Balkan Sis

Ivana Strbac Alfonso

Balkan Sis is a podcast rooted in truth, depth, and real conversation. Hosted by Ivana, this is a space where culture, identity, motherhood, relationships, trauma, mental health, wellness, ambition, power, business, and politics are explored honestly and without filters. Through intimate conversations and lived experience, Balkan Sis is a place to reflect, heal, and feel less alone. Here, stories are honoured, voices are heard, and nothing is off limits. Pull up a chair. You belong here.

  1. 3 days ago

    Violeta Gordeljevic, Parenting Science Expert: "You Can Do Hard Things"

    Today's guest is a scientist and a mum who got sick of the same thing most of us have felt scrolling parenting Instagram at 2am. Everyone with an opinion, nobody with a source. Violeta Gordeljevic, parenting science expert, spent years working in public health for governments and global organisations before she had her own baby and realised nobody was translating any of that research for parents. So she built The Parenting Class herself, now reaching over 330,000 people who come to her for one thing, actual evidence. We go right back to little Violeta, born in Bosnia, two years old when her family left in 1992 to join her father in Germany, where he'd been working as a coal miner. We talk about growing up shy and sensitive in a tight multicultural community, becoming the nerdy teenager who discovered the library and never left, and the moment Sunday school turned her into a lifelong questioner of everything, including the old wives' tales her own mother swore by. From there we follow her into public health, into a decade working on environmental health policy across seven or eight countries, into meeting her Indonesian partner, and into the shower in her Berlin apartment where the idea for The Parenting Class was born while her newborn slept on the couch. We get into the real, unfiltered version of building a business while raising two kids, and why she moved her whole family to Indonesia to make sure her children grow up connected to both sides of their heritage. We talk temperament, and why there's no such thing as a good baby or a bad baby. We talk screens, and the real difference between a curated cartoon and handing a toddler an algorithm. We talk about the wildly different parenting cultures she's lived inside, hands off playgrounds in Germany versus hovering in Australia versus a village of aunties, and how she's learned to trust her own values over whichever culture she's standing in. In this episode: Little Violeta, born in Bosnia, raised in Germany from age twoThe moment questioning the Bible in Sunday school got her called a non-believerStudying business first, then finding her real passion in public healthThe Berlin shower where The Parenting Class was bornBuilding 160 videos and 15 hours of content over five yearsTemperament, and why the same approach can fail completely on a different kidMoving to Indonesia to connect her kids to their father's heritageRaising two kids across English, Serbian, German and IndonesianSchooling in Germany versus JakartaPlayground culture across three countriesScreens, algorithms, and the one rule to set on day oneThe permission slip she'd give every mum listening Find Violeta Gordeljevic at @violeta.parenting.science and www.theparentingscience.com. Find Ivana Strbac Alfonso and Balkan Sis at @balkansispodcast, or ivana.alfonso@hotmail.com. Until next time, this has been Balkan Sis. Love, Ivana.

    Violeta Gordeljevic, Parenting Science Expert: "You Can Do Hard Things"

  2. 3 days ago

    What Will People Think? Što će ljudi reći?

