June 24th, 2021 - Born and raised in Croatia but has lived abroad for most of her life, TCN intern Marina Kaleb looks at what Croatians find strange when living abroad, speaking from her own experience. 

Croatians are very particular with their daily habits and traditions, so when you're raised in a small town or even the capital, moving abroad is a whole different dimension you have to get used to. Of course, every country has its own way of living, but here are some things I have come across when living abroad that are still strange to me as a Croat. 

1. Working from a cafe

Pixabay

Various cafes abroad have work-friendly stations such as large tables, charging stations, and student discounts to encourage people to choose their place instead of home or a library. It's very common to see people sitting alone or in groups working on their laptops in a cafe, take Starbucks anywhere in the world, for example. It's kind of glamourized to work in a cafe to get the best of both worlds and fit into an aesthetic but are they even productive? Personally, it took me a while to adjust to this because I was raised in a place where going to a cafe for a coffee is for relaxing, socializing, and forgetting about work. You'll rarely see people working in cafes in Croatia (apart from digital nomads), although it is not considered as strange as it used to be anymore. In larger cities, foreigners enjoy working from a cafe, even in Croatia. 

2. Western coffee culture 

Another one to do with coffee, as Croats are very particular about it. The Western coffee culture is the complete opposite of what we are used to in Croatia. We like to sit down with a coffee for hours and catch up with our friends, but it's either quick coffee at the cafe or a coffee on the go in most countries abroad. During the Covid-19 outbreak, coffee to go suddenly became an option in most cafes in Croatia, but people still went and sat down somewhere to enjoy it rather than rushing. To this day, sometimes I still feel weird staying at a cafe for hours and only having one coffee because I feel guilty, but it is such a normal thing back home. 

3. Fast-paced lifestyle 

The pre-pandemic fast-paced lifestyle is extremely strange to someone who comes from a tiny town in Croatia. At home, everything is very relaxed and handled with ease which now sounds extremely strange to me. Perhaps it's the Dalmatian lifestyle of living in peace and simply allowing things to happen at their own pace. However, wherever you go abroad, you will face a fast-paced lifestyle, whether you like it or not.  

4. The lack of old romantic songs abroad

Dusko Jaramaz/PIXSELL

Growing up in Croatia, we are used to listening to beautiful, timeless ballads that our parents and grandparents also grew up with. Whether you go to Croatia, a cafe, a restaurant, or even a bar, you are bound to hear old romantic songs that everyone adores. While you still hear old romantic songs abroad, it's not as common. In Croatia, it's completely normal to play romantic and traditional songs in clubs and bars, while abroad, it's mostly pop music. There is nothing like listening to traditional Croatian acapella singing, Klapa, and it's something I really miss hearing! 

5. Moving away from family 

It's very common for people to remain in their hometown or the region they grew up in their whole life, stay close to family, or even live with their family. Croatia is a collective community, and we like to be close to our family because they always come first. In contrast, many countries focus on their own individual life rather than having family nearby. When it comes to holidays or weekly family dinners, Croats remain very traditional and prefer to spend time with their family, whereas abroad, it's not as common. When living abroad, friends become your family as you form new bonds, but at home, traditions are to be kept.

Is there anything else that you find strange as a Croat living abroad? Let us know your experiences! 

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