This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Niav Konno, a social-media strategist and content creator for small businesses, who lives in Makarska and runs the popular TikTok account @mylifeincroatia. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I grew up in the Bay Area in California and was raised by an American father and an Irish mother, so I have two passports. We traveled a lot as a family, and I've always had itchy feet to go see the world.
I moved to London first, back in 2015, which was a good stepping stone. I traveled quite a bit of Europe that summer, including Croatia, and knew I wanted to come back. But then I met an Australian, fell in love, and ended up moving to Perth to be with him.
I was working a 9-to-5 job in Australia during the pandemic, and I felt like I didn't have a life. As soon as the borders opened in early 2022 in Western Australia, I booked a trip to Croatia. I came straight to Makarska, a region along the coastline between Split and Dubrovnik.
Three weeks later, my relationship ended. The atmosphere and energy of Makarska is very healing, and it was the perfect place for me to go through these pivotal changes. I decided to stay. It wasn't an intentional move; it was, "I guess I won't leave."
Here are seven things that surprised me when I moved.