zoran
Junior Member
Posts: 23
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Post by zoran on Jul 16, 2008 11:58:46 GMT 1
Compairing to other countries where you been or lived do you think that Croatia is nice country to live despite the all problems you have here.I have been in a few countries myself (USA,almost all Caribbean islands) and think that i like here the most.
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Post by capio on Jul 16, 2008 14:13:33 GMT 1
It's all about how a country fits in to your way of life, needs and desires. Croatia was unquestionably the worst fit for me, and I've lived in a few countries too.
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Post by Madgolfer on Jul 16, 2008 17:28:52 GMT 1
For me its always about the people and apart from a select few, most of those I have met here have been really nice.
Its the same all over though, you get good ones and had ones and Croatia will only ever be as good as you make it. It certainly suits us.
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zoran
Junior Member
Posts: 23
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Post by zoran on Jul 18, 2008 10:29:50 GMT 1
One thing is sure the Croatia is safe place and that is most important for somebody who want to live here.
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Post by mambo on Jul 18, 2008 12:53:09 GMT 1
Croatia is indeed safe, probably one of the safest places I have lived, but I will never call it a good place to live.
I have lived in many countries all over the world and Italy remains the absolute number one for me. Italy has the best to offer on food, culture, way of life, architecture, work, you name it. For me Italy was the best combination between work and pleasure.
Spain is a very good second, I have been coming to Toledo now for the last 15 years and it has only become better.
The Caribbean was my home for almost 17 years and unfortunately the crime rate simply spun out of control. It is not fun when you have to go to the beach with a gun in your bag or else you will not be able to protect yourself.
The climate in the Caribbean, the sea, the life, basically everything is perfect there, it is just the immense crime rate and possibility that you will become a victim which has ultimately made me decide to leave, I still miss it.
Croatia itself is a beautiful country, the scenery is perfect, but the mentality of most of the people simply sucks. Business wise the mentality is even worse than in the Caribbean and already there I thought it could not get any worse.
Ah well, maybe that is also why I am considering moving to Spain.
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Post by polako on Jul 18, 2008 13:18:26 GMT 1
@ Mambo: Italy has got more beaurocracy problems currently than Croatia which are now crippling the economy and everyone is struggling. If you do not know how to speak Italian you are going to struggle. It is bad enough to try and find someone who speaks English in Trieste to ask for directions, let alone live there, work there. So forget not knowing how to speak Italian. We are spoilt rotten in Croatia as a lot of Croatians speak English.
I love Croatia as a country, the thing that has been an eye opener has been the way that the Government's attitude has changed to foreigners which has been evident from this year. Hopefully that will change soon when they realise that they need our spondoolees. Still it could be worse, it could be Goa where they are confiscating foreigners' properties.
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Post by Carol on Jul 18, 2008 13:34:05 GMT 1
Polako - why do you say the Croatian government's attitude to foreigners has changed this year?
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Post by polako on Jul 18, 2008 13:52:35 GMT 1
Carol, please do not make me spell it out all over again on this thread-hee hee??? I am even boring myself going on about it. I am just going to say read the new residency laws, MEP action threads etc. It is self-explanatory.
Still love the country.........
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Post by polako on Jul 18, 2008 14:04:00 GMT 1
@ Mambo- several of us Istrian dwellers have noticed a distinct change in Istria this year. June was a lot quieter than normal. The normal fruit sellers who are normally there on the side of the road from Porec to Vrsar were not there this year, whereas they are there year in year out. Istria tours has closed down in Funtana. What is happening??? Mambo- did you notice the same thing??
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Post by Carol on Jul 18, 2008 14:04:23 GMT 1
I thought that's what you meant but I wanted to be sure. My point would be that a change in legislation does not necessarily mean a change in attitude to foreigners. Personally I can't see any difference in the warmth of their feelings to us at all. If this law had come along 3 years ago for example , their reaction would have been exactly the same then as now methinks.
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Post by polako on Jul 18, 2008 14:12:25 GMT 1
I am not talking about individuals attitudes in Cro as a lot of people that I have met in Cro have been very welcoming (except when my African friend visited Istria). But legislative changes are a good indicator of government sentiment and a change in attitude. And they are a reflection of a deeper issue.
Do not want to go into it on this board, but historically legislation has been used around the world to target different racial groups.
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Post by mambo on Jul 18, 2008 14:20:02 GMT 1
Tourism is down dramatically in Istria. Wherever you go you here the same story, the tourists are staying away.
This morning I passed by the ATP and attendance rates are down 50 %.
Perhaps it is good that finally tourism gets hit hard and if you ask me it should get hit even harder. Too many people are complacent, they don't want to work, just expect the tourists to hand over their money and do nothing in return.
It is time the prices come down to normal levels again, because these idiots here think that everybody in Europe is a millionaire, while that is obviously not the case.
Perhaps this downturn will make people realize that they have to think long term when it comes to tourism. The government should start improving the infrastructure and start immediately in September, so not as usual wait until May next year before they start, but most of all we need some entertainment here in Istria. Whether it is a museum, an entertainment park you name it, but there should be something, at the moment we have absolutely zilch. And this becomes painfully clear when you have a rainy day like today.
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Post by Carol on Jul 18, 2008 14:23:56 GMT 1
Ok. Can I ask you something? Do you believe that the motivation for the visa law change was to make Croatia's immigration law compatible with that of the EU? If yes, then we agree up to this level (and very possibly well beyond) but if not then we should agree to differ on this point.
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Post by polako on Jul 18, 2008 14:28:06 GMT 1
Mambo- I knew it. This has been the first year that we have noticed that something is up.
Met a couple from UK in June and they want to start a bar in Porec or something to liven things up. Apparently there is a karaoke place in Porec- that will be one way of getting rid of a few more people! I am going to take a stack of dvds with me the next time I am out there as even I was getting bored last time.
The fisherman's festivals in Funtana are really worth going to- the one I went to in June was a hoot.
But the absence of my fruit seller is a tragedy!!!
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Post by polako on Jul 18, 2008 14:39:17 GMT 1
Carol do not agree with you. Just look at upthevilla's experiences in Istria. They are not even applying the law to foreigners. But that is for another thread, so I am going to shut up now.
Still love Croatia.........
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