American Serb History 101

 You win the Miss Oregon beauty contest as a "Bosnian" refugee,  as did 24 yr. old SERBIAN beauty Danijela Krstic and one of the first things you do is take 45 Kosovo Serb children from the ghettos in Orahovac, Gorzacevac, Hoca and Pec to the Montenegrin coast for a summer vacation and a tour of the Orthodox holy sites! “The words of praise are too small for Danijela’s humanity and everything she has done for our children — we shall never forget this."

 (Milica Peric, teacher pedagogue)

The SERBIAN beauty and her family were forced to flee Alija Izetbegovic's jihad forces from her hometown in Zvornik. We love you, Danijela! You're proud of who you are, and boy, are we proud of YOU!"

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You know you're Serbian, when you know from a very young age, who and what you are, and love it!

 Georgiana and Milica, from Windsor, Ontario, Canada! How I love this photo!  Great memories!

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For almost 20 years I've been reading "You Know You're Serbian when....sayings on the Internet. 

Most of the Serbianisms below have been gathered from the "You Know You're Serbian" Facebook group and also from the Los Angeles, California website, www.LASERBS.com 

I've selected a few here to share with you.

You Know You're Serbian when:

Your Mama makes a Kolach like this one made in Akron, OH on St. Sava's Day!

From Protonica in California.  Will post as soon as I find name on Facebook again!

Your day suddenly lights up when you meet another Serb.

You have 17 consonants and 2 vowels in your name.

Your mother and father expect you to "hit da books" and expect nothing less than A's on your report cards.

A cold shiver runs down your spine when your mom threatens you by using the word "Tata" (Father) in a sentence.

Your Baba (Grandmother) calls all cereal "Corn Flakes" or calls the well-known salty snacks "Chip Potatoes."

You celebrate Christmas and Easter and New Year's 2 weeks after everyone else.

There's at least one relative your family refuses to talk to.

At least one of your friends is named Dragan and your Asian friends love you because they think its Dragon.

You have a Serbian cross, flag, or icon hanging from your car mirror.

Your Mom uses butter instead of Crisco to fry everything. 

You are somehow related to every 1 in 3 Serbian girls or boys.

Your grandparents pronounce three, thirteen and thirty three as tri, tirteen, and tirty tree.

When your parents constantly say you'll end up a nobody if you don't graduate from college.  (They start saying this at age 1.)

You're at a Zabava, and guys try to pick you up with the line, "Hey Baby, what's your SLAVA?"

You live for the annual SerbFests/FolkFests/ FoodFests and/or SNF Golf, Basketball, Bowling Tournaments, or Serbian Singing Federation /SOCA Festivals.

You can't wait to go back to Shadeland Camp for Tambura Week.

Whenever you kiss somebody, you kiss them 3 times!

You hear the word "Batina" and cringe or run for your life.

When the Baba Grapevine travels faster than the National Emergency Alert!

When you write on your history exam that Nikola Tesla is the Father of Electricity, not Thomas Edison, and your teacher fails you.  

When your friends' parents talk to you like they're YOUR PARENTS too.

The word "SRAMOTA!" will deter you from anything.

Cevapcici on the grill are better than steak any day.

All Middle Easterners are called "Turci."

A week after Slava, Bozic and Easter you are still eating Sarmas.

You can dance a kolo to anything, even trumpets playing "Moravac" in Guca!

When you sing "Djurdjevdan" at all Serbian parties.

Your Dad (Granddad) tells you "Dis is the TURD time I am telling you dis" and you are afraid to laugh!

When you look for last names that end in an "ic" or "ich"

Your favorite phrase is "Nema Problema."

When people still think you're from Siberia even though you've told them countless times its Serbia.

When you actually know what it means when Peja Stojakovic holds up three fingers.

Upon meeting another Serb, one of your first questions is, "What church do you go to?"

As a child, the Babas at your church caused you permanent brain damage from asphyxiation by pressing your face into their ample bosoms while shouting, "O joj, Zlato!" over and over again.

You have a doily covering your DVD, VRC, printer and scanner.

Your church has a fully loaded bar.

Rakija is used to cure all illnesses, celebrate ll occasions and is used as a massage lotion.

Almost all of your relatives who emigrate from the Old Country are engineers.

You know the 'Electrical' answer already to "What kind of engineer are you?" when you meet an American Serb engineer for the first time?  (Thanks to Nikola Tesla!)

When your brother makes the groom's side of the family bid for you, before he lets you (the Bride) come out of the house.

"Svatovac" is strummed by the tambura/accordion orchestra when the bridal negotiations are successfully settled and cheers arouse from the whole neighborhood watching the proceedings.