    What Will People Think?I get real about the pressure of being judged, why I nearly skipped recording this episode, and how that inner doubt connects to community, identity, and showing up anyway. I also answer listener questions about navigating Balkan identity, cultural expectations, and staying true to yourself in a Western environment.In this episode, I share why I'm doubling down on the Balkan Sis community, what it means to protect a space that isn't for everyone, and how women carry the weight of being seen, heard, and often criticised. I tie it all back to strength, honesty, and choosing growth through discomfort.KEY TOPICS- I open up about being in a strange in-between season and feeling mentally and emotionally stretched thin.- I name the episode around the recurring fear of judgment — "What are people gonna think?"- I explain how Balkan Sis started as a friendship project and evolved into a broader community.- I address criticism around the word "Balkan" and why I refuse to rebrand just to make others comfortable.- I make the case that behind every podcast, brand, and product is a real person and a real family.- I argue that women, especially mothers and creative women, are still not celebrated enough in society.- I share how community feedback shaped my plans for a membership space and a larger online meetup.- I read listener questions about identity, belonging, fear of being seen, and building something new while staying connected to roots.- I respond to a question about being a Croatian woman in Australia and how culture, gender, and geography affect communication style.- I reflect on generational pain, migration, war, and why I want my children to have more ease, joy, and safety than I did.- I emphasize that discomfort is often the doorway to growth and that avoiding hard conversations only makes things worse.- I close with a message of honesty, inner peace, and turning inward when the world feels chaotic.TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Feeling stuck in an in-between season01:28 - Why "What will people think?" became the episode theme03:18 - Remembering there are real people behind every public project04:16 - How Balkan Sis began as a friendship podcast05:58 - Why women and mothers are still under-celebrated07:34 - Refusing to rebrand despite criticism and pushback08:56 - Intent matters more than labels or branding09:22 - The toll of being the default parent during a hard month12:08 - Listener questions and the fear of being seen13:25 - Strength as a response to self-doubt and fear15:08 - Building a membership space and community-led conversations17:08 - What women want to talk about: identity, belonging, business, and conditioning19:20 - Why discomfort and hard conversations create change21:10 - A listener question on Croatian identity in a Western culture23:35 - How migration, age, gender, and location shape communication style28:20 - War, displacement, and generational pain in the Balkan region29:12 - Wanting children to have more joy than previous generations34:18 - Returning to the inner temple and protecting your peace37:09 - Re-airing past podcast stories and upcoming guest appearances39:54 - Coaching, coaching themes, and supporting Balkan women more deeply42:09 - Upcoming guests and what the next phase of the show looks like43:34 - Turning inward when the world feels chaotic WORK WITH MEIf any of this hit home, if you're the woman quietly asking "what will people think" before you even start, carrying too much, or trying to build something new while staying rooted in who you are, this is exactly the work I do one-on-one. I coach Balkan women through fear of being seen, doing hard things scared, and choosing growth over comfort. If you're ready to stop waiting for permission, reach out and let's talk about working together.CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: @balkansispodcast (podcast + community) and @ivanastrbacalfonso Coaching inquiries: ivana.alfonso@hotmail.com

  3. 30 July

    Pt 2: Katrina Risteska | Milena in Gia: A Wog Chick Comedy, Becoming a Mother, and Making It in Entertainment

    PT 2: KATRINA RISTESKA — MILENA IN GIA: A WOG CHICK COMEDY, MOTHERHOOD, AND MAKING IT AS A STAR Part two of our Gia special brings us face to face with Katrina Risteska, the actress bringing Milena Petrovski to chaotic, big hearted life. Katrina's been on our screens for over fifteen years, starting in musical theatre at seven years old in shows like Annie, The Wizard of Oz and Oliver at Sydney's Lyric Theatre, performing alongside names like Bert Newton, Anthony Warlow and Pamela Rabe. At eighteen she became the youngest ever competitor on So You Think You Can Dance Australia, placing in the top 3 females as the last commercial/hip hop dancer standing, and went on to dance for Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John, Kelly Clarkson and Jimmy Barnes. She moved into film at sixteen with her first lead role in The Combination, and has since built a career across Home and Away, Dance Academy, Skinford: Death Sentence, Chasing Comets, and the Netflix hit Occupation Rainfall, starring alongside Ken Jeong, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Gillies and Jason Isaacs, a film big enough to land her on billboards along Sunset and Wilshire Boulevard. After five years focused fully on acting, she's recently stepped back into music, releasing new material under her own name, including her single "Bad Way." And somewhere in between all of that, she became a mum to a gorgeous four year old daughter. We go back to little Katrina first, then into her career as a dancer, singer and actor, what drew her to Milena, what it actually feels like to play a woman as bold and loud as her, how motherhood has changed her ambitions, and what's next. We talk about: little Katrina, growing up, and when performing took overher SYTYCD run, dancing for some of the biggest names in music, and her comeback to music under her own nameher acting range, from Anna in The Combination to Chloe in Occupation to Suarez in Occupation Rainfallwhat drew her to Milena, and how she plays a character that big without turning her into a punchlinewhat it actually feels like to play someone as bold and loud as Milena, and how the world tends to perceive women like her in real lifehow becoming a mum has changed or altered her ambitions, what she's chasing harder and what she's let go ofthe chaos of filming the Feet to Eat scene with the cherrieswhat's next for her, beyond Giaa quickfire round on dance, acting, singing, tulumbi, and everything in betweenThis one's for anyone who's ever had a best friend who talks you into something you immediately regret, and loved them anyway. Gia: A Wog Chick Comedy — official links Website: https://www.giaseries.comInstagram: instagram.com/giatheseriesFacebook: facebook.com/giatheseriesDonate / support the project: https://buy.stripe.com/aFabJ3cyvdbM8D1fuW7kc02General contact: ciao@giaseries.comFollow Katrina Instagram: instagram.com/katristeskaFacebook: facebook.com/kat.risteskaA huge thank you to Meraki Entertainment for supporting both episodes of this two-part special. Meraki: https://merakientertainment.com.au If you enjoyed this episode, please give us five stars and rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it genuinely helps the show reach more people. Follow Balkan Sis Facebook: facebook.com/BalkanSisInstagram: instagram.com/balkansispodcastFollow Ivana Instagram: instagram.com/ivanastrbacalfonsoFacebook: facebook.com/ivanastrbacalfonsoTikTok: tiktok.com/@ivanastrbacalfonso

