Did any of you have ridiculous misconceptions about other balkaners
Posted by greekgirl002@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 115 comments
I used to very much believe that all Serbs are tall blue eyed blondes
I live in an area that doesn't get many balkaners so all I knew about Serbs were from the media... The all slavs are like that rhetoric was intense, the same with Russians , you should have seen me meet serbs for the first time... I had this belief till I was like 16 and met russians shorter than me and no blue eyes, I then got over it
No-Championship-4632@reddit
No. I thought at some point all Serbs are brainwashed nationalists, but they are not. They are mostly the same as us really.
mraleximer@reddit
I thought most of Greeks have a very good opinion of Serbia. I also thought nothing of Romanians until 6-7 years ago until i went there (i go often now) and saw how cool and nice they are!
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
I mean we do have a good opinion, sometimes we meme that if you see a car with serbian plates you dont swear at them....
mraleximer@reddit
That is so nice to learn ☺️ 🇬🇷🇷🇸
Puzzled_Muzzled@reddit
Haven't met a Greek that doesn't have a very good opinion of Serbia. Sometimes better opinion than what Serbs have for themselves
mraleximer@reddit
I have met a lot since 2020s in almost all northern Greece summer locations, for example they behave extremly nice with Greek tourists ( Kalithea for example) and when i order beer i get only bottle, when Greek family next to us order the same they get Snacks, huge beer glasses and a smile....
CypriotGreek@reddit
We do. We love Serbians. Especially the older generations who remember going out protesting for Yugoslavia during the 1990’s and early 2000’s. My father (who is now a huge neoliberal and an ex-communist) still talks about “NATO imperialism in Serbia” even though he loves both NATO and the EU.
mraleximer@reddit
I know about older ones tho, our family friend was from Oreokastro in Thessaloniki but i can't feel to notice during summer holydays your youth is extremly unpleasant towards tourists even when you are so nice and have great respect to the nation in general... I even heard rumors they are not Greeks but idk...
vasjpan002@reddit
In the USA we had turk neighbors and classmatesm but in 1960s greeks believed turks looked like klingons
alpidzonka@reddit
I guess I thought Albanians all had ten kids and that the tribes in Montenegro are a much bigger thing than they currently are. As a child, I mean.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Every time I say my last name when introducing myself, they always guess which tribe and brotherhood I’m from — and they’re right most of the times.
temeces@reddit
Čiji si? 😂
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Pješivci tribe
temeces@reddit
Ceklin tribe
redikan@reddit
Gornjaci or Donjaci
temeces@reddit
Gornjaci
alpidzonka@reddit
Yeah and I thought it meant political affiliation, ethnic identity, a lot of things like that automatically. Not just that people can recognize them. I can also guess correctly for at least a few dozen common Montenegrin last names.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
For most of Montenegrin history, people cared far more about their tribe and brotherhood than about any modern idea of ethnicity or political affiliation — and to some extent, that’s still true today.
It’s mostly the brotherhoods that remain connected. For example, I got a Facebook group invitation from someone I didn’t even know who shares my last name — and it turned out the entire group consisted of people with the same surname. The group is still active. I also kept my brotherhood’s Slava.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
they were like ancient greeks withs poleis. Montenegro greek confirmed
alpidzonka@reddit
I mean, sure, people know their tribe and in some cases they'll join a Facebook group. I'm not denying that. What I'm saying is, as a child, I thought it had more sway than say political parties, ethnic identity, stance on the church, stance on WW2, things like that. Not that it's a charming quirk of typical Montenegrin family lore, but rather that it underlies political affiliation.
cosmic_joke420@reddit
Same.
I had a missfortune that my tribe is small; because of a story of blood vendetta that forced my fam to relocate and create a new one.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
I am reading this like it's some insane lore
Eastern_Click_4361@reddit
Do you guys really have tribes? This is news to me.
cosmic_joke420@reddit
Yeah, it's not as big thing as before, but people still remember
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
you are officially cool now that you say you are from a tribe
Tomorr3@reddit
Well, you were wrong. We have 11. Enough for a football team.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
tribes being a thing ALWAYS sounds sooo cool to humans
Alternative-Part-622@reddit
Off topic but I see that a couple of Greek commenters refer to other Balkans people as "they." Do Greek people not view themselves as part of the Balkans?
