Marina Goes Country

It’s been a very long time since I posted in this blog and so much has happened during that time. It was my belief that when you move to a foreign country, having a blog is a must; a way to entertain your friends and family back home. So once I moved back to the states, I didn’t think a blog was needed anymore. Who would possibly want to read about my life in Sacramento when most of my friends and family are in Sacramento? Then one day, I started reading a blog written by the brilliant Michelle Lema about her tales of life in LA and the random things that happen and I started to miss writing a lot. So, I decided to get off my high horse, dust off this old blog and start writing again. After all, writing has always been a type of therapy for me; a way to get out what is going on in my head and in my everyday life. Some people would call that a journal, which is technically true. My journal is just out in the open for everyone to read.

I suppose I should start with a brief overview on what the hell happened to me in the last year and a half since my last post. So here goes: I came back to the states to celebrate my 30^th birthday with every intention of moving back to Croatia and continue on that adventure. Suddenly, I was bogged down by the fact that I was about to be 30, unwed and my eggs were dying. Actually, I didn’t really care that I wasn’t married or that my eggs were dying, but I did start feeling like maybe I should get a real job and grow the fuck up. So, I got a corporate job, found a cute apartment, rekindled old friendships and continued to drink and have fun, but in a much more respectable and adult way. Then suddenly, I met a man at work, fell madly in love, decided to buy a house with him, and continued my streak of crazy by moving in with said man in less than a year of dating. BAM!

And so it is here that I begin the next adventure of my life and where my blog begins once again. Let me preface this by saying, I had no intention of falling in love ever again, let alone, moving in with someone so quickly after we started dating. We met at work and it started innocently enough. He’d come by my cube and flirt with me and I’d wear dresses that showed off my figure with perfect makeup on at all times. I will admit that I had a big crush on him for a while, but the words of one of my dearest friends kept echoing in my ear, “Don’t mess around with people you work with! It could end very badly!” Oops. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t listen…Although, my mouth almost ruined the whole thing before it ever began. The first time I ever went out with him, I couldn’t shut up! I literally just kept talking and talking and talking…it’s an affliction that I have when I’m nervous. He later told me, that I had talked so much that he didn’t think he’d ever ask me out again! Thank goodness he decided to give it another go and I immediately calmed down and played it cool. Since then, we’ve been inseparable.

When we started talking about moving in together, he had already been working on buying a house for some time and I had asked where he wanted to live. He said the only place that he’s interested in looking is Garden Valley, which is where he is from. For those who are unfamiliar with Garden Valley…It’s a very small town in the middle of the forest just outside of Placerville, CA. I tried to talk him into buying a house in Sacramento, but quickly realized that either I had to be ok with living in the forest, or we probably weren’t going to make it. So, I warmed up to the idea of moving up towards him and we ended up buying a beautiful house in the country on about five acres of land. It’s absolutely the best decision I ever made. Not only is the house beautiful, but everything around it is so serene. I absolutely love it up there and have even got use to the 45 minute drive to work every day. However, there are a few things that I’m still working on getting use to:

 Hey! I know you:

I’m still getting used to the fact that everyone knows everyone in this town. It’s a little interesting when we go over to events and parties and people start talking about the past and in the span of a half hour I’ve just heard about five girls that my boyfriend dated at one point or another in his life. Wait, you mean there was someone else besides me???? I prefer to think I’m the only one he’s ever loved, but living in a small town makes it absolutely impossible to believe. I must accept the idea that I am not the first girl he has ever dated.

Hope you Don’t Mind, I let myself in:

I’m also trying to get used to the fact that people like to just show up at our house without calling first…Ok, I’m not sure I will ever get used to that…The first week we moved into the house, someone showed up at midnight. Needless to say, it scared the shit out of me and I was not a happy camper.

 Guns:

Everyone has a gun or five…that’s new to me. It’s not that I’m against guns, I was just never raised around guns, or shooting or hunting….It’s different and it’s a little weird. We live in a forest and so having a gun for protection is almost a necessity….and I’m not talking about people…I’m talking about bears and lions and rattle snakes…and what the hell have I gotten myself into!! Actually, in the six months I’ve lived there, I’ve never seen anything that would make me run for the hills. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t stopped me from taking an early evening run outside. I recently bought a small treadmill and my boyfriend asked me why I just don’t go for a run outside. My exact response: “Because I don’t want to get eaten by a Mountain Lion.” Perhaps I’m a bit overdramatic, but still, I’m from the suburbs of Sacramento…there are no mountain lions there!

