Hey lovely people who stop by, 

I took a break from the blog during the festive days, so I apologize for not being here to wish you a happy New Year immediately on the 1st, or not making a year recap on the 31st... I feel full of energy now so I think I'll still squeeze such posts in, but today I'm just here to say one thing.

Ok, more than one thing. You know I love to talk. Write. Whatevs.

I wish you one thing. Well, besides from being healthy, because that truly is the most important thing (I hope you never find that out yourself). 

That thing is: be happy. Be satisfied. But I'm not blabbering here. Do what you want (as long as it isn't hurting anyone, of course). Change the things you don't like in your life. You may think a lot of stuff are just circumstances, but there's a lot more that depend on you, and on you only. Change your job if you're not happy with the current one. Change your significant other. End relationships with friends that don't feel like friends any more. Read. Read a lot. Spend your time wisely. Save pennies. Quit smoking. Decide who you want to be this year, and work towards it. Every day. Work hard. Work a little. Just work.

And be happy. Have a good life.

I wish you a very, very happy New Year! Thank you for being here at Wandering Polka Dot. Let's have a good life!

Love,

Tihana

Photo source: 1

Weekend Reads #9

And here I am, again on Friday! Small step for a mankind, but a big one for my organizational skills, which are close to non-existing :) How's your week been? I hope you had a nice Christmas, if you celebrate on the 25th of December, or really productive days if that's not the case. I was mostly resting (a bit too much, to be honest) and now I'm on the road again, going to Belgrade to meet some more friends. I know I said this already, but being at home is awesome. :)

Holiday Wishlist

Being an adult has some wonderful perks and I'd never swap places with my teenage self. As somebody said in a TV show, it sucks not being able to handle drama but needing to live with it every day - think of boys in high school, UGH! However, being an adult has its downsides, too. I'm not entitled to believe in Santa anymore. Nor the Easter Bunny. Nor the Tooth Fairy (not that I need her anymore, but still). You get the point. No more nice characters whose only purpose is to bring you gifts if you've been a good girl. Boy. Whatevs. And at some point years ago we stopped giving presents to each other in the family. Like, we're grown-ups now, who needs gifts?! (I do!)

I guess we turned to a more pragmatic approach. No need to wait for the holidays for, say, new pair of shoes, new nail polish or whatever I need - or think I need. But some magic got lost in the process as well. 

Here's what I would ask from Santa.

Rome Rome Rome Rome

This was a working title, meaning "finally writing about Rome and this is the post about Rome and Rome is so great and DO NOT avoid it anymore but click this title and write!". But actually, I like the sound of it. It captures everything I feel. It's not just 'Rome'. It's so wonderful, beautiful, amazing, magnificent, that it's 'Rome Rome Rome Rome'.

Not-So Weekend Reads #8

I got up really early one day last week. Taken in Belgrade, Serbia

Hi guys! Being at home is awesome, I've met many friends and had an amazing time and enjoyed my mom's cuisine (I mentioned it a couple of times already, she's the best). This has been one of the quickest weeks this year and it's really saddening because, well, it means I'll only be here for two more! And then back to the routine. How was your week?

Again I'm not delivering the links for the weekend reads, but more of a "start your week nicely" read. I mean, you miiight be still at the office, right? Anyway, here they are.

Not-So Weekend Reads #7

Here's a pic of Groningen this Saturday, because I still haven't showed you the town I now live in

Oh well, it seems that there comes the time where I cannot even manage to post regularly once a week. I have an excuse though - I came to Serbia last weekend so the days before were all about packing and planing. I already ate some home cooked meals at my parents', went to Belgrade, and now I'm in Novi Sad, visiting my sister... and a dentist. Yep, this girl aged 26 will wear braces as of tomorrow. Eek! But everything for a nice smile, I guess.

Here are some interesting places on the web I stumbled upon recently.

Not-So Weekend Reads #6 - Happy Monday!

Subjective feeling. Source

Hey there, it's time for another round of #WeekendReads - at least it was time three days ago, but my assignments got me. It's getting seriously cold here in the Lowlands that most of the times I just stay inside wrapped in a blanket. Last week I somehow managed to watch the first season of a TV series I'm too ashamed to publicly admit which one it is; but hey, guilty pleasures, right! Everybody's got some. ;) I'm also trying to squeeze in some movies, and apparently I won't watch everything I have on my computer by the end of the year, because (drumroll) it ends in a few weeks. Huh! It's been one hell of a ride, this 2014. Probably my favorite year so far.

Being a Kid Big Time: Sinterklaas

The Dutch kids don't really appreciate Santa Claus. They have their own big guy who delivers presents: it's Sinterklaas (St Nicholas). Today is his day, but sometime in November Sinterklaas arrives to the Netherlands. They organize big parades on that day in all the cities. Yep, he arrives to all the cities in the country on the same day - that's what the children believe. Actually, when a few of us asked our Dutch classmate about the tradition, she said she kept looking around to see if there are any kids nearby, because it's really important to keep their belief in the good guy. 

I Found The Cutest Place in Europe: Burano Island

No, I didn't make a typo in the title. Yes, I know you've heard of Murano island near Venice. But this one also exists. (Even an Italian friend asked me "But you mean Murano, right?". No. I mean Burano.)

Guys, this place is so so cute, and I'm so happy and grateful that people who'd organized the Science of Aphasia conference took us on this trip, otherwise I'd never know about this amazing little island! I mean, look at these houses - and the whole island is like this. They're small, painted in vivid colors, and just so picture pretty, I lost my friends who headed to get some ice-cream - I just had to stop to take a photo, and then again, and again.

Why is Burano so colorful? I have no idea. I read that if someone wishes to paint their home, they must send a request to the government, and then they will allow certain colors. How crazy is that?! I also heard/read that it's like this because drunken fishermen had troubles finding their homes when going back after a day on the sea. Who knows?! 

How to Survive Winter (Coming from Someone Who Survived Their Last One in Finland)

If you had asked me what I thought about winter two years ago, I would have been a girl version of the Grumpy Cat: I. Hate. It. I thought it was pointlessly cold, pointlessly unpleasant and just... well, pointless.

But then again, you could say I was a bit of an ignorant when it comes to winter. I neglected proper clothing for the sake of looks, and I pretty much didn't behave as if it's really cold. That's why I loathed winter: I didn't know it. So when I was forced to spend a winter in Finland, I got to know it. Really know it. And having spent winter there made me realize two things: winter in Belgrade, or pretty much anywhere else in continental Europe, is nothing compared to the one in Scandinavia; and it was good that I had to spend it there, because now I know all the do's and don'ts. Today I'm sharing them with you.