Živjeli Zagreb!
'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' – Charles Dickens
2024 has been both the worst and best year of my life.
The worst was being laid off from what I thought was the perfect role for me – wine and winemaker copywriter for a major wine retailer. Forty-five weeks later, my heart still hurts. It still stings.
But the tailspin that ensued landed me in Europe for 11 weeks because "mama didn't raise no quitter." I applied to attend wine trade shows (Vinitaly, the Hungarian Wine Summit, and the London Wine Fair) – and as I shared in the recent TallMikeWine podcast with host Mike Stone, applying for jobs was futile, while the wine industry welcomed me with open arms.
Three weeks in Croatia led to four more weeks in Zagreb because I fell in love with life again here.
After returning to Napa, I could not shake the desire to return to Zagreb, so that is why I applied for temporary residency.
This Thanksgiving Day is not so different from recent years – I am an "orphan" without family with whom to spend it.
However, this year I am in Zagreb, a place where I feel at home. The people are some of the most welcoming and warm I have ever met. History, traditions, and culture are rich.
My first day here that Saturday at the end of April 2024, my tour guide showed and explained to me the red hearts – the licitars (licitarska srca) – whose story has never left me.
This Thanksgiving I am thankful for the curveball that landed me in Croatia and Zagreb. I have always wanted to live abroad in a real city. I never imagined it would be Zagreb, but if you were to visit, I am sure it would steal your heart, too.
“I realize that Zagreb’s heart lies not in one place. And such is its charm and magnetism that it can ensnare every visitor. I think I will leave a bit of my own heart back in Zagreb. But then again, I buy a licitar heart, and a piece of Zagreb will now be with me, gently reminding me of the thrum of a place located thousands of miles away.” – Anita Rao-Kashi
Živjeli!
Elizabeth