Hey everyone! I'm Stanko Zovak and your host of the All Things Croatia podcast. Growing up as a member of the Croatian diaspora in Los Angeles, I was always involved in the community but wanted to do more. 3 years ago I quit my job and moved to Zagreb where I studied the Croatian language before eventually moving back to Los Angeles. With this weekly series, I want to connect the global Croatian community and allow people to share stories, learn about new ventures, and discover "All Things Croatia" as I talk (in English) with people both in the Homeland and around the globe who have connections to Croatia. You'll hear from athletes, returning diaspora, Olympians (believe it!), musicians, artists, and the biggest Croatian celebrities that will return my calls! I hope you enjoy these episodes as much as I do while recording them, and thanks so much for your support! Follow on Instagram at @allthingscroatiapodcast for more content and videos!
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This Superfan Sings Croatian Songs Every Day! (00:33:18)
CroSamurai is a Japanese-Australian with no Croatian roots who has taken an incredible liking to Croatian culture, language, and music! You may have seen his viral videos saying things like "Day 20/100 of singing Croatian songs." In this episode of the podcast, he talks about how he came in contact with Croatian culture and why it made such a big impact on his life. He also talks about some of his favorite Croatian songs, foods, and going to Croatia for the first time. Follow him on Insta at https://www.instagram.com/crosamurai/
Thompson Drummer Mario Klarić on the Concert at the Hipodrom in Zagreb... Half a Million People! (00:38:05)
Mario Klarić is a Croatian drummer and a member of the band Thompson, who just played the largest ticketed concert of all time in Zagreb, Croatia at the Hipodrom. Mario, from Karlovac, comes on the All Things Croatia Podcast to talk about his musical background, going to music school in New York, and all the details behind drumming at the largest paid concert in history! Listen in to hear him talk about the preparation that went into performing as well as the emotions he was feeling during the concert. -
Follow him on YouTube here! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjqZfdbwn7MCLNlb0lZHCZA - Please make sure to follow All Things Croatia on Spotify/Apple Podcasts and Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/allthingscroatiapodcast/ https://open.spotify.com/show/7AFDHZR0SRnT8LNZbf2Fn2?si=4ec4d2b5c0bc40d7 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-things-croatia/id1617545101
College Basketball's Croatian Forward - Ante Brzović (00:32:18)
Ante Brzović is a Croatian basketball player currently playing Division 1 basketball in the US for Charleston where he’s currently averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds. In this episode Ante talks about growing up in Zagreb and his dream to play professional basketball in the NBA. Stay tuned to hear what the biggest culture shock was when he went to Texas!Watch his buzzer beater https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ_j58b2mL4&pp=ygUMYW50ZSBicnpvdmlj-Please make sure to follow All Things Croatia on Spotify/Apple Podcasts and Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/allthingscroatiapodcast/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-things-croatia/id1617545101 https://open.spotify.com/show/7AFDHZR0SRnT8LNZbf2Fn2?si=dbf46df5c5e24db8&nd=1&dlsi=79642fe1fa8d4019
Hope, Humor, and Hrvatska - The Kristina Kuzmič Story (00:41:54)
Kristina Kuzmič is an amazing author, comedian, social media personality, and public speaker who was born in Croatia and immigrated to the United States as a teenager. After winning Oprah's talent show in 2011, she started making videos of her own to show the real side of motherhood. She has written two books and tours the country doing standup comedy, showcasing some of the lessons and funny stories from her life. Kristina talks about growing up in Croatia and her plans to tour there next summer! https://kristinakuzmic.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kristinakuzmic/?hl=en - Please make sure to follow All Things Croatia on Spotify/Apple Podcasts and Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/allthingscroatiapodcast/ https://open.spotify.com/show/7AFDHZR0SRnT8LNZbf2Fn2?si=dbf46df5c5e24db8
Marin Čilić talks about his Medjugorje roots, U.S. Open, and life outside of tennis! (00:52:58)
Marin Čilić, considered one of the greatest Croatian tennis players ever, if not THE greatest, took time to come on the All Things Croatia podcast and take some questions from our listeners. Marin talks about his childhood growing up in Medjugorje and how his dad helped support his dream to play tennis. Hear about his amazing U.S. Open win, his silver medal in the Olympics and the incredible work his charity, the Marin Čilić Foundation, is doing. Stay tuned to hear Marin answer fan questions as asked by you! (If you follow All Things Croatia on Instagram... thanks to those followers who sent their questions!)Make sure to follow on all platforms including YouTube and Instagram to see the entire interview as well as more Croatian content like street interviews and other clips!