 

The Rubicon:
So apparently “wheeling” is the must do thing of the summer. Princess doesn’t get it. People build these massive trucks and lifted jeeps and drive over rocks. Why is this fun? In all fairness, I haven’t tried it yet, so maybe I shouldn’t be so judgmental. Then again, I’m the girl who traveled to Europe every summer with my family. We drink wine and eat cheese. Actually, we are not that prissy…I just don’t get the whole driving over rocks thing. I’m sure I will go. Look for that blog post!

 

There are random things here and there that are a little different than what I’m used to, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s a world that I chose because of who I fell in love with and he is very much that type of person. He likes his bud light, classic trucks, and wheeling through the Rubicon. He’s an easy going type of guy and I wouldn’t change him for the world. I absolutely love him for exactly who he is. And what’s better is he loves me; the Croatian princess from Sacramento who drinks wine, and likes fine dining and dresses. I’m the girl who hates bugs, and doesn’t want to run outside out of fear of being eaten by a Mountain Lion. He knows this about me and loves me all the same. On top of that he has introduced me to some amazing people who are his best friends and it’s made the move a lot easier for me. Six months in and I’m doing pretty damn good….

Anyway, I’d like to try to rekindle this old blog, so stay tuned for more…

The Pills Made Me Do It...

I suffer from migraines. I have been getting them since I was about 17 years old and they can be pretty intense. I have tried many prescription medications over the years to keep them under control. I was on something for a few years that seemed to work just fine. The migraines went away and I stopped taking the meds and have been off of them for the last several year. Recently, the migraines returned and got to a point where I knew I needed to get back on a prescription medication again.

Last week, I got a prescription filled. It was the same pills that I had taken years ago. The prescription said to take one pill twice a day. Well, I got the pills at the end of the day and I was in quite a bit of pain, so I decided to take two pills at once....that might have been a bad idea. Not only hadn't I taken those pills in years, I rarely take any kind of medication in general, so why I thought it would be a good idea to take two pills right off the bat, I will never know.

Loopy, out of it, high...what ever you want to call it, that's what I was. I was just plain weird. At one point my boyfriend and I were on the couch and I laid on top of him with my arms spread out and proclaimed that I was a star fish. Then, at another point in the evening I jumped on his back and told him I was a tumor...clearly, I was out of my mind. And I'm pretty sure I also decided I was a troll and started spouting off riddles. Needless to say, I have decided to follow the directions of the prescription and take one pill at a time.  I actually think it was a mixture of the pills and the exhaustion that made me so loopy, but it definitely made for an interesting night...

One Year Later

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been back in California for an entire year. It was October 23, 2013 when I got on a plane back to the United States, after living in Croatia for over a year. I had no intentions of staying here, wanting to go back to Croatia as soon as possible. I had planned on getting a temporary job to make some extra cash and then be back in Croatia by March for another fun filled Croatian adventure. I was determined to go back to Croatia. So determined that I left most of my clothes and belongings over there, thinking that if I didn’t bring anything back to California, I’d have to go back. I left Croatia with barely half a suit case, figuring I’d be back soon enough. One year later, here I am, still in California with a completely new wardrobe…Clearly, I didn’t think this through…

It being a year and all since I moved back, it’s natural to reminisce on that last year and all that has happened. So what have I been up to in the last year? Well, for one, I have clearly neglected my poor blog, hence why I decided to dust the old thing off and use it again…Why not, I mean, I am a writer after all.  The last year has been filled with many new and wonderful things. First, I found a good job that pays fairly well. I got a great apartment with all the amenities that I pay up the ass for, but it’s totally worth it. I even bought a car; my first. I reacquainted with old friends and spent lots of time with my family. Most importantly, I met a wonderful man and fell in love. I FELL IN LOVE…WTF.

