A daughter’s journey to honour the family’s heritage

A childhood shaped by constant movement

Milena’s relationship with languages began early, born from necessity rather than choice. At just two years old, she emigrated from Chile to the United States with her family when her father, a university professor, took a position at Notre Dame University near Chicago. “It was a bit back and forth,” she recalls, describing how the family moved between Chile and the USA multiple times during her childhood.

When she returned to the United States at age nine, Milena faced the challenge of learning English with no prior knowledge of the language. Despite having heard it as a toddler, she had to start from scratch. Her cousin Ilse, the same age, became both her school companion and her biggest obstacle – she delighted in telling Milena the wrong homework assignments. “That actually motivated me to learn the language as quickly as possible,” Milena laughs. The experience taught her that children find ways to connect even without a shared language, something that would prove valuable in her future linguistic adventures.

Building bridges through corporate investigations

Today, Milena works in Frankfurt am Main for an American global consulting company, where she specialises in anti-money laundering (AML) and forensic investigations. Her path to this role was far from traditional – she studied military history and completed her doctoral dissertation at the University of Potsdam, with a particular focus on aviation technology.

Her academic background in military history, especially aviation, reflects a deeper passion that extends beyond work. “I love, love, love everything related to aircraft and aviation,” she explains. This enthusiasm for flight technology stems from her university specialisation, but it’s become a genuine hobby that connects her analytical mind with her love of exploration. Between her demanding work schedule and Croatian lessons, Milena also pursues flamenco dancing – a shift from her earlier years of artistic gymnastics and ballet, necessitated by a knee injury that required a gentler approach to movement.

The Austrian detour that changed everything

Before settling in Germany, Milena took a crucial detour through Austria in 2016. At 26, she worked as an au pair in Vienna with a family that had two children. This experience became instrumental in her German language development, though she discovered an amusing complication. “I had to realise that I had learned Viennese dialect, not standard German,” she admits with characteristic humour.

Vienna offered Milena something she hadn’t experienced despite all her travels – a sense of belonging. The city’s large community from former Yugoslavia immediately embraced her. “I had never had that experience before. Because I’ve travelled so much, there’s always been a bit of pain for me – I belong everywhere and nowhere. It was very beautiful in Vienna because there are so many people from the former Balkans.” This taste of community belonging would later influence her decision to connect more deeply with her Croatian heritage.

A father’s battle and a daughter’s mission

The most profound motivation for Milena’s Croatian studies emerged from a family crisis. Last year, her father was diagnosed with cancer, a devastating blow for their whole family. Together with her brother, Milena searched for ways to motivate their father through his treatment and recovery.

Their solution was both practical and deeply emotional: learn Croatian well enough to plan a meaningful family trip to Brač, specifically to Dol, where their grandfather had lived before emigrating to Punta Arenas in Chile’s southernmost region near Patagonia. “We thought it would be very meaningful as a family if we flew to Croatia together and visited the places that were and are important to our family,” Milena explains. Her grandfather had been just a child when his family emigrated, and unfortunately, the language wasn’t passed down due to the prevailing belief that bilingualism might disadvantage children’s integration.

Despite not inheriting the language, Milena’s father maintained strong connections to Croatian culture throughout his life, serving on boards of various cultural associations and organisations in Chile. Now, through her language studies, Milena hopes to bridge that linguistic gap and create a connection that spans generations. She maintains contact with extended family members who still live in Croatia, including an aunt who shares family history and photographs, helping her understand their roots before the planned trip.

Finding joy in the learning process

At Let’s Learn Croatian, Milena has progressed through her A1.2 level with two exceptional teachers who have introduced her to a completely new learning method: memory bridges. “I’ve never learned a language where I learn with memory bridges, and that’s something completely new for me, and I find it absolutely wonderful because it helps tremendously,” she enthuses.

What strikes Milena most about her Croatian classes is the diversity of her classmates – people from all walks of life, different ages, and varied backgrounds. Many share her experience of having Croatian roots, creating a natural community of learners with similar motivations. She particularly enjoys one classmate whose father is Croatian and mother is from the Philippines, finding these multicultural family stories fascinating and enriching to the learning experience.

For Milena, her fellow students represent the best part of the learning process. Having completed nine German courses and three Russian courses, she recognises how crucial group dynamics are to language acquisition. “Group dynamics can really help you learn the language faster, or not,” she observes. The collaborative nature of creating memory bridges together as a group adds a playful element that makes difficult concepts more memorable and achievable.

Her advice for new Croatian learners reflects both her academic background and personal philosophy: “I would recommend that they engage with Croatian history, because I think every language has a soul. To develop this feeling for the language, you have to get to know this soul a bit. And you do that best through history.” She adds a gentler, more personal note: “A bit of self-compassion and patience always helps, because sometimes you feel like you’re stranded and not making progress. In those moments, telling yourself that maybe it doesn’t happen so quickly, but it will work out – that makes a big difference.”