Hello hello, how is everyone? How are you surviving the heat, provided you're experiencing something similar to what we have here in Belgrade? I think people who live in Belgrade and claim they love summer are just plain dumb—that is, unless they spend all of it somewhere else. The city is pure concrete and it's incredibly hot. A week or two ago I had problems breathing for the first time in my life. My AC is working most of the time (hello, electricity bill!) and my blinds are shut. I wake up covered in sweat and the first thing I do when I enter the flat is taking off all of the clothes. Even shower doesn't help. I cannot remember when exactly we became a tropical island... oh, but we didn't, because at least there you can jump into the sea. Well, enough with the despair: as always, here are some links for your entertainment.

Weekend Reads #54

In latest news from the Fairytale Land... I lost my phone. I lost my beautiful golden liked-by-everyone phone that I only had for less than a year (and that's SO LITTLE because I use my phones until they are dead and done). I lost my phone that had a broken screen, and why did it have a broken screen, because I didn't have the funds to repair it. Well, here's the silver lining: I don't need to repair it anymore. I am at the moment using my dad's old phone and it sucks and using it literally HURTS, because it has a keyboard with REAL KEYS and my fingertips haven't been using keys on a phone since 2009.
Rant over. On a similar note though, do you happen to need a writer, a translator, an editor, anyone who does anything with words? Well, you're looking at the right person's blog! Hit the "Contact" tab, feed the piggy bank and sponsor my next electricity bill. 

Weekend Reads #53

I know. I'm guilty. I let myself be one of those people whose domains expire. But on the other hand, why is it taking DAYS for money to land on my PayPal account? Anyway, we're back. If you had happened to visit in the past few days, you could have been greeted by a page telling you the domain for Wandering Polka Dot had expired. Argh! I now know I will make a dozen reminders for the next year...
Anyway, here are some links I stumbled upon recently I thought you might enjoy.

Advice To My Teenage Self

If only they made a travel machine already! I have some advice for a version of myself that wore glasses and had a bunch of spots on the forehead. Since I did it all wrong, I can only try my best and swim in this muddy puddle they call life. If she had only done things differently... well, here it is, just in case they do invent a time machine and we find a way to access a blog in 2006. that doesn't yet exist.

How To Save Money While Traveling: Case Study—Italy

It sucks running what used to be a travel blog when you're not traveling. I told you guys a few months ago the blog would take a slight turn towards some other topics as well, but I bumped into life and unfortunately wasn't able to update it as much as I would. But I was doing some cleaning the other day and found an almost two-year-old post-it with the cost breakdown of my Italy travels. I didn't want to toss it, but to write a blog post that might be useful to someone. Almost two years ago I wrote one of my most popular posts ever—How To Travel On A Budget—but I get it's one thing to offer general advice, but it's totally another to actually show someone how you really did it on a trip. So, here goes!

Weekend Reads #52

Hello there, and I hope you're well and healthy! I spent three days in bed and it was a great reminder to take better care of myself. Which I usually do, but my newly established schedule was all like "hello and here's a greeting from hell, let's see if you can keep up with me". Well, obviously I have to try harder. So, here's a quick go-to list for both you and me: 1. go to the gym (or do any other form of exercise), 2. drink plenty of water, 3. eat home-cooked meals, yes, Tihana, I'm talking to you, 4. have enough sleep, 5. don't hate your circumstances even when you think you couldn't possibly feel anything else. Bonus tip: spend time outside. I never manage to. I hope I will. Anyway, here are some links for you to check out...

Weekend Reads #51

First (kind of) work week done. Me: super tired but super proud of myself. I think "enchanted" was the word my boss for the time being used on Day 1 (OK haha it's not that I think so, she did literally say she was enchanted with me). But apart from that I've been spending my free time working at home (yes, feel free to pity me); it's a copyediting gig that's taking my eyes and soul. I haven't had a proper social outing in what seems to be years, though it's only been weeks. ONLY?! Am I listening to myself? There are literally dozens of people in this city I want to see, but I don't have time. I've written pieces on time management, I've read even more, but here I am, feeling like this dog. I don't even know how I managed to write this post. It's only six of the links this time—SORRY—but still: where did I get them? When? How? I don't remember. Must have been taking a five-minute break from work. Anyway, enjoy!

Weekend Reads #50

You might remember that last week I told you I was traveling to my parents' for the weekend. Actually it was a week, and it can be described in a few words. Manual labor and lots of food. I went to bed yesterday evening with a feeling my belly was stuffed with pounds and pounds of solid rock. But here I am back in Belgrade and getting ready to hit the gym. OK, tomorrow. I'm still chilling today. Kind of like food jet lag. Anyway, here are some cool links from around the web! Enjoy the weekend!

Weekend Reads #49

Hello there and hope you're well and ready to rock the weekend! I'm traveling to my parents' tomorrow as we celebrate Easter this Sunday. My new Belgrade life is perhaps starting to come together: the flat feels more like a home, I'm seeing people, I went out once, I'm being regular at the gym... I also found somewhat of a job, but I'm being vague here because it is vague and I don't want to jinx it. OK, it's not a job, it's an internship. But the one I cannot wait to start! Aaanyway, here are the links for this weekend, and if you're in Serbia, enjoy the long one! Happy holidays!

Three Months Later—Where I Am With My NY Resolutions

Time for a quarterly check-in! OK, well, the time was some weeks ago, but it's kind of difficult to think about blogging once you're homeless. ;) This post has been written in several goes, on a plane, on a bus, and in two or three homes. But here it is now! Again, I think it’d be stupid to go on and about the speed of light, and by speed of light I mean ‘wasn’t New Year’s Eve just the other week?!’, so I’ll cut straight to my goals for 2k16 and how I did in this regard. I welcome and encourage you to share your own resolutions and thoughts on how you did in the first three months of the year.