Stuff about the Balkans, Australia, languages and more...
since 2009.
June 23, 2026
12
min read
A family history of exile, a tsar's comeback as a 21st-century prime minister, and how it all ends with his daughter trending for her muscular arms. Welcome to the stage, the Bulgarian Royal Family.
Category:
Bulgaria
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December 23, 2025
10
min read
Christmas in the long hot days of summer? Yes, that's the case in Australia. Here's a rundown of how Aussies do Chrissie...
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December 21, 2025
2
min read
Many in the Anglosphere have a strong opinion about what greeting to use now in December. But in the Balkans, the default has been "Happy Holidays" for decades. Here are the reasons why.
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December 20, 2025
2
min read
Where did this classic Aussie saying come from and how did it change Australia dramatically...
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December 19, 2025
2
min read
It's a pretty big day in some Orthodox Christian parts of the Balkans – St Nicholas Day. But how come it's happening 13 days after the rest of the world? And what are you not supposed to do today?
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December 17, 2025
2
min read
A classic case of how poor subtitles can fail a film. 'Good enough' is never good enough.
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December 14, 2025
2
min read
The place that beaches, particularly its most iconic, have on the Australian psyche is what makes the Bondi shooting hit hard with Aussies...
Read more
December 12, 2025
11
min read
How come in some Balkan countries there is no simple word for "cheese"... and how two distinct types of cheese came to monopolise these markets.
Read more
December 10, 2025
2
min read
"Region" has different meanings in different places. In the countries of ex-Yugoslavia, "region" means something very particular. Do you know what?
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December 7, 2025
2
min read
You start your application to migrate to Australia and then you come across all these references to "regional". What does this term mean specifically in Australia? All explained here.
Read more
December 3, 2025
1
min read
A bushwalk, tramp or hike? They all mean the same thing, just they're country-dependent. Which countries?
Read more
November 29, 2025
3
min read
It's been decades since Yugoslavia's national day was a public holiday but it's still commemorated, albeit online by a rock song from the 1980s
Read more
November 24, 2025
1
min read
It's the little things that can cause the biggest misunderstandings. Which one is very common in Balkan translations? Find out ere
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November 23, 2025
3
min read
One of the biggest Turbofolk stars in the Balkans is arrested again, but greater focus is on the venue. Have the lessons from the Pulse nightclub fire been learnt?
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November 20, 2025
16
min read
A broom, a forbidden kitchen item for religious holidays, a secret book in Old Church Slavonic, and the colour photo that made my cousin cry. How objects play a vital role in shaping identities.
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October 27, 2025
2
min read
What's cool in one place can be completely passé elsewhere. But who's to know these things?
Read more
October 25, 2025
18
min read
Tito's in his House of Flowers and Yugoslavia's off the maps, but you'd think otherwise in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where their spirits are eternal.
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October 23, 2025
2
min read
The whole world seems it can't get enough of Australia's own Ugg boots. But do you know Aussies (and Kiwis) follow a strict rule when it comes to the fleecy footwear?
Read more
October 20, 2025
2
min read
Back from my Aussie trip. Here are some things about Aussie English I discovered this time.
Read more
October 16, 2025
3
min read
Australian English loves shortening words and names and banging an '-ie' or '-o' at the end. But you need to be careful when to do it, as this case shows...
Read more
October 14, 2025
1
min read
Off to the beach? Avoid the snakes and sharks? No... something completely different but expected from me.
Read more
June 9, 2026
1
min read
Many clients try to pass off their US English texts and copy for Australia. While most Aussies will get it, there's a large section of the Australian public that won't. Who are these people?
Read more
May 19, 2026
2
min read
Australia's weather bureau thought it had a branding problem with its explosive acronym. How solving it bombed when Aussies had their say about it.
Read more
May 18, 2026
1
min read
No, it's nothing to do with an animal call. It's a sound that international music stars have even sampled...
Read more
May 13, 2026
5
min read
"But '-or' spellings are American?" has said many an Aussie. But are they really? Not exactly. Find out how and where there are exceptions to the rule in Australian English.
Read more
May 8, 2026
4
min read
The recent case of Kumajayi Little Baby shows how Australian media handle indigenous mourning protocols. Here are the details and background to them.
Read more
April 25, 2026
11
min read
Parades, dawn services, two-up, biscuits... What you need to know about Australia (and New Zealand's) veteran's day. Plus, why the day is more important to some Aussies than others.
Read more
April 3, 2026
2
min read
What's open and what's not this Easter in Australia...Time to give a real-life example of Australian English.
Read more
March 27, 2026
2
min read
Found in most pubs, clubs and casinos throughout Australia, the pokies are an important feature of Australian social culture. But what are they? Find out here...
Read more
March 24, 2026
5
min read
Feta or white cheese? Prosecco or sparkling wine? How will the new EU-Australia free-trade agreement (not) affect the terms Aussies use for certain products
Read more
March 18, 2026
4
min read
No, I'm not leaving here. Linguistically, Australians actually have unique ways of bidding farewell to someone who's going for a long time... or forever.
Read more
February 23, 2026
1
min read
Yet another unexpected Australian-ism I and an internet superstar recently discovered...
Read more
February 18, 2026
2
min read
Aussies love shortening words and ending cutesy endings to them. But what happens when the same shortened word could mean multiple things?
Read more
February 16, 2026
2
min read
If Australia's answer to the Onion is making fun of how AI uses US English as a default, then that means Aussies notice when you're using it in your text and copy. But there's a solution to this...
Read more
January 29, 2026
1
min read
Yet another quirky Aussie phrasal verb that has a completely different meaning to what you'd think
Read more
January 2, 2026
1
min read
Big issue of the day – what coin do you use for your lucky-coin Christmas tradition? It matters to many in the Balkans AND Australia
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December 26, 2025
17
min read
Australia's unique multicultural broadcaster, SBS, turned 50 in 2025. Here's an insight into what SBS was like in the 1980s and how it enriched Australia, all of its people... and me.
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December 23, 2025
10
min read
Christmas in the long hot days of summer? Yes, that's the case in Australia. Here's a rundown of how Aussies do Chrissie...
Read more
December 20, 2025
2
min read
Where did this classic Aussie saying come from and how did it change Australia dramatically...
Read more
December 14, 2025
2
min read
The place that beaches, particularly its most iconic, have on the Australian psyche is what makes the Bondi shooting hit hard with Aussies...
Read more
December 7, 2025
2
min read
You start your application to migrate to Australia and then you come across all these references to "regional". What does this term mean specifically in Australia? All explained here.
Read more
October 27, 2025
2
min read
What's cool in one place can be completely passé elsewhere. But who's to know these things?
Read more
October 23, 2025
2
min read
The whole world seems it can't get enough of Australia's own Ugg boots. But do you know Aussies (and Kiwis) follow a strict rule when it comes to the fleecy footwear?
Read more
October 20, 2025
2
min read
Back from my Aussie trip. Here are some things about Aussie English I discovered this time.
Read more
October 16, 2025
3
min read
Australian English loves shortening words and names and banging an '-ie' or '-o' at the end. But you need to be careful when to do it, as this case shows...
Read more
October 10, 2025
2
min read
Dongas come in many sizes and are often found Down Under in the outback. What's an Australian donga and the disputed origin of the term...
Read more
October 9, 2025
3
min read
Three work-related Australian acronyms heard very often throughout the country. Do you know what they mean? And what work is associated with them?
