Learning to be Croatian?!

Kate
Oct 31, 2017
2 min read

Apart from the obvious language barriers, there have been a few cultural adjustments since moving to Croatia and joining my new family there. It reminds me of England back when I was a child – the family still eat together, people still respect the elderly and the women of the family always provide an insane amount of kolaci! (Cakes).

There are however a number of unwritten rules that I have discovered about being part of a Croatian family.

Always wear slippers and have your lower back covered in case you get a chill! Coming from the UK, I thought wearing shorts and a t-shirt in 17’c was just enjoying a lovely sunny day! For Croatians, this temperature is Winter – cover up and get the heating on!
Saying no thank you! Croatian mothers are born to feed and nurture their family and guests alike. You will be offered various food until you accept at least something even if you have just eaten a four-course lunch! Otherwise you will hear cries of ajme! (pronounced imeh and politely translated as oh come on!)
Leaving the family house empty handed? This is a no no. Your hosts will ask you if you would like to take leftovers with you, cakes, fruit grown in the back garden, etc. No matter how much you refuse, they will insist!
Family is everything … all 354 members! My Croatian has a huge family – its mildly intimidating when they are all together especially the volume levels! But it is also so warm not to mention huge fun when there is a big celebration!
Croatians are loud. When they talk across the dining table, when they talk on the phone, they are loud and they don’t mind who hears! Every time we are at the airport and on the bus to the plane, I find myself asking B to keep it down when he’s on the phone. My polite 'Englishness' cringes when I can hear other people tutting at him. He tells me ‘I am Croatian, that’s how we talk!’.

Once you get to grips with these small adjustments in Croatian life, you are half way to becoming Croatian! I would say I’m definitely still in training….