    Pt 2: Katrina Risteska | Milena in Gia: A Wog Chick Comedy, Becoming a Mother, and Making It in Entertainment

  4. 30 July

    Pt 1: Nicole Stojanovska: The Woman Behind Gia, A Wog Chick Comedy

    EPISODE ONE — Nicole Stojanovska on Creating Gia: A Wog Chick Comedy This week on Balkan Sis, I'm sitting down with Nicole Stojanovska, the Horsley-raised, Macedonian and Italian filmmaker behind Gia: A Wog Chick Comedy, a nine-episode comedy web series putting wog women at the centre of the story for the first time in decades. Made under her production company Parthenope Pictures, Gia follows Gia Granato, a sardonic, Sartre-quoting bookworm forced back in with her old-school Italian parents after her marriage falls apart. We go back to little Nicole first, then into the story behind Gia, the characters, why wog comedy has been such a boys' club for so long, her Portuguese boyfriend, her Michael Jackson addiction, and what it actually takes to follow a creative passion this far. Gia: A Wog Chick Comedy — official links Website: https://www.giaseries.comInstagram: instagram.com/giatheseriesFacebook: facebook.com/giatheseriesDonate / support the project: https://buy.stripe.com/aFabJ3cyvdbM8D1fuW7kc02General contact: ciao@giaseries.com Nicole's other work The Things We Bury (writer/producer, with director Nuno Dias) — Winner, Best Film, Creative Wollongong Short Film Festival 2026. Watch: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thethingswebury/1130390452YOUTH — short film, 2024 Creative Wollongong Short Film CompetitionProduction company: Parthenope Pictures A huge thank you to Meraki Entertainment for supporting both episodes of this two-part special. Meraki: https://merakientertainment.com.au If you enjoyed this episode, please give us five stars and rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it genuinely helps the show reach more people. Follow Balkan Sis Facebook: facebook.com/BalkanSisInstagram: instagram.com/balkansispodcast Follow Ivana Instagram: instagram.com/ivanastrbacalfonsoFacebook: facebook.com/ivanastrbacalfonsoTikTok: tiktok.com/@ivanastrbacalfonso

    Pt 1: Nicole Stojanovska: The Woman Behind Gia, A Wog Chick Comedy

  5. 14 July

    World Cup Special 2026: Voices of the Diaspora

    The Diaspora Cup 2026: Anthems, Passion & Everything In Between this episode is a bit different. instead of the usual chaos of my family, i pulled together some incredible voices from across the diaspora to talk about what this world cup actually means to us. Dr Selma — clinical psychologist, neuroscientist and trauma specialist based in Melbourne, joins to unpack the psychology of why we feel this sport so deeply, and why watching from a lounge room thousands of kilometres from home hits different.📍 Instagram: @dr.selma_music Daniela Rogulj — Croatian football correspondent, luxury storyteller and copywriter, based in Split, Croatia, gives us the on the ground perspective on that viral anthem moment from the tournament.📍 Instagram: @danielarogulj Marina Jurica — the Croatian fan who went viral this tournament for passionately singing Lijepa naša domovino with everything she had, while a section of England fans booed over her. Her moment became one of the most talked about clips of the World Cup, and we reflect on why. Tamara Peklić — cross-cultural coach, talks us through why Dubioza Kolektiv has become the unofficial soundtrack of this tournament, and what it says about how our generation connects to culture differently to our parents.📍 Instagram: @tamarapeklic Almasa — travel agent based on the Gold Coast, runs Europe Holidays, gives us the local flavour, who everyone here is actually supporting and why, plus a few strong opinions on referees along the way.📍 Facebook: Almasa Lojic Tartic Aida Demirović-Krebs — spoken word artist, PR and cultural manager, proud RefYUgee, based in Germany, joins with words in Bosnian, speaking to why Halid Bešlić still means what it means to us, and sitting honestly with Bosnia's 2-0 loss to USA.📍 Instagram: @aida_mohn_cheri we also touch on the Zlatan Ibrahimović moment everyone's been sending around, and close out talking about what's coming next, Croatia vs Portugal and Australia vs Egypt, two games none of us are emotionally prepared for. grab a coffee for this one. love, ivana LISTEN & FOLLOW 🎙️ Listen to Balkan Sis: Spotify | Apple Podcasts📱 Follow the podcast: @balkansispodcast📱 Follow Ivana: @ivanastrbacalfonso

