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.

23 Let the Sun Shine In & Body Issues

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.

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.

22 A Long-Awaited Connection & A Failed Drug Test

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.

21 Ohio, The Prime Minister, and The Benefits of Staying Put

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.

20 Hitting a Wall and Sunday Morning

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.

19 Explosion and Confusion

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.

18 Weenie Roast

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.

17 Bees, Butterflies, & Rejection

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.

16 Neptune Rises

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.

15 How to Cultivate Inspiration

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.

14 More Unexpected Threats & Happiness

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.

13 A Cemetery Encounter & Unrequited Love

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

12 Lust and Luck

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.

11 A Houseful of Hornets

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.

10 Dancing in the Streets

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

09 Calloused and Grounded

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.

08 Naked Sexuality

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.

07 Unwanted Guests

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.

06 Irrational fears

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.

05 Routine Poetry

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.

04 Herpes, Wasps, and Barcelona

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.