Read more
September 13, 2025
2
min read
When targeting your copy and text for Australia, you also need to take into account that our calendar is different.
Read more
September 10, 2025
2
min read
Aussies love wearing thongs outdoors. But does "thongs" mean the same in Australia as it does in other countries? Find out here...
Read more
September 1, 2025
3
min read
Find out more about this uniquely Australian item, much loved by Aussie kids and adults through the decades, and how come it's an essential part of any ongoing marketing campaign for many products and brands in Australia.
Read more
July 29, 2025
5
min read
Do you know what the biggest thing the long-running Australian TV series Neighbours brought to the world? And why did the soap show a rather skewed image of Australian suburbia?
Read more
July 11, 2025
6
min read
The last round of unique Australian English terms that I've discovered by chance.
Read more
June 30, 2025
2
min read
It's extremely hot in northern Europe! So it's best to ask Aussies for tips on dealing with the heat.
Read more
June 27, 2025
2
min read
Let's settle this... is the popular caffeinated beverage one for the gays or one for the blokes?
Read more
June 23, 2025
6
min read
How an Australian 1990s safe sex slogan skillfully used the many meanings of a common colloquial phrasal verb to great effect. But would this work for an international audience?
Read more
June 15, 2025
1
min read
Are you sure that Father's Day in Australia and New Zealand is in June?
Read more
June 11, 2025
4
min read
Trade negotiations between the EU and Australia fell through over the names of cheeses and wines, of all things. But will a restart of negotiations bring about a breakthrough? And what product name should you use for the Australian market?
Read more
June 6, 2025
2
min read
There are a number of seemingly ordinary English words that can get Aussies thinking 'that's not right'. Here's the case with one...?
Read more
May 28, 2025
3
min read
Rona, RAT, quazza... remembering the now-lost Aussie slang of the early 2020s Covid pandemic
Read more
May 20, 2025
3
min read
Bludging on a smoko as if you've chucked a sickie? Welcome to work-related Australian English vocab about not working!
Read more
May 15, 2025
3
min read
It's not in Europe, so why is Australia at Eurovision? There are plenty of reasons why...
Read more
May 14, 2025
3
min read
No, it's not what you might think. A classic case of an Australian English term going from slang to accepted formal speech
Read more
May 11, 2025
2
min read
It may be now more about giving a gift but Mother's Day was also a day of protest. More here...
Read more
May 2, 2025
1
min read
Australians regularly bombard their country's Electoral Commission with important queries... such as about the legalities of drawing penises on ballot papers!
Read more
April 29, 2025
2
min read
Get the tomato sauce out, we're having little boys! But what does this term mean for some Aussies?
Read more
April 24, 2025
3
min read
Aussies love their biscuits, but call them by the 'c' word can even get you fined! What word is this?
Read more
April 23, 2025
2
min read
Want to hear how I speak in Australian English with another Australian English specialist? Here's your chance
Read more
April 20, 2025
6
min read
You can tell how old an Australian is by asking what these terms mean, and what does this have to do with Australia's only ever truly local youth sub-culture?
Read more
April 13, 2025
2
min read
Useful or extremely obvious? Well, it's never wise to assume...
Read more
April 4, 2025
7
min read
Liberal, teal, electorate, corflute, democracy sausage... Here's your indispensable guide to Australian election terminology
Read more
March 4, 2025
3
min read
Do you know what "she's on her P's" means? It's something all Australians understand. And how does this relate to a term that's different in most English-dominant countries?
Read more
February 28, 2025
2
min read
How do you describe using a payment card to use public transport in Australia? It depends where in Australia you are...
Read more
February 27, 2025
2
min read
Want to get Aussies angry? Ask this mathematical question...
Read more
February 4, 2025
4
min read
Are there villages in Australia? Well, yes, but not how the rest of the world sees it. Find out what makes a village in Oz...
Read more
January 29, 2025
3
min read
Many people are shocked when they find out I'm a translator, but their jaws drop even more when I tell them that I also 'translate' into Australian English.
Read more
January 25, 2025
3
min read
Australia's national day is on 26 January, but it's not a date universally accepted by all Aussies. Find out why Australia Day is so divisive...
Read more
January 25, 2025
5
min read
Would you believe that one of the most anticipated events in the lead-up to Australia's national day on 26 January is... an ad about eating lamb! More about the vibe here...
Read more
December 24, 2024
1
min read
Do you know your Krizmoz from your Bozhik? How some Orthodox Christians in diaspora communities differentiate between the two Christmases.
Read more
December 19, 2024
2
min read
Why wishing your clients, friends and relatives in Australia a happy start to summer on December 21st is not the way to do it...
Read more
December 11, 2024
5
min read
Tread carefully! The extraordinary story of this salty Australian regionalism and how it can ignite passions worthy of a civil war.
Read more
November 7, 2024
2
min read
One of Australia's most visited tourist sites has two official names, but Aussies almost exclusively use one of them. Do you know which one?
Read more
November 4, 2024
3
min read
Australians like to see themselves as "easy-going" and "laid-back". But are they really?
Read more
November 1, 2024
3
min read
Aussies love their cars, so here are a few car-related words for you...
Read more
October 29, 2024
2
min read
If there's anything that can get some Aussies hot under the collar, it's this...
Read more
September 11, 2024
2
min read
Welcome to confusion with "email" in Australia. It's generational...
Read more
September 1, 2024
3
min read
Here's the latest round up of some uniquely Aussie words to add to your vocabulary...
Read more
August 3, 2024
2
min read
Because of, or despite, his very unconventional but trés Aussie approach to training, he won silver at the 2000 Olympics. You won't believe how...
Read more
July 31, 2024
5
min read
How a comedy routine during the 2000 Sydney Olympics provided Australia with its own, very naughty, gymnastics lexicon!
Read more
July 28, 2024
3
min read
To get away from the sharks! Nah, it's more than that.
Read more
July 25, 2024
3
min read
Or perhaps not. It wouldn't be an Olympics if there wasn't impending doom. But how has it actually turned out?
Read more
July 4, 2024
5
min read
Vote-count competitions between rival cities? How a mundane sausage in generic white bread is the epitome of mass democratic participation in Australia. And why a Bulgarian train is not a train. The weird world of election traditions.
Read more
June 30, 2024
3
min read
Australians adore pets... but not on public transport. How come?
Read more
June 30, 2024
3
min read
One of the world's biggest ever rock bands has turned 50!
Read more
June 21, 2024
4
min read
Many Australians are in "de facto relationships". What are these and how do they differ from marriage?
Read more
May 23, 2024
10
min read
Is Burger King the drama? How come there's no Burger King in Australia but you can still get a Whopper? A story of how a technicality turned an alternative brand into a part of local Australian identity, and how that was almost usurped.
Read more
May 22, 2024
2
min read
The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Australia's richest woman, mining magnate Gina Rinehart got more than what she bargained for when she wanted a portrait of her taken down. And how does wine figure into this too?
Read more
April 6, 2024
5
min read
50 years after ABBA won the Eurovision Song Content, it was Australia that set the tone for ABBA's fortunes over the decades. This is their Australian story.
Read more
August 31, 2023
1
min read
It’s all about being friendly when driving out in “woop woop” (the middle of nowhere) in Australia. A definite must-do!
Read more
June 26, 2023
1
min read
How do you say in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin or Serbian this: “Up there, the mountains burn worse”?👉 Gore gore gore gore.
