From ikigai in Japan, lagom in Sweden and Gezellig in the Netherlands, lifestyle philosophical concepts shaped cultures, personal relationship and caused headaches to translators all over the globe.
Today, you’ll get to learn the lifestyle concept that has made Dalmatia such a wonderful place to visit and live in. The word you need to know is pomalo. Roughly, it can be translated to “take it easy”.
Paul Kvint, a National Geographic journalist, writes about his experience of pomalo. He quotes a lady he met that states pomalo is an entrenched Dalmatian philosophy of life that suggests some combination of “easy”, “slowly”, “no problem” and “have another coffee”.
To grasp the concept of living and breathing pomalo, imagine yourself being in Dalmatia on a sunny winter day, while half the World is fighting the snow. It might as well be Monday but when on your break, you remember that one café on the main promenade - Riva, with the sunny corner, where your perfect cup of coffee awaits you. That’s basically all you need to realize and you are on your way to experience pomalo.
Next step is, of course, getting there, ordering coffee and forgetting for a bit about all the things you have to write, read, email or pay.
The most eclectic example of this phenomena could be seen on the islands. The ones further from the cost are the prime examples, and just taking a ferry to them could provide you with enough knowledge to, firstly recognize, and then, more importantly, live the way Dalmatia has been living for decades and decades.
It’s not just about enjoying the sun. Incorporating this life hack can help you cope with everyday obstacles when you know your”safe spot” is just around the corner.
The point of this concept is not to postpone or ignore your obligations or to be lazy. It’s a way of not letting the crazy tempo of our everyday life, work or even travel must do’s for that matter, get in the way of relaxing, breathing in some fresh air and getting the daily vitamin D dosage.
This one word came to shape an image of Dalmatian people as laid-back folks who appreciate the small joys of life. Because of that, it has also became a greeting. So, don’t be surprised if one of the locals, instead of saying goodbye, just waves and says pomalo. He just wants you to take it easy, relax and not let the schedule determine how you should feel.
To find out how Paul Kvint experienced Dalmatia and with it, the famous local life concept, check out the article A Light on the Croatian Coast, published in the magazine National Geographic. And to experience it first hand, well you can always come to explore Dalmatia on one of our private “pomalo” tours :)