"Oh, you're from Siberia?!" "Serbia? Isn't it, like, really cold there?" Where even is that place?" "Is your dad in the mafia?" or my personal favorite, "Didn't you guys just kill a bunch of people?" Those are some of the few questions I get when meeting a person unfamiliar with the wonderful land known as Serbia, formerly known as Yugoslavia. Before getting into the top ten things to know about Serbia and the culture, it is important to dismiss certain incorrect ideas about Serbia and Serbians.

A little geography lesson never hurt anyone, right? My wonderful readers and friends, Serbia is located in the Balkans. Since everyone seems to know where Greece is, Serbia is relatively located in that area. So no, it is not cold. It actually gets extremely hot in the summers.

And no, not every man that is Serbian is in the mafia. In fact, very few that you encounter will be a part of the mafia. I would even argue none of the men you meet have anything to do with the mafia.

As we put these incorrect ideas to rest, allow to introduce to you to Europe's little secret, Serbia.

1. Serbia has Belgrade as its capital. AKA voted number one city for night life by The Traveller. With endless nightclubs open until the break of dawn, literally, there is always something to do. And now, rumor has it, it will be transformed to a city on water! I'm going to assume that will be a more grandeur version of San Antonio's riverwalk.
2. RAKIJA. Serbia's gem. It is that national drink of Serbia, and the most popular one. Serbia is the world's largest rakija producer. Rakija is a fruit brandy. A host will first offer all of his male guests rakija. In Serbia, the rakija is often home-made. (Because that's allowed there, I think. If not, everyone does it anyway.) Why wouldn't you want to visit a country where you are greeted with a glass of alcohol?
3. "Mir Boziji, Hristos se Rodi" is the proper way to greet an indivudual on Christmas Day. And oh, by the way, Christmas day is on Jan. 7. Yes, it is much later than the typical Christmas day, and that is because Serbians, along with other Eastern European nations, follow the old calendar when it comes to the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith, the Julian Calendar. Unlike in America where gifts seem to be the most important facet of Christmas, Serbians typically don't exchange gifts, and they don't have Christmas tree. Santa Clause also does not exist. Instead, on Christmas Eve, Serbians find a branch from an oak tree and take it to be blessed, or take one of the branches offered at the local church's Christmas Eve midnight liturgy. Following the midnight liturgy, the family would come home to a home-cooked dinner, place straw in the kitchen underneath the table to symbolize the birth of Christ, and the badnjak is brought into the house. On Christmas day, there is a special bread called a Ćesnica. Inside the bread are placed coins, small piece of wood, and a bean all with their own representation. The family then breaks the bread to see who gets what, and lunch is served.
4. Slava. After Easter and Christmas, Slava is probably the most important holiday for a family. Slava is the celebration of the patron saint, which is passed down father to son. The day is celebrated with a home-cooked feast, friends and family. For a slava, a Kolač is prepared, which is the holy bread decorated with crosses, doves, and braides. There is also the žito which is boiled wheat prepared with various ingredients such as walnuts. The žito is also taken to church to be blessed by the priest and is later served to all of the guests.
5. Music Festivals. Did you know that the world-famous EXIT festival takes place in Serbia? As in Novi Sad, Serbia. It is an award winning music festival that features the best of music. Ugh, I want to go! But if you're looking for something a little more traditional, there is always the festival in Guća, which takes place in the beginning of August. The best brass bands perform at the festival and it is the biggest event in Serbia. Literally, no one misses Guča. Still haven't gone and severely regret it. It's day and night of trumpets, Serbian folk music, and the most popular Serbian singers.
6. Kolo. What do Šumadija, Moravac, and and Čačak all have in common? They inspired the names of the most popular folklore dances. Serbia is home to the most beautiful of ensembles and dances with an abundant amount of diversity and history. In America, many churches organize youth folklore groups so kids can dance continue to be a part of the heritage and culture. The kolo is also a way to bring people together in various celebrations since it is danced typically in a circle with dancers holding hands.
7. Roman Emperors. No less than 17 of the Roman Emperors were from the area that is now known as Serbia. 17... just from that little country. Imagine the history there.
8. FOOD. Not a single person has walked through my household without trying Serbian food, and not a single one left hungry, or upset. Ćevapi, sarme, punjene paprike, pasulj, burek, and kajmak are one of the few delicacies attributed to Serbia. If you went to Serbia just because of the food, you wouldn't be disappointed. The food is inspired from different area of the Balkans, Greece, and Turkey (because they basically ruled over us for a while). Visit a Serbian household if there isn't a Serbian restaurant near you, you will not be disappointed.
9. Sports. Just this year, the Serbian U20 soccer team won the World Cup, the Men's Water Polo team were named world champions, and the women's basketball team were named champions of Europe. Novak Djokovic is the number one tennis player in the world, and Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic also had their share of being number one or in the top five. For a smaller country, the sports scene in Serbia is huge. Serbians are present everywhere and compete at extremely high levels with teams such as America and Spain. Just this past year Serbia played America for the basketball world championship. And who says the little never wins? With the success Serbia has had in recent years, that statement is altogether false.
10. Eastern Orthodox Christianity. This religion is one of the most rich, beautiful, and traditional religions in the world. Priests are dressed in elaborate robes, church services are long and filled with prayer, excerpts fro the Old and New Testaments, and churches and monasteries are elaborately painted and covered with frescoes.

Serbia is a country filled with history, culture, and tradition. Nothing of this country is short of beautiful, and if you take the time to learn more about it, it is easy to see that Serbia and the people are not portrayed on mainstream news media correctly. Learn, visit, explore, and be changed. No wonder Serbians are proud of where they came from.