Cricket in Croatia?

Last weekend I was invited to cover a Cricket match in Zagreb.  When I told people where I was going I got a lot of surprised looks and head scratching.  Cricket in Croatia?

The sport, born and bred in England, was brought to the British colonies where it became extremely popular and an important part of their cultures. Over the years that popularity has spread around the world including the United States, China and Japan.  But still, many are surprised that a well organized Cricket club exists in this part of Europe.

Cricket is similar to baseball in that it is a bat-and-ball game, played by two teams who either try to score runs or get the runners out. But this is where the similarities end.  Terminology such as wickets, stumps and creases, number of players and field size are just some of the differences. Cricket is normally played outdoors but here in Croatia it moves indoors in the winter.

The sport has been called a “gentlemen’s game” because there is an expectation of no cheating, temper tantrums or arguing with the umpire. But don’t let the word “gentleman” fool you. These players show up with one thing on their mind and that is to win.   As you can see from some of my pictures, players aggressively chased balls, often diving into the ground and each other.  I spent much of the time trying to avoid getting tackled or protecting my gear.  I’m afraid one catch was missed because I was in the way and the player chose not to slam into me.  While I appreciated it, I felt a little guilty. He must have read this on my face because he responded with, “It’s just a game”.  So it appears to be a gentlemen’s game after all. 

 

I loved watching the bantering and camaraderie between the players.  I especially enjoyed listening to it in a multitude of accents and languages, switching back and forth between Croatian and English. 

But for me, the more interesting story is how the players all came together.  The team consisting of men from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, Canada, Croatia, the United States and Jamaica all share an immense passion for Cricket and a love for Croatia. Each has a different story as to why they are here.  Some met Croatian women and moved here to get married.  Some are Croatian by heritage but were raised in other countries and then returned as adults.  Some moved here for education or work.  But all have the common appreciation for the lifestyle here.

I got a chance to interview some of the players after the match. They shared with me what they liked most about the sport and how they got involved in the club. Eventually the conversation came around to life in Croatia.   One of the players told me where he is from the attitude is to "live to work" and sneak in a small break on Saturdays.  Here they "work to live" and always find time for family and friendship.  No matter if it’s a Monday or Thursday there is time for a coffee or beer to catch up.  Another player told me it was a fantastic place to raise children and loves the school system.   His friends back home in South Africa can't believe he only travels 10 minutes to work and conducts his business meetings in coffee shops. As I’ve written in earlier blogs, people have shared with me similar stories about this relaxed lifestyle. But this was the first time I heard of so many people who moved half way around the world to return to this way of life.  This shouldn’t surprise me, though.  I returned here, didn’t I?

The passion for Cricket may have brought these men together but the love of the country has sealed the bond.   Or possibly it is vice versa. 

For more information on the Zagreb Cricket Club go to www.zagrebcricket.com. 

Dobar Dan

•  /dôbar dân/

dȍbar dȃn

1. good day
2. good afternoon

Dobar dan is the first Croatian phrase I learned here.  It is what is said between store clerks or restaurant employees and customers; a formal greeting between people who don't know each other.  Since my two favorite things to do are shopping and eating I have lots of opportunity to use this phrase.   However, both of my habits require a little more preparation here than I’m used to. 

 

There are no fast food restaurants in Bjelovar, or at least not as Americans know them.  If you want something to eat you either go to a grocery store and make it from scratch, go to a sit down restaurant or order something at a walkup bakery. (or hope someone invites you over!)

Grocery stores are small but there are quite a few in walking distance.  Grocery carts are also small and in one store they were the size of the children’s pretend carts some of our stores provide.  (This is actually a good thing.  It keeps me from buying too much since I have to walk home and then up 5 flights of stairs schlepping my stuff!)  You must bring your own bags or pay for one at the checkout. Most of the brands I am unfamiliar with and the western brands I do recognize are usually much more expensive than one of the Croatian brands so it is hard to justify the extra expense.  Remember I am living on a Croatian salary.  Besides, buying the local brand adds to the authenticity of my experience.  Often I can identify what the product is because it is self explanatory so I have limited myself to those so far.  Sometimes the package lists its ingredients in English (along with Slovenian, Serbian, Albanian, Bosnian-Herzegovinian and Croatian) but not always.   

