a charming diaspora story

(Sanja and Elena)

Recently I got an email from Australia.

Nothing special you may say, well read on than.

High unemployment rates (today and in history), a suppressing political climate and poor chances to make a change for the better,
made many people leave Croatia.

However these are different times,
still the unemployment is terribly high, 

specially under well educated young people.

For us, retired after making good money (working our balls of) in Holland this is paradise on earth, for all the people in the Yugoslavian/CroatianDalmatian diaspora
there was only one shocking option. 

Leave paradise.

So of they went, to all parts of the globe,
to Canada, Australia, Chile, Germany, America and many more.

Looking for better conditions, with pain in their hearts.

As you must know that each and every Croat loves (LOVES !!!) his homeland, specially those who live near the Adriatic coast.

So this email came in (thanks Peter), writing me how nice it is to follow my "no good for nothing posts".

As Peter is married to the daughter of two fine examples of people from the Croatian diaspora.

Her father and mother separately left Zagreb,
and started a new life in Australia.

By coincidence they met "hey, do I not know you from Zagreb" was the start of a romance, which was followed by having their daughter Linda, who later married Peter, the guy who sent me his email story.

And as Peter and Linda not only wasted time watching TV :-), 

they were blessed with two charming daughters,
called Sanja and Elena.

(Typical Croatian names by the way).

Just a simple feel good story, you may say.

Wish it was, as even second and third generation Croats would love to return to their homeland.

As this is heaven on earth.

Almost.

If only the possibilities were better, for them and all who live and (look for) work here.

But still the average wage is low, finding a decent job a burden,

fighting bureaucracy with all it's unnecessary blockades a horror for people with initiatives.

However....things are changing, as Croatia now is part of Europe.

Still, a bit more ACTION would be fantastic.

As this is like I wrote before:

PARADISE.

(Well ok: álmost paradise).