    World Cup Special 2026: Voices of the Diaspora

  6. 8 July

    Strina Slavica Strbac - An 80th Birthday Legacy (Episode in Croatian)

    80th Birthday Special: Strina Slavica Strbac (HR) This episode is recorded entirely in Croatian (HR), because that is how Strina Slavica talks, thinks, and has lived her whole life. If you don't speak Croatian, stay with us anyway, you will still feel everything in her voice. This one is different from anything we have done before. This is a dedication to Strina Slavica's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A testimony. A life well lived. A legacy. Born in 1946 in a small village in Bosnia, one of twelve children, Strina Slavica has lived a life most of us could not imagine. She married at nineteen. She raised five children. She delivered babies were born at home, healed coughs with onion tea, survived war and displacement, rebuilt her life in Germany, then again in Australia, and never once stopped dancing. She is my dad's auntie, married to my grandfather's brother Mirko. In our language, a strina. But what she has been to our family goes so far beyond a word. She was there when my baba was dying. She was there at my wedding. She was there when I lost a baby, and she told me something I will never forget. She is a queen. A matriarch. Truly one of a kind. In this episode, we sit down together, kitchen table style, and talk about her childhood, meeting Striko Mirko, surviving war, raising a family across three countries, the recipes and remedies passed down through generations, and the wisdom she wants to leave behind. What started as a small legacy piece for my own children has turned into something so much bigger, reaching listeners across Australia, Europe, the US and Canada. So today, this is for all of you too. Wherever you are listening from, near or far, help me wish Strina Slavica a very happy 80th birthday. And if this episode moves you even slightly, call your own grandparents, your aunties, your elders. Ask them questions. Record their stories. Write it all down. Heritage, roots and tradition go so much beyond a flag. Special thanks to my cousin Antonio for organising the recording, and to Strina Slavica's family for trusting me with her story. 🎙️ Episode recorded in Croatian (HR)🎂 Happy 80th Birthday Strina Slavica🤍 A Balkan Sis legacy episode @ivanastrbacalfonso | @balkansispodcast

    Strina Slavica Strbac - An 80th Birthday Legacy (Episode in Croatian)

  7. 25 June

    From Displacement to the Law: Adam Khaze on the Truth About Immigration

    In this episode, Ivana sits down with migration lawyer, author, and former refugee Adam Khaze for a wide ranging conversation about his own story, his family, and the realities of Australia's immigration system. In this episode: Adam's family's escape from Iran as Bahá'ís facing religious persecution, the journey through Pakistan, and resettling in Perth as refugeesGrowing up between cultures, losing his mother to cancer in his early twenties, and how that shaped his path into migration lawMeeting and marrying his wife, Dr Nina Markovic, who came to Australia from Belgrade, Serbia, as a teenager, and building a household across two cultures and two faithsRaising multicultural kids and balancing safety, independence, and identity as parentsBreaking down the real legal definitions of emigrant, immigrant, migrant, refugee, and asylum seekerHow Australia's permanent migration program actually works, including skilled, partner, student, and humanitarian pathways, and the legal hurdles applicants faceCommon myths around migration, housing costs, crime statistics, and government support, examined through Adam's professional experienceA candid discussion of the current political climate around immigration in Australia, including differing views within migrant communities themselvesReflections on antisemitism, Islamophobia, and the importance of looking at issues individually rather than through a single lensAdam's advice for migrant and refugee families, and his closing message on empathy, self-reflection, and putting children firstA note on this episode: This conversation covers contested political topics, including immigration policy, Australian politics, and the war in Gaza. These are presented as Adam's professional views and lived experience; we encourage listeners to keep exploring these topics from multiple sources. Website: solvemigration.com Instagram: @adamkhaze (personal) · @solvemigration (firm) LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adam-khaze Book: Australian Migration Files (2025) Upcoming book: on migrant scapegoating, expected February 2027 Research paper: "Fleeing Communism: Yugoslav and Vietnamese Post-war Migration to Australia and Changes to Immigration Policy," co-authored with Dr Nina Markovic — https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nina-Markovic-4/publication/338474391_'Fleeing_Communism'_Yugoslav_and_Vietnamese_Post-war_Migration_to_Australia_and_Changes_to_Immigration_Policy/links/60b2438b45851557baa78f83/Fleeing-Communism-Yugoslav-and-Vietnamese-Post-war-Migration-to-Australia-and-Changes-to-Immigration-Policy.pdf Podcast: Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts Everything else: linktr.ee/ivanaalfonsoInstagram: @balkansispodcast · @ivanastrbacalfonso Contact: ivana.alfonso@hotmail.com Got a question for a future episode? DM Ivana or email ivana.alfonso@hotmail.com Guest: Adam Khaze Host: Ivana Strbac Alfonso Balkan Sis

