Zagreb?! Why?!

This has been the most frequently asked question, when I have told my friends that I am going to spend one semester in Zagreb. Nobody understood me, why Zagreb seems so attracting to me. I admit, that Zagreb does not look so interesting and exotic at the first sight, but I was convinced, that studying and living in this city is going to be great. As long as I know I was very interested into the Balkan culture, its temperament, people, cities and history. Although, Zagreb is only 2 hours away from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, I did not know much about it. That was also one of the key motivators to choose Zagreb, because I wanted to learn and to experience it from the first hand.


VERN’ University of Applied Sciences
Studying tourism at the private faculty was always a dream of mine and at first I did not know, that my faculty (Turistica) has an agreement with the VERN’ University. So, I was very surprised and even more excited when I have found it out. First day, when I had to go to the faculty, I got lost, because I did not know, that my faculty is located in the small shopping centre. I was very surprised about that. When I finally entered the faculty, I was surprised again, because it was like entering into a fancy company. In the corridors, there were carpets on the floor and laptops for students. There was also a library, a modern cafeteria with nice furniture, TV and magazines, a terrace, and a room with table tennis and table football. I was also very surprised about the free entrance for students to various gyms, group workouts and swimming pools, in different locations in Zagreb. My favourite activity was swimming in the Sheraton hotel. I felt like a queen. I must say, that all the professors were very professional and kind towards the Croatian and the Erasmus students. The atmosphere at the faculty or during the lectures was very pleasant.

The inside of the faculty

Stereotypes and reality

Before the arrival, I thought that Zagreb and its inhabitants are very loud, outspoken friendly and in general, very similar to the Slovenian people. I was partly right, but I was surprised about the fact, that people in Zagreb do not seem to be in a hurry, even if it is the time to go to work in the morning or to go home in the afternoon. I also did not know, that people really like to sit in the cafes or bars and enjoy drinking coffee. Croatian people drink a lot of coffee and believe me, I have never drank that much of coffee in a few months. It is totally normal for students or employees to have at least one or two coffees per a day, in a cafe. Imagine yourself, chatting, drinking a coffee with your international friends, when it is a sunny day in the spring. You get “addicted” very quickly.


What to do

Uff, that is a tough one! Zagreb offers a lot! Besides the main city centre attractions, there are a lot of bars, night clubs, parks (park Maksimir, park Ribnjak), the zoo, Jarun lake (which is 40 minutes away from the centre by the tram and 20 minutes by walk), shopping centres, cinemas, the hill Sljeme …

A very popular bar in the centre of the town is called “Žiraffa bar”. The prices are very inexpensive and all the Erasmus students go there, because the beer there is the cheapest. A lot of people also hang out in the parks, especially in the evening. Park Maksimir is the biggest park in the town and it also includes the zoo. It is a very lovely place, where you can just sit on the bench, walk around, go running or cycling. The lake Jarun is also highly visited, because you can also swim in the lake or just lay on the beach, go for a walk, have a drink in one of the numerous bars on the beach and do water sports. In the spring and summer time, this place becomes a very popular party place.

I was personally more interested in hanging out with my new friends in the bars, cafeterias and parks. ESN Zagreb organises a lot of fun, interesting events and trips for the Erasmus students. It is definitely worth trying it. I went to the trip to the Plitvice lakes with the ESN and the trip was well organised, inexpensive and I have also met a lot of new Erasmus students.

Playing cards at the Jarun lake

“Ja sam gladan!” (I am hungry!)

Croatian cuisine is quite different from the Slovenian one. Croats have Dalmatian or Istrian prosciutto, sheep’s cheese, fresh cottage cheese with a cream and a lot of pies with various fillings. They are also well known for their meat, for example; dishes from fish, lamb or pig’s meat. When it comes down to the deserts, you must try rolled dumplings and rolled-out cake (“potica”), filled with various fillings.

Most of the students drink coffee, beer and “rakija” (a home-made brandy). This is a specialty in Croatia. You can try a lot of various brandies, from the very sweet one’s (plum rakija) to the very non-sweet one (“travarica” - herb rakija).

Student’s meals or cafeterias are one of the best things in Zagreb! There are quite a few student’s cafeterias in which you can eat breakfast, lunch and a dinner, almost for free. The ID card for the students is called “x-ica” card and with this card, you pay for example, around 10 kunas or less (around 1 €) for the whole lunch (a starter, main dish and a dessert). The food is tasty and you are full by the end of the lunch.


Accommodation

I have lived in the apartment close to the centre. I had a single bedroom and one flatmate. I have payed 150 € of rent per month. I have found this apartment at the “Njuškalo” website, which is the Croatian website for selling, buying and renting all kinds of things. Here you can find really good offers, but the problem is, that it is in Croatian language. My personal experience with the accommodation was really good. Most of the Erasmus students have found their flats via the Facebook group “Living in Zagreb” or you can try typing “student’s flats in Zagreb” into the Google search bar.


When the sun goes down…

Night life in Zagreb is something that you just have to experience! As I said, hanging out in the bars or clubbing in the night bars, was my favourite activity. I have really enjoyed drinking beer and having a nice conversation. When it comes down to the bars, I think there is not a single bar I would not recommend. You just have to find out the right people, that you want to socialise with. It really does not matter where you go, as long as you are in good company. Prices are really not to high, especially if you have the “x-ica” card. With this card, you have free enters in most of the clubs. There are also some underground bars/clubs, which are quite good. You can get more information in the Facebook groups.

Be sure, that you go to the Balkan club! Live music and crazy Croatian party people are guaranteed!


When you are in the city in the middle of the night, you also feel very safe. I have walked the streets at night and I have not noticed anything strange or scary going on.

Me and my Lithuanian, German, Polish, Spanish and French school mates

Transport

If I wanted to come to the faculty, I had to take the bus and then the tram. It took me around 30 minutes. Everybody uses public transport, because you can come from one part to the other part of the town quite quickly. Public transport consists of trams and local buses. The monthly ticket costed 250 kunas (around 18 €) and I really recommend you to have it, otherwise you will have to pay the fine (it is very high). You do not see ticket inspectors that often and they also do not check passengers very often, but I would really recommend you to at least have a one ride ticket, just in case.


Money, money, money

I have spent quite a lot of money, but I do not regret it. My scholarship covered all of my expanses, but the grant varies from student to student, because it also counts the financial status of the student’s family members. Studying and living in Zagreb is not expensive, comparing to Slovenia, Italy or Germany.


Pros and cons

Living and studying a few months in the foreign country is an adventurous experience, which every student should experience. I have met sooooo many people, from all over Europe and even from Brazil and South Africa. It was amazing and I cannot find the words to describe it! You simply have to try it and believe me, you will be more culturally, linguistically and spiritually rich by the end of the journey. My biggest finding was the fact that I am capable to live outside of Slovenia and I am sure, that I will try to find another opportunity to live abroad again.

I had the opportunity to communicate in Croatian, English, German, Italian and Spanish language. I went sailing, which I thought, I will never do. I also went local food and wine tasting and to the summer school in the island of Vis and I had done many other activities, for example: spent crazy and silly nights in the student’s dorm with my new friends, went to the Balkan clubs and eventually, I have fell in love… but that is another story :)

Local food and wine tasting  

The island of Vis

If you have any question, please feel free to contact me.

Leja Mravlje (leja.mravlje@gmail.com)