Just curious as I've never thought about it before.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
some think they are too western oooor they associate it with ex-yugo countries
Alternative-Part-622@reddit
I can see why that would be a thing.
I think it's interesting how different people have different views on what is considered "Balkans." My Bosnian ex thought it mostly referred to the ex-Yugoslavia countries but not Slovenia.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
yeah problem is the ex yugo people telling us that! A serb told me that we cant be balkan, I was like dude we have more land in the peninsula than you. They just havent found a non offensive term to describe the common language so they use balkan and anything else is out of it
Alternative-Part-622@reddit
I’ve thought about that too.
I was also thinking that some people differentiate between geologically and culturally.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
plus many dont know much history to even realise their ignorance
UUDDLRLRBadAlchemy@reddit
Yup, gotta live in the north or travel a bit to see that we're very similar. School doesn't help either. So you'll meet people who think the Balkans are third world and we're Europeans.
dorohyena@reddit
greece is in a weird position historically, culturally and geographically because it’s had a)its own influence towards other places b)western influence c)eastern influence d)northern and southern influence. plus in comparison to other balkan countries we never went through a communist era, and the clashing communist/capitalist influence from east and west that was pressed on us respectively resulted in a bloody civil war that left most greeks bitter and disillusioned with all sides.
Educational_Time2840@reddit
I lived near the Albanian Greek border and both Albanians and Greeks from both sides of the border thought we had active land mines. Turns out those were removed long ago, but we used it again to scare the migrants coming in through Greece.
Judestadt@reddit
Isn’t the stereotype that the Serbs are Turks (darker complexion)?
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
well that would be closer to reality because I got jealous of how nice of a tan you guys get....
Judestadt@reddit
thats all thanks to the Greek sun
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
it doesn't want me apparently...
Th3Dark0ccult@reddit
As a kid I thought Georgia was where Albania is located and I didn't know Albania itself existed at all.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
was it like Peter pan land?
Th3Dark0ccult@reddit
Lol. Just never heard of the country itself. No mention of that word anywhere till I was in highschool.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
damn all these years of history class and no mention? your books be wilding
Th3Dark0ccult@reddit
Yeah, we don't mention Albania in our history books at all.
CypriotGreek@reddit
I thought people in Turkey still wear the fez. I believed this for an embarrassingly long amount of time.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
what about harems?
CypriotGreek@reddit
Not really but I DID think that old ottoman hammams were used for sex parties.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
ως όφειλες
Slkotova@reddit
When I was a kid our teacher used to tell us how greeks put stones/rocks on Olympus so it becomes taller than Musala. And in my tiny mind I thought greeks are actual giants, as tall as the mountain, putting gigantic stones. But I wasn't afraid of them tho, I perceived them like the dinosaurs.. Scary, but almost mythic. Hahah
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
excuuuuse you I am actually giant tall Amazon! I even have the name of one
Refugee_InThisWorld@reddit
As a kid, we used to visit Bulgaria, Macedonia and after the war, Kosovo and Montenegro. When i was six or seven, it was quite shocking to realize everyone around understood my ranting when we were sightseeing around in Skopje. We had a similar situation when i was sixteen and we were fooling around with friends thinking no one understood us 😅😅😅
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
Imagine commenting on people thinking they wont understand and they end up knowing your language... 🤣😂
Slkotova@reddit
This has happened to me in Bulgaria with greeks. Ofc the chance of me speaking greek was close to 0 for them, so they started commenting my nose and lips and overall face features :D
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
they would say it even if they knew you understand greek
Refugee_InThisWorld@reddit
We knew there were Albanians, just not in that part of city 😂
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
you played yourselves there...
