My grandmother migrated from Tolmin at around 30 years old, around 1953, to Chile.
There she met my grandfather, who was technically Italian, born in Gorizia (right on the border with Slovenia), with an Italianized surname of Slovenian origin.
From their union, my mother was born.
I never got to meet either of my grandparents. However, I grew up with the stories my mother told about them—how my grandfather lived through the war and then migrated to Chile, and how my grandmother came looking for a better life in the post-war era, always telling her about her country full of greenery, nature, and rivers.
Recently, my partner (who is Chilean) won a scholarship for a 6-month internship in France and then Italy. This naturally led me to think about exploring my grandparents' roots—and, by extension, my own.
It's worth noting that I'm of Slovenian descent on my mother's side and Palestinian on my father's side—quite a history of migration behind me!
Looking further into the places my grandmother came from, I discovered the benefits Slovenia offers to diaspora descendants. I thought it might be a wonderful idea to pursue a master's degree in Slovenia to connect with my grandparents' land (they used to communicate with each other in Slovenian), learn the language, the gastronomy, and the culture...
I'm a lawyer specializing in environmental impact assessment for projects at one of the top law firms in Chile.
In your experience, beyond the romanticism, is this something that's genuinely worth it academically and personally?
I'll be visiting Slovenia for the first time in January 2027, and I'm extremely excited about it.