Had anyone talked to me a year ago, there was no chance in hell that I was ever going to give up my single life; my FREEDOM! I was single and loving every second of it! When I made the decision to move back to California permanently, it wasn’t for a man, it was for me. The apartment was an apartment that I wanted, and the things I bought were for me. My new adventure consisted of living on my own, and hanging out with my friends and family whenever I wanted. The era of crazy, wild, partying Marina was over, and the era of mellow, laid back Marina had begun. Perhaps “era” is a dramatic word, but let’s go with it. I mean, looking back, I’ve been through some interesting eras in my adult life…If I had to summarize my last ten years, I would list them out as follows:

The Self Righteous Era – This era consisted of me being completely closed minded and insisting I had all the answers when in reality I was just naïve and dumb.

The First Love Era – Who could forget the era of first love, where I was blinded by the fact that my ex was a complete asshole and nobody liked him (I am constantly reminded of this fact by, well, everyone). Again the word, DUMB comes to mind.

The Heartbroken Era – That was an interesting time in my life. That was a time when I was completely devastated by the asshole ex-boyfriend who took everything and kicked me out of our apartment. (Maybe I’m being slightly dramatic, but not by much) Devastated and heartbroken, I was a bitch to EVERYONE I came in contact with. (Sorry)

The Croatia Era – It could also be known as the “Fuck it, I don’t really care anymore, and I’m staying single forever and partying my life away Era”. It was a time in my life where I came to terms with the fact that I failed, miserably, at my relationship. That I, in fact, had no clue what I was really doing, and that I really need to chill out and have some fun. And boy, did I have fun! And I have no regrets about that time in my life, because that was the time where I learned the most about myself. I accepted who I was and no longer cared about trying to be someone I’m not. It was the best time in my life and definitely calmed me down.

The Content Era – This is the newest era that I have arrived in. It’s a feeling of contentment with my life and where I am. I’m at my most comfortable self. I have embraced every part of me and found happiness on my own. It’s a good place to be…

And so, it is in this era that I fell in love. To say it was easy would not be accurate. Don’t get me wrong, I liked him immediately and had a massive crush on him, but I did my very best to stay away from him. After all, I was single and happy and didn’t want to set myself up for any more pain. I tried my hardest to keep my distance, but to no avail. He was unaware of my plan to stay single for the rest of my life, and he just kept stopping by to talk to me. There was just something about him that I couldn’t resist. I loved talking to him. He has the best stories! And, boy, can he talk! He talks just as much as I do! We just kept talking and the more we talked, the more I wanted to be around him. It took several months, but I finally gave in and I’ve never looked back. We make each other laugh, we talk for hours, and we are rarely apart anymore. But it wasn’t until my sister spent time with him, that I finally realized that I had a really great guy on my hands. My sister came up to his place one weekend and we were all hanging out drinking; having a good time. At the end of the night, my sister hugged him. HUGGED HIM!!! If you know my sister, then you know why I’m using caps. She is not the warm and fuzzy type and if she doesn’t like you, she doesn’t hide that fact. SHE HUGGED HIM! I was with my ex for four years and she never once hugged him (she despised my ex) so you can understand why that means so much to me. It’s not only her, so far, the people closest to me have liked him and see how happy he makes me. He’s someone very important to me; my partner in crime, my confidant and being around him makes me incredibly happy. It’s something that I never expected, and, yet, I’m so glad he came into my life. I’m so glad that I stayed in California…

What can I say, it’s been a wild ride, and I don’t think it will slow down anytime soon. I have had an amazing couple of years and it just keeps getting better and better. I hope that I can continue to write and one day, I’d love to finish my book, but right now, I find peace in being near my amazing family and friends; in being able to spend time with those I love, and having a life I never expected to have, but am so thankful that I have it.

To all of my friends and family, thank you for putting up with my crazy ass! I am one lucky girl…

I’m so looking forward to my next adventure.

America: Week One

So I've been in California for a week now and I have to say that it is such an odd feeling being back in the states after being gone for a year. I think what is most interesting are the things that I have had to readjust to. The readjustment began the moment I got off the plane; no more Croatian and no more hearing English with an accent.