Read more
June 22, 2023
2
min read
They are chocolate-covered chewy caramels 🍬 that were often so hard to bite into that they kept many dentists in business 🦷. Nothing particularly unique so far, you might think.
Read more
June 1, 2023
1
min read
🎉 50 years ago today, the Adelaide Festival Centre, the premier performing and visual arts venue and precinct in Adelaide, Australia, opened. The centre to this day remains one of the symbols of Adelaide. 🇦🇺
Read more
May 11, 2023
4
min read
Time to get out the sequins and huge props. The world’s most watched non-sports TV show is on, the Eurovision Song Contest 🎤. Tonight is the second semi-final, with 16 acts from Europe… and Australia.
Read more
April 24, 2023
1
min read
Last Saturday Australian 🇦🇺 🎭 comedy legend Barry Humphries passed away aged 89.
Read more
April 12, 2023
2
min read
Now this might sound a bit random but this is something you’ll hear all the time, in all places, in department stores in Australia. How come?
Read more
April 11, 2023
3
min read
Eshays and Adlays: the latest bunch of Pig-Latin-speaking, Nike-wearing young bogans (vilified poor working-class people) to cause massive moral panic in Australia 🇦🇺
Read more
April 7, 2023
2
min read
Bunnies are considered cute and loveable… except in Australia 🇦🇺, where they’re a major scourge🤬.
Read more
March 28, 2023
1
min read
Have you unwittingly done a hand gesture that meant something completely different in another country? Here’s a true story…
Read more
March 10, 2023
3
min read
Calisthenics is a form of body strength training worldwide. Not in Australia though, where "calisthenics" has a completely different meaning.
Read more
March 8, 2023
1
min read
🪃 In Australia, IWD is a day of campaigning and awareness, elements that are much closer to the day’s original purpose of bringing mainstream attention to issues affecting women.
Read more
.%20A%20day%20of%20campaigning%20%E2%99%80%20%E2%80%A6%20or%20a%20day%20to%20buy%20flowers%20%F0%9F%92%90.jpg)
June 22, 2026
2
min read
Most native English speakers have no idea about this very common feature of English, even though they use them all the time. As for others, they're a nightmare.
Read more
June 9, 2026
1
min read
Many clients try to pass off their US English texts and copy for Australia. While most Aussies will get it, there's a large section of the Australian public that won't. Who are these people?
Read more
May 19, 2026
2
min read
Australia's weather bureau thought it had a branding problem with its explosive acronym. How solving it bombed when Aussies had their say about it.
Read more
May 18, 2026
1
min read
No, it's nothing to do with an animal call. It's a sound that international music stars have even sampled...
Read more
May 13, 2026
5
min read
"But '-or' spellings are American?" has said many an Aussie. But are they really? Not exactly. Find out how and where there are exceptions to the rule in Australian English.
Read more
May 8, 2026
4
min read
The recent case of Kumajayi Little Baby shows how Australian media handle indigenous mourning protocols. Here are the details and background to them.
Read more
April 25, 2026
11
min read
Parades, dawn services, two-up, biscuits... What you need to know about Australia (and New Zealand's) veteran's day. Plus, why the day is more important to some Aussies than others.
Read more
April 3, 2026
2
min read
What's open and what's not this Easter in Australia...Time to give a real-life example of Australian English.
Read more
March 27, 2026
2
min read
Found in most pubs, clubs and casinos throughout Australia, the pokies are an important feature of Australian social culture. But what are they? Find out here...
Read more
March 24, 2026
5
min read
Feta or white cheese? Prosecco or sparkling wine? How will the new EU-Australia free-trade agreement (not) affect the terms Aussies use for certain products
Read more
March 18, 2026
4
min read
No, I'm not leaving here. Linguistically, Australians actually have unique ways of bidding farewell to someone who's going for a long time... or forever.
Read more
February 23, 2026
1
min read
Yet another unexpected Australian-ism I and an internet superstar recently discovered...
Read more
February 18, 2026
2
min read
Aussies love shortening words and ending cutesy endings to them. But what happens when the same shortened word could mean multiple things?
Read more
February 16, 2026
2
min read
If Australia's answer to the Onion is making fun of how AI uses US English as a default, then that means Aussies notice when you're using it in your text and copy. But there's a solution to this...
Read more
February 2, 2026
2
min read
Are your international customers getting your message? Are you aware that some of the words, phrases and terms you use could have no or a different meaning elsewhere. That's where you need your copy and text reviewed for your target audience.
Read more
January 29, 2026
1
min read
Yet another quirky Aussie phrasal verb that has a completely different meaning to what you'd think
Read more
December 23, 2025
10
min read
Christmas in the long hot days of summer? Yes, that's the case in Australia. Here's a rundown of how Aussies do Chrissie...
Read more
December 20, 2025
2
min read
Where did this classic Aussie saying come from and how did it change Australia dramatically...
Read more
December 7, 2025
2
min read
You start your application to migrate to Australia and then you come across all these references to "regional". What does this term mean specifically in Australia? All explained here.
Read more
December 3, 2025
1
min read
A bushwalk, tramp or hike? They all mean the same thing, just they're country-dependent. Which countries?
Read more
October 23, 2025
2
min read
The whole world seems it can't get enough of Australia's own Ugg boots. But do you know Aussies (and Kiwis) follow a strict rule when it comes to the fleecy footwear?
Read more
October 20, 2025
2
min read
Back from my Aussie trip. Here are some things about Aussie English I discovered this time.
Read more
October 16, 2025
3
min read
Australian English loves shortening words and names and banging an '-ie' or '-o' at the end. But you need to be careful when to do it, as this case shows...
Read more
October 14, 2025
1
min read
Off to the beach? Avoid the snakes and sharks? No... something completely different but expected from me.
Read more
October 10, 2025
2
min read
Dongas come in many sizes and are often found Down Under in the outback. What's an Australian donga and the disputed origin of the term...
Read more
October 9, 2025
3
min read
Three work-related Australian acronyms heard very often throughout the country. Do you know what they mean? And what work is associated with them?
Read more
October 7, 2025
2
min read
Quenda or qanda? These two uniquely Australian terms may sound the same but refer to two very different things. Find out more here...
Read more
September 13, 2025
2
min read
When targeting your copy and text for Australia, you also need to take into account that our calendar is different.
Read more
September 10, 2025
2
min read
Aussies love wearing thongs outdoors. But does "thongs" mean the same in Australia as it does in other countries? Find out here...
Read more
September 1, 2025
3
min read
Find out more about this uniquely Australian item, much loved by Aussie kids and adults through the decades, and how come it's an essential part of any ongoing marketing campaign for many products and brands in Australia.
Read more
August 17, 2025
2
min read
Even historic international events can have different names in Australia, such as the victory in World War II.
Read more
July 31, 2025
2
min read
Which one is the accepted spelling in Australia? You might be surprised at the answer!
Read more
July 29, 2025
5
min read
Do you know what the biggest thing the long-running Australian TV series Neighbours brought to the world? And why did the soap show a rather skewed image of Australian suburbia?
Read more
July 23, 2025
2
min read
Are these terms the same in Australia? Well, it depends, but it comes with a major warning. And what's the generic trademark some Aussies use instead?
Read more
July 16, 2025
3
min read
What can I say? How I learnt what makes Australian English what it is by simple communication and more. And what are the two things most native English speakers don't realise?
