Twin passions: from forest to classroom

The grandmother who changed everything

In a village outside Osijek, Andrea’s grandmother wasn’t just any teacher. She embraced Montessori methods decades before they became fashionable, showing a young Andrea that learning happens best through experience, not memorisation.

“As a child, I loved pretending to teach my toys,” Andrea recalls, a childhood game that eventually solidified into a career teaching Croatian to English speakers. Her grandmother’s influence went beyond methodology – Andrea witnessed how the older woman’s progressive teaching style earned her unusual respect in the community, planting the seed for Andrea’s own path.

Where dinosaurs and language learning meet

Weekends find Andrea at ROOTS, the nature centre she co-founded near the Drava River. Here, children aged four to seven build wooden forts, track animals, and develop a relationship with the natural world. The enterprise grew organically from Andrea’s desire to share nature with her three-year-old son, a dinosaur enthusiast whose curiosity mirrors what she sees in her language students.

The centre operates Saturday and Sunday mornings, with a city-provided indoor space for rainy days. While professional kindergarten teachers lead most activities, the philosophy behind ROOTS – learning through discovery rather than instruction – directly informs how Andrea approaches her language classrooms.

Breaking through the beginner barrier

As both a Croatian teacher and lesson coordinator for English-speaking students, Andrea knows the vulnerable feeling of starting from zero. She’s made it her mission to create safe spaces where new language learners can relax into learning.

“That first stage is probably the hardest,” she explains. Rather than drilling grammar, Andrea opens lessons with Croatian cultural insights or linguistic curiosities, establishing connection before correction. She encourages students to speak imperfectly from day one, creating an atmosphere where attempts matter more than accuracy.

Zadar summers and Slavonian winters

When not teaching, Andrea’s family travels to Zadar several times yearly, staying at their seaside place. Closer to home, she embraces Osijek’s summer transformation, when open-air festivals and wine celebrations showcase the distinctive flavours of Slavonia.

“Kulen is something you must try if you visit Osijek,” she insists, referring to the region’s celebrated smoked sausage. At home, cooking duties fall happily to her husband while Andrea and their son explore picture books about dinosaurs – one more way learning weaves through her family life.

The moment when screens become people

For Andrea, the most powerful teaching moments come when online students finally visit Croatia. After months of virtual lessons, watching them confidently navigate real-world Croatian conversations validates everything she believes about language education.

Unlike teachers who require external motivation, Andrea finds satisfaction in her students’ progress and her ability to balance professional fulfillment with personal passion projects. From classroom to forest, her philosophy remains consistent: true learning happens through curiosity, practical engagement, and the freedom to discover at your own pace.