Photo: 1 Christmas in Zagreb
My name is Stephen, and I am originally from the United States. I am working on a project in renewable energy, and this is my first time living full time in Europe. Moving to a new country can be difficult, and moving to a new continent can be even more challenging to adapt to. For many of my colleagues, including myself, the EMMIE experience is our first time living in Europe full time. To ease the transition and make it simpler to adapt to a new culture, I have put together the 6 things I have learned since moving to Europe.
1. Learn how to navigate the public transportation.
I am from a city where public transportation isn’t well developed. Typically, I would have to drive everywhere I went, and it wasn’t feasible to walk to get to many places. When I moved to Zagreb, I was pleasantly surprised by the accessibility of the public transportation. Google Maps was very useful at mapping routes across the city, and the buses and trams were affordable and reliable. You can buy tickets at the “Tisak” shops or using the ZET app. You can also get a student discount on the app.
2. Learn some basic words in the local language.
People will appreciate your effort of speaking their language, even if you only speak the basic phrases. I would recommend learning how to say commonly used phrases, such as good morning, thank you, and hello. A big part of the EMMIE experience is learning how to navigate different cultures, and learning local words goes a long way in fitting in and making friends.
3. Dress for the weather.
This may seem a bit silly – of course you would dress for the weather. However, I come from a warm, humid environment as do many of my colleagues. I haven’t experienced a cold winter, and never lived in a place where it snowed regularly. When it began getting colder, I had to find a proper winter coat and boots to stay comfortable. Protip – there are many discount sales in Zagreb around the holidays, especially in the malls.
Photo: 2 EMMIEs celebrating Christmas in Zagreb
4. Download the local apps.
When I first moved to Europe I encountered new apps that made my life a lot easier. Apps such as Bolt (an Uber equivalent) made transportation easier and affordable, and other apps such as BlaBlaCar made ride sharing accessible. I also recommend saving an offline copy of the map for the city you are in on Google Maps, to help you if you run out of data.
5. Enjoy the cafe culture!
The cafe culture in Europe is charming and lovely, especially in Croatia. Some of my favorite memories were sitting at an outdoor cafe sipping a coffee and enjoying time with my friends. You can easily spend a few hours at a cafe, and I encourage you to do so!
6. Traveling to different cities or countries is easier (and cheaper) than you might think.
One of the best parts of the EMMIE experience is traveling to different European cities and broadening your horizons. I am a firm believer that meeting new people and exploring new cultures makes you a more interesting and well-rounded person, and it’s rather easy to travel throughout Europe. Planes, trains, and automobiles (mostly buses) are more affordable than I realized, with companies like RyanAir and FlixBus offering student discounts. Trains will also typically offer student discounts, so be sure to ask before buying your ticket.
The EMMIE experience is a fantastic way to learn about entrepreneurship as well as experience new cultures. As a non-European, I am grateful for the experience because it has allowed me to grow my perspective, taught me about how to navigate different cultures, and made lifelong friends. I would certainly recommend EMMIE to anyone interested, and I hope this list of tips makes your transition a bit easier.
By Stephen Grover
