A Month with Matthew: In Croatia

Writer Matthew Félix needed to figure out what was next for him, so he went on a month-long solo retreat in a seaside village in Croatia. From the characters he met, to the experiences he had—some funny, some frustrating—to the thoughts, memories, and emotions that came up for him, these are his unscripted stories and ruminations from a month in Croatia.

43 All Good Things Must Come to an End

The “A Month with Matthew: in Croatia podcast” features travel anecdotes, storytelling, and humor short stories from author Matthew Félix’s solo retreat in a small island village in Croatia.

On his last night in the village, Matthew reflects on a wonderful month, including what he has accomplished, what he’ll miss, and what he’ll be taking back with him as he returns his day-to-day life.

42 Hedgehogs

As his time in the village nears its end, Matthew catches up with friends. In the process, he learns more than he ever expected to know about hedgehogs—including the difference between Croatian and African ones.

On his last full day, Matthew starts preparing for his departure—while hoping he can fit in one last trip to the beach.

41 A Big Decision

The day of the village festival, Matthew has an epiphany that heralds a major—and bittersweet—turning point that will dramatically alter has life at home.

That night, the festivities in full swing, Matthew meets up with village friends and makes a new one, is the recipient of still more incredible hospitality, and tries not to think about the fact that the end is near.

40 Saint Mary & the Countdown

When the church bells won’t stop ringing, Matthew learns that it’s the day of the village festival, when the Virgin Mary will be taken on her yearly stroll through the village—and the whole village will party late into the night.

Later, Matthew faces the fact that he only has four days left in the village—and he really doesn’t want to leave.

39 A Bizarre Day

Thirty takes later, for some reason Matthew still cannot manage to film what should be an easy, routine promo clip. On a walk that night, he comes under attack in his underwear and overhead, too, in what prove to be two very close calls.

38 Body Image & Bugs

When Matthew sees a little girl at the nude beach, he can’t help but think about how lucky she is to have parents instilling in her a healthy body image.

Back at home, Matthew has encounters with industrious ants, adorable geckos, and a spider that is horrible at hide-and-seek.

37 Journaling & Swapping Countries

Matthew reflects on how and why—while grappling the day before with his doubts and fears—journaling was so helpful in helping him to see clearly and get himself out of his malaise.

Later, Alfred decides that Matthew needs a master’s degree—and should get one in Croatia, which leads to discussions about visas, cost of living, and brain drain. As for Alfred, Matthew decides that Ohio is the best place for him to live in the States.

36 All in Your Head

Still grappling with some doubts and fears, Matthew reflects on how many of our struggles are “all in our head,” how our thoughts create our emotions, and how being present and taking action can be potent antidotes to tough times. A delicious free dinner—his first meal out since being on the island—and a little too much wine help lift Matthew’s spirits, as well.

35 Moving Beyond Creative Self-Doubt

Matthew gets unequivocally blown off by Young Neptune, at last enabling him to definitively conclude that friendship has died on the vine.

Matthew also has a day where he is overwhelmed by doubts about his creative endeavors and if or how they will amount to anything that matter to anyone but himself. In response, he shares what he does to get through such occasional days of doubt.

34 The Joy of Writing & Coming Out Live

Matthew and Lidia have another linguistic misunderstanding, and Matthew rediscovers the joy of writing.

Meanwhile, questions about the LGBTQ experience in Croatia lead Matthew to recall that time he had to come out on live radio.

33 Sleep Deprived & In For a Surprise

Matthew feels guilty for getting too much sleep—then realizes how ridiculous that is, leading to reflections on our unhealthy habits of working too much and ignoring our bodies.

Matthew also reflects on a key component of his philosophy of travel, and he makes an exciting discovery about one of his long-neglected projects.

32 A Friday Night Walk in the Woods

Feeling as though the village has gotten just a little too small, Matthew hides out inside all day. By nighttime, he’s stir crazy—which leads to an unplanned walk in the woods and a last-minute quest for wine.

The next day, Matthew is shocked to discover the identity of a little girl trying to get into the café.

31 Attacked & Blown Off

Everywhere he turns, Matthew is confronted by huge grasshoppers. In sharp contrast, despite their five-hour bonding on the beach, Young Neptune now runs the other way every time he and Matthew cross paths—leaving Matthew utterly baffled.

30 Reality Shifts

When all of his favorite characters at the nude beach seem to disappear from one day to the next—including the three elderly women—Matthew is not sure what to make of it.

Meanwhile, he’s been on the island so long that his reality has shifted. What was novel not long ago, now feels more real than the life ostensibly waiting for his return back in San Francisco.

29 Intuition

As his novel, A Voice Beyond Reason, about a young Spaniard’s awakening to his intuition undergoes a resurgence, Matthew moves ahead with plans to develop a workshop based on the book. In the process, he reflects on why being in touch with our inner voices is so important.

Matthew also shares the challenges of recording an audio book in his closet—including his questionable decision to attempt a bunch of accents he didn’t necessarily pull off. Meanwhile, Lidia spreads word to the other villagers about who Matthew is and why he is there.

28 It's Always Vacation

77-year-old Lidia tells Matthew about her book, which gets him thinking about his own grandparents’ untold stories - and how they matter to who he is.

Young Cervantes is always on vacation, and Matthew is in for a surprise when he thinks he’s buying olives but ends up with something else.

27 Synchronicity & More Mixed Messages

On his way to the neighboring village, Matthew experiences an uncanny—and irrefutable—synchronicity. Later, he gets more mixed messages from Young Neptune.

26 Another Battle & Seeing and Being Seen

The malevolent neighbor starts his construction project again - having already sworn four times he was done. This time Matthew is ready.

And Matthew reflects on the the joys of genuine human interaction.

25 A New Friend & No Such Thing as Too Much Inspiration

Matthew's ongoing stay in the village leads to yet another new friend, this time a 77-year-old woman who wants to go to Alabama—but is afraid of mosquitoes in Africa.

And Matthew finds that the “problem” isn’t not enough inspiration, but “too much”—except, of course, there isn’t such a thing. So, he decides to trust the process and just go with it.

24 An Emotional Breakdown and How to Make a Change

Matthew unexpectedly finds himself breaking down into tears - ironically, a familiar benefit to his way of traveling. And he reflects on key components to making change and advancing creative pursuits.