Split, Croatia

I got off the bus in Split, Croatia's most popular beach town, and was mobbed by locals trying to rent out rooms to backpackers and travellers. One guy, Nono, gave me a price that was in line with what 3 Portugese guys I met in Zagreb told me to pay. So I took it, a few bucks more than a hostel, but a private room for uninterrupted sleep, in a good location, staying with a local, his 80 year old mother made my bed and was always cooking something.

I went to a restaurant one night that Nono recommended, it was a few blocks off the tourist path, had good prices for nice fresh fish, and had communal seating, so I ended up being next to a guy from Croatia. His name was Alan, he was my age, and we talked about everything from life, to the war, to capitalism. When I realized he was comfortable talking about the war, I asked questions, because as an American, we've never had to endure a conflict like the struggle Milosivec created. Alan was about 20 at the time, and the Croatians had no military vehicles or planes, and really no official organised militia. He and others joined willingly though, in a kind of unofficial organized military, led by police officers and other military men from Croatia.

I learned alot about that war that I never knew, or, perhaps better worded, felt I had no reason to care about. Alan said the Croats were outnumbered 10-1, had no vehicles or real training, but were fueled by deep anger. He said if Milosivec had bombed military targets only, he wouldn't have such anger, but as was the case, cities were being bombed, beautiful downtowns, women and children, innocent civilians were not spared. "Dubrovnik, one of the oldest and most beautiful towns in Europe was bombed. Buildings thousand years old. C'mon Asshole, Dubrovnik is tourists, there is no military resistance in Dubrovnik."

"When I saw NATO bombing Belgrade, I sat on my couch, watched TV with girls, drank beer, and cheered. It was sad though, but I was so happy, and NATO only bombed military targets." He described the feeling, knowing the war was going to end because of NATO, knowing the struggle was going to be over, and having to talk to friends in Belgrade who were scared of the NATO bombing around them. "Friends called me and said this has to stop, I said, 'you have to feel what it is like to have bombs going off around you, you have to suffer too.'" There is an obvious anger to the outsider, but one that better prepares the region for the future. They are angry at fighting, they are angry at the conflict that happened. They are tired of fighting.

Alan is in telecom now, and seems to be driven to succeed, telling me how Croatia is a leader in that arena. "I pay taxes, I educate myself, I make children (referring to Croatia's incentives to repopulate after the war), now I want to make money for myself and provide things for me." Such drive from someone who endured the conflict does give time for me to reflect, having had a fortunate life, and feeling free to walk from the same opportunity he would walk towards. (don't worry, I'm not having doubts, just counting my blessings)

He was in tourism, and it shows, he was rattling off facts like mad: Croatia is where the tie was invented. Dubrovnik, when it was a separate republic, was the first in the world to recognise America as it's own country. A really big fan of major league baseball, he wants to get to a baseball game in the states, but, because of the current immigration bill status and being from Croatia, an educated, employed, and genuine fellow from Zagreb will have to wait before he gets into my country.