You're crowned King and Queen of your household in Church during your wedding and told to multiply like Rebekah.

Your Baba and/or Djedo live in your basement.

You think everything is a conspiracy.

You base your future life on the fortune in your coffee cup.

You have a picture of Kosovka Devojka in your house.

All other action stops when you hear the music "Boze Pravde."

Your parents know everything you did at the basketball tournament before you get home.

A Serbian baby shower is as big as most American weddings!

Your friends can't understand why your summer vacation consisted of playing golf in a town called Farrell or Aliquippa.

You're watching your favorite basketball team and someone scores a three pointer you interpret the referee's 3 fingers in the air as support for Serbia.

There's a bust of Cica Draza on your living room wall and a hand-made afghan over the chair.

After a few years of working, you get sick every January 7, 14 and 20th.

You're the only one on your block who still has Christmas lights up till well past Dec. 25.

You delight every time you hear +Karl Malden say the name "Mladen Sekulovich" somewhere in a TV Show or movie! 

You think there's nothing better in the world than dipping bread into the roasted lamb or pig drippings.

If you were taught to love not just your immediate family but up to your 10th cousin or more and NOT to marry them.

You tell Americans where you're from and you end up explaining the entire history of Yugoslavia.

When you think there are only 2 types of people in this word..... the Serbians and everyone who wishes they were.  (Button on Serbian doll:  "Kiss me, I'm Serbian!")

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 You know you're Serbian when you have a name like this:

 Vaso, Vasilije, Vukosav, Dusanka, Dusica, Vukosava and Bogdan and Bozidar and so many more!  See below for a good list!

http://www.e-novine.com/entertainment/entertainment-tema/42016-Proverite-moda-ste-Srbi.html

you find out more about your proud Serbian roots here, like Tony Zoroya did, and proudly display your new shirt!

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You know you're Serbian when you really love and honor your Tata, Bob Sparcie, on his 80th Birthday at the Men's Club Picnic at the St. Elijah Serbian picnic grounds!

Happy Birthday, Bob!  Shown here, 4 beautiful daughters, one handsome grandson! JT Sergeant!

(Click bottom right hand side of photo to enlarge.)

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You know you're Serbian when you know who Slobodan Zelich was, and you hope his memory lives on  forever!

"Za Cast i Slavu Srbije"

"Sve Najbolje!"

He was an outstanding educator!  Thanks, Slobodan!

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You know you're Serbian when the name "Libertyville" means something to you.

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You know you're Serbian when you think nothing of even traveling to another STATE, just to participate in Pittsburgh 3-Day!

 (Click photo to enlarge!)

These Lackawanna, NY kids are Super Serbs!

You know you're Serbian when you think there are only 2 types of people in this word..... the Serbians and everyone who wishes they were Serbian.

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You know you're Serbian when you want to share a really good website with other Serbs!

The L.A. Serbs have a tremendous section on their website of words to Serbian Songs.  View it here:

http://www.laserbs.com/html/pesme.php

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You know you're Serbian when you belong to the

Serb National Federation (SNF) and get the SRBOBRAN at home.

Phone:  412`458-5227

615 Iron City Drive, Suite 302, Pittsburgh, PA 15205: 

mrastovic@snflife.org

Contact Miloš Rastović

www.snflife.org

The SNF Preserves:

Serbian national heritage, cutlure, traditions, history and music.

You know you're Serbian when your Baba and Djedo sign you up as a SNF member as soon as they learn your official name after you're born!

Ziveli!

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You know you're Serbian when you find yourself humming along to SVILEN KONAC or SILVER THREAD.

Svilen konac, srbijanski kroj.
Sitna zica, vezak tanak.
Ja malena, a ti sladak, joj.
Milane, dragane,
hej, milovanje moje sa Morave.

Kosuljica izvezena,
ja malena isprosena
za Milana.
Svilen konac pletem od sna.
Tanka predja srcem se tka,
pa se pokida.
Hej, tugo moja,

tugo devojacka. 

SVILEN KONAC 

YouTube Video by Beogradjanka 21 

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When you support organizations like the IOCC,

Serbian Unity Congress,

Serb National Defense, etc. 

and send a small donation to any Serbian Orthodox church in the USA that needs help! 

Samo Sloga Srbina Spasova! 

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You know YOU'RE Serbian, when your last name is PUHAR!

Thanks to Pete for sending!

I just LOVE this photo!

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You know you're Serbian and see a beautiful display of Serbian artifacts like Obrad Kesic did while speaking in the Midwest, and sent this photos along.

Click on lower right hand corner of photos to enlarge.