Yes, when I was there in 1956, I received quite an education about life. All but two relatives lived in very poor conditions in small villages. It was a shock to me, only 16 yrs old at the time. Thanks to my grandparents enterprise, we lived very well and I attended a Catholic girls boarding school. But when my grandmother and I got to Vrbanja, the living was worse than our poorest laborers on the farms. Dirt floors, very little food, slept in bare straw, no indoor plumbing, no running water, no electricity, and the clothing worn reminded me of pictures in National Geographic. At Tijerica, the conditions may have been even worse. (Oh, yes. I clutched my Nanny, as fully clothed and wrapped in our coats, we slept in a crib of straw; no linens--nothing. In the latter village, there was not even an outhouse. An aunt who could be described as an old crone, showed me the way in which the women, using their long full skirts as a shield from the public eye, let nature take its course!!!) Having noted that, I need to say that the people were simply wonderful. I came to respect and love the vitality and generosity of the Croatian people....and their spirituality, as well. In 1956, Tito was in power and it was Yugoslavia. There was much fear. We had to report in to the government, (which was the postal service), as well, every third day. We were cautioned repeatedly to watch our words, as anyone could be arrested and taken away at any time. It was very enlightening. Bee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerome Buza" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 4:28 PM Subject: Re: [CROATIA-L] Rancic & Bravic > Bee, that was a nice story. My mom and dad got to visit the relatives in > Croatia and Slovenia in 1966. Mom enjoyed meeting them and had a good time, > but said she wished she could thank her parents for coming to America. Most > of the ones in Croatia, at that time, were still very poor and working in > the vineyards. Since the last war, we haven't heard from many of them and > figure that they are dead. My dad's family in Slovenia seemed to fare a bit > better and have government jobs at banks or the post office and they write > to us via email and send pictures. > Margaret > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "RMB" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 2:54 PM > Subject: [CROATIA-L] Rancic & Bravic > > > > With or without the testiness of the dialogue, it is interesting to know > > about our ancestors coming to America. I tell and have written the > > stories > > of my grandparents so that my grandchildren and ancestors who will never > > know them, can know about their family. > > > > My grandfather, Ante Rancic, came to America to Leadville, Colorado and > > worked in the mines. His father took out a government loan with his > > vineyards as collateral so that he could come to the land that offered so > > much. Quite a number of young men and some cousins came at the same time. > > Ante treasured the possibilities that America offered and was determined > > to > > be a GOOD American. He knew that he needed to learn to read and write in > > order to improve himself and to leave mine work behind. > > > > My grandmother, Andja Bravic, came, alone, a few years later. Her brother > > who was already here sent for her. She ran his boarding house, doing all > > of > > the washing, cooking and cleaning for all of the boarders who worked in > > the > > mines. Her brother, Jure Bravic, decided that she should marry Ante, > > because he was a promising young man who also came from Dalmatia. (He > > also > > owned the best buggy in town with a lap robe that had a big topaz stone in > > it. Ah, the lure.....) > > > > Together, they moved to Globe, Arizona where she had boarders in their > > home > > and he had a co-op general store with other men from Croatia. She bore > > him > > 5 children in as many years. Then a shyster sold Ante on land in the El > > Paso Valley. Making a long story short, the land was barren & poor > > covered > > in mesquite. They worked very hard, fighting bandits and nature....floods > > and fires. Little by little, the land was tamed and Ante increased his > > holdings. They started as poor, immigrant settlers and ended up with > > wealth. > > > > Ante always appreciate the opportunity of America. He grabbed the brass > > ring > > with hard work and good will. He always remembered his religious teaching > > at the knee of his mother and his Croatian family, who he never saw again, > > as he died when he was in his fifties. But, Andja returned several times > > to > > Dalmatia when she was older, taking me with her one time. > > > > I am so proud of my grandparents. They are a true lesson about taking > > advantage of the opportunities. > > Bee > > > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.10.3 - Release Date: 4/25/2005 > > > > > > ______________________________

Bee, What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing that. I can recall as a small boy in the early and mid 50s packing boxes to go to Croatia. But then much of Europe did not fully recover from WW II at that time. My family had wooden floors in their 2 level home even at that time in Vini Vrh, near Ozalj. But when we visited in 1999, my first trip to stari kraj, the first home we stopped in front of was not our family's. In that home lived a sweet baka who directed us to the home a couple of doors from hers. One thing I noticed was that had dirt floors, which in spite of that fact looked "highly polished" and clean. Yet my cousin had built a new home behind our old 2 story family home. This is not to belittle anyone, as in the US we have similar situations in rural areas and in inner cities. But just to concur with what you saw in the 1950s, although conditions have improved economically. In part that improvement was due to the generally improved economy in the 1960s (Tito was cleaver in that his "split" with the Soviets enc! ouraged the west to send more foreign aid than was typically sent to commnist countries). The other contributing factor was the monies earned by those who went to work outside Croatia, particularly the "guest workers" in Germany and also those like my