My younger brother picked me up from the airport. It was so good to see him after a year. He has changed a lot and it was nice talking to him on our drive back to Sacramento. Of course, the drive itself was interesting. I didn't realize how long it had been since I had driven on a road with multiple lanes. I seriously freaked out. I kept yelling at my brother to watch the road and anytime a car came near us, I yelled, "Car!" Which only scared the shit out of my brother. I was holding on to the handles and glove box for dear life. At one point my brother told me to just push the seat back and get some rest, but I couldn't do it. I was too freaked out. Imagine the worst back seat driver you've ever driven with and multiply that by ten. That's how bad I was. I was fine after a day, but man was I scared.

Once I started driving, I kept having to remember which law goes with which country. It was like a little game show going on in my head. Can I turn on red or do I have to wait? In Croatia, you can't turn on a red, in California you can. Do my headlights have to be on at all times?

There have been simple things that I had to readjust to as well. I was at the store with my sister and actually asked her if we could get everything we need or did we have to go to another store to get the rest of the ingredients. Of course we can get everything we need at one store! This is America! Are things open past 8pm? Yes. Are they open on Sundays? Yes.

And then of course, the food. I have spent the last week enjoying food that I can't get in Dubrovnik. I had Mongolian BBQ, In n Out Burger, Jack's Urban Eats, Recess Peanut Butter Cups, M&Ms...all of which have been delicious. I allowed myself the first week to indulge in that stuff, now I'm back to my regular diet. I know that if I'm not careful, instead of a one way ticket back to Croatia, it will be straight to fat camp for me. What can I say, I'm about to be 30, I have to be more careful these days.

I have surprised myself at things that I do, that I never even thought of. I was standing in line and totally forgot that people here like their personal space. So as I was waiting in line I walked up and stood really close to the person in front of me. She moved up so I moved up. It took me a couple of minutes and a dirty look to remember where I was and take a step back. Then there's the whole crossing the street thing. In Croatia, a pedestrian will stop traffic crossing the street. They don't care if there is no cross walk, they will cross and expect you to stop. I kept wanting to do that here, but, as I was reminded, that's not how it works here. Cars aren't expected to stop just because you want to cross the street.

Finally, the things that I never thought I'd miss, I actually do. I have made many comments on how the men in Croatia will just stop and stare as a woman walks by. It's hilarious and creepy all at the same time, yet I find myself missing that. I walk down the street here and no one is blatantly staring at me. awwww. There are no motorbikes here, no streets lined with cafe bars. People aren't sitting there, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes all day. No cousin to see who offers me wine and Rakija the moment I sit down.

I knew that there would be things that I would have to adjust to but I didn't realize just how much. I am happy to be around my family and friends again. I love that I get to spend time with my siblings and be around for dinners and talks. It's a great feeling to know that I could get into my car and see my sister and brothers at anytime or any day. Yet, I also realize that I have changed a lot and I'm trying to fit the new me into an old life and it's not always easy. It feels like my heart is being pulled into two different directions: My love for my family and friends in California and my love for my life over in Croatia. It should be an interesting few months...

The Wedding

Last Saturday I went to my neighbor's wedding. I have never been to a full on Croatian wedding and I was overwhelmed by how, well, very different it is from American weddings. In fact, weddings in Croatia are in whole different world than the wedding in the United States.

Croatian weddings begin five days before the actual wedding itself. For an entire week before, people come over to give gifts and drink and celebrate with the bride and groom. There is food, drinking, and music that plays until the wee hours of the morning and then it starts all over the next day. The wedding day itself starts pretty early as there is a celebration as the bride moves her things into her soon-to-be husband's house. A giant Croatian flag is hung out in front of the family house as people come in to see the bride and begin the celebration. In most weddings in the United States the bride and groom wait to see each other until the ceremony begins. That is not the tradition here. The groom comes in with all of his friends and they all dance and celebrate together before the ceremony even begins.

As I was getting ready, my mom came in and said that they are getting ready to shoot off some guns and not to be alarmed. All I could do was laugh as I tried to picture that happening in America. When the guns went off, they weren't shot guns but machine guns. Everyone was cheering as the guns went off to announce the marriage of these two people. After that, we all got into our cars and began the long procession to the church. In Croatia, it is customary to honk your horns as you drive to let everyone know of the wedding.

