Balkan Sis

In this deeply personal and grounding episode of Balkan Sis Podcast , I sit down with Dunja , founder of Earth Magic Medicine , to explore lineage, loss, identity, motherhood, and what it truly means to become ourselves after everything we’ve lived through. Born in Sisak then moving to Vukovar and shaped by displacement, migration, and survival, Dunja shares her story from early childhood through...

In this final episode of 2025, I sit alone at the mic and reflect on a year that asked more of me than I ever imagined. I talk openly about burnout and healing, motherhood, culture and tradition, and what the festive season looks like when life has reshaped you. I share how living alongside the effects of cancer within our family changed our priorities, tested our strength, and forced us to slow d...

Part 2 of my conversation with filmmaker and photographer Harun Mehmedinović , we move beyond survival and into responsibility. This episode focuses on memory, truth and what is asked of us once we know what has happened. Harun and I speak about the ongoing impact of genocide denial, the erasure of historical sites in Bosnia, and why language matters when telling the truth about violence. We explo...

In Part 1 of this conversation, I sit down with filmmaker, photographer and Sarajevo siege survivor Harun Mehmedinović to explore what survival teaches us about life, memory and meaning. We talk about Harun’s childhood in Sarajevo before the war, the moment survival replaced innocence, and how those early experiences shaped his inner world. Together, we reflect on family, ritual, fireflies, migrat...

Health, heritage & cancer at 33: Monica’s story In this raw and deeply personal episode of Balkan Sis , I sit down with Monica Ackermann , a 33-year-old Croatian-Australian woman living in Split, Croatia — currently navigating life with stage 4 colon cancer . This conversation is close to my heart. After my nephew Luka’s leukemia diagnosis, cancer has become more than a word — it’s real, it’s...

🎧 A soulful and uplifting conversation exploring Greek roots, modern motherhood, and the beauty of surrender. Mary Sotiropoulos — teacher, author, and creator of The Mum Who Found Her Sparkle shares her reflections after two transformative months in Greece. Her journey is marked by lessons from her yiya, moments of slowing down, and a deeper reconnection to joy and her heritage. Themes of identit...

Balkan Sis Podcast × Marina Young — A Conversation on Legacy, Identity & Healing In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Ivana sits down with Marina Young — singer, songwriter, mother, and storyteller — to explore her journey from childhood in war-torn Bosnia to creating music that transforms grief into beauty. Together they discuss the emotional inspiration behind her song Make It Rain ,...

🎙️ EPISODE: The Artist Is the Child Who Survived This episode of Balkan Sis goes deep — into life, loss, love, and the ways we stay connected when the world around us changes. I talk about the passing of the legendary Halid Bešlić, whose music has been the soundtrack to so many of our lives. As a tribute, I’ve included one of his songs at the end of the episode — a small way to honor his legacy an...

In this special episode of Balkan Sis , I sit down with the brilliant and passionate Petrija , the founder of Studio Petrija a business creating beautiful, bilingual flashcards to help children connect with their cultural heritage through language. Whether you’re a parent, aunty, educator, or just someone who lights up when your child says mama , dida , or volim te , this episode is a powerful rem...

🎙️ Episode: A Conversation with Special Guest Bella In this heartwarming and lighthearted episode, I welcome my 12-year-old niece Bella as a special guest on the podcast. We chat about her plans for the future, what high school feels like, and what it’s been like growing up in a Croatian family. Bella shares her favourite Croatian foods, her thoughts on language, and what goes through her mind whe...

Welcome back to the  Balkan Sis Podcast  — it’s been a minute, and a  lot  has happened. In this solo episode, I catch you up on all the beautiful, heartbreaking, and transformational moments that have shaped the past few months of my life. In this episode, I share: 💫 Welcoming our daughter — and how our planned home birth turned into something completely unexpected. 💔 The passing of my auntie j...

In this episode of Balkan Sis, I dive into a whirlwind of personal updates and reflections. I’m 38 weeks pregnant and preparing for a home birth, while also navigating changes in my life and home. I discuss: - The journey of being so close to welcoming a new baby. - The process of changing my son’s school and renovating our home. - The profound experience of losing my aunt at 63 and writing her eu...

