Traveling allows one to step into a whole new lifestyle, if only for a moment. But what is it that makes some visitors take the plunge and make the stay a permanent one? We asked a few transplanted residents to tell us their Zagreb story….
Having first come to Croatia as a high school student, Kazuhiro Tamari, is a truly global citizen with family connections leading him to a host of countries. His careers in acting and tourism open endless doors to keep traveling, meeting people and inspiring anyone he meets and yet Kazuhiro describes Zagreb as the lighthouse he follows to come home. Spomenka “Sami” Matić, also grew up in an international family and spent the entirety of her adult life as an enthusiastic traveler. When her UK student visa expired, she chose to make a cross-continental road trip before settling down in Zagreb to explore her Croatian nationality by living in the country for the first time. Fellow travel enthusiast Jelena Pocedić, grew up in Windsor, Canada hearing proud tales of Croatia’s capital. Returning to her father’s home city allowed her to create her own stories of discovering hidden beauty in the pedestrian-friendly city she now calls home. Zagreb’s Medical Studies in English program has allowed Jelena, and many like her whose parents number in the Croatian diaspora, to pursue dreams of a medical career while connecting to her heritage. The same program sealed the deal for Théo Karoumenos, when he was offered a language teaching position in a city where his wife could continue her medical studies. The adventuresome Frenchman has found Zagreb to be an important part of his growth as a teacher as he’s been able to organize cultural events around the city such as café gatherings, movie nights and even concerts.