The past remains but it doesn't affect Croatia's present

Our long river boat gently skimmed over the water as it approached the port. The anchor was dropped and the bridge was lowered so connection could be made to shore. On the right side of the Danube River was Croatia, on the left was Serbia. Today, we were on the right side of the river, though perhaps not the correct side. We had arrived in Vukovar, Croatia. Have you ever heard of it? Neither had I. I guess that is what excited me the most about docking here. When would I ever get the chance to discover this part of the globe? Most people would have no idea where to even begin by placing it on a map.

The most important thing while travelling, is to have an open mind, and to accept the present situation for what it is. Comparisons will be made, for its easy to notice how things are different, but that doesn’t mean they are better or worse.

I was without any expectation arriving upon Vukovar, Croatia, yet the day I spent in this small, unknown town would be my favorite part of this trip.

Immediately upon arriving, you notice its size. It is small. To the average eye, it seems like a nothing town, however once you take a closer look, you notice there is an odd detail hiding amongst the local infrastructures. Snuggled between new and cleanly renovated smooth cement walls, there are buildings with holes the size of craters, giving them the same appearance as swiss cheese. Scattered in the bandages of the present, are the wounds of the past.

At one point, this entire small town was completely leveled by bombs from the Serbian war. The history has been forgiven but has not been forgotten by the Croatians. The war, which began in 1991 was Croatia’s battle for independence from Yugoslavia. The Croatians didn’t want to surrender their beautiful coast, yet Serbia wanted to claim it as their own. So the strategy from the opposition was to overtake and occupy all of Croatia, forcing hundreds upon thousands of Croatians to vacate their own properties. Upon escaping, many were imprisoned or killed. The war ended in 1995, however not without a huge loss of human, economic, and structural casualties. Upon hearing the stories from the war, it seemed like there was little mercy upon the civilians.

Without fail, you will notice the giant water tower which stands as the tallest structure in town, able to be seen from miles away. Whats impressive is how it was hit 33 times with bombs, leaving large craters just as impressive as the structure itself. Yet even with all it's holes, it’s still standing. Much like the Bulgarian spirit, it was hit but not crushed. In fact, the people of Vukovar decided not to tear down or renovate this water tower because they wanted to keep it as a memory, a signal of the destruction and peril war causes.

Our group boarded a coach bus which took us to the home of a local family, running a quaint BnB in a residential of a nearby town named Osijek. The house was beautiful and the woman who owned it was elderly, but had a young and bright smile. The house itself  had a lovely garden where she grows her own fruits and vegetables which she makes into delicious dishes to present to her guests. She graciously invited us inside to take a seat in the veranda sun room which, encased by windows, overlooked the garden.

Upon arrival we were welcomed with a homemadebrandythat is typical of the region, distilled with the flavors of cherry or walnut. The liquor was so strong that most had trouble finishing their shot sized portion. Apparently this same brandy is what the Croatian people use to start, end, and carry on their day. On the table was a delightful typical local delicacy, a cake made with cherries and apricots fresh from her garden.

At her side was a young boy, around the age of 21 who was studying tourism at the local university. He acted as a translator so that the woman could share her story and answer questions about her experience. This opportunity provided an insight into how the war personally affected her and her family. The very house she occupied now, she was once evicted from so that a Serbian family could live there.

Completely unable to grasp the severity of the situation, the group of North American tourists curiously asked her questions, only trying to empathize with the horrors of what she actually went through. She had family members killed, others thrown in jail for escaping, and she herself, had spent months in hiding. Despite hearing all of her hardships, she maintained an air of positivity and carried a present sentiment of optimism for herself and her country. There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Hope that Croatia, even her city Osijek, could recover and once again become a thriving, profitable destination. For herself, you could see the appreciation of being back in her home, and in a safe place.

What amazes me most is that despite their past, the Croatian people are willing to look beyond what has happened, so as to have peaceful relations with the Serbians. Many questions were asked about the sentiments shared by the Croatian people today and although in some towns there is a faint reminiscent of prejudice, the majority of Croatians are looking toward the future, instead of lingering in the injustices of history. Marriages and family ties are bridging the two countries together, and many young people are not harboring the resentments of their elders, realizing that their generations are not responsable for what has occurred.

On the way back to the ship, we drove through the small town of Vukovar where the past and present confront each other right on the streets. Bullet holes adorned abandoned houses, and partially collapsed brick walls deteriorate into each other, crumbling at the seams. One has to ponder if there wasn’t enough money to rebuild everything, or if they really didn’t want to.

As the tour came to an end and we arrived back at the port, a local souvenir stand was selling little knick knack models of the water tower, holes and all.

Croatia’s story is one of strength and perseverance. Determined to protect their country. To fight and stand for what they wanted.

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