Exchanged California for Croatia: We Found the Most Important Thing Here

They exchanged life in California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, for the Opatija Riviera. Rose Markotić, an American of Croatian roots, and her husband Giovanni Valdenegro moved to Croatia a year ago with their two sons. Safety, quality education for the children, and a sense of belonging to the community were the deciding factors. Although America offered them numerous professional opportunities, they are convinced that Croatia is the best place for their children to grow up and for a new beginning in family life.

Croatia Has Always Been a Part of Her Life

Rose Markotić grew up in Chicago, a city with one of the oldest and largest Croatian communities in the United States of America. Her father emigrated to America in 1970, but the Croatian language, traditions, and customs remained an important part of family life.

"When I was growing up, gatherings of Croatians were frequent. I was baptized in a Croatian Catholic church, I learned Croatian, we ate Croatian food, and we followed Croatian soccer. I always listened to my father talking to the family in the Croatian language and I was aware of my identity," Rose recalls.

Her husband Giovanni Valdenegro was born in Rimini, Italy, and moved to the United States of America as an adult. He visited Croatia for the first time in 2008 and immediately felt a special connection to the country from which his wife's family originates.

"I also got to know Croatia through Rose's family. They are wonderful people with big hearts, because of whom I gladly kept returning," Giovanni points out.

Her Father's Death Changed Everything

The desire to move to Europe had existed for years. Rose obtained Croatian citizenship in 2019, and the family bought land in Brela with the intention of building a holiday home there one day.

However, life circumstances accelerated the decision to make a major change.

During the pandemic, Rose's father fell ill with cancer, and in 2023, he passed away. His departure prompted her to think differently about life priorities.

"Those are the moments that make you reflect on how limited our life is and how much we ourselves must initiate changes. We did not want to wait too long, so that it wouldn't be harder for the children to adapt to life in Europe," Rose explains.

Croatia emerged as a natural choice, not only because of family roots but also because of safety and the opportunity for the children to grow up in a different environment.

"Croatia is a safe country, we feel a sense of belonging to the community, and that is extremely important to us for the children," Rose emphasizes.

An International School Was Decisive in Choosing Opatija

When making the decision to move, the education of their two sons was in first place.

The family considered different parts of Croatia, and the final choice fell on Opatija and Ičići after they found an international school that met their expectations.

"When we found the international school in Opatija, we decided that it was the right place for us. Here we found the community we were looking for. In a way, at every moment we also feel the presence of Rose's father, whom we lost in 2023," says Giovanni.

The school is managed by Marijeta Mašić, who points out that the founder Andrej Marušić played an important role in its establishment and the choice of the educational curriculum.

Thanks to international experience, he recognized the need to introduce the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in this region.

"We are particularly proud to be the first and only school in Croatia with the title of an IB Continuum school. This means we implement educational programs from three years of age until the completion of secondary education. All of our children learn the Croatian language as well," Mašić explains.

The school opened three years ago with only 13 students, and today approximately 120 attend.

Among the students, there are more than 20 different nationalities and languages, and they come from China, Thailand, Australia, Brazil, the United States of America, and numerous European countries.

From California to Ičići: Children Are Playing in the Neighborhood Again

In addition to education, Rose and Giovanni especially appreciate daily life on the Opatija Riviera.

Their sons are now growing up in a neighborhood where children socialize freely, play in gardens, and visit one another.

"Our neighbors are actually our friends. Our gardens are connected, the children play constantly, and they are always in someone's garden or house," Rose describes.

Other families who moved from abroad also live in their neighborhood, including those from America, Germany, Ukraine, and Russia.

Such an international community made their adaptation to the new life even easier.

"California Gave Us a Career, Croatia Gives Us the Life We Want"

Although some were surprised by their decision to leave California, Rose believes they chose the right path for their family.

America provided them with opportunities for professional growth, but today safety, community, and a quality upbringing for the children are more important to them.

"California was very good for our professional life, but for this stage of life, I think Croatia is the best place to live. Safety is very important to us, and here we can achieve our goals," Rose concludes.

For this American family of Croatian roots, the return did not just mean a change of address. It was a return to family heritage, the realization of a long-held dream, and an opportunity for their sons to grow up in a country that has always been a part of their mother's identity.