MESSAGE FROM HOME a speech by Nikolina Erakovic presented at the October 1997 CSF Dinner Dance

Good evening ladies and gentlemen! My name is Nikolina and I am one of the students who are supported by the Croatian Scholarship Fund. My sponsor is Mr. Robert Batinovich and I have to thank him for my being here tonight. Renata and Damir are also students who are supported by Mr. Robert Batinovich, and I am very sorry that they are not here with us. They had obligations at the university so they had to go back. We have had a really great time here in California. We saw many beautiful places and we met many great people here. I will remember them for my whole life. I am a student of economics at the University of Zagreb and I live in Zagreb in the dormitory. Actually, I am from Petrinja and during the war I lived as a refugee in Zagreb. In that period of time many bad things happened to me. I lost my home, I lost my friends, and I really felt bad. But the worst thing happened when I lost my father. Then I was really lost in everything. But lives go on and I had to finish high school and decide what I was going to do next. I chose further education. At that time I got a scholarship from the Croatian Scholarship Fund. I guess that was actually the only nice thing that happened to me in that period. I was very happy about that. I guess financial help was important, but also I know that some place far away there are some people who actually want to help me and who are thinking about us back home in Croatia. That meant a lot and it still does because after so many bad things that happened to me there are just a few people who care about me and who are real friends, ready to help me anytime I need it. Croatian Scholarship Fund is one of them. Thanks to them I have new friends here in California, and also, back home I have financial support which makes my student life much easier. Also, I guess I learned that it is important to take care of other people because sometimes only one word can make you feel much, much better. I do not know how I am going to give all that back to Croatian Scholarship Fund, Mr. Batinovich, and all the great people here, but I will do my best. I will finish my school; I will work hard so that I can help myself and others to have a better life because I guess we all deserve that back home. I have to say thank you to Croatian Scholarship Fund and to one great man, Mr. Robert Batinovich. I will remember all of you my whole life.

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