Dalmatian Angel

I leaved the faculty of Humanities in 1998 because two reasons. First, I realized that chose a
wrong program based on Education and Geography while my interest was focused on History.
And the second, was that I lost the chance to get financial support by the state. At that
moment I had to think how to solve my future in my country or abroad. I knew a lot of
histories of Chilean people who emigrated to Europe, Canada and Australia. Many of them by
political reasons and others by economic motivations. In my country, when you think to
emigrate, usually you think in Canada, Australia or Sweden (because the largest Chilean
communities are in those countries). But to emigrate in 1998 it was very different that 10 or 20
years before. Because apparently in Chile, we had a new democracy and respect for the
human rights. And all the countries that supported the Chilean emigration in the 80’s, in 90’s
required a visa permit or another restriction.

Suddenly came to my mind that I have a European grandfather, who was born in Croatia. We
never lost the contact with our family in Croatia, and the countries where emigrated our
family, specially Argentina and Australia. I decided to visit the Croatian embassy in Santiago to
figure out my possibilities. I went without an appointment, but I was received very well. They
needed young people that would like to live in the country, after the war. They offer me a
scholarship in Zagreb, that started with a Croatian language course, and after I would choose
my university program. It sounded perfect to me, because I could go back to study. There was
only one problem, the semester was started one month ago and he recommended me wait for
the next semester or year. While I have been waiting, decided to learn Croatian. I started with
a private professor who lived very far from my house, but It was no expensive and I could meet
another people with Croatians roots, the good ones and the bad ones. It was very easy for me,
because I spent a lot of time learning at home, and I had classes once a week.

At four months I received a letter from the embassy that they got the resolution of my
citizenship. I visited the embassy and asked again for details about my trip to Croatia, and they
told me; that a big crisis they had, and the Ministery for Return was dissolved. Then, they
couldn’t keep the promise. But I was resolved to go to my new country.

I was working very hard in a Call Center in Chile in order to spent money. I did extra hours for a
long time. I don’t remember exactly, how I knew about the IMO International Migrations
Organization, but I visited them and they told me that I could buy a special ticket with
discount, but I have to show them an acceptance document of a university in Croatia. I told
them that I have a document for the Ministery with the scholarship. I present the document,
but it was not true, because I gave them the document about the citizenship resolution. They
could not understand Croatian. And in two days I received the flight tickets.

My trip was scheduled on march 2001. It was my first travel abroad and my first time by plane.
When the plane took off, I felt expelled into space. With more doubts then certainties, but my
motto was: “always ahead!”. The plane was a nice experience, because I drunk a lot of wine, (it
was previous 09/11 2001) and try a lot of delicious food.

When I was on the plane from Frankfurt to Zagreb, I met a Croatian woman from Canada. She
offers take me downtown, with her relative by car. I had a number to call, because my uncle in
Hvar island knew about my trip and sent me a telephone number to call when I arrive in
Zagreb. The lady who answer the phone gave me the address and waited for me. They were
very friendly and helpful persons. I took a shower and suddenly has rung the doorbell. There
were 5 young ladies. They met to watch the last chapter of a soup opera “Siempre te amaré”
(uvijek ću te voljeti). It was a mexican drama in Spanish. I enjoyed a lot with them.

After the television, we had a nice walk around the city center. That day, was one of my
beautiful days, in my life. I remember as today, the fog, the smell of chimneys, the bells of the
streetcars…

They went with me to buy a rail ticket to Split. I took the train and sleep all the night. When I
arrived in Split, I got off the train. I had a lot of baggage. Then I started to look for my passport
and money, but I had not. I checked one hundred times and it didn’t appear. I put my hands in
my pockets and I had 6 Kunas. Then It started to rain. There was only one think to do: To cry!

Suddenly the boss train station approached me, and asked me what had happened. I never will
forget his name: Marko. I explain that somebody took my wallet with my documents. Quickly,
He contacted to the Chilean consulate in Split, and they sent me a secretary to help me. She
invited me to have a coffe and she buy me a ticket to Hvar Island, Also gave me some money
(around 50usd).

