#1 2008-11-20 09:08:06
- expat blog
- Your favourite team

- From: small earth
- Registered: 2008-06-01
- Posts: 5412
How to make friends in Croatia
We have been talking about loneliness when you are abroad, let's now talk about how to make friends (locals and other expats) when you're living in Croatia 
Which are your best tips to meet people and to make friends in Croatia??
Thanks in advance for your participation
The expat blog team
Share your expat experience!
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#2 2008-12-04 11:23:29
- SmileCroatia
- Member

- From: Split
- Registered: 2008-12-04
- Posts: 10
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hello!
Assuming you are a foreigner that moved to Croatia for work you will make friends very quickly at the work place. Croatian are very open and curious so don't be surprised if they ask you questions that are in some parts of World considered as private. For example they might ask you about your family, marriage status, salary, religion, etc. We like gatherings, like dinners and weekend events that usually take place at ones home.
It is not uncommon to have unannounced visitors at your home, someone just dropping by to say hi or have a coffee. We are not formal.
If you like sports going to a bar before match is good way to meet people, but suggest for the 1st time to go with a local person, just to show you around. Otherwise, if you glue to someone you just saw for the 1st time they might consider you crazy or having one too much :-)
cheers!
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#3 2008-12-11 18:15:22
- croatiancrescent
- New member
- From: zagreb
- Registered: 2008-12-11
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
I think signing up for a language class is a good idea. Many of the participants will be non-Croatian too, but I think it's a great way to get to know others.
Croatian Crescent
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#4 2009-01-06 19:42:35
- sarinxr
- New member
- From: Ucka
- Registered: 2009-01-06
- Posts: 2
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hi everyone!
I'm new here (to Croatia and this forum).
I've found that forums do help me to build up some networks. But it very much depends on how active the forum is. Unfortunately not many Croatian forums for expats are active. Hope this forum gets a little more activity!
The other way is through blogs and other social media like Facebook.
Cheers!
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#5 2009-01-20 23:05:53
- mirabel
- New member
- From: Zagreb
- Registered: 2009-01-20
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hi everyone. Im new on this blog. Croatian from Rijeka who lived abroad for a loooong time. It's been a year since I moved from Tokyo to Zagreb, I have my little business. Is there a place where expats meet and where I can go alone, because I haven't been able to make friends here? It's maybe easier for 100% foreign foreigners, but Im kind of something between.
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#6 2009-01-21 18:55:39
- sarinxr
- New member
- From: Ucka
- Registered: 2009-01-06
- Posts: 2
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
mirabel wrote:
Hi everyone. Im new on this blog. Croatian from Rijeka who lived abroad for a loooong time. It's been a year since I moved from Tokyo to Zagreb, I have my little business. Is there a place where expats meet and where I can go alone, because I haven't been able to make friends here? It's maybe easier for 100% foreign foreigners, but Im kind of something between.
Hello Mirabel!
I've been in Rijeka for more than a year now.
Are you in Facebook? There's a group for Expats in Zagreb. Try this link. http://www.new.facebook.com/groups.php? … 1415719768
Sretno!!
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#7 2009-05-31 09:35:47
- mariasaftich
- New member
- Registered: 2009-05-31
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
hi there I am a Bolivian, living in the US, I am trying to find relatives in Croatia, my grandfather was born there....
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#8 2010-01-27 15:18:50
- ryan
- New member
- From: Osijek
- Registered: 2009-03-19
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hi,
Are there some people who are living in Osijek, region Slavonia & Baranja..
Would be nice to meet some english speaking people
Greetingz
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#9 2010-04-28 19:39:01
- matthieub
- New member
- From: Osijek
- Registered: 2010-04-28
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
ryan wrote:
Hi,
Are there some people who are living in Osijek, region Slavonia & Baranja..
Would be nice to meet some english speaking people![]()
Greetingz
Hi Ryan,
I just moved in Osijek.
I am a working in Valpovo, 25km east from Osijek.
I arrived from France one month ago and I am very poor in croatian so I will be glad to meet you.
I give you my mobil phone to arrange a meeting in Osijek if you are up to:
09 98 08 19 83
Bye
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#10 2010-09-11 00:23:45
- Kolac
- New member
- From: Zadar
- Registered: 2010-09-11
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Howdie all,
just moved down to Zadar, so if any of u r in or from Zadar, then please let me know, so that we can perhaps catch up for a coffee...
regards, Tony.
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#11 2010-09-15 15:35:32
- Total Croatia
- New member
- From: Hvar
- Registered: 2010-08-25
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
I am always up for a beer in Jelsa on Hvar.
(Moderated: No free Advertising, Please)
Cheers Paul
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#12 2010-09-19 20:38:44
- Kolac
- New member
- From: Zadar
- Registered: 2010-09-11
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
hahaha... jelsa is too far man.. besides, islands do not count... as they r full of tourists...
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#13 2010-11-14 21:06:23
- elizabet
- New member
- From: San pedro sula
- Registered: 2010-11-14
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hola soy de origen hispano y vivo en Rijeka croacia,estoy casada.
quiero tener amigas que hablen mi lengua(español).
soy una joven sinsera, alegre, repetuosa...
Last edited by elizabet (2010-11-14 21:14:13)
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#14 2010-11-15 06:23:26
- Sheetul
- ViP
- From: Creve-Coeur
- Registered: 2010-08-12
- Posts: 1843
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hello Eliabet 
If you have a strong preference for Spanish language, i would suggest that you write in Spanish in the Spanish forum.
This is the Anglophone forum, we only accept posts written in English.
Thanking you for your comprehension.
Regards,
Sheetul
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#16 2011-11-30 01:39:38
- expat23
- Member

