"Are you sure you want to do this NOW? And why Croatia at all?" That was my parents' reaction when I shared my ERASMUS plans with them. Admittedly, 2020 and 2021 have been different in many ways due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including university life.

I had quite a few jitters before I left. So much could go wrong. In addition to the usual paperwork, there were a few health checks and a very expensive PCR test for the border controls, which could not be older than 48 hours when presented. But all the planning was worth it: after an 11-hour bus ride, I arrived in Zagreb without any circumstances.

Why Croatia? I was attracted to getting to know a country that doesn't seem to be one of the top 10 study abroad destinations among students. I had never been there before and was looking for the unknown, the new. What can I say, my entire stay was consequently an adventure.

Some of the peculiarities of Zagreb and Croatia have already been wonderfully outlined by my predecessors, so I won't go into too much detail. However, I think it is important to emphasize that even under pandemic conditions not everything stands still. Especially not in Croatia. And that surprised not only me, but also most of the ERASMUS students who were here at the same time as me. We enjoyed freedoms that others could only dream of at that time. ESN activities continued to take place, which gave us the opportunity to connect and get to know Croatia step by step. With my friends, we continued to travel around the country later, going to restaurants, museums, cafes, or partying together. What was bad for Croatia's economy was pleasant for us: we shared popular destinations (such as on the coast) only with the locals and maybe a few tourists. The roads and beaches were free, and we were allowed to enjoy both to the fullest.

Mostly I had online classes, but one course (Short Semester Course of the Croatian Language and Culture for Erasmus+ Students) was face-to-face. We were only 10 students and enjoyed the old school atmosphere. I can recommend this course to all those who want to acquire basic knowledge of the - admittedly complicated - Croatian language.

I would like to thank all the Croatian professors for their efforts during the online teaching. I have gained an increase in knowledge that I had not expected. This applies equally to Croatian culture, language and history. In addition, I was able to explore beautiful landscapes and have an extraordinary time with my new friends.