B92 Blog

Where now for Serbia? Violent protestors; with the tacit support of the police and elements of the Serbian government and political establishment; have succeeded in setting Serbia back five years. After all the progress that Serbia has achieved over the last ten years to move towards the international club of nations, one night of state ‘green-lighted’ violence has recreated what should have now been, tired, negative stereotypes of Serbs. After all the positivity created by the likes of Djokovic, Ivanovic and Serifovic, Serbs are once more at the centre of violence which has been internationally reported and condemned.

Serbian anger over Kosovo is understandable, but the government’s willingness to give protestors a thirty minut

I was out the other night in Belgrade when I found myself listening to a language I didn’t understand and a conversation about which I had no clue. It wasn’t the first time that this had happened to me here in Serbia, but after three years in the country I thought that the worst of it was behind me. The strange thing was, I wasn’t missing out due to my far from perfect Serbian, but because when I’d chosen a language at the Institute for Foreign Languages I’d evidently picked the wrong one. Apparently, I should have chosen Italian.

It was a very strange experience, sitting in a room full of people all talking Italian and not having a clue what was going on. And it wasn’t that they were all Italians. More than half were Serbs and

 

 

In a desperate effort to outdo all those Serbs now writing in English, I have decided to write my blog about my current obsession: an eighties Japanese gameshow called Takeshi's Castle. I've been watching clips of it on YouTube with my girlfriend over the last couple of nights and we spent the whole time laughing our arses off and playing them one after the other. Unfortunately, we have now exhausted the supply of UK clips (which have an excellent UK commentary by a guy called Craig Charles) and somehow the German versions just dont have the same appeal. Cant think why.

Try out the links and I suspect there might be a few more 'Keshi Heads in Belgrade by the end of the week. My only request is that if you find any more in English PLEASE let me know.

 

Serbian man purse [sur-bee-uh n man purs]

Part of speech: n

Definition: small leather, faux leather or cloth carrying bag designed to accommodate personal items, carried by members of the male sex. Predominantly found sported by males in Serbia and the B

I have been back in London for a couple of weeks now and have been watching Brand Srbija with interest. I’m always interested in what the English think of my adopted homeland and have found myself defending it on occasions but, more often than not, simply satisfying people’s curiosity in a country few know much about. I suppose we English are happy with our stereotypes (Brand USA: brash cousins, freedom fries and Die Hard; Brand Germany: order, engineering and Adolf) but we do look to overcome them on occasions and Brand Srbija is one that could do with a little modification. This year, fortunately, it seems that things are set to change. 

You'd Contact Ozzy Now Wouldn't You?:

I don’t know if it’s still the honey-moon period, but I’m in love with this new(ish) networking tool that I like to call Faecebook. It’s weird, ever since my brother insisted that I sign up about a week ago I have found myself checking it more avidly than my e-mail. It’s strange how such a simple idea can create feelings of immediacy and intimacy that are all too lacking in emailing (in my case at least, where everyone ‘talks’ like robots and ta

‘That Derbyshire is a bastard.’ ‘The English should be ashamed.’ ‘I thought that the English were the one’s that invented fair play?’ These are all comments that I have read and heard recently following Serbia’s defeat at the hands of England during an Under 21 European Cup Football qualifier. Serbs evidently feel cheated by a dubious goal but why are they so angry when it happens all the time? Didn’t Serbia qualify? And top of the group? Was the game that significant? No, not really but I think the answer to all the anger is about something else entirely. It is due to a dying faith in fair play and anguish at its evid