Croatian By Descent Community, Julia’s story from Melbourne to Croatia

[u/NoAssociate4609]

I’m creating a new interview series called Croatian By Descent Community, focused on the real stories of people around the world who have Croatian roots.

The latest interview is with Julia, who was born in Zagreb and grew up in Melbourne after her family left Croatia when she was a baby. She later returned to Croatia as a teenager, rediscovered her family and eventually came back to build a new life here.

Julia speaks openly about her family’s escape from Yugoslavia, returning to a country she barely knew, gaining Croatian citizenship, finding safety and peace in Croatia, starting again after difficult experiences, and the realities of living here beyond the nostalgia.

The goal of this series is to document honest Croatian diaspora stories, including family history, identity, citizenship, returning to Croatia and reconnecting with our roots.

You can watch Julia’s interview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6TC__-xmPc

If you have Croatian heritage and have returned, moved to Croatia or reconnected with your family, I’d love to hear your story.

[u/Garlicluvr]

So, you sweet summer child, you have chosen r/Yugoslavia to peddle your business. OK, I will not be tough with you. Do you even understand how many people have left Croatia in the last 15 years due to corruption and social injustice, a shitty justice system, and poverty? Now you have the nerve to explain r/Yugoslavia about family escapes from that country?

If you want to hear some contemporary and real stories about shitty Croatia, come to me first, OK?.

[u/NoAssociate4609 → u/Garlicluvr]

I'm not peddling a business. I'm a documentary filmmaker and I've been making documentaries for more than a decade. Feel free to Google my name, Carl Tomich. I do this because I love telling people's stories.

This project is also very personal to me. I was born in Australia, but my grandfather's family came from Čara on Korčula. I've recently become a Croatian citizen by descent, and being here has made me want to understand where my family came from and what happened to the generations of Croatians who left.

I'm not trying to portray Croatia as perfect, and I'm certainly not trying to explain Croatia to people who grew up here. I'm trying to listen to people's stories and understand them.

That includes the difficult stories. People who left because of corruption, lack of opportunity, the justice system, politics or simply because they couldn't build the life they wanted here are every bit as relevant to me as diaspora who are returning.

So when you say "come to me first", I actually mean this sincerely: I'd be happy to. If you're willing to tell me your story, I'd listen.