About the relationship between Singapore and Croatia

Ever wondered how the diplomatic ties between the country of your birth and that of your residence make a difference? I wouldn't know until I tried the Croatian system.

To those that do not know much about this either, let me tell you that Singapore and Croatia do not have direct diplomatic ties. It's complicated to explain and I shall not attempt to since I'm not a law graduate of any sort. Anyway, this put a heavy toil on us, the Singaporean-Croatian pair who tried to get married.

In simple terms, all the documents required for marriage or visa application (issued by Singapore authorities) have to be legalised in order to be recognised in Croatian law. And getting it legalised is not as easy as making my way to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore or a Singapore embassy (obviously there are no Singapore embassies or anything close to that in Croatia). It means we have to get all my documents stamped as true and original in a third country where both embassies (Singapore and Croatia) exist. Well yeah.. complicated? The story's not completed.

If only someone would have told us to go this route in the first place, we wouldn't have to run around from Zagreb ministries and Rijeka wedding registrar to seek advices. Due to the "bizarreness" (as the Croatian wedding office puts it), they didn't exactly know what to do. So they directed our queries from department to department, making us run around like mad ants for 6 months till we finally got a kind soul at the Croatian Foreign ministry who told us the answer we needed. But while we were waiting and running around for answers, my documents that were required to file for marriage in Croatia ... EXPIRED. And of course, no one was willing to bend the rule to accept my documents and we had to start the whole process all over again.

Why do I put this up on the blog? I hope some authorities will one day read it and heaven knows some future Singaporean-Croatian couple who seek the same untrodden path like we do get some sort assistance from the authorities concerned. In the meantime, we will continue to run around like crazy ants again till we get the paperwork done and finally get married after years of running...

My thoughts about President Obama

Just my few kunas' worth about this new President of USA (or SAD as it is known in Croatia) that has shook the world with his landslide win in the Elections. I'm usually not too bothered about politics but this worldwide phenomenon "The First Black President of USA" has affected Croatia too. Although my grasp of the language is still not there, I can still make out the meanings of headlines in the local newspapers.

Someone asked, "Can there be a Obama in Croatia?" My first thought is "No." I think many would agree with me if they throw away all the nationalistic thoughts for the country and really take a good look at what's going on around the world.

Let me explain myself, not that I'm being cynical (as I always am) but if one has lived in this country long enough (and you are not White), you'll understand what I mean. Not that there are no Blacks in Croatia (erm.. not many) or "coloured" people like me, but the overwhelming thoughts that most Croatians do not welcome foreigners (gathering my daily observations in my "village") and let alone anybody that look distinctly different ... in skin colour.

I recall hearing someone when he saw a group of tourists "Oh look at those Blacks!". Hm.. How on earth do you interpret that statement? Mind you, at that very moment, there were lots of other tourists on the road. Why the need to single out any particular group?

Living with a skin colour that is opposedly "different" also brought about a lot of opposition from the older generation here. No, you are not allowed to date a Black. It's humiliating and your parents will be the joke of the town. You'll be the constant scrutiny of family members and friends who pop by your place. I was lucky I'm not any darker (I was told) as I could pass off as a local with sunglasses. Oh well.. thanks for the tip!

Perhaps you can see my point now. I really hope foreign influence get stronger in this country and people open up their hearts to welcome "us". Till then, I'm just another non-white foreigner living in this country waiting to watch the inauguration of the First Black President of USA.

Rijeka in Old Postcards

A Resident of Rijeka created this You tube Video. If you like to see how old Rijeka looked like, take a look at this link.