From Egypt to Croatia: Mona’s journey of love and opening a unique café
- by croatiaweek
- in Business
Mona Khaled Fikry with her husband Almedin Hodžić (Photo: Private album)
Five years ago, Mona Khaled Fikry swapped Egypt’s lively capital of Cairo for a new life in Croatia.
After falling in love and getting married, Mona settled in Zagreb, the hometown of her husband, where she now balances family life and two kids with her unique business, Monami Ceramic Café—a creative hotspot blending her Egyptian roots with her Croatian present.
When Mona first arrived, Croatia, and the language was a big mystery to her.
“The language, for sure, was the biggest challenge, ” Mona tells us. “It’s really hard to live here without knowing the language.”
Determined to fit in, she enrolled in Croaticum.
“I got to level B1, then I’m on a pause now, just trying to live with what I know. I didn’t find the language hard, only building up a vocabulary.”
“I think my children were a little bit late to start talking because they were confused,” she admits, “but now they master it. My older child can translate from Croatian to Arabic and vice versa when his grandparents want to talk together. But they don’t like to hear me speaking Croatian,” Mona says.
Mona, who says she was surprised by how much coffee locals drink daily, never saw Croatia in her future.
“I never imagined I will even live outside Cairo—I adore it. Also, never imagined I could fit with a man who is not from my culture, but looks like I am!” Love changed her plans, leading her to build a life far from home.
Her love story came with a bonus: two weddings—one in Cairo and one in Zagreb.
“It was so fun,” Mona recalls. “We were lucky to have two big weddings in both countries. I was lucky to have two wedding dresses. Both of them were so different and special in a way.”
On their wedding day in 2019 (Photo: Private album)
So, what’s her favourite thing about Croatia? “Seaside and summertime,” she says without hesitation. “I also love that people love dogs so much—there’s no home that doesn’t have a dog, I think.”
Mona’s entrepreneurial spark led to open Monami Ceramic Café.
“We have this kind of café in Cairo—I used to go there a lot,” she says. “When I came here and found there was no ceramic café, I said I will open mine.” It wasn’t easy, though. Regarding paperwork, it was okay, but finding the right place was the hardest,” she admits.
The café’s concept—combining coffee with ceramics—was new to Zagreb. It’s a place where people can sip coffee, unwind, and unleash their artistic side—no workshop experience needed.
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“How have people in Zagreb responded to the concept of a café combined with ceramics?” we asked. “They are still understanding because they’re used more to the idea of workshops,” Mona explains, “but they like it a lot once they get to know what it is.”
Her customers? “All kinds—families, friends, couples, organisations,” she says. “But the sweetest was a father with his daughters.”
Running a business and raising kids keeps Mona busy.
“My day is between vrtić (nursery), work, and some little home time,” she says. “Monami is closed Monday and Tuesday, only to have time to be with my kids a little.” It’s a juggle, but she makes it work.
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Mona also stays connected to her roots and used to visit Egypt twice a year.
“I’m all the time talking to my family by phone and video calls. Some of them come to visit.”
Food is a big miss, though.
“I’m trying to bring some things that help me do it at home, but still, you can’t get fresh fruits and vegetables like there,” she says. “So I travel to Egypt when it’s mango season—mango in Egypt is something you have to try in your life!”
As for Croatian cuisine, “My favourite is originally Bosnian, I think—krumpiruša. As a vegan, it’s hard to find others, but I’m in love with ajvar.”
For people who are visiting Croatia, Mona recommends one place. “I always mention Rovinj,” she says, “because it’s not a typical tourist destination, so they don’t know about it.”
Rovinj
Looking ahead, Mona sees her life firmly rooted in Croatia.
“As having Croatian kids, they are my future,” she says. “And now Monami is also a big step to my future here.”
You can find out more about Monami Ceramic Café in Zagreb here.
