Top 5 life changes

The beginning of the year is officially the worst time for categorical decisions but we’ll make them anyway. We’ll also start making changes because we can’t possibly go another year…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Top 5 January meals

It’s cold outside, probably snowing, we are all feeling extra lazy and not really in the mood for grocery shopping.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

The rules of attraction

How does that theory go, they’ve never met before but they breathe in each other’s pheromones and boom, bam, slam, without one word spoken, they are instantly attracted to each…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Sex, prudes and other disasters

It should be noted right at the beginning that writing about sex is very much out of my comfort zone.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

When I grow up…

When exactly did you figure out what you want to do with your life? When I was four I wanted to be a singer. A few years later I started…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Working class heroes

I’ve done it, the brave move. I replaced my status as a freelance journalist for a much more glamorous position of waiter in a 4 star hotel that shall remain…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

How Scientology saved my vacation with two nuns

For the last three weeks, I’ve felt like I was trapped in poor woman’s version of “Eat Pray Love.” For those who have read the book or seen the movie,…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

If these walls could talk…

…they would tell you a very ordinary story about ordinary people who loved each other extraordinarily.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

How to date a Balkan woman: Conclusion

Now that you have successfully lured a Balkan woman into your life, here are few things you should know about communication and living arrangements while in the relationship.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

How to date a Balkan woman (Part 2)

As you might have noticed, I used the horrid “M” word a lot in Part 1, M as in marriage. Ok, let’s not pretend like this is not the issue…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

How to date a Balkan woman (Part 1)

Recently I indulged in a little analysis of female behavior with my dear fellow blogger Silvia Valencia and we realized it was time you get a follow up to her…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Top 15 things that make me wish I was a kid again

You might have noticed, but occasionally I like to get high on nostalgia. In the past few months this commercial made me tear up a little on several…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Home, sweet home: Living at home in the Balkans

How many of you are still living at home with your family? According to some weird social standards, most of us (ahem, “us” as in approaching the 30th birthday milestone…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

House of European Fashion

Once upon a time but not so long ago that it couldn’t be palpably missed, textile and leather industries were among the high points of Croatia’s economy.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Single and not ready to mingle

Any “The Big Bang Theory” fans out here? Who remembers that funny bit with Wolowitz, Croatian women and anythingforagreencard.com? I wasn’t offended at all. Until I googled that…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Nationalism for Beginners

Every nation has something to be proud of.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Croatia - A Sleeping Nation

“Croatia said YES to Europe” was the title of almost every article written on the subject of referendum held on January 22nd. With a 43% turnout, this was indeed a…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Yugoslavia, we have a program

I love conspiracy theories. Not because I am one of “those people” who doubt everything and everyone, mostly because they are very entertaining. I also love urban legends, and we…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Open letter to 2012.

Dear 2012., let’s get a few things straight. First of all, your friend 2011 was really mean and that is why I expect more from you. In other words, get…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

The Sufferings of a Young Euroskeptic

The fanfare is over, the “Ode to Joy” is slowly fading and so is all the hype.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Would you like to restart your life now?

Everybody going through a quarter-life crisis, please raise your hand.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

The Vukovar Massacre: 20 Years Later

“And you need not worry about the city, the city was always within you. Only hidden. So that the executioner cannot find it. The City — you are…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Art, where art thou?

My friend Jelena is applying for master’s degree in cultural studies. You know how that works: tons of paperwork and application forms.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Death and life in a glass of rakija

Here’s the deal. There is only one thing that is above wars, conflicts, politics, nationalism and the economy. No, it is not God. It’s rakija, Goddess of all alcoholic beverages.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

The games begin: Campaigning in Croatia

Parliamentary elections in Croatia are two months away and the dirty campaign is officially starting. It is time to start making popcorn for news shows and indulge in the fine…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Faith finds itself in conflict with common sense, rationality

If Adam and Eve were the first two people on Earth and they had two sons, how in the world did the human race procreate from then on? If Jesus…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

And memories remain

Sept. 11, 2001. started ordinary. This high school sophomore woke up cranky in the morning and went to school. It was one of those hated days when we had to…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Let’s dine and whine

The culture of sitting around a table full of food and talking into wee hours is long and strong in the Balkans. We interact around plates and bottles. If we…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Sweet nothing

Damn you, summer, with your lack of newsworthy stories from which I could pull ideas. Over here in Croatia, summer is known as the “season of pickled cucumbers.” I never…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

The importance of not forgetting

Ghosts of the past are waking up. Political paroles that advise reconciliation and leaving it all behind seem irrelevant as we witness everything that had happened in the last few…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Tell me, Jesus, does size really matter?

Last week, my little country became a laughing stock of media across the world. Among others, The Daily Telegraph reported about mother of all ideas that left me…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Unpunished crimes

Seventeen-year-old Antonia Bilić disappeared on June 7 somewhere in the area of Drniš, Croatia. Antonia had been hitchhiking and was last seen entering a truck on a road to Split.…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

Turmoils, Rebels and Babies

It starts at the gentle age of 18.  This is when they start to ask, “Do you have a boyfriend?” and “Are you getting married?” “They” are annoying family members,…

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

How to fight recession

I know what you are thinking. This is simple. Create a solid plan, change monetary policy, cut taxes, boost economic growth… You amateurs.

By: Danijela Šimrak

 

How to date a Balkan woman: Conclusion

Now that you have successfully lured a Balkan woman into your life, here are few things you should know about communication and living arrangements while in the relationship.

By: Danijela Šimrak