Diaspora diaries
Real stories from the Balkan diaspora about identity, immigration, family, and life between two cultures. Discover the experiences that connect millions of people who proudly carry their roots wherever they go.
The Founders' Edit
Discover the founders' favorite Balkanish gifts and the stories behind them. Find meaningful gift ideas inspired by Balkan culture for birthdays, weddings, Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, housewarmings, baby showers, and every special moment worth celebrating.
Balkan Inspired Recipes
COMING SOON:
Traditional Balkan recipes, family favorites, and timeless comfort foods passed down through generations and adapted for the diaspora. Learn how to make authentic dishes from across the Balkans and bring the flavors of home to your own table.
Balkan Culture
Balkan hospitality, susperstions, and everything in between. Discover the things that unite us, explore the nuances of our cultures, and gain a better understanding of your people and the experiences that shaped them.
Maria's & Danica's Monthly Favorites
What We're Obsessed With in September
Every design we create at Balkanish starts the same way—with a memory. Sometimes it’s a phrase we grew up hearing around the dinner table. Sometimes it’s the feeling of summer back home that stays with us long after it ends. Other times, it’s one of those moments only the Balkan diaspora could ever understand. That’s what makes choosing our favourite pieces each month so difficult. Every design tells a story that’s personal to us. The Founders’ Picks is where we share the pieces we’ve been reaching for most lately—the ones we’re wearing on repeat, packing for our September travels, gifting to friends and family, and spotting throughout our community. These aren’t just our newest releases. They’re the designs that best capture what Balkanish is all about: celebrating our culture, staying connected to our roots, and finding joy in the little things that remind us of home. Whether you’ve been part of the Balkanish community since day one or you’ve just discovered us, we hope September’s picks help you find a piece that feels like your story too. Welcome to the September edition of The Founders’ Picks—we’re so glad you’re here. Danica's Picks: Jebiga Heart Tote Bag If there’s one Balkan word that works in almost every situation, it’s "jebiga". Missed the bus? Jebiga.Burned dinner? Jebiga.Your entire week is one minor inconvenience away from becoming a dumpster fire? Jebiga. You guys have been loving our Jebiga collection, so naturally, we had to keep it going — this time with a design that might be our cutest interpretation yet. Because there’s something very Balkan about acknowledging that everything has gone completely off the rails, shrugging your shoulders, saying jebiga… and carrying on with your day. This tote captures exactly that energy: life happens, laugh about it, move on. Sometimes all you can do is say "jebiga" with a smile. Balkanish Embroidered Snapback Hat You guys have been asking us for more Balkanish-branded pieces, and we’re listening. We originally designed this hat as an everyday essential for the Balkan guys, a classic snapback with a wider silhouette, flat brim, 3D embroidery, and fall-ready colourways that go with pretty much everything. But then we saw the army print…and honestly? It's kind of giving Y2K. If you grew up in the early 2000s era, you KNOW the vibe. Statement hats like Von Dutch, low-rise everything, and Paris Hilton with a bedazzled flip phone saying "that's hot" to everything. The army print in particular is giving us full Y2K glory. Honestly, we could absolutely see 2004 Paris Hilton rocking something like this. So yes, we designed it with the guys in mind. But are we stealing it from them? Also yes Balkan Camp Unisex Hoodie Honestly, I have no idea if camping is as big in the Balkans as it is here in Canada and the U.S. — you guys might have to let me know in the comments. But Balkanish has always been about bringing a little bit of your roots into whatever your everyday life looks like for you. And for a lot of us in the diaspora, fall means camping. Although I have a feeling Balkan camping looks a little different. We’re not just roasting marshmallows. We roast ćevapi instead of hotdogs, have enough food to feed the neighbouring three campsites, someone definitely brought homemade rakija, and if you’re camping with a big enough Balkan crew… seeing a whole pig roasting over the fire wouldn’t exactly shock me. Hence the fine print on this design: “Where we don’t just roast marshmallows. We roast pig.” The Balkan Camp Hoodie is warm, soft, unisex, and made for cool nights around the fire. Bonus points if you come home and the smell of bonfire is permanently embedded in the fibres. That’s how you know you camped correctly. Maria's Picks: Balkan State of Mind Notebook I have a feeling this is going to be the notebook you see me carrying around for a very long time. This is one of our newest designs, and I fell in love with it pretty much immediately. I love the colours that stand out on the black background, and especially the florals. Balkan floral motifs have so much history and tradition behind them, and I love finding ways to take inspiration from them and turn them into something that feels completely modern and fresh. There’s also something about September that always makes me want to get organized again. New notebooks, new lists, new ideas, and at least a brief attempt at convincing myself that I suddenly have my entire life together. So naturally, this has become my new favourite notebook. It’s colourful, a little unexpected, very Balkanish, and makes even my never-ending to-do lists feel a little more fun. Mentally in the Balkans Phone Case Lately, I’ve been very into monochrome colour combinations, so this case immediately became one of my favourites from our new Mentally in the Balkans collection. But I think I love the words even more than the design itself, because they capture a feeling I know very well. When you grow up between two worlds, I don’t think you’re ever completely in just one of them. I can be going about a completely normal day in Canada and suddenly find myself thinking about Romania. A song, a food, a conversation, or sometimes absolutely nothing at all can make my mind wander back home. I think a lot of us in the diaspora know that feeling. You build a life somewhere new, but the place you came from continues to live alongside it. La Piață Market Tote Bag This one will always have a special place in my heart. Our “At the Market” tote bag was actually one of the very first designs we created and one of the first products we launched when we started Balkanish. Seeing it now instantly takes me back to those early days when everything was new and we were figuring out what Balkanish could become. I also love that, years later, it’s still a bag I genuinely reach for. With farmers’ market season in full swing, mine is coming with me to every single one. There’s something about walking around with a bag that says La Piață while filling it with tomatoes, fresh bread, flowers, and whatever else I definitely didn’t plan on buying that just feels right. It may be one of our oldest designs, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it. Sometimes the pieces that have been there since the beginning end up meaning the most. ________ These pieces are what Maria and Danica are loving most right now at Balkanish — inspired by the culture, humor, and little moments that make being Balkan feel like home, no matter where you live. Whether you’re part of the diaspora or simply connected to the culture, we hope these picks make you smile, spark a memory, or feel a little closer to home. Check back next month for the next Founder’s Edit.
