The sun is hot on our faces
our skin becoming kissed
The sound of birds, dogs and children
I pinch myself to be sure I exist
A woman is singing
she plucks the strings of her guitar
The old man in the hat watches her
as he smokes his cigar
These walls have history
many tales of victories and defeat
My daughter dances on its ruins
My son explores the cobblestone in his bare feet
A castle that was fit for kings and queens
is surely fit for me
Zadar as the backdrop of our story
the cleansing from the deep blue sea
My heart belongs to this city
my family breathes its air
Wouldn't have it any other way
God has answered my prayer.
- Katarina Bučić
A mere 6 years ago my husband and myself visited Croatia together for the first time. His family being from the Zadar region we planned on spending most of our time there. The two months we spent in Zadar would change the direction of our lives forever. The vitality we felt sparked a feeling in us we had not yet felt living in Canada. We knew once we returned to Canada from our trip that we would long for that same feeling and knew that Canada, as great as she is, could not provide that for us.
We spent years living our lives as a young family trying to survive in a Western world dreaming about that summer we spent in Croatia. We held onto so much nostalgia that when our daughter was born, we named her Zara, the former name of the city of Zadar. Little did we know that life would unfold in such a way that our Zara would be raised in Zadar. That I would give birth to our second child here and ironically, we also give birth to a second opportunity at life for ourselves.
Here we are, after 2 years of living in this beautiful country, thankful for our opportunity to move here. Every time our eyes meet the coastline, we take in a deep breath of that salt-filled air. Every time we walk within the old city walls, we feel honored to walk in such ancient streets. Every time we awake and think of our lives here in magical Croatia, we have to pinch ourselves to be sure it isn't a dream, and if it really is all just a dream, please don't wake me up.
- Katarina Bučić
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