BAKALE cousins in the US who sent money every year since my Great Uncle Ivan arrived in the US in 1910! His adult children still send an envelope every year. One rather humerous story was told to me by a former CFU officer, who told me his family had sent money for many years to relatives living in the Dalmatian region. They had thought the family would use it for the purpose of putting in indoor plumbing. When he visited a few years ago the family thanked him and mentioned how nice the new TV and satelite dish was..... that they bought with the money! And they still had outdoor plumbing! But I must say is that a couple of changes, which are of greater significance, have taken place since 1991. And that is the fact that now you don't report to the government when visiting family, freedom of speech has increased and Croatians are in charge of their own destiny.... that is as far as NATO and the EU will allow it! In the end though I must agree that for the most part I find Croatians to be just what you said full of vitality, hard working, friendly and generous people! And I am proud to be descended from that nation! Robert [email protected] wrote: Yes, when I was there in 1956, I received quite an education about life. All but two relatives lived in very poor conditions in small villages. It was a shock to me, only 16 yrs old at the time. Thanks to my grandparents enterprise, we lived very well and I attended a Catholic girls boarding school. But when my grandmother and I got to Vrbanja, the living was worse than our poorest laborers on the farms. Dirt floors, very little food, slept in bare straw, no indoor plumbing, no running water, no electricity, and the clothing worn reminded me of pictures in National Geographic. At Tijerica, the conditions may have been even worse. (Oh, yes. I clutched my Nanny, as fully clothed and wrapped in our coats, we slept in a crib of straw; no linens--nothing. In the latter village, there was not even an outhouse. An aunt who could be described as an old crone, showed me the way in which the women, using their long full skirts as a shield from the public eye, let nature take its course!!!) Having noted that, I need to say that the people were simply wonderful. I came to respect and love the vitality and generosity of the Croatian people....and their spirituality, as well. In 1956, Tito was in power and it was Yugoslavia. There was much fear. We had to report in to the government, (which was the postal service), as well, every third day. We were cautioned repeatedly to watch our words, as anyone could be arrested and taken away at any time. It was very enlightening. Bee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerome Buza" To: Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 4:28 PM Subject: Re: [CROATIA-L] Rancic & Bravic > Bee, that was a nice story. My mom and dad got to visit the relatives in > Croatia and Slovenia in 1966. Mom enjoyed meeting them and had a good time, > but said she wished she could thank her parents for coming to America. Most > of the ones in Croatia, at that time, were still very poor and working in > the vineyards. Since the last war, we haven't heard from many of them and > figure that they are dead. My dad's family in Slovenia seemed to fare a bit > better and have government jobs at banks or the post office and they write > to us via email and send pictures. > Margaret > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "RMB" > To: > Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 2:54 PM > Subject: [CROATIA-L] Rancic & Bravic > > > > With or without the testiness of the dialogue, it is interesting to know > > about our ancestors coming to America. I tell and have written the > > stories > > of my grandparents so that my grandchildren and ancestors who will never > > know them, can know about their family. > > > > My grandfather, Ante Rancic, came to America to Leadville, Colorado and > > worked in the mines. His father took out a government loan with his > > vineyards as collateral so that he could come to the land that offered so > > much. Quite a number of young men and some cousins came at the same time. > > Ante treasured the possibilities that America offered and was determined > > to > > be a GOOD American. He knew that he needed to learn to read and write in > > order to improve himself and to leave mine work behind. > > > > My grandmother, Andja Bravic, came, alone, a few years later. Her brother > > who was already here sent for her. She ran his boarding house, doing all > > of > > the washing, cooking and cleaning for all of the boarders who worked in > > the > > mines. Her brother, Jure Bravic, decided that she should marry Ante, > > because he was a promising young man who also came from Dalmatia. (He > > also > > owned the best buggy in town with a lap robe that had a big topaz stone in > > it. Ah, the lure.....) > > > > Together, they moved to Globe, Arizona where she had boarders in their > > home > > and he had a co-op general store with other men from Croatia. She bore > > him > > 5 children in as many years. Then a shyster sold Ante on land in the El > > Paso Valley. Making a long story short, the land was barren & poor > > covered > > in mesquite. They worked very hard, fighting bandits and nature....floods > > and fires. Little by little, the land was tamed and Ante increased his > > holdings. They started as poor, immigrant settlers and ended up with > > wealth. > > > > Ante always appreciate the opportunity of America. He grabbed the brass > > ring > > with hard work and good will. He always remembered his religious teaching > > at the knee of his mother and his Croatian family, who he never saw again, > > as he died when he was in his fifties. But, Andja returned several times > > to > > Dalmatia when she was older, taking me with her one time. > > > > I am so proud of my grandparents. They are a true lesson about taking > > advantage of the opportunities. > > Bee > > > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.10.3 - Release Date: 4/25/2005 > > > > > > ______________________________ Interested in visting Croatia? Click on the link below to find out about a wonderful tour of Croatia! http://www.kollander-travel.com/