DECEMBER AT THE CENTER FOR CROATIAN STUDIES ABROAD (CEHAS)
December is a month of giving, spending time with family and friends, and reflecting on everything that has happened throughout the year. To make non-native speakers of the Croatian language who are currently living in Split and attending Croatian language and culture classes at CEHAS feel as comfortable as possible while being far from their families, we prepared several surprises for them.
We have started this period with our students on St. Nicholas’ Day by opening the Advent in Trogir, enjoying mulled wine, and spending time with St. Nicholas himself. We learned that the mythical Kairos was found in Trogir, reminding us not to miss opportunities when they arise but to “grab Kairos by the lock”. Interestingly, Latin Americans recognized Trogir’s traditional rafioli as empanadas. We also visited Salona, where we learned many historical facts and heard some fascinating legends.
The roundtable event “Christmas Around the World” was a chance for our students to showcase their progress in Croatian and present their Christmas and New Year traditions. In one evening, we traveled the globe: starting in Australia, where New Year’s Eve is celebrated on the beach, passing through North and South America, then arriving in northern Europe—Norway—home of the codfish dish we eat on Christmas Eve. From there, we journeyed through Germany to Eastern Europe, stopping in Slovakia, moving on to Russia, and finally celebrating the Lunar New Year in South Korea.
The roundtable was accompanied by musical performances: Mariciello Garvan sang the traditional Peruvian song Huayno de Navidad, while Federico Zampini performed Mi burrito sabanero, with musical accompaniment by Franco Luigi and Ines on saxophone. A surprise musical performance was given by Elena Kazhe from Russia. Special praise went to the B1 level Croatian language students, who, despite not being musically trained, performed two Croatian songs—Ta divna splitska noć and U to vrime godišta—accompanied by their lecturer, Dr. Helena Burić, on accordion, delighting everyone present. The roundtable concluded with a gathering over traditional Croatian food and drinks. The warm and friendly atmosphere brought people from all over the world closer together on one wonderful night in Split.
The highlight of December at CEHAS was a visit to the Croatian National Theater to see the most sought-after performance of the season—the ballet The Nutcracker.
We hope that December at CEHAS will remain a fond memory for everyone and that the shared wish of our students will come true—that they will speak the Croatian language fluently! We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a successful New Year 2025! 2025!