Brought the Olive

For Jasmina and Darko Zugor from Mostar in Bosnia the choice was between going to Norway or to the United States when they had to flee from war in their homeland. Norway was the only country in Europe that still had open borders and the family of four landed at Fornebu Airport in 1993.

“We didn’t regret our choice. In a way we were glad. Our children were safe. But for many months we didn’t have contact with family and didn’t know whether they still were alive. That was the darkest part of that early time.”

Jasmina and Darko Zugor from Bosnia made Lillehammer more exotic when they started their shop the International Olive. (Photo: Kari Krog Øvrelid).Soon came the journey to the asylum reception center in the Øyer municipality and eventually settling down in Lillehammer. The couple experienced the waiting time as long and difficult. It was great relief in 1996 when news came from the Justice Minister that Bosnians could remain in Norway as long as they wished.
But everyday life continued to be hard to face, mostly because it was hard to find a permanent job. Both had had good jobs in Bosnia, but it was almost impossible to get into the Norwegian job market. After over 100 job rejections they took matters into their own hands with help from a Norwegian family. In 1999 they opened their own shop on the south end of Lillehammer’s main walking street: The International Olive.
For many years Jasmina ran her own health food business in addition so there was work to be done both early and late. “Five years without work was difficult. We prefer to have too much than too little to do,” told the Bosnian couple to the local newspaper, the Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen. They made a success of their unusual shop and were featured in an article with the title, ”Gives the town a more exotic life.”

Darko Zugor experienced running the business as a door opener to Norwegian society. They got good customers, new friends, and an income that enabled them to buy a house and car. But the burden of work was too much and in 2006 they sold the store.

When the Zugors left Bosnia, like many Bosnians they thought the war would be over in a few weeks and they would soon be back. But it didn’t go that way. Jasmina and Darko still live in Lillehammer and have grown children. They get along well but miss the homeland and maintain they will always be Norwegian – Bosnians.

Listen to them tell about their store: