Ob La Di Ob La Da

Guess what?
The earthquakes have ceased!
There are more Croatian people living outside Croatia than in it. 
My favorite word so far is "Fuj" which means anything from "I hate Mondays" to "Your dog smells."

Da Crew

Life goes on in Croatia, and every day there are new things on top of new things:

I started Croatian classes twice a week in Zagreb with the other exchange students. This was such a load off because not only do I feel like I have some tangible proof that my Croatian is getting better, but I also get to  catch up a bit with the other exchange students whom I don't get to see much because they live in the center of Zagreb.


Guess what?
I have mastered the Croatian version of "If You're Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands."
One of the oldest Neanderthal graves was found just outside Zagreb, in a town called Krapina.

School! Croatian school is not so different from American school, but there are some big ones I'm getting used to! First of all, the time at which you have school varies depending on what your grade is. Seniors (4th graders) and sophomores have school together, as do juniors and freshmen. One group has school from 8:00-2:00, and the other from 1:10 to 8:00 in the evening. We switch times every week. Also, school uses block scheduling to enable students to take up to 18 classes, each of which you have 1-4 times a week. Thirdly, your class is like your family in school. There are 3-4 classes per grade, and you do everything with these 25 people, so while it can be hard for the new kid to get to know many people well, I'm slowly merging into the close-knit family of class 4B.

Guess what?
In history class (Povijest) we learned about "Egzistencijalizam." Don't know what that is? Sound it out. 
Yesterday I opened my umbrella and found 40 Kuna in it. Later it was stolen. 

KUD! Monday and Wednesday evenings are quickly becoming some of my favorites because I joined the local KUD (Kultura Umjetnost Društvo). Didn't quite catch that? Basically, this is a group of people from Bistra who try to keep the old Croatian folklore alive and kicking. They perform traditional dances and songs in old-timey costumes and enter national competitions. The one in Bistra has been very successful in the past, and they might be able to take me with htem to perform in Pula, a coastal city. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfwF0Q-hu4

Veliko Slap (Big Waterfall)

Guess what?
Since German was the main language of Croatia during the Hapsburg times, there are many German influences left in the language. It's odd to hear nonstop Croatian with words like "Rückwerts" and "Fleischmaschine" thrown in.

Trips! So far with my host family I have visited the beautiful city of Varaždin for a walking festival called Špancirfest, as well as the estate of Trakošćan in northern Croatia, which is an enormous 13th century castle set at the top of a mountain overlooking a lake. Then, the Rotary Club took the other exchange students and I on a weekend trip to Plitvice Jezera (lakes), a national park of "natural splendor" according to the pamphlet. Plitvice more than lived up to this review. 

Trakošćan- I forgot my camera that day, oops. 

Guess what?

I have already broke 2 faucets in public bathrooms. Ay caramba. 
The Croatian word for Iceland is "Island." They didn't understand why I was laughing. 
Sometimes it's hard to just be yourself.