2. I‟m Lorena, 49 years old, living in Slovenia.
Nationality? Slovenian, Croatian, Serb, Italian,
German, Hungarian … but in my heart I feel
myself as Dutch.
Working currently in a huge school center in
Novo mesto (south east of Slovenia)
Teaching music vocational subjects (music
expression, art, creative playing on instruments)
Recently got my PhD in Intercultural studies
3. When I was only 4,5 years old, we moved
from previous Yugoslavia to
Netherland, Rotterdam.
My parents and I, were among the first
citizens from the previous Yugoslavia
(Slovenia was at that time a part of this state)
who were alloud to live in Netherland with a
visa.
4. As 4,5 years old girl, I could speak Slovenian
and Croatian language, but not Dutch.
Nevertheless, I attended the kindergarten –
this was a bad experience, as I couldn‟t
understand anyone … and they (Dutch
children) couldn‟t understand me as well.
As I didn‟t feel me well, I run away from the
kindergarten… and they had to search for me
about 6 hours.
5. I attended the primary school in Netherland
Soon it was shown me very clearly “you don‟t
belong to „us‟ “ – you have “to dark hair, you
don‟t speak our language, our dialect, you
have even a strange name … you are dirty …”
But (!) teachers were obvious prepared, and
they helped me a lot to cope with all this
problems.
After almost 11 years living in Netherland, we
moved back, to Croatia.
6. We moved to Croatia, to Zagreb, but I left my
heart, my childhood, my friends, my dreams
and the best I had … in Netherland, which I
still feel as my fatherland.
I‟m telling my friends: “Ubi bene, ibi patria”
7. My second fatherland (my father is from
Croatia)
Friendly people … another conception of “the
other” bratstvo i jedinstvo” =
brotherhood and „being one‟ - this
attitude, famous in the previous Yugoslavia
tells us about experiencing the “other” – we
are all the same, nevertheless which
nationality, religion we belong … and we
have to help each other …
8. My dreams were broken in 1990, when it was
obvious, that we will experience another
war, this time in Croatia –
It became suddenly VERY important “who you
are” (Slovenian, Croatian, Serb …)
I had to move back to Slovenia (country of my
mother), as it was safer.
9. Yes, you ARE a Slovenian, but (!), you can‟t speak
Slovenian language well, so therefore you can‟t
be a Slovenian.
You were not born in Slovenia, so therefore, you
can‟t be a Slovenian
Your name/SURNAME (!) is not typically
Slovenian, so therefore you can‟t be a Slovenian
…
Bla, bla, bla, bla….. This is the conception of the
“other” in Slovenia from 1992 – 2012 (it has not
changed – till yet ….)
10. I HAD TO CHANGE MY SURNAME (FROM MY
FATHERS SURNAME IN MOTHERS
SURNAME), IN ORDER TO WORK
EASIER, WITHOUT PROBLEMS AND PREJUDICES
TOWARD ME
I‟m, thinking: if I have problems, which am
partly a Slovenian, how about the
people, who are strangers in Slovenia?
11. After 29 years living abroad: I don‟t know
who I am
I KNOW only: after living abroad, and living
with different people, it is not important if
you have this or that nationality, religion, if
you belong to this or that race, ethnicity …
For me it matters only, that you see in a
person, if he/she is good or not, and if this
person is prepared to take you as you are –
without demanding to change yourself in
something you can‟t be
