From US to Croatia and Poslovna inteligencija

Perhaps the title would sound strange to you, but that is really true because Lauren Blatchford from North Carolina has chosen to do a student practice in Croatia at Business Intelligence.

She points out that her family moved to the city near Raleigh in North Carolina in 2005, where she enrolled in computer science with an emphasis on digital design but was actually raised in the city near Boston, Massachusetts. She says she is also interested in movies, books, video games, music and art.

Why did you choose Croatia (and Poslovna inteligencija) as your destination for work and study?

I chose Croatia and Poslovna Inteligencija because it was an incredible opportunity to gain experience and knowledge about data management. I saw that Poslovna Inteligencija was highly esteemed and respected, and Croatia was a country that I could easily settle into.

What challenges have you faced working and living in Croatia?

Some challenges have been learning and using Croatian phrases and distinguishing how different words are pronounced. There are several Croatian letters that are not in the English alphabet, so it can be a challenge to remember how to pronounce them. It can also be difficult typing in Croatian, because my laptop keyboard doesn’t contain those different letters. Similarly, it was an adjustment to type on a Croatian keyboard, because of the additional letters and some keys are in different locations. As a general challenge, shopping can sometimes be confusing when the labels for various items are only in Croatian.

What do you like most about working in Poslovna inteligencija?

I really like being able to learn and challenge myself to explore new software and new concepts while I’m working. It’s very fulfilling to be able to see my progress over the past few months and notice how far I’ve come. Having a feeling of pride when I look back at my projects and to know that Poslovna Inteligencija has enabled me to learn so much about them is amazing.

How would you describe your colleagues at Poslovna inteligencija?

All my colleagues at Poslovna Inteligencija have been fantastic. They have all been super friendly and helpful whenever I need anything. They’ve been very inclusive and have even offered to show me parts of the city that I had never seen before. I’m very grateful that I’ve been around so many wonderful people.

What is a key expertise (or knowledge) that you expect to improve during your internship?

I wanted to improve the most on my knowledge of data management processes, including the design of the data model and the tools used to implement the model created.

When you compare US and Croatia what are the basic differences between life and business?

Although I have only seen a limited amount of the United States and Croatia, from my experience, I’ve been happy to see how flexible Poslovna Inteligencija is with their hours. Many companies in the United States are very rigid with when they expect you to be in the office. I have also heard that Croatian companies in general offer more vacation days or sick days to their employees, whereas in the United States, it is common to have two weeks of vacation every year.

In general life, I’ve noticed that people are more likely to sit and drink coffee in café’s in Croatia, whereas in the United States, people take coffee to go more frequently and are rushing around more. It has also impressed me that people’s pets in Croatia have all seemed far more polite and well behaved than pets in the United States.

Do you plan to stay in Croatia and work here?

Unfortunately, I am going back to the United States once I have completed my internship. My plans are to move across the country and live in California.

If your friends were to visit Croatia what would you tell them about Croatia?

I would tell them that I’ve always felt very safe when traveling anywhere in Croatia. I would also recommend visiting the city center and taking a tour to find out a lot of interesting information about the history of Croatia and to be able to see a lot of impressive architecture. If they are able to, I would also tell them that they should visit some of the other beautiful locations in Croatia, including the mountains and on the coast.

Would you describe your experience of living in Croatia as positive?

Yes, I would say that my experience living in Croatia has been great. Prior to my trip here, I had never been outside of the United States before, and I had not been to many places in the United States either. Being here has given me a fantastic perspective on how people around the world can grow up so far apart, but all be similar in many ways. I’m very thankful for my time here and would love to visit Croatia again some time.