American TikToker Chance Nation shares five standout observations about Croatia’s culture, from its vibrant coffee rituals to community spirit and relaxed pace. Explore his travel insights comparing European and American lifestyles.
Though making significant strides forward recently, Croatia will, truth be told, still need considerable time to match the standards of developed Western countries. However, what fascinates foreigners most when visiting Our Beautiful Homeland (Lijepa Naša) – besides its natural wonders – is what might be called the Croatian way of life, as Chance Nation has observed.
American TikToker Chance Nation, who recently travelled across Europe, shared his perspective on this. In his video, he highlighted five things that Europe – particularly Croatia – does better than the US, according to his observations reported by the 24 sata portal.
Safety and security
“I think they live better than we do,” he stated before explaining his reasoning. The first item on his list was safety. “In Croatian cities, people walk outside at all hours of the day and night. People of all ages walk home alone and nobody bats an eye,” he remarked, contrasting this with the situation in the US. He claimed people in his home country “practically sprint to their cars once darkness falls”, adding that “as a girl, there’s no way you’d walk alone in a big city at night – forget about it”.
Coffee culture as a social event
The second entry on his list was a Croatian favourite – coffee drinking. He noted that in Croatia, this isn’t merely caffeine consumption but a social event. “People sit, chat and savour the moment,” he explained, adding that Croatians typically drink small amounts of coffee, mostly espresso, though various types are available.
Chance Nation found this aspect of Croatian life particularly charming.
The price shock: not so cheap after all
The third item on his list proved less appealing – a sentiment shared by many Croatians: grocery prices. He admitted being surprised, having expected lower costs. “I’ve seen many comments saying prices in Croatia have become extremely high, essentially doubling compared to recent years,” he added. Nevertheless, clearly fond of Croatia, he contextualised this by stating “the same thing is happening in the US”. This comparison was important for Chance Nation.
Community spirit: knowing your neighbours
The fourth aspect he praised was the sense of community. He described gaining the impression that Croatians know their neighbors, whereas Americans generally don’t know who lives next door. “Even as a tourist in Croatia, I noticed people greeting each other in the street, shopkeepers warmly welcoming regular customers. It feels like everyone’s looking out for each other,” he observed here, contrasting this with his perception that in the US, “people are in constant competition with one another”.
A balanced approach to life
The fifth and final item on his list was Croatia’s relaxed pace. He noted that Croatians generally don’t seem to rush excessively – with exceptions like taxi drivers, “who are like that everywhere”. “They’re laidback but not lazy – I’d say they’ve found a good balance,” Chance Nation concluded, contrasting this with American attitudes where “if you’re not rushing, people think you’re lazy or slacking off”.
Some might argue this portrayal is overly idealised. Still, as Croatia continues pursuing Western standards, it would be wise for Our Beautiful Homeland not to lose sight of what others continue to cherish about it – the Croatian way of life, as identified by Chance Nation.
You can watch Chance Nation’s full video here. “Everything I wish I knew before visiting Croatia.“