At the church, there is more alcohol being passed around as the bride and groom are married and then another procession to the reception. As the bride and groom come out as husband and wife, flares go off and huge cheers and celebration. As the newlyweds come in for the reception, fireworks go off.

The reception itself lasts until 4 or 5 in the morning. We sit down and drink a little, then eat a little, then everyone dances for a bit and then back to eat again. The main course is served around midnight and cake around 1 or 2am. After that, it's just dancing, singing and drinking until your body can no longer take it.

It was one of the craziest weddings that I have ever been too, but it was absolutely beautiful. The bride looked gorgeous and the ceremony and reception were beautiful and elegant. To host over 300 people at a wedding as well as the week leading up to the wedding takes a lot of work. It was done flawlessly and I have to commend the bride, groom, and their families for making that wedding so utterly beautiful.

I'm not sure that I could ever have a wedding of that magnitude, but it sure was fun to be apart of it and experience something new.

Congratulations to Nikolina and Ivo. 

Things I've learned while living in Croatia

Watching the sunset over Old Town Dubrovnik never gets old and it is perfectly acceptable to take a thousand pictures of the sunset from my balcony.

Walking through old town in October is way nicer than walking through it in July.
Parking is impossible

Expect your car to be hit, scratched or dented at least once a week.

The government of Dubrovnik meters parking 24 hours a day, however, if there is a public holiday, if it's raining, if it's cold, if it's after 10pm, you can just leave it and not bother paying the meter.

If you are woman and a man finds you attractive they will stare as you walk by.

If you stare back at them, it will surprise them.

Rakija cures everything.

It is perfectly acceptable to take prescribed meds with Rakija...

If you drink too much Rakija, it will erase your memory and you will wonder how you got home. Drink that shit responsibly people!

Cab drivers are assholes.

If you go to your friends house, be prepared to drink...even if its at 11am.

Don't mess with Croatian women, they will destroy you.

When it rains here, it usually involves lots of wind...your umbrella won't help you.

Croatian humor and American humor are very different...I don't get most of their jokes.

When needing official documents, passport, ID card, visas, etc., be prepared to be sent across town to get one sheet of paper signed, then to the Tisak for tax stamps, followed by a receipt from the bank before anything will be approved.

If you want to get things done faster, bribery always works.

People here don't give a shit if you're in a hurry.

Just because your apartment building has an association doesn't mean that they will ever fix the leak in the roof...in fact, don't expect them to fix anything...ever.

Croatians are not alcoholics. They are alcohol enthusiasts. Accept that you will quickly become an alcohol enthusiast upon arriving here.
 
Croatians know how to have a good time.

Croatians are some of the most loyal people I've ever met in my life.

Sitting at a cafe bar all day long drinking coffee and talking to friends is encouraged.

These are just a few of the things that I have learned while I have been here. There are times when I am frustrated by these people because I don't always understand their way of thinking, but I wouldn't change them for the world. They have taught me so much simply by just being themselves and that is priceless.

One Week Left

It is my final week in Croatia before I head back to California. Hard to believe that I haven't stepped on American soil in over a year. I think back on my year here and memories flood my mind. I have had some of the best moments of my life here. I have also experienced a lot of firsts. I have made friends with some of the most amazing people that I have ever met. I managed to make a little life for myself here and I must admit that I am sad to be leaving.

As I reflect on the year, I think of all the crazy things I managed to get myself into. There was that conc....no wait, can't talk about that...Of course then there was that time in that one bar.....nope, won't talk about that either...Oh! How could I forget the night that I got hit by a giant wave...well, no need to go into details about that....ummmm...I guess as the saying goes, "what happens in Croatia, stays in Croatia." Let's just say it was a GREAT year. I have no regrets and I have experienced things that I am so glad that I got to experience.

Now, it's back to California for a little while...just until I can get myself over to my next adventure! While, I will miss Croatia immensely while I am away, I must say that I am looking forward to seeing all my old friends, my sister, my two brothers, and the rest of my family. And just because I won't be in Croatia, doesn't mean I won't be writing my blog anymore. I have no doubt that I will manage to get myself into plenty of interesting situations that will have to be written about.

As always, I am looking forward to the future!