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What We're Obsessed With in August
Looking for the best Balkan-inspired gifts, Balkan apparel, or meaningful ways to celebrate your roots? You're in the right place. Every design we create at Balkanish starts with something real—a memory, a family tradition, an inside joke, or a moment only the Balkan diaspora could understand. From the phrases we grew up hearing around the dinner table to the excitement of flying back home each summer, our collections are inspired by the culture that continues to connect us, wherever we live. Each month, we put together The Founders' Picks—a curated collection of the pieces we're genuinely loving, wearing, gifting, and packing in our own suitcases. These are the hoodies, graphic tees, mugs, hats, tumblers, and accessories that best represent what it means to be Balkan(ish): carrying your roots with you while building a life somewhere else. Whether you're shopping for yourself or searching for the perfect gift for a Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Romanian, Albanian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Slovenian, Montenegrin, or Kosovar friend or family member, we hope this month's edit helps you find something that feels like home. Because your culture deserves to be celebrated every day, not just when you visit home. Welcome to the August Founders' Edit. ❤️ Danica's Picks: Balkan Šljivovica & Sunshine Women's Crewneck I know, I'm biased. I love all our designs... but come on. What's more iconic than šljivovica? I'll wait... If you've ever sipped homemade šljivo on a hot summer afternoon or in the village after the sun went down, this crewneck is for you. If your dida, deda, or komšija proudly makes "the best rakija" every year, this is for you. And if you've ever picked fresh plums straight from the tree and thought, these are going to make some dangerous rakija, this has your name written allover it. This is one of those sweaters you throw in your suitcase "just in case" it gets chilly and somehow end up wearing every evening. Perfect for bonfires, late-night walks, mountain air, or even just errands Fair warning: people are going to ask where you got it. Get used to saying, "It's from Balkanish." Balkan Beach Babe Towel Let's be honest, every Balkan girl has secretly wanted to be a mermaid at some point. Maybe it was after spending 12 hours at the beach, refusing to get out of the water until your parents threatened to leave without you. Maybe it was because you were convinced the Adriatic had magical powers. Either way, this design was inspired by that feeling. This beach towel is made for the kind of girl who spends all day in the sea, survives on burek and iced coffee, and still shows up to dinner looking effortlessly put together. This is one of our original hand-drawn illustrations, every detail was drawn from scratch to capture the Balkan Beach Babe energy. Whether you're claiming the best spot on the beach or counting down the days until your next trip to the Adriatic, this towel was made to come with you. You can also find this design on our matching 40 oz tumbler. You Are My Summer Women's Crop Top If you were in Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, or pretty much anywhere in the Balkans in 2012, you know the song. You know the words. You know the feeling. This cropped tee was designed to capture that exact summer energy. "Moje Leto" became my soundtrack this year. It followed me everywhere from Belgrade to Novi Sad to the beaches of Greece—playing on repeat from morning until night. But for me, that summer was never about summer flings or chasing boys. My real summer love was spending every day with my favourite cousins and friends, making the kind of memories you still laugh about years later. Whatever your Balkan summer looks like, this crop top was made for it. From beach days and café hopping to late-night walks through the city and one more drink you definitely weren't planning on having, it's the perfect piece for a summer you'll never want to end. Maria's Picks: Romanian Summer Love Beach Towel If you grew up in Romania in the early 2000s, there’s a good chance you started singing the title before you even finished reading it. Every summer, that song seemed to be playing somewhere. On the drive to the Black Sea from a worn-out cassette tape, or blasting from someone’s casetofon on the beach while everyone was trying to squeeze one more day out of summer. To me, ASIA was, and always will be, Romania’s Spice Girls. And yes... I still know every word. When we were creating this towel, I wanted it to capture that same carefree feeling. Bright, colourful, and full of nostalgia for the summers that somehow felt like they would last forever. This towel isn’t just inspired by a song. It’s inspired by everything that came with it. Long drives, hot beach days, salty hair, sandy feet, and the excitement of knowing you’d wake up and do it all over again the next day. Some songs don’t just remind you of summer. They remind you of being young. The Balkans Are Calling Denim Hat Let's be honest. The Balkans will always be calling my name. I left Romania when I was 11 years old, but a part of me never really left. It's where I spent my childhood, where so many of my favourite memories were made, and where so many of the people I love still are. No matter how much time passes, going back never feels unfamiliar. It just feels like home. That's exactly what inspired this hat. It's simple enough to wear every day, but every time I put it on, it reminds me that no matter where life takes me, there will always be a part of me that's being pulled back to the Balkans. Whether it's the