JWebby Eats... Croatian Food? (00:38:06)
James Webb, known as J Webby is an Australian competitive eater with Croatian roots. He is ranked number 1 in Australia and number 5 in the world as you can see his food challenges on social media with almost 2 million TikTok followers and almost 100 thousand Instagram followers! He talks about how his grandparents came from Croatia and how his Baba's cooking helped lead the way to his competitive eating career. Stay tuned to hear how he ate Australia's biggest burger and became famous almost overnight! - I'm excited to announce a stand up comedy tour in Croatia! I'll be telling jokes from my time living in Croatia and growing up in the Croatian community in Los Angeles! June 12th - Rijeka June 14th - Zagreb Hopefully more dates to come! Tickets for Rijeka only sold in person at Bacva Pub. https://www.facebook.com/events/427514460148020/?ref=newsfeed Tickets for Zagreb available here! https://www.eventbrite.de/e/stand-up-in-english-the-homeland-tour-ft-stanko-zovak-george-dulcich-tickets-913815696347?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Croatian Goalkeeper and Captain of the National Team - Doris Bačić (00:37:02)
On the latest episode of the All Things Croatia Podcast is Doris Bačić, captain and goalie of the Croatian national soccer team. Doris talks about growing up in Neum, and her journey to playing for clubs like Arsenal, Juventus, and Napoli. She tells us what it means to be captain of the team, the challenges that come with that, as well as the pride she feels to wear the checkers and play for her country. Check out the All Things Croatia book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59GDM2B?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420-I'll be performing standup comedy about my experience in Croatia at a show in San Diego, CA on May 18th! Tickets here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/balkan-comedy-night-san-diego-tickets-888138184217
Croatia's 'Hottest' Rockstar! (00:36:36)
With her new single Gasoline, Marcela is burning up not only the Croatian music scene, but worldwide as well! Marcela is a Croatian singer songwriter who first appeared in 2011 on Croatia’s TV show, Looking for a Star, and has since wrote hit songs, including one that she performed on Dora, the Croatian national competition to select a song for Eurovision. Marcela talks about her musical influences from Pink to Guns N' Roses as well as the Dora competition in which she ended up as finalist! https://www.youtube.com/c/Marcelaisofficial/abouthttps://www.instagram.com/marcelaisofficial/?hl=en-Check out the All Things Croatia book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59GDM2B?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420I'll be performing Croatian related material at a standup comedy show in St Louis, MO on April 20th!
Croatian Rowing's TWIN Sisters! (00:23:36)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia Podcast, twin sisters Ivana and Josipa Jurković join to talk about their rowing success and their bid for the upcoming Summer Olympics! Ivana was Miss Sport Croatia in 2018, and both her and Josipa are in the Croatian Army Reserves. Stay tuned to hear about their bid for the Olympics, the advantages of being twins, and their favorite Croatian food! Check out the All Things Croatia book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59GDM2B?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 - https://www.instagram.com/ivanaajurkovic/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/josipa.jurkovic_/?hl=en
The Journey to International Success for Katica Rakuljić! (00:31:36)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia podcast is guest Katica Rakuljić, a model and TV presenter from Split. Though she moved to Sweden at a young age, Katica stayed very connected to her Croatian identity through traditions like kolo dancing at the local Croatian club, cheering for the Croatian football team, and visiting her homeland often. Katica competed in Miss Universe Croatia in 2011, winning first runner up and catching the eye of the industry, launching her international modeling career. Since then, she has lived and modeled all over the world but still feels at home when she's in Croatia. Most recently, Katica covered the Cannes Film Festival as a TV presenter and walked the red carpet as a model. Tune in to hear the full interview!Katica's Instagram-All Things Croatia: The Book!
