Adapting to Life in Croatia: An Expat’s Journey from Toronto to Split
4 minutes
Written by: Annmarie Borosic
I’ve now surpassed my three-month mark since having left Canada. I knew the transition wouldn’t be easy, but it feels far less challenging than I had anticipated. Perhaps this is due to the high tourist season here in Split which has me feeling somewhat like I’m on vacation. Little by little I’m building a network of people, creating a new sense of familiarity, establishing a routine, and adapting to my new life as an expat.
Two things I’m beginning to notice - firstly, I feel as though I’m starting to see more people here in Split I’ve met back home who either still live there or those who have also moved abroad. In fact, more often than I ever did in Canada. Two - finding like-minded people with new perspectives has been incredible. Having said that what I find extremely important is cultural integration - adapting to this new life, to my new country, to local customs. To me, it makes no sense to simply carry with me all of my habits, needs, and mindset that I held back in Toronto. It just simply doesn’t translate here in many cases. I also struggle with the mentality of some (not all!) foreigners new to a region where the expectation is to have that society and its people having to adapt their ways of life to accommodate newcomers. You’d probably be surprised to hear how many times this has come up. Maybe that’s just me though. While I absolutely will take the lessons I’ve learned in Canada, the values I have, and the person I was back home and maintain who I truly am here, I’m committed to adapting to Croatian society and being an active community member, I also want to infuse a bit of my background into this new life. It feels somewhat contradictory, but I see this as an opportunity to create a cultural fusion that reflects both my experiences and the new environment I’m embracing.
Did you catch that phrase earlier, “back home?” Yeah, I started using that a few weeks ago while talking to some friends who have also moved here from Canada. When it first left my lips, it was the most peculiar feeling. As if I were in some parallel universe. The only time those two words have been used was when anyone I spoke with in Canada who had immigrated from abroad, used it as a reference or discussed Croatia specifically. Now, just as my great grandfather did, moving to a country alone, and as my grandmother did at my age - 38, I, like my whole family, am an immigrant referencing ‘back home.’ It is a very very strange feeling and quite an emotional adjustment.
In the last few months, I have experienced an array of emotions. Mostly wonderful, if I’m being honest. However, I find myself questioning if I have a preference for drama. Hear me out. This is where my polarity kicks in. My previous life was filled with chaos, stress, and intense challenges. I landed in one of the most stressful careers of my life. One, where it was all I ever thought about and rarely slept throughout it. Relationships were challenging, I raised bulldogs with consistent health issues paired with a massive financial undertaking. I thrived in chaos (that can’t be normal!) until I actively opted out. Out of all of it. Moving to Split, where life moves slowly, the ‘work to live’ mentality runs deep, I am like a fish out of water, fighting with the anxiety of adjusting to a more peaceful existence.
I’ve learned that psychological studies show that when we become so accustomed to a way of living, especially in toxicity, negativity, or uncertainty, it’s what we find comfort in. When you choose to transition into a healthier state, it becomes more anxiety-inducing because you’re stepping out of your ‘comfort zone.’ I now am living a life polar opposite to my past experiences. While it is everything I want, I find, my mind struggles to accept the peace and ease that come with it. It feels like a frequent battle of becoming comfortable with calm, respect, ease, natural flow and progression. Where I have to constantly redirect my thoughts, stop questioning myself, and just relax.
Am I the type of person to sit, sip coffee all day every day, only go to the beach, go to work and that’s that? No. I don’t know how to be that person. I don’t think I was that person in my pre-teens. I enjoy variety, projects, progression, building and creating. Will I do all of the former? Oh, you better believe that will remain my daily routine, but you know, I’ll add a little pairing of ventures and relationship-building because you can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the girl. Maintaining my identity will always be a priority for me. I’ve worked way too hard to get to be the person I am today to simply let her go.