While I was on the ship, I knew a lot of people very talkative, when they have heard that I have
travelled from Chile immediately told me that they had family in Chile and Argentina!

When the ship was closed to the dock, I have seen my uncle waiting for me. With his white
hair, a jacket and stood near his Renault 4. We were very excited for the meeting; He show me
the town of Jelsa on the way to home. I could understand 60 per cent of our dialog. He
remembered my grandfather, when he visited them in 1968.

We arrived home, then introduced me his family. My aunt Seka and his sons and grandsons.
My aunt had prepared a delicious dalmatian lunch. We called to my mom to say that I arrived
in good conditions.

After the lunch, I walk to town to see it, because I had some pictures in Chile but in black and
white. Everything was more beautiful in colors; I have taken advantage of buying a phone card
and call again to my mother in order to explain what happened with my passport and money.
I didn’t want to transfer my problem to my uncle.

The next day, we went to an old town where was born my grandfather. The town is called
Poljica, and there are only 11 inhabitants living there. My uncle shows me the old house, and a
big plastic bag that contained all the letters received from the family emigrated. I found a lot of
letters from my grandfather, and from his brothers and sisters in Argentina and Australia. I
have tried homemade wine “prosek”, olive and lavender oil. Suddenly I have seen a portrait on
the wall, I recognized a detail in the photo behind the main picture. I told them, behind there is
a picture of my grandfather’s wedding! They told me: No Nikola! It’s not! I insisted. Then they
opened the portrait and I was right.

After that, I meet to my Aunt Fanica. Fanica was the oldest daughter of my great uncle. She
remembered when my grandfather and his brothers sent boxes with food and medicines
during the second world war. She had a small metallic cup, that she saved to remember it. She
showed me also, personal things from her husband. He was tanker during the war, she showed
me a military hat, a whistle and a watch. The whistle was used to have quick communication
between tanks. She talked my, taking care to close the door. She was proud about her
husband, but she knew that something had changed in her country.
After a delicious dinner we went back to Jelsa and the routine was always the same. After 2PM
all the people meet in the bars. I knew all the people in town.

I had a problem, and I had to solve it. Then I started to find options to talk in Croatian, with the
IOM or another institution or buy a ticket to return. I prayed all days to my grandfather for
help. I was in the same church where he was baptized. I told him in my pray: I am in your
hands.

A day after a meeting in a bar with my cousins, I was walking home and somebody told me:
Hej” Chileno! Come estai! I thought he speaks Spanish! Then I asked him, and said me no! Io
parlo italiano! But Estevito speaks Spanish. I asked who is he? And he have talked with the
postman, that was in front of us very quickly, and the postman drove me to Estevito’s house. I
knocked the door and said: Estevito? Do you speak Spanish and he answered me: Yes, of
course! I am Chilean.

I gave him a big hug and started to cry. He was very kind with me. He told me that everything
has solution, always. He invited me to got with him, because he sold houses and he had a visit
with customers. We went by his car. He was a lawyer, he had a lot of money, because he sold a
lot of properties that belonged to authorities from former Yugoslavia.

He called to Chilean embassy and claimed for a new passport for me, the consul told him that I
should pay for a new passport and he got furious. He told me, don’t worry. You will not pay for
a new passport. And asked me: do you want go back? Yes, to many emotions in two weeks, I
answered him. He took the phone and called to his travel agency and has arranged a flight
ticket for me. He told me it’s a favor. If you can, you pay after, but it’s a favor for a friend. Then
he asked the telephone of my mother and called her. I was in front of him hearing with
speaker: He said Hi, I am Stjepan Bucat, from Jelsa, Croatia. And my mom answered: Stjepan!
So many years! how are you! He didn’t understand it. But my mother told him that they had
lived together in the 50’s. And his uncle and aunt were groomsman and bridesmaid. Also, my
mother told us when his uncles have leaved Chile to emigrate to US. My grandfather payed the
ship tickets.

I asked to my grandfather for a miracle, and sent me an angel. A real one.