I made homemade chicken soup last week that I was able to eat on for several days.  Of course, this was the most economical (and healthiest) option.  I’ve made chicken soup back home before but nothing has ever tasted this good.  I’m not sure if it was the fresh vegetables, fresh chicken or the bullion I used but I was really impressed.  However, once you’ve eaten something for 4 days straight you are pretty much over it.  Next I'm making a beef stew since potatoes, onions, and carrots are cheap and plentiful at the market.  Beef is expensive here and I haven’t quite figured out the meat counter either. But let’s face it I couldn’t tell the difference in a chuck steak and a rump roast back home either. I really want to buy a ham bone for my next soup but I think I’m going to need a translator for that one. 

 

Now I can buy produce at the open air market.  Most of the vendors are from the villages so I had yet to find one who spoke English.  But today I stumbled upon a nice man working one of the produce carts who spoke English.  It was such a relief to have his help I told him I would always buy from him.  His response was "Hopefully I will be here.  I am a police officer and I am only helping my parents today."  Well...there you go.

 

The Butcher

 

Countries in this part of Europe are known for their sausage.  Each individual country and specific regions of countries has their own flavor.  I think I ate a sausage and cheese sandwich every single day for lunch when I lived in Hungary.  Well, the same is becoming true here.  The traditional sausage of Croatia is ćevapi.  They are usually served as 5-10 pieces on a plate or in a flatbread.  I skip the bread and just pop the pieces of meat in my mouth.  Another traditional sausage is kulen.  This is a spicy dried sausage that is very full in flavor.

ćevapi

 

Deli meets often come in tubes that you slice.  This photo is of a tube of chicken I bought for sandwiches.  I found something that looked like bacon the other day.  It’s not pre-sliced but looked just like what I am used to.  However, the package said Hamburger.  I was really scratching my head at that one.  It's not beef or a patty or from the city of Hamburg.

Bread is good and inexpensive but only lasts a couple of days.  I remember this from my time in Hungary.  I guess we put preservatives in our bread back home because I know a loaf of bread is good for a week or more.  By day 3 you can use the bread here for batting practice.  But it’s great on day 1 and 2!

Not all milk is refrigerated.  Some is in what is called Tetra packs.  I've been told we have these in the US.  Maybe we do, but I'm pretty sure most Americans have big plastic gallons of milk in their fridges. I have not been able to find fat free milk just reduced fat.  I have not been able to find sugar free soy milk either.  What I bought was soy light and I assumed it was what I was familiar with.  But when I drank it,  it tasted like melted ice-cream.  I thought, “Wow, everything tastes better in Croatia!”  But when I looked at the ingredients, high fructose corn syrup was the second ingredient. The other thing that is glaringly missing from the store shelves is peanut butter.  I usually only eat natural peanut butter however I would pay a bunch of Kuna for a jar of Jiffy!  I asked some of my students if they knew about peanut butter and most of them had heard of it but none of them had ever tried it.  Can you imagine a childhood sans peanut butter?  But if it's Nutella you want, entire aisles are dedicated to it and its competitors.

 

They eat ketchup and mayonnaise here.  Mayonnaise comes in tubes but Ketchup is packaged in familiar bottles.  I did notice a "McDonald's" brand of ketchup.  I'm a little doubtful that the

McDonald's Corporation knows anything about it, though.  Butter is for baking not for spreading.  They only use margarine for that.  During my first shopping experience I asked Slavica if they had soy butter.  I'm afraid I might have appeared a little high maintenance at that question.

I have yet to see diet coke or any other diet drink.  I’ve been told it is available but just not very common.  I don’t think Croatians care much for sugar substitutes.  None of us should be drinking that stuff anyway.

 

Aluminum foil is available but  comes in small rolls.  As a matter of fact, everything comes in small packages.  No super size anything here.  Perhaps this is the reason they have so much less trash than we do.  Trash cans are tiny.  The one in my classroom is 8 inches high.  It looked like a trash can for Barbie.  Slavica asked me what we put in all of those big trash cans.  I couldn't answer her, because I have no idea.  I just know that one of my Starbuck's Venti coffee cups would fill up the entire 8 inch trash can. I suppose Croatians don't get the mountain of unsolicited magazines at their houses on a daily basis like we do.