She's Only 17 and a EUROPEAN CHAMPION Boxer... (00:36:28)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia podcast is 17-year-old Croatian boxer and model Mariela Šteko. She recently won gold at the junior European Boxing Championships, now having twice been junior European champion. Born in Munich to Croatian parents from Tomislavgrad, Herzegovina, Mariela started in kickboxing before switching to boxing and choosing to represent Croatia. She discusses her boxing style and career highlights and also enjoys modeling in Germany and playing piano. Tune it to hear why Mariela chose to represent Croatia in boxing is a proud member of her local Croatian community.https://www.instagram.com/marielasteko/All interviews are available with video on YouTube!https://youtube.com/@allthingscroatia?si=vAgz9QIlIpzrLhGM
The Man Who Brought Grunge to Australia and Festivals to Croatia! (00:33:26)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia Podcast is Steve Pavlovic, known as Pav. Pav is a Croatian-Australian music entrepreneur and from booking some of the biggest bands in the 90’s, to starting his own record label, to putting on festivals in Croatia, he’s done it all. “For a fair bit of the 1990s, Steve Pavlovic was the coolest guy in Australia. Pav had the home phone numbers of everyone on the cutting edge, from Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl to Beastie Boys and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.” Pav talks about his Croatian roots and connecting with fellow Croat and Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic after bringing Nirvana on their first tour to Australia. He also talks about starting his own record label and signing bands including Tame Impala and Wolfmother. Stay tuned to hear about the festivals on a Croatian island he used to put on as well as how he’s currently enjoying his time on the island of Vis!-
https://www.instagram.com/this_is_unpopular/
Olympic-Style Games for the Croatian Diaspora! (00:28:01)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia podcast we have Katica Nikić and Caroline Spivak who represented Team Canada in the Croatian World Games, or Crolympics, which is an Olympics style competition for the Croatian diaspora. The goal of the Games is connecting young Croats from all over the world through sports and cultural gatherings, and to encourage them to cultivate their Croatian identity. Caroline is the coordinator for Canada and Katica played on the basketball team. Tune in to hear about the incredible week of games that took place in Zagreb and learn how you can participate for the next Croatian World Games!- https://hsi-cwg.com/http://www.croatianwomensnetwork.org/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYFNYuCOieN28MbjxFp6wBg
Pat Miletich Talks Croatian Heritage and MMA! (00:28:42)
Our special guest in this episode of the All Things Croatia podcast is Pat ‘The Croatian Sensation’ Miletich. Pat is a decorated ex-MMA fighter who was a multiple time UFC champion often thought of as one of the first true mixed martial artists and was even inducted into the Hall of Fame. Pat tells us about his Croatian heritage including the story of how his infamous nickname came about as we dive into his fighting career. He also explains why he had so much success as a trainer and coach after retirement and tells us what other projects he’s currently working on. Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to hear the whole episode!- https://www.instagram.com/pjmiletich/?hl=en
Talking with Mia Dimšić about Music, Eurovision, and the Croatian Diaspora! (00:32:37)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia podcast we have special guest Mia Dimšić, a Croatian singer/songwriter who had the honor of representing Croatia in Eurovision 2022! Mia is a very popular artist who has written songs that top the charts and is planning new releases as well as upcoming tour dates. In this episode we talk about how she got her musical start performing for the Croatian diaspora in North America, the importance of being open to making connections, and the behind the scenes of Eurovision. Stay tuned to hear her palačinke recommendation and her experience with the Los Angeles Croatian community!-https://miadimsic.com/https://www.instagram.com/miadimsic/hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJGaS62_KzlgAukkfHLVHRAhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/5OMMsMMYPBG3HvYrzq3rq4
