Each of us has our own story, but the one where you pack up and leave home to provide your family with the basics of life is a bit different. An unfamiliar language, an unknown place, new people, and thousands of kilometers away from home.
This is Vinod Kumar, a 36-year-old Bachelor of Science who arrived in Croatia from Lucknow, the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a year and two months ago. It’s not hard to guess why… India is the second most populous country in the world, with sun-drenched beaches, snow-capped peaks, bustling modern cities, and also modest villages without electricity or water.
“I miss my family, but we will see each other soon. We’ll get through this.“
At the beginning of our conversation, Vinod simply explains, as is often the case: “I came to Croatia to support my family in India.” It took him three months to sort out the paperwork, but he says there were no major issues. For me, Croatia is “honey and milk.” I worked in Asia, worked in Qatar, and it was better than in India.
Honey and milk
Vinod explains that in Croatia, workers who are eager to work are highly valued, and there are people from all over the world. He wanted to go to a European country and chose Croatia. “Croats are very busy and quick-paced; time is very important to them, they are very resourceful, and they don’t wait for anyone’s help or want to be dependent on the state,” he says.
He learned from friends and online sources that Croatia is a good place with job opportunities. Vinod, who works as a tiler in Croatia despite having completed a Bachelor’s degree at university, initially worked in construction after graduation. He notes, “Croats are very busy and quick-paced; time is very important to them, they are very resourceful, and they don’t wait for anyone’s help or want to be dependent on the state.”
“I couldn’t find a job in that field in India; better jobs only come through connections. I had to earn money for my family, so I went to Croatia. I am satisfied with my job here; the organization is good. I am happy with the accommodation and transportation, I have integrated well, and I am responsible for my work. The people here are honest and friendly; if I show them respect, they will respect me. I haven’t had any negative experiences with people here,” Vinod shares. We then asked him about the differences in business mentality between Croatia and India.
Differences
Discrimination is a significant issue in India, but it is not present in Croatia. Here, everyone shows respect, is responsible, and takes their job seriously without discriminating against workers in other or lower fields of work. In India, the system is divided between the rich and the poor, with no middle ground. The common person is not valued, and the government has established rules to keep it that way—the rich get richer while the poor struggle to make ends meet.
Vinod points out that farmers face the toughest challenges; they sell their produce to large companies but have to buy the same products back at much higher prices. A poor person finds it very hard to succeed in India and faces significant difficulties in finding a job, even if they are talented. Simply put, they don’t have the opportunity to showcase their skills and receive education, so they are forced to seek employment in other countries.
In India, the system divides people into the rich and the poor, with no middle ground. The common person is not valued.
“I like Croatian traditions, celebrations, and the way Croats live. They have a good mindset and know how to manage and live well. Overall, I really like Croatia. I plan to stay in Croatia and bring my family—my wife and my five daughters—so they can study and find good jobs here. My entire family is involved in agriculture. My daughters are 15, 11, 10, six, and the youngest is three years old.
They don’t have specific goals yet since they are still young, but they would like to finish good schools and find jobs to live well,” reveals Vinod, who plans to visit his mother and brothers in India soon. “I talk to my family over the internet every day. I miss them, but we will see each other soon. We’ll get through this,” Vinod concluded at the end of our conversation.
Taken from Kajkavske Kronike
