Serbia 🇷🇸

Sasha, 23

Born in Belgrade, Serbia

Came to Australia in January 2003

How did we meet?

I met Sasha through my university friend Nathan, who went to the same Wollongong high school as him.

What is your occupation?

I studied a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Economics and am now finishing my Honours.

I’ve been a university tutor since mid-2019 teaching 1st, 2nd and 3rd-year Economics subjects as well as 1st-year statistics.

I also teach primary school and high school kids at Star Kids Tutoring, focusing on maths.

Why did you come to Australia?

Our family immigrated here for my dad’s education and work. He applied for a scholarship at ANU to study chemistry and was successful! So we first lived in Canberra for 3 years, the duration of his PhD.

We had to return to Serbia for 6 months at one stage due to delays in Dad getting his PR visa.

What do you like about Sydney?

There are scenic places everywhere in Sydney, wherever you look. Take Circular Quay. You have the juxtaposition of modern skyscrapers, the Harbour Bridge and Cahill Expressway, which are remnants of Sydney’s architectural past.

It provides a confluence of an urban/suburban lifestyle, it’s not a concrete jungle.

The climate is much more temperate than Serbia’s continental climate, which has brutally cold winters and searing summers.

What don’t you like about Sydney?

One thing that is definitely noticeable is gridlock. The rapid population increase and urban sprawl have outpaced Sydney’s ability to handle its population: it can be a nightmare to go from one end to another.

Sydney’s beaches are overrated. It’s not that they’re not nice, but they’re just too crowded and overhyped. Manly is the exception though.

What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?

Appreciate and take care of your city otherwise it’ll change before you blink your eyes.

What languages do you speak?

English, Serbian (native)

Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.

Горе Горе Горе Горе

Gore gore gore gore- Up there the mountains burn worse.

I chose this because I thought of my friend who told me about the Chinese short story which just uses one sound.

What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?

Serbia is a country with great potential. There is fantastic and untamed natural scenery like the Uvac Nature Reserve which make it a potential tourist goldmine. This is without mentioning the nightlife, where the rakija (fruit brandy) never stops.

From a business perspective, there’s a vast pool of highly educated and motivated workers, as well as a government that is highly welcoming of foreign investment.

In your opinion, who is the most famous person in your native country?

Nikola Tesla. Tesla is described as the “founder of the modern world”, a man born well outside his time.

He invented the modern alternating current (AC) supply system, he even drove an electric car through the streets of Manhattan in the late 1800s and piloted a remote-controlled boat in Central Park in the early 1900s. This was a time when wireless technology was a dream for most people.

I would say Novak Djokovic is a close second for the most famous Serb. Ajmo Nole.

What is the best dish in your native country?

Burek.

The ultimate high-calorie breakfast. It’s a super greasy baked pastry, full of cheese and meat. Most shops that sell it actually close by 10 am, so it’s definitely an early-morning food.

The local burek shop is owned by a lady who wakes up at 2 am to fire up the furnace, make burek and then her shop closes when it’s all sold out.

Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.