Read more
July 11, 2025
6
min read
The last round of unique Australian English terms that I've discovered by chance.
Read more
June 23, 2025
6
min read
How an Australian 1990s safe sex slogan skillfully used the many meanings of a common colloquial phrasal verb to great effect. But would this work for an international audience?
Read more
June 15, 2025
1
min read
Are you sure that Father's Day in Australia and New Zealand is in June?
Read more
June 11, 2025
4
min read
Trade negotiations between the EU and Australia fell through over the names of cheeses and wines, of all things. But will a restart of negotiations bring about a breakthrough? And what product name should you use for the Australian market?
Read more
June 6, 2025
2
min read
There are a number of seemingly ordinary English words that can get Aussies thinking 'that's not right'. Here's the case with one...?
Read more
May 28, 2025
3
min read
Rona, RAT, quazza... remembering the now-lost Aussie slang of the early 2020s Covid pandemic
Read more
May 20, 2025
3
min read
Bludging on a smoko as if you've chucked a sickie? Welcome to work-related Australian English vocab about not working!
Read more
May 14, 2025
3
min read
No, it's not what you might think. A classic case of an Australian English term going from slang to accepted formal speech
Read more
April 29, 2025
2
min read
Get the tomato sauce out, we're having little boys! But what does this term mean for some Aussies?
Read more
April 24, 2025
3
min read
Aussies love their biscuits, but call them by the 'c' word can even get you fined! What word is this?
Read more
April 23, 2025
2
min read
Want to hear how I speak in Australian English with another Australian English specialist? Here's your chance
Read more
April 20, 2025
6
min read
You can tell how old an Australian is by asking what these terms mean, and what does this have to do with Australia's only ever truly local youth sub-culture?
Read more
April 4, 2025
7
min read
Liberal, teal, electorate, corflute, democracy sausage... Here's your indispensable guide to Australian election terminology
Read more
March 4, 2025
3
min read
Do you know what "she's on her P's" means? It's something all Australians understand. And how does this relate to a term that's different in most English-dominant countries?
Read more
February 28, 2025
2
min read
How do you describe using a payment card to use public transport in Australia? It depends where in Australia you are...
Read more
February 27, 2025
2
min read
Want to get Aussies angry? Ask this mathematical question...
Read more
February 4, 2025
4
min read
Are there villages in Australia? Well, yes, but not how the rest of the world sees it. Find out what makes a village in Oz...
Read more
January 29, 2025
3
min read
Many people are shocked when they find out I'm a translator, but their jaws drop even more when I tell them that I also 'translate' into Australian English.
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January 25, 2025
5
min read
Would you believe that one of the most anticipated events in the lead-up to Australia's national day on 26 January is... an ad about eating lamb! More about the vibe here...
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December 24, 2024
1
min read
Do you know your Krizmoz from your Bozhik? How some Orthodox Christians in diaspora communities differentiate between the two Christmases.
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December 19, 2024
2
min read
Why wishing your clients, friends and relatives in Australia a happy start to summer on December 21st is not the way to do it...
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December 11, 2024
5
min read
Tread carefully! The extraordinary story of this salty Australian regionalism and how it can ignite passions worthy of a civil war.
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December 8, 2024
3
min read
Australian English is famous for its diminutives, i.e. shortened words. Do you know what these ones mean?
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November 26, 2024
2
min read
Australia's prime source for all things Australian English has picked its word for 2024. And this time, I agree!
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November 19, 2024
3
min read
India and Australia have common bonds that go beyond a passion for cricket. Here are a few words that Indian and Australian English uniquely share...
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November 7, 2024
2
min read
One of Australia's most visited tourist sites has two official names, but Aussies almost exclusively use one of them. Do you know which one?
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November 1, 2024
3
min read
Aussies love their cars, so here are a few car-related words for you...
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October 23, 2024
6
min read
Does DeepL live up to its claim of being "the world's most accurate translator" when it comes to Aussie English? Get ready for some zingers!
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September 11, 2024
2
min read
Welcome to confusion with "email" in Australia. It's generational...
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September 1, 2024
3
min read
Here's the latest round up of some uniquely Aussie words to add to your vocabulary...
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August 5, 2024
3
min read
Do you get what is being said here? Unless you're Australian, it's not what you think...
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July 31, 2024
5
min read
How a comedy routine during the 2000 Sydney Olympics provided Australia with its own, very naughty, gymnastics lexicon!
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July 28, 2024
3
min read
To get away from the sharks! Nah, it's more than that.
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June 21, 2024
4
min read
Many Australians are in "de facto relationships". What are these and how do they differ from marriage?
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May 23, 2024
10
min read
Is Burger King the drama? How come there's no Burger King in Australia but you can still get a Whopper? A story of how a technicality turned an alternative brand into a part of local Australian identity, and how that was almost usurped.
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May 22, 2024
2
min read
The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Australia's richest woman, mining magnate Gina Rinehart got more than what she bargained for when she wanted a portrait of her taken down. And how does wine figure into this too?
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August 31, 2023
1
min read
It’s all about being friendly when driving out in “woop woop” (the middle of nowhere) in Australia. A definite must-do!
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August 28, 2023
2
min read
Watch out for the killer squirrels! 🐿️ We’re very much in “silly season” right now in the UK 🤪
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August 14, 2023
3
min read
Ask what’s most unique about Australian English 🪃, the answers usually are our accent and slang✔️. However, there are also a number of uniquely Australian English words in regular use, even in formal situations, that Australians are surprised to find are not used everywhere else in the English-speaking world (OK, sometimes also in New Zealand🥝, […]
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June 30, 2023
3
min read
Are you a fan of the cult TV comedy show The Office?🕺And which version: the UK one 🇬🇧? The US one 🇺🇸? The French one 🇫🇷? The Indian one 🇮🇳 or any of the other 13 variants made? 📣 News in is that an Australian 🇦🇺 version of The Office will be hitting our screens […]
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June 22, 2023
2
min read
They are chocolate-covered chewy caramels 🍬 that were often so hard to bite into that they kept many dentists in business 🦷. Nothing particularly unique so far, you might think.
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May 29, 2023
2
min read
Do Aussies have "bank holidays" like in the UK? Well, it's complicated
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April 24, 2023
1
min read
Last Saturday Australian 🇦🇺 🎭 comedy legend Barry Humphries passed away aged 89.
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April 12, 2023
2
min read
Now this might sound a bit random but this is something you’ll hear all the time, in all places, in department stores in Australia. How come?
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April 11, 2023
3
min read
Eshays and Adlays: the latest bunch of Pig-Latin-speaking, Nike-wearing young bogans (vilified poor working-class people) to cause massive moral panic in Australia 🇦🇺
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April 7, 2023
2
min read
Bunnies are considered cute and loveable… except in Australia 🇦🇺, where they’re a major scourge🤬.
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March 28, 2023
1
min read
Have you unwittingly done a hand gesture that meant something completely different in another country? Here’s a true story…
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March 10, 2023
3
min read
Calisthenics is a form of body strength training worldwide. Not in Australia though, where "calisthenics" has a completely different meaning.
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January 24, 2023
2
min read
Something Australian (but no way uniquely) today…Do you fancy an escape from the rat race and going for a seachange 🌊, treechange 🌳 or e-change 💻?