BamBumKiofte23@reddit
I thought nationalism is a cringe and sad remain from the past that few people will take seriously nowadays. Boy was I misinformed.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
I was the same about monarchy till I went to Macedonia and Thrace, do they put monarch loving poison in the water there?
hunichii@reddit
Peloponessians right now:
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
excuse you I am one(just from the area where PASOK leaders came so most people I know are democrats)
Defiant_Being_9222@reddit
If you were from Mani you would probably be chanting Long live the King though. Not all Peloponnesians are the same xD
BamBumKiofte23@reddit
Nope, the water's just fine. We're just mentally unfit.
OkoMushroom@reddit
As a child I thought all greeks were still pagans and the olympian gods were still a thing..imagine my disappointment.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
wait you mean to tell me I should stop wearing tongas??? DAMNIT
OkoMushroom@reddit
I’d ditch jeans for togas any day 🤩
NikolaSolonik@reddit
I thought that Montenegrins slept 18 hours a day but grew up and realized they sleep 20 hours a day
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
you reaaaaally underestimated them
adaequalis@reddit
when i was a kid, i thought croatians, bosnians, serbians and montenegrins are the same people because they speak the same language, i equated the differences between them to the difference between romanian southerners, transylvanians, and moldovans
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
They are the same people with diferent religions
TheReal_Elite@reddit
I mean, coming from a Montenegrin, we technically are the same people, but the only thing that divides us all is past wars, politics, religion, and nationalism.
Teodosij@reddit
You weren't wrong
vllaznia35@reddit
I used to think that all Serbian men used to drink rakija all day, listen to turbofolk and eat pljeskavica with onions while beating their wives. And I used to think all Serbian women looked like some warlord smuggler's wife who had a face swollen by Botox and extremely high heels after turning 30. Now I genuinely believe some regions there fit this description.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
damn accurate in my eyes
whitecity011@reddit
You just smuggle your wives across borders, probably hiding an organ or two for the black market. Then place her in a car wash business where you launder money. Keep it in the family. Misconception of course
NoNote7867@reddit
You are not wrong 🤷♂️
UUDDLRLRBadAlchemy@reddit
Cevapi as far as the eye can see!
Maarten-Sikke@reddit
I did not knew until very late in my adolescence that Albanians are majority Muslim. Due to my ignorance at the time I was believing that the whole Europe is Christian. My face dropped to jaws when I found out the realities of the world :)).
I come from a place that didn’t saw a Muslim in the past 600yrs or so, and everything I knew about them, was from mass-media.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
I thought they must be atheist because I had Albanian classmates getting baptised at age 10
Maarten-Sikke@reddit
This was funny ahaha 🤣🤣
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
in my defense they were just trying to blend in
Refugee_InThisWorld@reddit
That is nothing. I know someone got circumcised at 19 🤣
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
for medical reasons I assume....
Refugee_InThisWorld@reddit
Religious. He started practicing islam.
wantmywings@reddit
Calling us Muslim is a really stretch. We’re Chrislamic 😂
YpogaTouArGrease@reddit
Christmas Mubarak
Maarten-Sikke@reddit
Nowdays I know. Just speaking about facts. But yeah, except for the moment for praying in the evening, I completely forgot I am in Albania when I visited it.
A fun thing while I was there visiting, I went to a pizzeria restaurant, which ofc wasn’t halal, but as I said above, at the moment when I sat at the tables I completely forgot I am in a muslim country, because, as you’ve said it, it felt more like a Chrislamic place. Anyway.. after a few minutes I started enjoying my food, and I start hearing from a table in the back some people being angry for their pizzas. At first I ignored it, but they become so loud and obnoxious that it made me curious what was about. Apparently they were some Arabs Muslims, and when they ordered and saw prosciutto on pizza, they assumed it is some reinvented chicken, beef or lamb prosciutto lol. So here it comes they’re pizzas and they start digging in it, until one of them got blown away by the “new” taste he never felt from a meat, and asked the waiter from what animal the meat is, and waiter told them face blank: ** pork **. That was the moment when they start blasting at the waiter of how disgusting the place is, and he should be ashamed that he served them that and that they assumed that being in a majority Muslim country, food would be predominantly halal.
