, starting with entrepreneur Jason Berry from Ireland/USA, currently holed up in Split.  

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. Having started with an excellent contribution from Romanian Mirela Rus in Split yesterday, we move across the Dalmatian capital to see how Jason Berry, an entrepreneur from Ireland/USA, is faring.

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to the one and only Jason Berry. 

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

Thanks for asking. We're all healthy. All our friends are healthy. All our family are healthy so all good in that department. My wife and I decided (she decided) to divide and conquer. She has taken the two kids down to baba and dide's in the smallest most famous town on the Makarska Riviera, Drasnice. The kids have a huge house and yard to play in and lots of space empty of people. There are only 200 people in the village so its very well isolated and sparsely populated, all good for isolation. So by dividing, I am living the bachelor life of a single man in isolation: movies, video games, reading, and the kids have been busy conquering my poor wife, running her off her feet.

I am up in Split working from home and drive down the Magistrala coast road through three checkpoints to visit them each weekend.

I am a director of a securities trading firm with offices in Dublin and Croatia. I am mostly trading the financial markets, and not doing much directoring as most people are working from home.

Our Dublin office is completely shut down and all people are working remotely. Our Croatia office has a skeleton crew of only 4 in the office and everybody else is remote.

We have a front row seat to the craziness of the markets caused by Covid-19 over the past few weeks, which has given us a greater sense of urgency as to the seriousness of the virus' impact on the global economies. We were watching first hand as the markets collapsed, erasing the gains of the past decade in a matter of days. Terrifying volatility. Our business is inversely correlated with the normal business cycle. We are least busy when the markets are going up and incredibly busy when markets are going down. So in terms of work, we've been run off our feet. The US markets open around midnight on Sunday night, and on the last three Sundays I've worked more or less straight through from midnight on Sunday til midnight on Monday with a few naps. The whole firm is more or less doing the same thing. Strange times.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

We realized pretty early on as it started to leave China. Like I mentioned above, the markets were reacting to the seriousness of the situation even if most politicians and the public were not. So we made preparations for the business and for the family the first week of March and went into isolation shortly thereafter. We were fortunate to be able to see the market indicators about how serious this was going to be. But the last week of February we had booked to go skiing in Italy. All the guys were being all macho and saying, no big deal, all the women were saying cancel cancel. In the end, we cancelled as it became clear how serious the disease was spreading.

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

I feel very safe compared to how they are handling it in the US. I feel China handled it better and Germany is testing tons. I wish Croatia was testing more. But there are relatively few tourists here in the winter so we are fortunate. There are a lot of workers that go to Italy and Austria, and a few who travel for skiing and such, but otherwise I feel pretty well isolated.

Croatia's daily communication from the Health Minister has been great. The Viber messages are great too.

Split people following the government's orders in the beginning were disgraceful. People were out playing bocci ball, hanging in cafes in big groups, drinking on the wall in the local neighborhood, pretty much ignoring the whole social distancing thing. But then after the earthquake and ban on travel, everybody got the message. The police should have been out enforcing the self-distancing stuff earlier.

The numbers are low in Croatia. Now I don't know if that is because Croatian health service is kicking ass and is well prepared or that we got lucky. People tell me that the health service is well organized. It helps a lot having a centralized health system. It's probably a little of both.  

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

Compared to Ireland, Croatia is about the same, a little less strict, with similar results. The Irish will struggle because they travel so much and people travel to Ireland at all times of the year, but Jan and Feb is the slowest time.

Compared to the US, Croatia is heaven. The US is in for a serious dose. They have handled it almost as badly as you could, denial, denial, oh shit. Trump said it at the start of his presidency, US will be number 1. It's a funny joke but things are going to get really bad over there. The US doesn't have centralized medical systems or universal health insurance, and they have a leader who denied it was coming. All those things will add up to some serious problems in the next month, unfortunately.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

Health boss Vili seems to be no BS, all the facts, straight-shooting, and spot on. He even has an accent I can understand! Bonus. His daily briefings and Viber have been great. The police at checkpoints, however, have a mix of masks and no masks. People on the street seem to be wearing masks against all advisories so not all messages are getting through on how to handle precautions.

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

Food. I laughed at all the hoarders going out and panic buying stuff. Now I can't find a store open past 5pm and Konzum's delivery service is all jammed up. But that just means I don't cook and order a ton of Wolt: sushi, poke bowls from Maka, Zora Bila, Mexican from To je Tako, and desserts from The Cookie Lab. I'm going to be enormous when the isolation ends.  

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

It is a crisis but it is not. If you do what you are supposed to, it is just like a series of rainy days. The risk is relatively low. I work. I come home. I watch too much TV, play too many video games, and don't read enough. So I don't panic or maybe I just have too much faith in the things I expect will continue working. I don't panic so I've got fairly low stress so far. I don't panic so I have no food in the house. But to be honest, so far so good. We're all healthy. I can do my job at home very easily. So we are quite fortunate and so far for me and my family its just been an inconveniece. I know that is not the scenario for everybody else.

The only big regret I have right now and probably the thing that has been worrying me the most is that I have two teenagers from Dom Maestral that I hang out with and I haven't been able to see them for like a month. We touch base on WhatsApp and I check in, but that is about all we can do until it ends. They are under lockdown and so am I. That is a real bummer.  

Thanks Jason, stay safe and see you on the other side.  You can learn more about Jason and his life in Split from this earlier feature story on foreign entrepreneurs in Croatia.

You can find more foreigner corona stories in our dedicated section here.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out covid-19 here in croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone?First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.