 

In Zagreb and other large cities there are McDonald’s restaurants but not here in Bjelovar.  I am actually glad for that.  Last year I went to McDonald’s in Rijeka.  In order to use the restroom you have to buy something and then you are provided with a door entry code on your receipt.  Or you can stand by the door and wait for someone to come out and sneak in. 

I’ve been told that Burger King is actually preferred to McDonald’s because of the grilled flavor of the meat.  They were surprised to hear that Burger King has become much less popular in the US.  I don’t think I’ve been to a Burger King in the last decade.  I can’t even tell you where there is one. I wonder how long before Chick-fil-a makes it to Europe.  Oh, the French are going to hate the name! 

I’m not sure what the exact ratio is but I think it is safe to say something like 1/3 of all businesses in the town are coffee bars.  Sometimes they are right next to each other.  Bjelovar has a reputation for the most coffee bars per capita in all of Croatia and there seems to be plenty of business to go around.  At any given time you can find a large portion of the town’s population enjoying their espresso sitting in outdoor cafes. (when it is not snowing, that is!) 

If you’ve ever travelled to Europe you know there is nothing on the continent similar to a cup of Folger’s coffee.  This is what I drink, black.  I find it difficult to drink the coffee here without milk and sugar.  Like I mentioned before, you almost never see sugar substitute.  No pink and blue packets here. (does anyone still use the yellow packets?)  Your choices are white sugar or brown sugar. A cup of coffee ranges from about 1 ounce to about 3 ounces.  That’s a far cry from a Venti (20 ounces) at Starbucks.  I think if I could pour one of the coffees here into a large glass milk I could probably get something I am used to.  But I might start an international crisis if I did. By the way, there are no Starbucks in Croatia.  As a matter of fact “to go” coffee is a new concept in Bjelovar and not widely accepted.  Drinking coffee is something you experience with your friends not an item on the “to do” list.

On a continent where brewing coffee is an artwork I find it surprising how popular instant coffees are in the homes.  Nescafe which is a brand of instant coffee is extremely popular.  In Croatia there are plenty of cheaper brands to pick from with an array of flavors including cappuccino.

Tea in Croatian is called ćaj (pronounced chai).  So when I was buying tea bags I thought I was buying chai tea.  I wonder what they call chai tea?  ćaj ćaj??  I have switched to drinking mostly tea instead of coffee because of the earlier mentioned reasons.  I would like to make a pitcher of iced tea but I have no ice cube trays and I am doubting their existence here.  Of course, I could just break off some of the icicles hanging from my balcony.   

American Kolache

As it is everywhere, people here like their sweets.  Kolači are one of the favorites.  But Kolači means cake. Can you imagine a Croatian’s surprise if they ordered a Kolache in Texas and were served a pig in a blanket?   (I guess that needs explanation for my foreign readers.  Sausage baked in dough is called a pig in a blanket.)  Chocolate is VERY sweet here. Chocolate candy, cake, and cookies are almost too sweet to eat.  I did say almost.  

All other types of shopping appear to be represented here.  There are shops that sell bedding, jewelry, apparel, school supplies, children’s items, etc.  I have noticed a disproportionate amount of hardware stores that sell things like hot water heater parts and motor parts.  Of course, that is completely lost on me.  Each store is small but has a nice selection.  I bought a hat my first day here because it was snowing.  It was 20 Kuna, about $5.50.  I’m still trying to figure out how much things cost.  Sometimes items seem very affordable like my hat.  Other times they cost just as much as back home but the salaries here aren’t the same.  So there seems to be some inequities. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, the average Croatian salary is $1385/month or about 8000 Kuna.  (I've been told that in the small towns it is closer to about 4000 Kuna.)  But when I peeked in the window of a clothing store I saw a Nike jacket for 900 Kuna, 11% of the average salary.  Gas is about $7 a gallon.  Can you imagine?  I am sure this is why almost everyone drives small cars; for the fuel efficiency.  I am also sure this is why many people don’t even have cars. Can you fathom filling up a Lincoln Navigator at $7/gallon.  That would be one hard pill to swallow no matter what your monthly salary was.  At this point we could discuss Europe’s dependence on foreign oil compared to the United States.  But that’s a topic for another time...or never.