- Registered: 2010-02-10
- Posts: 16
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
hello Mostafa
Croatian is a very difficult language to learn, especially if your mother tongue is Arabic. I posted in another thread about courses. You can take courses at the University of Zagreb, they range from 200-700euros a semester.
People do speak English but it all depends where you are. If your going to be in Zagreb, Split or Dubrovnik, many of the young people speak English but in smaller towns many people do not speak English. Also, much of the older generation dont speak English.
Another point, since you don't know the language i suggest to do all your shopping at store instead of open markets because if you shop at markets your more likely to pay double or even triple for your stuff. Also, about rent make sure you have a Croatian check out the price first because your most likely to pay double if you are a foreigner. Its a Croatian thing they always assume that if you are a foreigner you are then wealthy.
Good luck!!!!! you are very lucky to have found a job in Croatia, I am still in the process of finalizing my job in Croatia.
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#17 2013-05-13 15:44:04
- shanksee
- New member

- From: toronto
- Registered: 2013-05-13
- Posts: 3
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Coming To Zagreb and Dubrovnik to check ou wherein the world I may want to retire!
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#18 2013-05-20 10:47:11
- taniacess
- New member

- From: Nairobi
- Registered: 2013-05-02
- Posts: 7
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
hey guys..anyone who knows where croatian embassy is in kenya?nairobi?anyone from kenya living in croatia?
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#19 2013-05-20 17:10:00
- nhelmz_herrera
- New member

- From: Varazdin
- Registered: 2012-11-21
- Posts: 1
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hello there!
I'm Nhelmz from Philippines and am working here in Croatia, i am currently in the town called Varazdin, want to know people from around the world who lives here, its very comfortable to think you're in the same phase at least when talking...see ya!
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#20 2013-05-20 18:02:47
- sjbegonja
- Member

- From: Sydney
- Registered: 2012-06-12
- Posts: 12
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Anyone in the Zadar area? Or close to that area? I am from Sydney Australia.
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#21 2013-05-20 18:04:16
- sjbegonja
- Member

- From: Sydney
- Registered: 2012-06-12
- Posts: 12
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Tony,
Are you still in Zadar? My husband and Son just moved here a week ago.
Cheers,
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#22 2013-05-20 21:52:55
- nhelmz
- New member

- From: Varazdin
- Registered: 2013-05-20
- Posts: 2
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hi there! My Name is Nhelmz and i came from Manila, Philippines. Currently living in Croatia at the town called, Varazdin. Hope to see and meet some English Speaking expats here and a little bit of Croatian language..Lets learn together! thank you and see you..
Last edited by nhelmz (2013-05-20 21:54:15)
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#23 2013-05-29 06:58:36
- Vladimir74
- New member

- From: Split
- Registered: 2013-05-29
- Posts: 7
Re: How to make friends in Croatia
Hi to all forum and topic members from Zagreb, Croatia.
Very glad to see that many of you like our beautiful country and some of you considering moving in. Hope that you will meet a lot of our peoples and make many friendships here, as well as take time to visit Croatia and enjoy beautiful inner parts of country as well as wonderful sea and beaches on our coastal area.
If interested in any of additional information on country, culture and regulations I will be more than happy to try and answer your questions.
Croatia is a small country but big enough to welcome all of our friends from all over the world.
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