From Seattle to Dubrovnik: I’ve fallen in love with the Croatian culture & their way of life

By Angela Madjer, Croatian gal from Chicago and RIT Croatia Alumna (Class of 2018)

Moving 5,746 miles from his home in Seattle, USA to Dubrovnik, Croatia was a decision that took time as well as effort in gathering all the necessary information, but Elliot Mišić made it happen. 

Elliot Mišić is a first-year student enrolled at RIT Croatia in Dubrovnik. Given that he comes from Seattle and has a Croatian background, he believed that it would be a great overall experience to study in Croatia. All the wonderful memories he had growing up and spending his summer breaks in Croatia, it was almost inevitable that he had RIT Croatia in Dubrovnik as his number one choice.

When he realized that RIT Croatia provides its students with an American degree as well as a Croatian degree, he knew at that moment that his decision was complete. He also found out that he was eligible for scholarships that RIT Croatia provides incoming students with, as well as that so many of the subjects and interests that he found compelling were provided as a part of the diverse course curriculum. He finally made his decision and is now pursuing his undergraduate degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

“I find it amazing to live in such a beautiful city with plenty of sunshine, the beautiful sea, and amazing history.”

Coming to Dubrovnik also meant that he would be able to learn more about the Croatian culture as well as improve his Croatian language skills. “My first semester and overall time so far at RIT Croatia in Dubrovnik has been an amazing experience.”, says Elliot: “I have adjusted and feel very at home to the Croatian lifestyle (I love to sit, drink coffee, and spend time with friends). I feel so at home here due to my father being Croatian and spending many summers here as a kid. I find it amazing to live in such a beautiful city with plenty of sunshine, the beautiful sea, and amazing history.”

He tells us that his friends in Seattle might be intrigued and interested as well: “My good friend Dylan has become very interested, after hearing stories from me. He thinks the location is amazing and beautiful. He also likes how you are can get 1 on 1 support by faculty, and are really cared for as a student. He also likes the idea of getting an American degree while studying abroad.” 

“The main advantages of RIT Croatia: dual degrees, the ability to study in a beautiful European city, and the sense of community”

Elliot’s average day starts at 8am: “I wake up, eat breakfast, then head to class at 8:30. During the break between classes me and my friends go get coffee. After more classes, I head to the computer lab to study and print any homework or worksheets needed. In the afternoon I play soccer or workout at the RIT gym.” 

Transitioning can always be hard especially when being so far away from home. But Elliot made Dubrovnik his home and in just a short time. Now that his first semester of being an RIT tiger is over, he was able to reflect and express what his overall experience has been like up to this point: “My first impression on the faculty is that it is everything I expected and more. I love the student support as well as small classroom sizes. I also enjoy the bond that is grown with both classmates and professors.”

As for his academic experience so far, he enjoyed his public speaking class the most since it pushed him to improve a skill he wasn’t as comfortable with prior to taking it. Today, he is thinking about travelling around Europe and working on his career: „In the next 4 years I am looking forward to landing a summer job in the hospitality industry, as well as traveling around Europe and enjoying some of the nearby European cities.“

“Push yourself out of your comfort zone, even though moving to a foreign country is already a big part of that!”

Since making a move so big like Elliot can be a difficult and hard decision, there are many opportunities for students, as well as their families to visit RIT Croatia and really enjoy what it has to offer. 

About RIT Croatia 

RIT Croatia (formerly known as ACMT) is a global campus of a prominent US university Rochester Institute of Technology. RIT Croatia has been delivering top American degree programs in Croatia since 1997. With its two campuses, in Dubrovnik and Zagreb, this is the only US college in the country and it is the only institution for higher education granting two diplomas to its students – an American diploma, awarded by RIT, and a Croatian diploma, awarded by RIT Croatia. RIT Croatia has prepared over 2,000 young people for their (global) careers. Today, they work in over 40 countries in the world – from the EU countries to Australia and the US, but also exotic locations such as Curacao. International students come from all over the world but most of them come from the US. Some come from the main campus in Rochester, but a lot of Americans come from Croatian Diaspora communities in cities such as San Jose, San Pedro, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, New York, Toronto, Mississauga, Cleveland, and many more. For more information, contact [email protected]