 

I have learned a valuable lesson in frugality in the short time I have been here.  Not that I am a big spender back at home but I am afraid I did have the "there is more where that came from" attitude.  Regardless of your financial situation there is just no reason to be wasteful.  I am adapting to only buying what I need, eating every single thing I buy, and buying only fresh food, not processed.  I turn lights off when I leave a room, turn the water heater on 30 minutes before I need it so it's not constantly running and I disconnect my Internet when I'm not using it.  I imagine it's a lot like how our grandparents lived (well, minus the Internet part).

Hit the Ground Running...

This has been an exciting first week in my new digs.   With lingering jet lag, I began my first lessons on Wednesday.  Both classes were high school students who were extremely bright. The assignment was to debate one of two controversial issues and use the vocabulary I gave them.   One particular girl’s answer was not only grammatically perfect but her opinion was profound as well.  I have a feeling these kids are going to keep me on my toes. 

Even the bowl is made of cheese.

Thursday, I taught 2 lessons to the employees at Sirela, the local cheese factory.  In a welcoming gesture, they put out a fantastic spread of many of their cheeses for us to snack on during the lessons. Their pièce de résistance was a hard cheese, similar to parmesan that has aged for 2 years.  It had such a rich flavor that I couldn’t believe my taste buds.  They were very proud of it and rightfully so because it was amazing. We spent the next hour and a half working on letter writing and conditional sentences.  I’m not sure I made any friends with these assignments and they possibly wanted to take back their cheese by the end of it.  Of course, I’m joking.  These employees made me feel very welcome and I’m excited to return for future lessons.  Even Theo got his picture taken.

 Later that day, I taught a lesson to the employees at Erste Bank.  I actually had met most of them last year when I toured their company.  Throughout the lesson we exchanged comparisons have how banking is handled in the US and Croatia.  My first job out of college was in customer service management at First Interstate Bank (which was an ironic name since there was no interstate branch banking in the US).  So I am fairly familiar with the banking industry.  I shared some of our Federal regulations, which I admit sounded a little ridiculous when said out loud, and they shared some of theirs.  I am looking forward to preparing lessons that will be well suited for use in their field.

 I finished up the day with 2 more classes of kids.  The first were high school freshman who already knew almost every word on the vocabulary list I had prepared so I had to pull out the more difficult list I had for a more advanced class.  It was much more challenging and they were probably wishing they hadn’t said anything.  The last class was a group of little 4^th graders.  We played Apples to Apples and boy did they have fun!  They were just as sweet as they could be.  One little red haired boy was quite the character.  He had a great personality and kept me entertained.  

We ended the week with language testing on Saturday.  Representatives of the British Council came to conduct the testing of the students from the Gloria Language Center.  It just so happened that one of the testers was my friend Mark from Zagreb.  He was the one that helped coordinate my trip last year.  I was really great to reconnect with him.   It was also Gloria’s 20 year anniversary.  So we celebrated with a cake decorated with British and American icons.  The kids loved it!

 

British Council representatives, Mark, Eva, and Iva

 

Language books made out of icing!

Cake should be a food group.

 

 

 I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed my first week of classes.  Slavica, Ana, and all of the teachers at Gloria have made me feel incredibly welcome. It’s going to be a very good semester.

 

 

 Next time…grocery shopping.  That is an adventure all by itself.

My First Day...A Comedy of Errors

As you can imagine, yesterday was mostly a blur.  After we arrived to Bjelovar (about an hour and a half drive from Zagreb) we spent the afternoon getting me settled into my apartment.  Running on very little sleep and a 7 hour time difference, I was surprised I wasn't drooling when I spoke.  If I did, Slavica was nice enough to not point it out.  The furnished one bedroom apartment is plenty big for me and very comfortable.  The radiator is close to my bed so I am warm and toasty when I sleep.  I don't have a microwave but I don't use one much at home so it is not a problem.  What I haven't said yet is my unit is on the 4th floor.  Now, in Europe, the first floor is called the ground floor and the second floor is called the first floor and so on.  So, the 4th floor is actually the 5th floor.  I only mention this because I want credit for walking up 5 flights of stairs! By the last set of stairs the burn has set into my thighs.  Hopefully this exercise will offset the kolaches I see in my imminent future.

