Becoming Expats: Monika, a Croatian in Dublin

Originally published on PassionPassport.com on August 21, 2017

Monika Peuc (@monikaharmonika)

From: Zagreb, Croatia

Living in: Dublin, Ireland

For Irish food: Dylan McGrath’s restaurants. The Rustic Stone, Fade St. Social, Brasserie 66 … you can’t go wrong with any of them.

For a pint: Not the overrated Temple Bar area — instead just walk a bit further to where there are great pubs on almost every corner (and they all claim to have the “Best Guinness in Dublin”)

For live music: Anywhere!

For exploring the city: South William Street, George’s Street, Wicklow Street.

For colorful Dublin doors: Portobello, Ranelagh, or Donnybrook.

Can’t miss Dublin attraction: Trinity College Library, because it looks like something out of Harry Potter.
Best day trips from Dublin: Howth and Dun Laoghaire

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When Monika Peuc left Croatia, she thought in Croatian.

She studied psychology in Zagreb and, though she watched a lot of TV shows and movies in English, still held most of her day-to-day conversations in her native language. Upon arriving in Dublin, she immersed herself in English.

But language skills aren’t the only thing she’s learned in her adopted home.

She was pleasantly surprised to see how efficient public services can be, and how digital a community can become. It wasn’t like that in Croatia.

She’s learned to have a more positive outlook on life, has traveled more, made friends in the city, and experienced things she wouldn’t have been able to if she’d stayed in the same place.

She misses the warm summer weather in Croatia, but only on the gloomiest of days. Ireland, clouds and all, has become her home.

Now, just over four years after moving to Dublin, Ireland, Monika sometimes inadvertently slips English words in between Croatian ones. And when she goes back to Croatia, it’s disconcerting to hear people speaking Croatian, a sure sign that it’s time to return home.