The First Croatian Woman in the UFC Ivana Petrović! (00:19:29)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia podcast is special guest Ivana Petrović, a mixed martial artist who just became the first Croatian woman in the UFC! From Mostar BiH, Ivana talks about why she wanted to become a fighter and how she would watch the legendary Mirko CroCop with her dad as a kid. She tells us how she felt signing a deal with the UFC as she prepares for her first fight on July 1st. Stay tuned as Ivana tells us her favorite Croatian food and what makes Croatia so special! https://www.instagram.com/ivana_mma/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQJdWwmklaVWbNoro4MIDQ -Check out the book I wrote about moving to Croatia! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59GDM2B?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420
This Children's Book Takes Place in Croatia! (00:33:13)
On this week’s episode we have special guest Jessica Julian author of Ebby the Magnificent. Ebby the Magnificent is a children’s book that takes place in Croatia and Jessica talks about the influence behind it as well as why she wanted it printed in Croatia. Jessica explains her connection to Croatia where she lives half of the year with her husband who was born near Rijeka and moved with his family to the U.S. when he was a baby. Stay tuned for Jessica’s story about a historical gulaš cooking competition and why Croatia is so beautiful!Check out the All Things Croatia book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59GDM2B?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 - Jessica's website: www.JWJulian.com Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/JWJulianBooks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.w.Julian.com Amazon Author page at: https://www.amazon.com/author/j.w.julian Email: ebbyandjessica@gmail.com
Meri Abbado: Female Bodybuilding and Croatia! (00:32:38)
On this episode of the All Things Croatia Podcast we have special guest Meri Abbado. Growing up in Split and eventually moving to the U.S. Meri is an accomplished body builder and the only Croatian IFBB Master Bikini in the world, as well as the Master Bikini World Champion 2022 and will be competing at the Master Olympia this summer. In this episode Meri talks about her childhood in Croatia as well as why female bodybuilding is misunderstood by the general public. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/meri.abbado.fitandfab?mibextid=ZbWKwL Instagram http://www.instagram.com/ifbbpro_meri.abbado IFBB Pro League https://instagram.com/ifbb_pro_league Master Olympia https://instagram.com/mastersolympiaofficial - A book I wrote about moving to Croatia is available for pre-order! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59GDM2B?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420
Finding the next Pulisic: Tournament for Croatian Diaspora (00:23:34)
In this episode we have special guests Alen Vukobrad and Niko Grandov to talk about the Memorial of Vukovar Defenders Tournament. The tournament aims to provide a platform for young Croatian footballers in the Diaspora to showcase their talents while also honoring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives in the war. Alen was the coach of the North American U-14 team which brought together kids in the diaspora from all over the continent. Some went to Croatia for the first time while others had been during the summer for years. One of those players, and our other guest Niko Grandov, participated in the tournament and gives us his firsthand experience!- A book I wrote about moving to Croatia is available for pre-order! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59GDM2B?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420
Let's Learn Croatian- The Story Behind the Puppets! (00:26:35)
In this episode we hear from the creators of the popular Let’s Learn Croatian Podcast, Uncle Mike, Tony D, and DJ Moe. Living in southern California, we learn about their Croatian connection what led the three friends to start helping people learn the Croatian language. Stay tuned to hear their favorite Croatian words and the story behind the Let’s Learn Croatian Podcast!https://www.letslearncroatian.com/https://www.youtube.com/c/LetsLearnCroatian https://www.instagram.com/llcpod/?hl=en
From Zagreb to America with Entrepreneur Danijel Velicki (00:33:48)
Danijel Velicki is a Croatian entrepreneur who moved to the US where he created and runs a successful company to help people achieve financial wellness. He left Zagreb as a teen to chase a dream with just 40 dollars and a Walkman in his pocket. In this episode we hear some stories about life in Zagreb during the war, why he left, and how he beat the odds and started a successful business with an “immigrant mentality”. Danijel also shows us his awesome Croatian tattoo and explains why his homeland is special!- Don’t wait, become a Croatian Citizen today! Head over to https://citizenhr.app today! Use the code “ALLTHINGSCROATIA” for 50% off any biography translations you order in the CitizenHR app!
