07.11.2014, 10:30
Enjoying a wonderful life in a vibrant city

BLOG: Andrea Lekic speaks of her enjoyment living in Skopje, allowing an up-close and personal insight to her personal life, also revealing many of her favourite places and ways to spend time off the court

Enjoying a wonderful life in a vibrant city

Hello handball fans, from the vibrant city of Skopje. I’m glad to have this opportunity to write about myself outside of the handball court. I usually don’t like talking about my daily plans and habits, as they often sound a bit cliché, but I will share with you quite a few interesting things from my life in this vivid and interesting city, that nobody else knew before.

Big-city buzz

I enjoy the noise and crowdedness of a big city, as I grew up in a Belgrade, which is very similar to Skopje in that regard. I also feel very close to home because of that, and also because of the language and the mentality. This way of life suits me perfectly. I like to lead an active social life, meet many people, and have many friends.

My personal life is very similar to my on-court persona. I am a fighter, a loyal friend, and a very emotional, tolerant person that enjoys a good joke and laughter. My greatest wealth in life is having so many good friends. I am proud and happy that I have great friendships in every city I’ve lived in.

When I’m not on the court or at practice, my day is still very active. I get a lot of positive energy from the things I love doing, whether it’s music, watching sports at home, or visiting some of my favourite places in the city.

The thing I like about Skopje is that there’s always something to do here - you can never run out of ideas.

Music and sports to start the day

I don’t have any particular habits, but one thing I have to have as soon as I open my eyes in the morning is music. I listen to it a lot, and I like a good rhythm- it gets me going.  Also, whenever my TV is on there are sports on it. I enjoy watching many different sports, but I’m a big fan of tennis and basketball. Back when I was younger, I actually had to make a decision whether to continue with basketball or pursue my handball career.

When I’m at home I always keep myself occupied, as I am trying to finish my studies in Belgrade, and when I’m not studying, I have a lot of work to do with my handball camp. I am very committed to that, always analysing stuff, thinking of new ideas and things we can do. 

Good friend and a glass of wine

I also go around the city very often, visiting my favourite places. I enjoy the local cuisine and visit many restaurants - I’m an expert in knowing what this city has to offer when it comes to food!

If I were to host someone here in Skopje, we would first of all go to one of my favourite restaurants (and you can’t simply have only one favourite restaurant here). It’s known that I enjoy a good glass of wine, and this is definitely the place to be if you like wine. I have tried most of their local offerings and it’s phenomenal, I love it.

I recently visited the Kamnik winery, which has some excellent wine, a wonderful interior, and a beautiful view of the city, a really nice place. And when I want some peace and quiet, a ten-minute drive from Skopje is a place called Matka. It’s where I go to enjoy the nature and relax. It’s a wonderful getaway when you want to spend some time in the nature, and its peaceful and beautiful surroundings make my every visit an enjoyable experience.

Key to happiness

Another thing I like about living in Skopje, is that it allows me is to visit my friends and family in Serbia more frequently. I can now be in Belgrade at least once a month, which is very important to me. As you might have guessed, at the moment I am enjoying my life here in Skopje, as well as playing for Vardar. I think my happiness in life translates well onto the court, where I try to give 100% every time.

Until next time,

Love,
Andrea

TEXT: Andrea Lekic, WHC Vardar SCBT centre back