A Month with Matthew: 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

During their five-hour chat, Young Neptune unexpectedly begins explaining to Matthew the benefits of sunning...somewhere unexpected. Just because he's initially amused doesn't mean Matthew discounts the idea - leading him to reflect on other alternative health beliefs and practices. Meanwhile, the fact that Matthew is spending so much time on the nude beach does not mean he's comfortable in his skin—far from it.

Matthew finally makes a long-awaited connection. And, when presented with the opportunity to get high, he recalls that time he failed a drug test.

As it becomes clear that he's not just passing through, the village opens up to Matthew, leading him to reflect on the benefits of staying in one place when traveling. Matthew has a great conversation with Alfred the Butler, who—Matthew is surprised to learn—wants to visit Ohio. And the former prime minister of Croatia makes a cameo.

Matthew hits a creative wall. In spite of himself, he acknowledges there's no point in forcing it—that it's part of the creative process. All the same, hitting the wall leads to existential questions and doubts about his efforts and path forward. Then Matthew shares in real-time his Sunday morning at the marina-side café, including the villagers he encounters and his thoughts on village life.

Exploding lightbulbs lead to a blown fuse. Young Neptune continues to send mixed messages, leaving Matthew unsure what to think. And Matthew talks about the one-man show based on his book, which he performed in San Francisco.

Even though he's been forced to stop using deodorant, Matthew insists he doesn't smell—unlike those guys at his gym at home. When he's caught in a downpour, he's reminded of the joys of playing in the rain. And, when pleasure turns to pain, he realizes he hasn't been as careful as he thought.

Matthew struggles to get sunscreen on a tricky—but critical—area. His terrace proves a feast for pollinators, he gets his Croatian corrected (even though he doesn't speak Croatian), and another encounter with Young Neptune forces him to face a sad truth.

A routine outing to the nude beach turns out not to be routine at all. Matthew has another jaw-dropping encounter with a handsome stranger, and he struggles with protecting an area that hasn't seen the light of day for years.

On his way to the beach, Matthew is unexpectedly hit by a deluge of inspiration, which leads to reflections on the creative process and the importance of cultivating inspiration.

Matthew doesn't hear his alarm, so gets to the café late—and misses out on his special table. Wasps again pose an unexpected threat, and Matthew reflects on how little it takes to be happy.

Matthew has a stunning encounter in the cemetery and has to deal with a bout of unrequited love.

Matthew's world is rocked on his way to the beach. His battle with the neighbor continues, while the German shepherd seems to have finally accepted him. In response to being told how lucky he is, Matthew responds.

The discovery that there had been wasp nests throughout his little house in Croatia - one of which still poses a potential threat - prompts Matthew to recall a similar situation years before in Spain, a crisis that nearly ended in flames.

Just when Matthew thinks he has earned a hard-won peace and quiet, the musicians arrive.

Matthew's bare feet savor uncommon contact—and toughen up. He comes to understand the German shepherd and is excited and relieved that the Australians are set to leave. He also reflects on why routine matters.

When he unexpectedly sees naked bodies through the trees, Mathew does a double-take—but doesn't think twice about joining them. His first visit to the nude beach gets off to a rocky start, and soon Matthew is reflecting on naked bodies and sexuality.

Matthew finds that getting into his cottage is a lot easier than getting out of it. He's also surprised to discover he's not the only one at his rental property, has to contend with a cleaning lady he doesn't even want, and gets coffee he didn't ask for.

Just because they're irrational doesn't prevent Matthew from obsessing over some fears about his Croatian cottage. Memories of past experiences help explain why—and possibly even prove his paranoia isn't entirely unjustified.

In a small village with no pharmacy, bank, or even an ATM, there's not much to do—and Matthew couldn't be happier about it. In this episode he shares the daily routine that has taken shape since his arrival—one he loves so much he even wrote a poem about it.

Matthew wakes up to a dreaded bump on his lip, and he realizes that those brown mold spots on the bathroom walls aren't actually mold at all—but, rather, something potentially more sinister. Meanwhile, the next-door neighbor shows no signs of keeping his word.

When his first nap is interrupted by a thundering disturbance, followed by issues on his terrace and a problem animal a few doors down, Matthew has to concede that his seaside village isn't as peaceful as he initially thought—and hoped. Later, Matthew savors his anonymity.

On the ferry to the Croatian island where he'll be spending the month, Matthew meets an Australian family living in the Ukraine. As he gets off the boat, he's met by his rental property manager, a non-English-speaker who nonetheless manages to give Matthew a basic introduction to the island—and drive a stick shift, despite some notable physical challenges. A walk outside of town leaves Matthew with little doubt he has come to the right place.

An unexpected opportunity leads writer Matthew Félix to a seaside island village in Croatia. In this episode, Matthew arrives at the cottage where he plans to spend the next month, and he explains what he hopes to accomplish during his retreat there. To answer that question he got so many times before leaving San Francisco, he also explains “why Croatia.”