When I woke this morning, the plan was to hurry up and shower so I could take photos around town before I was due at the language center.  When I tried to shower there was no hot water.  I tried and tried and ran it for a long time.  I didn't want to make a complaint right off the bat and wondered if people took cold showers here.  So I tried running the water on my feet, then my legs, hoping I could tolerate it.  But I really needed to wash my hair and I knew I couldn't do it.  I looked at the mop staring back at me in the mirror and decided I had to find a solution.  So I heated up water in the kettle and poured it into a pot mixed with cold water and washed my hair in the sink by pouring the pot over my head.  It worked fine, but I wasn't sure I wanted this as my everyday solution.  I was going to have no choice but to mention it.

I got dressed and realized I did not pack very well.  After living in Hungary you would think I would learn to be more practical.  I guess you can take the girl out of the boutique but not the boutique out of the girl.  The one thing I am very thankful for are my snow boots and my hiking socks from Cabela's.  Money well spent.  It hasn't been above freezing since I got here and the 14 inches of snow they just fell is not going anywhere soon.  I do not have a car here, of course, so my feet are my transportation.  My apartment is in the city center so it doesn't take that long to walk to most places.  But I do have one English lesson that will require about a 20 minute walk. 

My bigger problem has been keeping up with my things.  I'm carrying a backpack instead of a purse and I'm wearing gloves.  So nothing is where I would normally keep them.  I'm not used to wearing gloves so there is the constant putting on and taking off.  When I take them off I stuff them in a pocket.  Well this turned into a really bad idea.  Earlier I met Slavica at her language school so we could discuss some business.  I needed to pay a large sum of money for my apartment deposit and other move in expenses.  I took the money out of my wallet and put it in my pocket so I wouldn't forget to give it to her when we walked to the bank.  We started our journey to the center of town and she took me into a couple of shops to show me around.  When we walked across the street to the bank and got inside it was time to give her the money.  I reached into my pocket and half of it was gone.  I was missing 1000 Kuna.  This is about $180 and a small fortune by Croatian standards.  When I looked into Slavica's face and told her it was gone she went pale and couldn't speak.  I already knew what had happened.  It must have fallen out when I was fumbling with my gloves.  In a breathless voice I said, "I'm going to back track and look for it and ran out of the bank."  Well, I say "ran".  Croatian banks have security doors that are more like containment vaults and there is no quickly entering or exiting.   I doubled back to one of the stores we went to, kicking myself with frustration and convinced anyone that found that much money would surely keep it.  When I made eye contact with 2 sales associates I had earlier spoke with they both had half smiles on their faces and I hoped this was a good sign.  They didn't speak English but I was able to communicate enough so that they knew I was missing the money.  They said they had found it but they could only return it to Slavica.  I didn't really understand why but didn't much care either.  I ran out of the store, down the street looking for where I had abandoned her.  I yelled at her, "They found my money, come on!" I returned with Slavica and turns out the woman who turned in my money was the Mayor's wife!  She left her name and phone number and asked for us to call her.  I'm not sure if she wanted to make certain it was returned to the rightful owner or if she was looking for praise.  Either way, I am the luckiest person in Croatia today.  I got to explain to Slavica what a Forest Gump moment was.

We left the store, shell shocked.  Slavica gave me the piece of paper with the Mayor's wife's name and number and suggested I call her personally to thank her.  I stuffed it in my pocket and went back to my apartment.  Later Slavica came by to see if she could help figure out my hot water heater.  When I opened the door she said, "Do you recognize this?"  She found that piece of paper on the  stairs.  I really need to not put things in my pockets! I guess I should confess that I have already lost my keys once since I've been here.

In the afternoon we had a lovely lunch made by Maria, Slavica's mother.  We drank coffee, discussed the classes I will teach and decided I would go back to the apartment to begin preparing.  She drove me back to my apartment and dropped me off in front.   Now remember, I've only been a resident of Bjelovar for about 24 hours.  This is my defense for what happened next.  I walked into the apartment building and starting climbing stairs.  The burn in my thighs was getting really intense and still I hadn't come to my floor.  Surely I had climbed 5 flights by now.  No, actually I had climbed 6 flights...and I was in the wrong building. Well, at least I made up for the 2 cookies I had after lunch.