Welcome to Balkanina Unplugged: Life, Love, Therapy, and Creativity (Part 2) ! Hey there, friend! Join us for some real talk and genuine connections. In our cozy corner of the internet, we're diving deep into the stuff that matters – life, love, therapy, and creativity. We're not holding back. We're covering everything from sharing our experiences of breaking those old family habits to...

Welcome to Balkanina Unplugged: Life, Love, Therapy, and Creativity (Part 1) ! Hey there, friend! Join us for some real talk and genuine connections. In our cozy corner of the internet, we're diving deep into the stuff that matters – life, love, therapy, and creativity. We're not holding back. We're covering everything from sharing our experiences of breaking those old family habits to navigating...

Episode Title: SUPRISE! Catch-Up Episode: Where Am I Now & What to Do When You Feel Stuck In this episode, I have some exciting news to share - tune in to find out if it's a boy or a girl! But that's not all; I'll be catching you up on everything that's been happening lately in my life. From personal updates to professional endeavors, we're diving deep into it all. Feeling...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of Balkan Sis! In this episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with the fabulous Balkan baba who brought her love and culture to Australia many years ago. Join us as we delve into her journey, dedicated to the memory of her late husband Kojo, and celebrate overcoming hardships with a virtual shot of rakija. We explore the spiritual messages from loved ones who...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Lepa, the unstoppable force behind Burek on Wheels, a beloved family-run business. Alongside her mother, affectionately known as Baba, Lepa shares her journey from the depths of corporate disillusionment to the heights of entrepreneurial success. We delve into Lepa's personal experience of grief following the passing of her father, tracing her path from m...

Title: Balkan Sis Recap 2023: A Journey Through the Unexpected Hey there, my wonderful Balkan Sis family! As we wrap up the wild ride that was 2023, I'm sitting down to chat about it all—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. **In Our Household:** From the daily adventures in our home to the unexpected twists that kept us on our toes, our family story in 2023 is one for the books. Joi...

Hey, lovely listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Balkan Sis. I'm your host, Ivana, and today is a special episode, but not in the way you might expect. Today, I'm stepping out from behind the mic and into the guest seat on another fantastic podcast. Meeting David Pejčinović-Bailey: That's right, I had the incredible opportunity to be a guest on David Pejčinović-Bailey'...

Welcome to a special episode of Balkan Sis, where we celebrate talent, resilience, and the power of faith. In today's episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Laura Marin, a remarkable Galician singer, online sensation, and an emerging star in the Balkan music scene. With nearly 400,000 followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, Laura has captured the hearts of the diaspora and Ba...

In this episode of "Balkan Sis," we sit down with Cody McLain Brown, a multi-talented author, comedian, lecturer, and a man led by his heart on an extraordinary journey. Cody, the author of two bestselling books, including "Chasing a Croatian Girl," shares his unique insights. With a background in Political Science and as a professor at the University of Zagreb, he bridges cult...

Welcome to Balkan Sis - a heartfelt podcast where we share the most intimate details of our journey together as a couple. In this special episode, "15 Years, 15 Lessons," we delve deep into the essence of being in a relationship, as we celebrate the milestones and lessons that have shaped our love over the past decade and a half. Join us as we take you on a candid and heartwarming explor...

Join us on a deeply moving and enlightening journey with our guest, Jelena Vukalovic, in this captivating two-part episode of Balkan Sis. Jelena is not only an Intuitive Alchemist and Healer Coach but also a remarkable individual with an incredible life story to share. As a nurse during the turbulent times of the former Yugoslav war, Jelena worked tirelessly amidst unimaginable challenges: no elec...

Join us on a deeply moving and enlightening journey with our guest, Jelena Vukalovic, in this captivating two-part episode of Balkan Sis. Jelena is not only an Intuitive Alchemist and Healer Coach but also a remarkable individual with an incredible life story to share. As a nurse during the turbulent times of the former Yugoslav war, Jelena worked tirelessly amidst unimaginable challenges: no elec...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of a delightful conversation with Nikolina Koevska Karoufeh, a multifaceted media producer, presenter, author, and mother of two. Nikolina graciously shared her profound insights into Balkan parenting culture, drawing from her rich Macedonian heritage. We delved into her remarkable journey, where she adeptly navigates the challenges of raising children while pas...