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May 20, 2026
2
min read
Two years ago I attained the highest qualification for translators, Chartered Linguist. And I'm the only one in the UK for the languages I work from.
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May 5, 2026
1
min read
How come Macedonian Language Day is on 5 May, and what strict rule makes spoken Macedonian sound so distinct?
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April 29, 2026
17
min read
What happens when our listeners can't understand what's supposed to be "their" language? The battle between standard languages and their dialects.
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January 6, 2026
2
min read
Секоја година пред празникот се појавува истата дилема: Која форма е „помакедонска“? Еве го одговорот базиран на истражувањата на проф. д-р Елка Јачева-Улчар.
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December 21, 2025
2
min read
Many in the Anglosphere have a strong opinion about what greeting to use now in December. But in the Balkans, the default has been "Happy Holidays" for decades. Here are the reasons why.
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December 12, 2025
11
min read
How come in some Balkan countries there is no simple word for "cheese"... and how two distinct types of cheese came to monopolise these markets.
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December 10, 2025
2
min read
"Region" has different meanings in different places. In the countries of ex-Yugoslavia, "region" means something very particular. Do you know what?
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November 24, 2025
1
min read
It's the little things that can cause the biggest misunderstandings. Which one is very common in Balkan translations? Find out ere
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August 22, 2025
3
min read
Are you up for a crazy coupon where you're strutting your stuff on the "dancing"? Perhaps you're a "labour" or a "gender"? A sneak peak into some Bulgarian linguistic false friends
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August 18, 2025
2
min read
Ever seen a notice or ad in a public place written so badly that you've wanted to grab a pen and make corrections? Well, someone did on a Croatian tram. Here's the story...
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August 11, 2025
5
min read
After many decades of Yugoslav rule, Albanian spoken in Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro has some Serbo-Croatian words, but particularly in certain areas. Which ones? And why is this not unique?
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July 6, 2025
2
min read
Did Dolly get the words wrong here? No, in ex-Yugoslavia the average work day is a bit different. Find out why here...
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July 3, 2025
10
min read
There once was one "Serbo-Croatian" but now there are four near-identical languages. Can we still use the term "Serbo-Croatian"? Well, it could cost you dearly...
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June 12, 2025
8
min read
Do you know your deficit from a kupon? Or are you up for joining a brigada? How many aspects and language from communist Bulgaria are still relevant today, but sometimes with a twist.
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May 30, 2025
5
min read
Or is it? On International Day of the Potato, let's look into one of Türkiye's most favourite street foods, and how the Balkans have the Austrians and Germans to thank for the apple, or pear, of the ground.
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May 24, 2025
3
min read
Today commemorates the saints who brought literacy to the speakers of Slavic languages, and symbolises the shared roots of all Slavic nations and languages.
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May 9, 2025
2
min read
A new pope comes with a new name. But which is the correct one in languages other than English?
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April 27, 2025
2
min read
The way you can refer to age in ex-Yugoslavia is different than in English – they have to make you a year and decade older!
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April 10, 2025
2
min read
That's quite a list of languages I translate from, but that doesn't mean I translate from every language in Eastern Europe, no matter how similar they may seem even in name...
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February 20, 2025
4
min read
International Mother Language Day and Global Language Advocacy Day are on! So what do I consider to be my 'mother languages' and why one of them is under threat...
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February 10, 2025
3
min read
The time when a person working for a translation company that bills itself to clients as an 'expert in languages' thought I knew Latin. Spoiler: I don't. So why did this happen and why does this have a link to Serbian? All revealed here.
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February 8, 2025
6
min read
I translate into English from all Southern Slavic languages except one. Sorry, I can't do Slovenian. Here's my apology.
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December 24, 2024
1
min read
Do you know your Krizmoz from your Bozhik? How some Orthodox Christians in diaspora communities differentiate between the two Christmases.
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November 29, 2024
4
min read
3 decades have passed since it officially ceased to exist but I still get requests to translate from Serbo-Croatian. How come?
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November 24, 2024
2
min read
Yet another accreditation...
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November 22, 2024
4
min read
There are words that are the same in Hindi and Urdu as in Croatian and Romanian?! How can this be? Find out here...
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October 23, 2024
6
min read
Does DeepL live up to its claim of being "the world's most accurate translator" when it comes to Aussie English? Get ready for some zingers!
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October 20, 2024
5
min read
Let's see how Turkish has influenced the languages of the Balkans and further afield. Bujrum!
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October 17, 2024
3
min read
Where the translation gets undone because just because a word looks the same in another language, it doesn't necessarily means the same.
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August 28, 2023
2
min read
Watch out for the killer squirrels! 🐿️ We’re very much in “silly season” right now in the UK 🤪
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August 25, 2023
3
min read
So who’s having a “crazy coupon” this weekend? 🎉 Wait!✋ A crazy coupon?🎟️😲 What’s that?
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August 22, 2023
2
min read
Did you hear about the man who collects “old-timers”? 👴🏽 Or that Frank Sinatra has many “evergreens”? 🌲
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June 26, 2023
1
min read
How do you say in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin or Serbian this: “Up there, the mountains burn worse”?👉 Gore gore gore gore.
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March 29, 2023
3
min read
I’m about to fly off to Australia transiting through Munich Airport 🇩🇪 … so I’m preparing myself to be ready to speak in “naš jezik” (“our language”).
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March 22, 2023
2
min read
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts today, but how do you call the month? A case of local vs global of different circumstances
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June 23, 2026
12
min read
A family history of exile, a tsar's comeback as a 21st-century prime minister, and how it all ends with his daughter trending for her muscular arms. Welcome to the stage, the Bulgarian Royal Family.
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June 15, 2026
13
min read
A government-backed parade, a tolerated Pride, and the fiction of democratic balance and the "traditional family" in the Balkans.
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June 14, 2026
2
min read
Move over the Donald! There's someone else grander who has her birthday today too. But the similarities don't end there...
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June 8, 2026
12
min read
Why the tradition for big weddings in Bulgaria is no longer the case... and why graduation balls and festivities have taken their place.
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May 26, 2026
1
min read
Socialist Yugoslavia always treated the Hajj and the participation of its citizens with care – they could come back with concepts that could bring the system down. But a Hajji in 1972 brought back something far more dangerous – a killer virus.
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May 21, 2026
10
min read
Who needs real evidence? Where the Balkan thing for bread and circuses, and claiming everyone and anyone as they're own, collide. Plus, I reveal Lady Gaga's alleged Balkan roots!
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May 15, 2026
21
min read
Disposable, easy pop with a local flavour and pleasing to the eye. You'd think turbo folk/chalga would be ideal for Eurovision, but you won't be seeing it on the big stage. How come...?
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May 13, 2026
3
min read
Croatia's dark ethnic ballad entry for Eurovision 2026 has gained many fans across Europe. But the song is problematic in some aspects...
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May 6, 2026
12
min read
Did you know the most recognisable face of socialist Yugoslavia after Tito was of a Roma furnace worker from Bosnia? But many ex-Yugoslavs think it's another Bosnian. Here are their stories...
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May 1, 2026
19
min read
Who's up for a picnic? It's time for bean soup. How Tito's Yugoslavia celebrated the "holiday of labour" and what changed over time and what didn't. Oh, and there's that time I got punched.
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April 27, 2026
3
min read
How video casettes illegally smuggled from the west caused Bulgarians and Romanians to question their communist system in the 1980s. And how are James Bond movies treated in Bulgaria...