food, the language, the mountains, the beaches, or simply the people waiting for us, I think so many of us in the diaspora know exactly what that feeling is like. That's the beautiful and complicated part of living between two worlds. No matter where you are, one of them is always calling you home. Romanian Noroc Beach Tote Bag One of my favourite parts about designing for Balkanish is taking something completely unexpected and giving it a Balkan twist. When lobsters started taking over fashion this year, we knew we couldn't leave them as they were. So we gave ours a cocktail, taught him how to say "Noroc!", and suddenly he felt right at home. I love that this bag doesn't take itself too seriously. It's colourful, playful, and guaranteed to make someone smile. It's the kind of bag I'd throw over my shoulder for a beach day, a walk along the promenade, or drinks by the water. I hope it's the kind of bag people reach for every summer because it never fails to brighten their day. Some of my favourite designs aren't the most serious ones. They're the ones that make people laugh and think, "Only Balkanish would come up with this." These six pieces are what Maria and Danica are loving most right now at Balkanish — inspired by the culture, humor, and little moments that make being Balkan feel like home, no matter where you live. Whether you’re part of the diaspora or simply connected to the culture, we hope these picks make you smile, spark a memory, or feel a little closer to home. Check back next month for the next Founder’s Edit.
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What We're Obsessed With in July
Every month, Maria and Danica share the Balkanish pieces they’re currently obsessed with — inspired by Balkan culture, nostalgia from back home, and the humor only the diaspora understands.
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FAQ
What is the Balkanish Blog?
What is the Balkanish Blog?
The Balkanish Blog is a collection of stories, recipes, cultural traditions, travel inspiration, founder insights, and diaspora experiences created for people connected to the Balkans. Whether your family comes from Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Albania, Kosovo, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, or elsewhere in the region, our blog explores what it means to celebrate and preserve Balkan heritage around the world.
What topics does the Balkanish Blog cover?
What topics does the Balkanish Blog cover?
The Balkanish Blog covers a wide variety of topics including Balkan recipes, diaspora stories, cultural traditions, language, holidays, travel guides, interviews, founder insights, gift ideas, and everyday experiences of living between two cultures. New articles are published throughout the year to celebrate the many ways Balkan identity continues to evolve across generations.
What is Diaspora Diaries?
What is Diaspora Diaries?
Diaspora Diaries is a storytelling series that shares the experiences of people with Balkan roots living around the world. These articles explore identity, immigration, family traditions, language, community, and what it means to stay connected to your heritage while building a life abroad.
What is The Founder's Edit?
What is The Founder's Edit?
The Founder's Edit offers behind-the-scenes stories from the founders of Balkanish. You'll find product launches, business updates, creative inspiration, lessons learned while building the company, travel experiences, and personal reflections on growing a brand inspired by Balkan culture.
What kind of recipes can I find?
What kind of recipes can I find?
Our Recipes section features traditional Balkan recipes alongside modern family favorites inspired by countries throughout the region. You'll find recipes for comfort foods, desserts, holiday meals, drinks, and everyday dishes that help keep family traditions alive wherever you call home.
Does the blog include articles about Balkan culture?
Does the blog include articles about Balkan culture?
Yes. The Balkanish Blog regularly publishes articles about Balkan culture, customs, traditions, holidays, folklore, history, language, music, and regional celebrations. Our goal is to help readers learn more about the diverse cultures that make up the Balkans while preserving traditions for future generations.
Who writes the articles?
Who writes the articles?
Articles are written by the Balkanish team, guest contributors, members of the Balkan diaspora, and community collaborators. Many stories are inspired by real experiences from people who proudly carry their heritage while living around the world.
Is the blog only for people from the Balkans?
Is the blog only for people from the Balkans?
Not at all. While the blog is created primarily for the Balkan diaspora, anyone interested in Balkan history, food, traditions, travel, language, and culture is welcome. Whether you're reconnecting with your roots, learning about your family's heritage, or simply curious about the region, you'll find something to enjoy.
Which Balkan countries are featured?
Which Balkan countries are featured?
The Balkanish Blog features stories and traditions from across the Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Albania, Kosovo, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and neighboring communities whose cultures have shaped the region.
How often is new content published?
How often is new content published?
New articles are added regularly throughout the year, with additional content published around holidays, cultural celebrations, seasonal traditions, major sporting events, product launches, and community initiatives. We encourage readers to check back often or subscribe to stay updated.