We are going to blame today's comedy routine to jet lag and hope I can prove myself to be a capable teacher of the English language.

Enjoy these pictures of the beautiful snow here in town.  I am really hoping to get some out in the country.  It looks like a winter wonderland!!

These next several pictures is my route to work.

Bjelovar has the most number of outdoor cafes, per capita, in all of Croatia. 
Today, sadly, they are only occupied by snow.





Seriously?



Hrvatski snjegović(Croatian snowman)

Hanging from my balcony.

Meet Thin Theodore

The most important part of my Lifedigs project is bringing a sense of global awareness to children and their families.  As I get ready to leave for Croatia (3 more days!!) I have partnered with a local elementary school class on an exciting program that does just that.

I would like to introduce to you Thin Theodore. You might know his cousin, Flat Stanley, who travels around the world educating children back home about far away places. Theo is the creation of Ms. McConaghy’s 2nd Grade class at Bette Perot Elementary School in Keller, Texas. As I travel to Croatia, Theo will accompany me and have his picture taken in lots of amazing places. With any luck, Theo can travel with my Croatian students on some of their trips!  Children and their families can enjoy his adventures and learn about Croatia and other interesting parts of Europe!! I can't wait to see the places Theo will visit!

You can track Thin Theodore's journey on Facebook and Instagram!
Click here for Theo's Facebook Page

Click here for Theo's Instagram Page

Moving to Croatia

Yes, you read the title correctly.  I am moving to Croatia.  Temporarily, of course.  On January 26th, I will leave to spend 4 months in the lovely town of Bjelovar where I will be teaching English classes at the Gloria Foreign Language Center. If you follow my blog, you know I spent some time there earlier this year while I was researching the Croatian culture.  I fell in love with Croatia and especially the Croatian people.  I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity so I may continue more in-depth research for the book I am writing.

 

 

I know some of you are wondering how I could leave my family, especially my kids, for such a long period.  Trust me, it was not a decision I made lightly.  But modern technology will allow me to stay in contact with them in a way I couldn't have imagined when I lived in Hungary 22 years ago.  With the support of my family and friends I am confident that this is the right decision.  I also will leave knowing that my kids are in the most capable hands of the world's best Dad!

 

Of course, I will document every step of the way on this blog. I hope you will enjoy discovering the amazing world of Croatia with me.  While it is famous for its coastline, beautiful islands and crystal clear sea, it's a lot more than that.  The country has very diverse landscapes from snow capped mountains to picturesque lakes and amazing waterfalls.  Medieval coastal towns, castles, forts and palaces are just waiting to be explored. It is also very rich in history and cultural heritage.  While the Republic of Croatia has only been a country for 22 years, the Croatian people have been inhabiting the area for 14 centuries!!

 

In the next 24 days I will work like a mad woman trying to get everything in order.  There are work permits to apply for, tax returns to prepare, photography classes to take. But my biggest dilemma is how to get my camera gear and four months worth of stuff in one check-in bag and one carry-on.  One winter coat and a pair of snow boots takes up a whole suitcase!! I looked into having things shipped but international freight is a fortune.  An 18" square box that weighs 10 lbs. costs between $450-1200 to ship.   I am seriously considering to only bring the absolute necessities and buy the rest when I get there.  But there are other things to consider.  For example, can I get my prescriptions filled there easily or do I need to bring 4 months worth of meds?  Do they accept my health insurance there? Then there are very important issues like can I get my brand of shampoo and conditioner there. Just kidding.  Well... not really! 

 

What I learned during my time in Hungary is we as humans are VERY adaptable.  The above mentioned details will work themselves out.  Besides, to compile authentic experiences for my book  I need to live as a Croatian not as a spoiled American tourist!!

 

So, I will keep the blog updated on my journey.  I think it will be an exciting one! If you are new to the blog you might want to start at the beginning with the "April posts" so you can get some background on what I am doing.  I also have set up a Facebook page with blog posts for those who would rather follow that way.  https://www.facebook.com/Lifedigs  If you are a teacher and are interested in organizing pen pals with Croatian students or a language/cultural exchange through Skype let me know!  I would be happy to arrange it!

 

 

 

Here is to an awesome 2014!

Chris Ziober

chris.ziober@gmail.com