    From Displacement to the Law: Adam Khaze on the Truth About Immigration

  8. 4 June

    Rakija, Kolo, Tea Ceremonies and a Love That Never Ends

    Today's episode is a full one. life has been full. we open with a birthday. sretan rođendan mama. 67 years old, a pensioner at last, and the most selfless woman i know. this episode is dedicated to you. but it's been a mixed bag since we last spoke, and i wanted to come on and share all of it with you. the joy, the grief, and everything in between. we talk about little Tessa, who lost her battle with cancer at only six years old. we talk about a family friend who passed, and what it means to be trusted with someone's final moments. we talk about how you carry two things at once. pain and love. and why you have to keep dancing anyway. i recapped Bosanski Vitez, the Bosnian film doing the rounds in Australia right now. go watch it. type it in wherever you are. it's important. shout out to my cousin Vlad. Macedonian Aussie comedian, absolute legend. go find his podcast This That and give it a listen. then i tell you about recording with my Strina Slavica. she's turning 80 in July and she is one of the most extraordinary women i have ever sat across from. part of the recording was lost and i am devastated about it, but we will do it again. ask your elders questions. record them. write it down. you will not regret it. and then the wedding. my cousin Daniel married his Laticia. East Timorese and Croatian cultures in the same room, and it was nothing short of magic. the tea ceremony, the kolo, the dragon dancers, the rakia, my son Vito holding his third cousin's hand on the dance floor. three generations. pure joy. don't wait. go to the wedding. huge thank you to Martina, my last guest. a Macedonian woman who works for NASA. i am so proud she came on and shared her story with us. and a massive thank you to our first ever sponsor. Mark, the Burek Guy, based in Liverpool Sydney. an absolutely incredible family-run business and an even better human. if you want to collaborate or sponsor Balkan Sis, reach out. this is completely bootstrapped and your support keeps it alive. COMING UP: next weekend. Burek on Wheels and Baba's Milk are hosting a pita workshop on the Gold Coast at Enzo's Cucina, Surfers Paradise, right on the Esplanade. there will be music, food, goodie bags and good people. tickets are limited so reach out to Lepa directly. i will be there shooting content and i would love to see you. also coming up. Seljačka Večer at the Croatian Club in Rocklea, Brisbane. 13th of June, starting from 3pm. Stona Sat will be there. there is talk of a bus running from the Gold Coast. get in, get your dose of good music and rakia, and support your local club. huge shout out to Prva Liga, the band who played at Daniel and Leticia's wedding on Saturday and Sunday. Steven, Marco and the boys. if you need a band for your next event, reach out to them. talented, warm-hearted men keeping our culture alive in the most beautiful way. we close with a reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, 12:31 to 13:8a. and then a song for Mum. love does not come to an end. živjeli. cheers to being different, cheers to not being mainstream, živjeli. find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. follow @balkansispodcast and @ivanastrbacalfonso.

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About

Balkan Sis is a podcast rooted in truth, depth, and real conversation. Hosted by Ivana, this is a space where culture, identity, motherhood, relationships, trauma, mental health, wellness, ambition, power, business, and politics are explored honestly and without filters. Through intimate conversations and lived experience, Balkan Sis is a place to reflect, heal, and feel less alone. Here, stories are honoured, voices are heard, and nothing is off limits. Pull up a chair. You belong here.

Information

  • Creator
    Ivana Strbac Alfonso
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ivana Strbac Alfonso
  • Show Website
    Balkan Sis

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