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April 25, 2026
1
min read
The migrant dream: arrive, succeed, then explain why everyone arriving after you is a threat to civilisation – Sami Shah
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April 23, 2026
2
min read
The book that launched my career as a Balkans sensitivity and authenticity reader is back, updated and bigger than ever!
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April 22, 2026
2
min read
So Lenin was one of the world's most prominent revolutionaries, but his legacy lasts by way of... first names and spring cleaning? All is explained here.
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April 18, 2026
7
min read
The aspects of Bulgarian elections that no-one else talks about. And what does Chalga have to say about it? All aboard the 'Bulgarian train'. Toot, toot!
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April 10, 2026
1
min read
Yes, it's that time of year again, and I'm glad to say that the eggs turned out great this year.
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April 8, 2026
2
min read
Today is International Romani Day. Note, not 'Gypsy'. Why this is not the most appropriate term, and how ethnic labels can be complicated.
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April 7, 2026
2
min read
Famous Bulgarian folk singer and member of the world-famous Trio Bulgarka, Yanka Rupkina, has died. Here is her extraordinary life.
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April 4, 2026
3
min read
The weekend before Easter in Balkan Orthodox Christian societies sees major celebrations for the coming of spring, steeped in pagan origins.
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April 2, 2026
14
min read
How I transitioned from listener to being listened. But first, let's bring in some music. 1990s Macedonian Turbofolk anyone? And what was the (surprising) word we couldn't mention?
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March 23, 2026
12
min read
50 years ago today started the service I loathed as a child... but became my ticket to my future. The crazy yet wonderful world of ethnic, and particularly "Yugoslav", radio in Adelaide, Australia.
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January 30, 2026
2
min read
Legendary Macedonian folk singer Kostadinka Palazova has passed away. Her life has been dedicated to keeping the songs of her birthplace alive in the face of official bans, ethnic cleansing and life in exile.
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January 2, 2026
1
min read
Big issue of the day – what coin do you use for your lucky-coin Christmas tradition? It matters to many in the Balkans AND Australia
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December 21, 2025
2
min read
Many in the Anglosphere have a strong opinion about what greeting to use now in December. But in the Balkans, the default has been "Happy Holidays" for decades. Here are the reasons why.
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December 19, 2025
2
min read
It's a pretty big day in some Orthodox Christian parts of the Balkans – St Nicholas Day. But how come it's happening 13 days after the rest of the world? And what are you not supposed to do today?
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November 29, 2025
3
min read
It's been decades since Yugoslavia's national day was a public holiday but it's still commemorated, albeit online by a rock song from the 1980s
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November 23, 2025
3
min read
One of the biggest Turbofolk stars in the Balkans is arrested again, but greater focus is on the venue. Have the lessons from the Pulse nightclub fire been learnt?
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November 20, 2025
16
min read
A broom, a forbidden kitchen item for religious holidays, a secret book in Old Church Slavonic, and the colour photo that made my cousin cry. How objects play a vital role in shaping identities.
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October 13, 2025
17
min read
This is not your usual story. It's about a Balkan song's unlikely journey from obscurity to ultra-right-wing rallying call.
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October 7, 2025
3
min read
And it's not pretty. Actually, best avoid Tuesdays in the Balkans for your own good. Find out why here...
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September 15, 2025
10
min read
[Balkan Nation] + [Protector/Benefactor Superpower] = Inflated Number/Prowess. How some Balkan nations feel the need to prop up their numbers to show how “big” they are. But not everything that the slogans say is what it seems…
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August 30, 2025
10
min read
The story of Sister Milka, the Serbian mother who went viral claiming her son had to wear a dress to school in Germany. But was she telling the truth?
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July 30, 2025
10
min read
What happened the first time I was in 4 countries in 24 hours. Bus, trains, automobiles... and a bizarre interrogation!
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July 21, 2025
12
min read
44 years later and the death of Lyudmila Zhivkova, the ambitious, high-profile daughter of Bulgaria’s paramount leader Todor Zhivkov, continues to enthral the Bulgarian public. Who was Lyudmila Zhivkova and why is her death still subject to intense speculation?
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July 9, 2025
10
min read
This small-town boy from a prestigious Muslim family shook the Yugoslav Neo-Folk music scene in the 1970s. But he had more than dark sunglasses and long hair to keep the Yugoslav showbiz columns busy.
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July 6, 2025
2
min read
Did Dolly get the words wrong here? No, in ex-Yugoslavia the average work day is a bit different. Find out why here...
Read more
June 15, 2025
3
min read
Belgrade has new street signs with awkward translations... and people are laughing. Find out why translating street names is not a good idea.
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June 4, 2025
13
min read
Like virtual elephants in the room, the empty houses of emigrants throughout the Balkans are testimony to belonging, (no) return, nostalgia, "success"... and inat!
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May 30, 2025
5
min read
Or is it? On International Day of the Potato, let's look into one of Türkiye's most favourite street foods, and how the Balkans have the Austrians and Germans to thank for the apple, or pear, of the ground.
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May 16, 2025
3
min read
Many (western European) Eurovision fans like seeing the contest as being in the forefront of social change and liberal politics. But is Eurovision a reliable benchmark for these?
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May 13, 2025
6
min read
That ultimate of Eurovision tropes! But is it really 'political' voting? Not in the Balkans...
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May 12, 2025
2
min read
Garth Cartwright's award-winning book about the talented Roma music stars of the Balkans is getting a re-release!
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May 1, 2025
3
min read
Southeast Europe is clocking out for the next days. Here's why...
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April 27, 2025
2
min read
The way you can refer to age in ex-Yugoslavia is different than in English – they have to make you a year and decade older!
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April 18, 2025
8
min read
If there is anything that I do for Easter, then it's dye eggs. It has a special significance for me that transcends any religious aspect.
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February 16, 2025
2
min read
How my experience growing up Balkan in Australia has provided valuable knowledge to others.
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February 13, 2025
5
min read
14 February in Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia means having to choose between love or wine. How come?
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February 8, 2025
6
min read
I translate into English from all Southern Slavic languages except one. Sorry, I can't do Slovenian. Here's my apology.
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January 6, 2025
5
min read
Today is a big day in southeast Europe, but depending on the country it's either Christmas Eve or Epiphany. Which ones for which? Find out here...
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December 31, 2024
5
min read
There's always one thing each year that stands out in my travels, and this year it was accidently discovering the huge gastarbeiter houses of eastern Serbia
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December 22, 2024
11
min read
22 December was Yugoslav People's Day. Here are some notes about the topics raised in this research, my personal connection to the former JNA and how its legacy lives on in the memories and legends of millions.
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December 4, 2024
3
min read
Some societies take them very seriously, some not so much. Find out more here...
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October 20, 2024
5
min read
Let's see how Turkish has influenced the languages of the Balkans and further afield. Bujrum!
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October 6, 2024
1
min read
How thanks to the Albanians, a Latin American cake conquered the Balkans.
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September 6, 2024
2
min read
Did you know that people regularly contact me to identify text they can't decipher. That's what happens when I know a number of languages.
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July 30, 2024
4
min read
How the life and death of a popular chalga singer embodied the nature of post-Communist Bulgaria
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July 4, 2024
5
min read
Vote-count competitions between rival cities? How a mundane sausage in generic white bread is the epitome of mass democratic participation in Australia. And why a Bulgarian train is not a train. The weird world of election traditions.
