Courtesy of Niav Konno
- Niav Konno, who was born and raised in California, moved to a small coastal town in Croatia.
- She was surprised that much of Makarska shuts down during the winter season.
- She also found that many people still smoke indoors, and everyone leaves their doors unlocked.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Niav Konno, a social-media strategist and content creator for small businesses, who lives in Makarska and runs the popular TikTok account @mylifeincroatia. It has been edited for length and clarity.