The Story of Expat in Croatia's Sara Dyson! (00:34:26)
Sara Dyson is the founder of the website Expat in Croatia which helps, you guessed it, Expats in Croatia with things like citizenship, healthcare, and daily life! In this episode we hear why she moved to Croatia from the US without any Croatian heritage, and what her experience has been like after more than a decade of living here. Sara talks about common expat problems as well as dealing with the ever so tricky Croatian bureaucracy, and even trickier Croatian language!https://www.expatincroatia.com/https://www.instagram.com/expatincroatia/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/expatincroatia/-Don’t wait become a Croatian Citizen today! Head over to https://citizenhr.app today! Use the code “ALLTHINGSCROATIA” for 50% off any biography translations you order in the CitizenHR app!
Waterskiing's Most Innovative Man and his Croatian Connection (00:50:34)
On this episode we have special guest Tony Klarich. Tony is a legend and pioneer in the watersports community, having invented over 100 waterskiing tricks and winning 11 national and world titles. For his 50th birthday he accomplished the daunting task of waterskiing on 50 different objects in one day including an ice chest, and a ladder! In this episode we’re going to hear about that, his Croatian heritage, and a special event he’s putting on on the island of Vis, Tony thanks for coming on the podcast!Short term rentalsVilla Machiavelli on Vis: Our “New” Seaside Venetian Villa in Kut. A National Historical Monument built in the 16th century.Cypress Gardens Lake House: On the World’s Most Famous Water Ski Lake near Orlando Florida Instagram@waterskierslife Family adventures in water skiing. Preparing for the 60 for 60@vis_island-legacy Documenting the journey of a Native Son come home to Croatia FacebookTony KlarichCypress Gardens Lake House YouTubeTonysTipsandTricks water ski videos Featured VideosWater Skiing: 40 for 40Water Skiing: Prepping for the 50 for 50 Webwww.TonyKlarich.comwww.waterskierslife.com – water skiing personal blog-
Don’t wait become a Croatian Citizen today! Head over to https://citizenhr.app today! Use the code “ALLTHINGSCROATIA” for 50% off any biography translations you order in the CitizenHR app!
The World's Most EXCITING Boxer is From Croatia! (00:37:08)
Alen “The Savage” Babić is a Croatian professional boxer and one of the most exciting to watch with his all-out knockout style. He holds a professional undefeated record of 11 wins and 0 losses with 10 knockouts and will fight in April for the Bridgerweight Title. In this episode we’re going to hear from the Savage himself how he got into the boxing and the one conversation that changed his life forever. Stay tuned to hear about his training with Tyson Fury and his controversial thoughts on the Rocky movies!-Don’t wait become a Croatian Citizen today! Head over to https://citizenhr.app today! Use the code “ALLTHINGSCROATIA” for 50% off any biography translations you order in the CitizenHR app!
Why Women's Football is GROWING in Croatia! (00:30:42)
Helenna Hercigonja-Moulton is a former professional soccer player who represented Croatia on the national team, in both soccer and futsal, and now coaches and works towards improving participation in women’s soccer in Croatia. Helenna was born in Los Angeles with Croatian and Jamaican roots and moved to Croatia where she graduated from the University of Zagreb and got her Master’s degree. In this episode we hear about her move to Croatia, career there as a player, and how she’s developing soccer programs for girls in Croatia!Helenna's Website https://hhmoulton.wixsite.com/hlhmContact Helenna helenna.hercigonja.moulton@hns-cff.hrUEFA Playmakers https://hns-cff.hr/playmakers/ŽNK SAVICA CC FaceBook https://web.facebook.com/znksavicaInstagram https://www.instagram.com/znksavica_cc/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/88396332/admin/-Don’t wait become a Croatian Citizen today! Head over to https://citizenhr.app today! Use the code “ALLTHINGSCROATIA” for 50% off any biography translations you order in the CitizenHR app!