I felt that they were quite ignorant and neither to say, rude, for not checking up before visiting. Personally I felt amazing there, and it was the best decision of my life visiting it.
neemertallahut@reddit
la ilaha illallah, Yeshua Al Masih ibn Allah
ayayayamaria@reddit
I thought everyone in Turkey wore veils and rode camels
Commercial_Law_1689@reddit
Nah dude we all have silk clad litters with servants to carry us around in and we always just lay down and eat dates and drink coffee while we travel.
Eastern_Click_4361@reddit
Some don't.
oioioioioioiioo@reddit
I used to think that whole turkey is desert with lots of sand like cairo or something
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
you didnt think they were going around like sultans?😂
ayayayamaria@reddit
No, I'm just trolling
Eastern_Click_4361@reddit
I though the Balkans is all shit. Then I realized that some countries are ahead of us.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
romanian internet superior though....
Historical-Ant-512@reddit
RCS & RDS company was the one pushing fiber optics the most. its founding and controlling member is a hungarian ethnic from romania.
also.. give it a couple of decades. i'm sure the government will find creative ways to ruin that too.
Eastern_Click_4361@reddit
One drop in the Ocean.
NightZT@reddit
As a kid I read several books about the Magyars. Imagined them as some bad ass horse riders with spears, bows and those typical mustaches. Always wanted to visit Magyarland. I live 20mins away from the hungarian border and was quite frequently there with my parents. One time my dad casually mentioned that this is the land of the Magyars while shopping at a Spar and my day was ruined. I literally cried because of that
WildOne5303@reddit
The Mongols were the terrorists.
thatsexypotato-@reddit
Lmfaooo
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
that must be the male equivalent of discovering fairies and mermaids dont exist as a girl
dwartbg9@reddit
I thought Greeks were all light skinned, beautiful haircuts and very fit. Like in movies and Renaissance statues. I expected the average woman looking like the girl from Hercules, or something.
When I first visited in 2004, I was shocked to see they look more Oriental than us Bulgarians. And especially I noticed how people looked more overweight in comparison with us (at least back then, nowadays it's kind of the same, we also got fatter hahah).
UUDDLRLRBadAlchemy@reddit
The 2008 financial crisis was a big hit to tourism, I would place things going to shit somewhere around there
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
Ι am somad that I was only 2 years old back then, all I remember is the crisis and constant fear mongering! We all got fatter because feta and pork is too good
Unique-Back-495@reddit
First time I saw Bosnians was when there was a game vs them in Albania. They had some kind of folk costume on for the game.
So I used to think all Bosnians were peasants lol.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
axaxxaxaxaxa I dont wanna know what you would think if you saw octoberfest
Alternative-Part-622@reddit
I used to think that Bosnians were all, like, 190+ cm tall.
... And I'm sure shorter people exist too but I don't think I'm too off the mark.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
you really arent too far off
Defiant_Being_9222@reddit
I thought they were really tall like Scandinavians (probably because of correlating them with blue eyes/blonde hair), but apparently, that's not really true. Montenegrins really are TALL though.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
tall and sleepy
Defiant_Being_9222@reddit
At that kind of height you have to conserve your energy I guess. /s
PS; Not really tall but at least I got the sleepy/sleepless part down.
ther3aloutlaw@reddit
Thought all Ukrainian girls are blonde, blue-eyed and gorgeous. They are gorgeous, but not all of them are blonde with blue eyes.
Lanky-Rush607@reddit
I remember when I was a kid, I thought all Russian girls had short & red hair. Idk why I somehow associated red hair with Russia.
greekgirl002@reddit (OP)
I mean thats the exact reason I thought the same about serbs! people love to overexaggerate the whole x group looks like that thing