May the 15th, 2025 – Croatia is a process-oriented society, and there are important lessons to be taken from it. Here’s what I’ve learned.
I watched a documentary a few weeks back that described Japan as a process-oriented society. That
is, unlike Western countries which focus on results, the government and society are oriented around the process of things; like where your stamp is located on the page, the forms that need to be submitted, and various steps in a process. This was strikingly familiar.
Croatia is also a process-oriented society. Focusing on your final result, like opening your business or
getting a certain permit, can lead to frustration. It is healthier to instead just focus on the next
step(s), because that is what the bureaucrats behind the counters are doing anyway. If you’re not on
the same page, both literally and figuratively, you’re not speaking the same language and everybody
is annoyed by the situation.
This is a simple lesson that life, like Croatian bureaucracy or processes, is a journey, and should be
approached as such. Forget actually getting your license, permit, or whatever the case may be in a
few weeks or months; it’s about today. At this time, you’re interacting with other humans (who may
also likely find their work frustrating).
It’s about practising kindness and mindfulness in the moment – smiling at the lady behind the “šalter” (counter), asking how she is doing, and maybe offering her some biscuits. It’s about patience – finding ways to occupy the time waiting in line, like catching up on social media posts, talking to other people, or reading a book. Waiting is also just another step in the process. Focusing beyond that wait only breeds dissatisfaction.
This focus on the process has also spilled into the private sector – in our culture, sitting down for
coffee or rakija can be part of negotiation processes for business deals. Sorting out paperwork at
banks too, for example, can be time-consuming.
We cannot change the system or mindset, it is one of the prices we pay for the numerous advantages of living here, but we can flow within its process. Life, like Croatian bureaucracy, is not a final destination, but a process after all.
