Your mother most likely didn't travel alone to Rotterdam. Almost always the Croatians traveled in groups to the port. Sometimes only two but usually there were 4 or more travelling together to the port and onto the ship. This way they had companionship and people they could talk to in their own language. Still it was a harrowing experience for people who had never left their own village especially if they had to change trains as many of them had to do to go across Europe. Also there were border crossings where their papers were checked. Bill