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August 22, 2023
2
min read
Did you hear about the man who collects “old-timers”? 👴🏽 Or that Frank Sinatra has many “evergreens”? 🌲
Read more
March 22, 2023
2
min read
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan starts today, but how do you call the month? A case of local vs global of different circumstances
Read more
March 8, 2023
1
min read
🪃 In Australia, IWD is a day of campaigning and awareness, elements that are much closer to the day’s original purpose of bringing mainstream attention to issues affecting women.
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March 6, 2023
2
min read
Do you know what to do with hugging and cheek-kissing in southeast Europe? Do you know which countries kiss twice and others three times?
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February 1, 2023
1
min read
The latest book that I played a part in its fruition (no, I’m not in it this time), by my dear friend, the award-winning writer Kapka Kassabova, is now available for purchase.
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July 27, 2025
3
min read
Bilinguals and multilinguals do muddle their languages at times. But sometimes we might say something by accident... and it turns out to be the perfect response.
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May 17, 2025
8
min read
Eurovision likes to portray itself as in the forefront of social inclusion and diversity. However, the title of a Maltese song showed that there's only so far this goes.
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May 10, 2025
3
min read
Ahoy, me hearties! What may appear as a community service actually serves to undermine the supposed primary purpose of such language provision.
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February 7, 2025
4
min read
Children who interpret for their family members who do not know the local language are often portrayed as heroes. But what do these children think?
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November 22, 2024
4
min read
There are words that are the same in Hindi and Urdu as in Croatian and Romanian?! How can this be? Find out here...
Read more
September 6, 2024
2
min read
Did you know that people regularly contact me to identify text they can't decipher. That's what happens when I know a number of languages.
Read more
August 23, 2023
3
min read
Surprising as it may be, I was once a child, but one who happened to grow up in a multilingual environment but dominated by English.
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May 20, 2026
2
min read
Two years ago I attained the highest qualification for translators, Chartered Linguist. And I'm the only one in the UK for the languages I work from.
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May 14, 2026
1
min read
Is there any truth that knowing another language eliminates any chance of you being a bigot?
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December 17, 2025
2
min read
A classic case of how poor subtitles can fail a film. 'Good enough' is never good enough.
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November 24, 2025
1
min read
It's the little things that can cause the biggest misunderstandings. Which one is very common in Balkan translations? Find out ere
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August 18, 2025
2
min read
Ever seen a notice or ad in a public place written so badly that you've wanted to grab a pen and make corrections? Well, someone did on a Croatian tram. Here's the story...
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July 14, 2025
2
min read
Why such requests are unethical and potentially dangerous for patients
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June 15, 2025
3
min read
Belgrade has new street signs with awkward translations... and people are laughing. Find out why translating street names is not a good idea.
Read more
June 5, 2025
1
min read
The fascinating story of how the first Macedonian-English dictionary in Australia was formed, and what went in and what went out.
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May 9, 2025
2
min read
A new pope comes with a new name. But which is the correct one in languages other than English?
Read more
April 27, 2025
2
min read
The way you can refer to age in ex-Yugoslavia is different than in English – they have to make you a year and decade older!
Read more
April 15, 2025
3
min read
Welcome to the murky world of AI contamination and GIGO
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April 10, 2025
2
min read
That's quite a list of languages I translate from, but that doesn't mean I translate from every language in Eastern Europe, no matter how similar they may seem even in name...
Read more
February 10, 2025
3
min read
The time when a person working for a translation company that bills itself to clients as an 'expert in languages' thought I knew Latin. Spoiler: I don't. So why did this happen and why does this have a link to Serbian? All revealed here.
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February 10, 2025
5
min read
February 2002 was when I did my first paid translation job... and it ended up on TV! Find out how this came about, as well as its connection to Croatian skier Janica Kostelić and Bulgarian footballer Yordan Letchkov
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February 7, 2025
4
min read
Children who interpret for their family members who do not know the local language are often portrayed as heroes. But what do these children think?
Read more
January 30, 2025
3
min read
What's one of the biggest giveaways that a text in English was not written by a native speaker? Find out here with a simple and yet important tip...
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January 8, 2025
3
min read
Some notes on how subtitling is not simply plonking words on a screen
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December 17, 2024
2
min read
To add to that professional touch, I can have your documents stamped with my personalised round stamp.
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December 4, 2024
3
min read
Some societies take them very seriously, some not so much. Find out more here...
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November 29, 2024
4
min read
3 decades have passed since it officially ceased to exist but I still get requests to translate from Serbo-Croatian. How come?
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November 24, 2024
2
min read
Yet another accreditation...
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November 22, 2024
4
min read
There are words that are the same in Hindi and Urdu as in Croatian and Romanian?! How can this be? Find out here...
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October 23, 2024
6
min read
Does DeepL live up to its claim of being "the world's most accurate translator" when it comes to Aussie English? Get ready for some zingers!
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October 15, 2024
2
min read
A cautionary tale about how human behaviour overrides data
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September 29, 2024
3
min read
How the Ottoman Empire granted its translators and interpreters, the Dragomans, with respect and status.
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August 21, 2024
1
min read
Why you shouldn't trust automated translation on LinkedIn or anywhere else. And are the Macedonians being targeted?
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June 26, 2023
2
min read
👍The best thing about being a freelance translator is being able to work at any place at any time. 👎The worst thing about being a freelancer translator is being able to work at any place at any time.
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April 26, 2023
3
min read
Republic of Serbia 🇷🇸, Republic of Croatia 🇭🇷, Kingdom of Norway 🇳🇴, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 🇬🇧, Oriental Republic of Uruguay 🇺🇾, Plurinational State of Bolivia 🇧🇴 …
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May 22, 2026
2
min read
Have you heard of Muphry's Law? No, it's not Murphy's Law, and if you thought that it was, then that's Muphry's Law. Confusing? Well, time to clear it up...
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May 14, 2026
1
min read
Is there any truth that knowing another language eliminates any chance of you being a bigot?
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February 21, 2026
2
min read
To show why mother languages matter, here's my story how educators in Australia tried stopping my parents speaking to me in my mother language.
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February 9, 2026
15
min read
Think you can say vile things about the people around you because hardly anyone speaks your language? Think again! Because when you least suspect it, there'll be someone who does understand...
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December 26, 2025
17
min read
Australia's unique multicultural broadcaster, SBS, turned 50 in 2025. Here's an insight into what SBS was like in the 1980s and how it enriched Australia, all of its people... and me.
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August 22, 2025
3
min read
Are you up for a crazy coupon where you're strutting your stuff on the "dancing"? Perhaps you're a "labour" or a "gender"? A sneak peak into some Bulgarian linguistic false friends
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August 20, 2025
2
min read
Oil, banking, jewelry, optics, radio broadcasting, hard spirits... Nik does it all! But do I really?
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August 11, 2025
5
min read
After many decades of Yugoslav rule, Albanian spoken in Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro has some Serbo-Croatian words, but particularly in certain areas. Which ones? And why is this not unique?
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July 27, 2025
3
min read
Bilinguals and multilinguals do muddle their languages at times. But sometimes we might say something by accident... and it turns out to be the perfect response.
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July 3, 2025
10
min read
There once was one "Serbo-Croatian" but now there are four near-identical languages. Can we still use the term "Serbo-Croatian"? Well, it could cost you dearly...
