People of Croatia: Maja Dujmovic

I interviewed Maja after leaving Croatia, via zoom. I sat in my cozy apartment in Prague, while she sat in her kitchen in Split. When you speak with Maja, there’s this gentle ease that just radiates from her. You might think she’s quiet or an introvert, but catch her leading a tour or talking about the great outdoors and she is as enthusiastic as she is charming.

Maja was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia, raised between there and the city of Split. After moving away and traveling for a brief period, she found herself called back home, to Split. She now resides there and works for Remote year. This is how I met Maja, in the fall of 2018.

“It was the plan… I’ll just come here for 3 months in tourism and then I’ll have money and time to search for the proper job…obviously that plan never happened.”

It wasn’t until I had the pleasure of sitting down with this bubbly yet reserved woman that I got to hear the hardships she endured and the intelligence and poise she possesses. It’s no secret that Croatia has a troubled war-torn history, but what we don’t seem to feature are the stories of those who live there and lived through it. Those stories are much like yours and mine.

Growing Up in A Time of War

Almost everyone you talk to knows about Dubrovnik because of Game of Thrones. However, it has always been a regional attraction, “There was a time when people definitely didn’t know about Croatia but they knew about Dubrovnik- which represented the whole state. It was like the “pearl” of Croatia,” she laments. But before Game of Thrones and becoming an international attraction, it was the focal point of the war for their independence.

Maja’s family lived on the outskirts of the Old Town, which tourists know well today, and she has fond memories of hanging out on the castle walls and riding her bicycle. But they also had a bunker at their home to hide in when needed, “I remember being with all these people in the same little space just hiding, which I wasn’t even aware of because I was a kid, so it was just my life, it’s happening. No fear or anything like that.”

“People are just waiting for things to change. We don’t actually believe that we have power.”

Her grandparents lived in Split, so she was eventually sent to live with them as the tension in Dubrovnik grew. Overall though, Maja muses that the war didn’t greatly affect her as a child, but more so as an adult, “When you’re a kid, I don’t know if we were really traumatized. I think trauma came later after these constant stories; when you’re a kid you don’t realize it. I was just two years old. You hear the alarm for danger, you go to the basement- it’s not danger perceived. There was no horror in me or anything like that.”

From Academic to Tour Guide

Maja has always been curious about the rest of the world, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. She studied both in Zagreb and in Italy, focusing on Journalism and Literature.

After University, she was called back to Split just for a summer job before her next move. “It was the plan… I’ll just come here for 3 months in tourism and then I’ll have money and time to search for the proper job…obviously that plan never happened. ”

She fell in love with her job as a guide and working in tourism. Through the connections she made there, she got involved with Remote Year.

Tourism is not a neutral topic in a place like Croatia however. Tourism has changed their economy but it has also effected the lives of the locals. Croatia appears to be in a sort of growing pains stage, with insane on seasons and completely dead off seasons.

When asked her thoughts, Maja states, “I can’t say I’m bothered by tourism because I work in it. When I see a bunch of people I just wonder why I’m not there to guide them. I think it’s good and good that the economy can rely on that at least.”

Tourism: An Economic Goldmine or the End of Culture?

Maja understands the way it has effected both Dubrovnik and Split and sees much room for improvement. “It’s sad when you start to lose the things that the locals love because the rent prices increase and you have to pay now, here and there… basically the people that are working, the poor locals, are shutting down their businesses (in off season). Older historical sites that are turning into bars and restaurants shut down during the winter times. You can’t rely that you’re going to come to one bar and it’s open anymore. This doesn’t happen in places like London or Prague…here it’s a real problem for the locals.”

“So from the town that is living 24/7 during the summer to the town that is completely sleeping. Thats the hardest thing about the seasons and the tourism- leaving people without jobs.”

After spending a month in Split in November, the official start of off season, I can understand the frustration that the locals may feel. You would show up to a restaurant that was open on google maps, and looked amazing, only to find it closed and bordered up. Most places in the Old town would just shut down at random times or never open at all. In Dubrovnik, you can’t actually take boat rides or visit certain islands during off season as they just shut everything all down. It doesn’t matter if your a local or a tourist, it’s closed.

It makes normal life frustrating. Not to mention deeply impacts the lives of those who work in the service industry depending on the time of year. As Maja says, “It’s not the crowds that are a problem for me, I don’t care, I like the people. It’s the fact that once the season is off- everything is gone- and then the locals are left without options. So from the town that is living 24/7 during the summer to the town that is completely sleeping. That’s the hardest thing about the seasons and the tourism- leaving people without jobs.”

Understanding Sustainable Tourism

The government is learning as they go, creating different restrictions like limiting the amount of tourists allowed at one time in Old Town, Dubrovnik and raising prices.

The life of the locals has been changed and most of the things the government is doing in response doesn’t address the full picture. “You have the core of the old town that was always like the center, the cultural life, and people living there are the ones that give soul to the place. But this is all moved out from the old town now because it is worth so much more to rent your apartment (to tourists) and leave, then live in it, ” Says Maja.

“That’s the sad side of tourism. The government is recognizing that tourism should also be sustainable but I think where we are is still some years away from that being implemented, if it ever happens,” She continues.

Moving to a New Era: Addressing Democracy

The government in Croatia has been a huge topic of discussion and has experienced major changes in recent years and throughout Maja’s lifetime. When asked about the recent shift to democracy, Maja had some poignant insights: “I think people are adjusting. They are used to having the choices but the choices aren’t many. Croatia is not in the best place right now. The switch from one system to another was well accepted and most people wanted it but even if it is democratic, you’re still choosing constantly between bad options. There’s no real change happening no matter if you choose left or right.”

One of the biggest issues preventing real change is the strong allegiance to ones party, no matter what that party represents and the dependence on your party’s power in order to keep your job. Something that many of us in the United States can also relate to.

She also spoke to how Croatia is still gaining back their fighting spirit and hope. “People are just waiting for things to change. We don’t actually believe that we have power. So it’s a democracy but I don’t believe the people think they have the possibility to change and to grow. We have to do a whole re-raising of the generations. ”

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Despite the political conflicts that still exist, Split is a place Maja calls home and one she loves. Her love of the outdoors, connecting with others and stimulating herself via games, reading and learning, are all made possible in this gorgeous, diverse country.

No matter the hardships she or it has endured, one sunset at Marjan National Park, right outside the city center, shows you why this place is somewhere anyone would love to call home.

When asked what happens next, Maja doesn’t know. “Who knows where life is going to be post Remote Year. I have no idea. Whenever I get those questions where do I see myself in five years…we’ll see.”

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