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May 10, 2025
3
min read
Ahoy, me hearties! What may appear as a community service actually serves to undermine the supposed primary purpose of such language provision.
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February 20, 2025
4
min read
International Mother Language Day and Global Language Advocacy Day are on! So what do I consider to be my 'mother languages' and why one of them is under threat...
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January 8, 2025
3
min read
Some notes on how subtitling is not simply plonking words on a screen
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November 19, 2024
3
min read
India and Australia have common bonds that go beyond a passion for cricket. Here are a few words that Indian and Australian English uniquely share...
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October 15, 2024
2
min read
A cautionary tale about how human behaviour overrides data
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October 14, 2024
1
min read
It may come as a surprise but it's not just in French...
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September 6, 2024
2
min read
Did you know that people regularly contact me to identify text they can't decipher. That's what happens when I know a number of languages.
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October 23, 2023
2
min read
We all know how some translations can be so bad that they’re unintentionally hilarious, like the viral examples from Engrish.com...
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September 14, 2023
1
min read
Working in IT? 👩🏻💻 Would you call yourself an IT-ian, Hitechist or Startupist?
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August 28, 2023
2
min read
Watch out for the killer squirrels! 🐿️ We’re very much in “silly season” right now in the UK 🤪
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August 26, 2023
2
min read
Did you know that Tina Turner has been one of the biggest contributors to Australian culture? 🦘 Honestly, her impact has been huge! Here’s how…
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August 24, 2023
2
min read
Two more language directions have been added to my Institute of Translation and Interpreting profile
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August 23, 2023
2
min read
Would you believe that the names of all these famous products are the cause for the deadlock in the free-trade agreement negotiations between the EU 🇪🇺 and Australia 🇦🇺. How come?
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August 21, 2023
5
min read
🟰 Words that look the same or similar in two languages but have two, at times radically, different meanings are called “false friends”.
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May 30, 2023
1
min read
Translation can often be a very sedentary existence, plugging away in front of a laptop, with little or no face-to-face contact with clients👨🏻💻
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February 4, 2026
2
min read
Even after being cured of cancer and remission is over, there's still the threat of it coming back for around go. What to do with a new cancer scare?
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February 3, 2025
3
min read
What's one constant when it comes to the cancer experience? It's the gallows humour. Yes, it gets very, very dark. Why is this so?
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September 15, 2024
2
min read
And I know because of an annual procedure a work colleague advised me to do...
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June 14, 2024
5
min read
The story of how I found out by chance that I no longer had cancer
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June 11, 2026
1
min read
25 years ago today I left my birthplace Australia for what should have been a few years. I had no idea then that it would be permanent...
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May 20, 2026
2
min read
Two years ago I attained the highest qualification for translators, Chartered Linguist. And I'm the only one in the UK for the languages I work from.
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April 29, 2026
17
min read
What happens when our listeners can't understand what's supposed to be "their" language? The battle between standard languages and their dialects.
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April 26, 2026
2
min read
Some memories of the after-effects of Chernobyl on
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April 25, 2026
11
min read
Parades, dawn services, two-up, biscuits... What you need to know about Australia (and New Zealand's) veteran's day. Plus, why the day is more important to some Aussies than others.
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April 22, 2026
2
min read
So Lenin was one of the world's most prominent revolutionaries, but his legacy lasts by way of... first names and spring cleaning? All is explained here.
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April 10, 2026
1
min read
Yes, it's that time of year again, and I'm glad to say that the eggs turned out great this year.
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April 2, 2026
14
min read
How I transitioned from listener to being listened. But first, let's bring in some music. 1990s Macedonian Turbofolk anyone? And what was the (surprising) word we couldn't mention?
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March 23, 2026
12
min read
50 years ago today started the service I loathed as a child... but became my ticket to my future. The crazy yet wonderful world of ethnic, and particularly "Yugoslav", radio in Adelaide, Australia.
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February 21, 2026
2
min read
To show why mother languages matter, here's my story how educators in Australia tried stopping my parents speaking to me in my mother language.
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February 10, 2026
1
min read
When you find footage of yourself as a child by accident on the net, and then find out it was shown on national TV!
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February 9, 2026
15
min read
Think you can say vile things about the people around you because hardly anyone speaks your language? Think again! Because when you least suspect it, there'll be someone who does understand...
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February 4, 2026
2
min read
Even after being cured of cancer and remission is over, there's still the threat of it coming back for around go. What to do with a new cancer scare?
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December 31, 2025
17
min read
Cosplayers in Guangzhou, a Balkan restaurant in Kenya, a surprising Macedonian city and tears of joy and pain. The highlights of my travels in 2025
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December 24, 2025
1
min read
There's one tradition I've been doing on Christmas Eve since I was an ankle-biter. What is it?
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November 20, 2025
16
min read
A broom, a forbidden kitchen item for religious holidays, a secret book in Old Church Slavonic, and the colour photo that made my cousin cry. How objects play a vital role in shaping identities.
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October 14, 2025
1
min read
Off to the beach? Avoid the snakes and sharks? No... something completely different but expected from me.
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August 20, 2025
2
min read
Oil, banking, jewelry, optics, radio broadcasting, hard spirits... Nik does it all! But do I really?
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July 16, 2025
3
min read
What can I say? How I learnt what makes Australian English what it is by simple communication and more. And what are the two things most native English speakers don't realise?
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July 7, 2025
10
min read
Every Londoner has their story about what happened 20 years ago today when London's lifeline, the Tube, was bombed. To keep the memory alive, here is my story of that day
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June 17, 2025
3
min read
Refugee Week is a time to reflect on the plight of refugees. And no, no one wants to be one! Here are the personal stories of refugees in my family.
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April 24, 2025
6
min read
Yes, I've hit the big 5-0, the half century, the gold anniversary. This is what I got up to...
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April 18, 2025
8
min read
If there is anything that I do for Easter, then it's dye eggs. It has a special significance for me that transcends any religious aspect.
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February 20, 2025
4
min read
International Mother Language Day and Global Language Advocacy Day are on! So what do I consider to be my 'mother languages' and why one of them is under threat...
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February 17, 2025
4
min read
The blog is expanding to a new platform and new audiences
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February 16, 2025
2
min read
How my experience growing up Balkan in Australia has provided valuable knowledge to others.
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February 10, 2025
5
min read
February 2002 was when I did my first paid translation job... and it ended up on TV! Find out how this came about, as well as its connection to Croatian skier Janica Kostelić and Bulgarian footballer Yordan Letchkov
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November 24, 2024
2
min read
Yet another accreditation...
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July 26, 2024
3
min read
At 4:17 am on 26 July 1963, Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, was almost fully destroyed in an earthquake measuring 6.1, killing thousands.
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July 17, 2024
3
min read
The story of one of the freakiest things to have happened to me, involving what a Russian dedushka told me in Estonia and what later happened soon after I arrived in Ukraine.
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June 20, 2024
3
min read
World Refugee Day today. What would you if this happened to you?
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June 1, 2023
1
min read
🎉 50 years ago today, the Adelaide Festival Centre, the premier performing and visual arts venue and precinct in Adelaide, Australia, opened. The centre to this day remains one of the symbols of Adelaide. 🇦🇺
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July 28, 2025
1
min read
Have you ever seen a name of a shopping mall where they got it so right... or so wrong? Here are two examples: one win and one fail...
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info@nicknasev.com
Contact me with the details of your text at info@nicknasev.com