90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days star Vanja Grbic’s background story is an emotional one and reflects on the person Vanja has become now. Vanja is a 42-year-old woman from Florida who began her reality TV journey with season 7 of the 90 Day Fiancé spin-off. Vanja seemed the happy-go-lucky type during her introduction. Vanja worked four jobs. Vanja earned a living through belly dancing and baking vegan treats. Vanja was living in Orlando, Florida when she went to Croatia to meet Tinder match Božo Vrdoljak for the first time.
Vanja had her own house, and her own car, and was confident about every aspect of her life, except relationships. Eleven years ago, Vanja used to be engaged to the man she thought would be the one. However, the man was cheating on Vanja and living a double life. It had been very difficult for Vanja to bounce back. Eight months before filming, Vanja took a solo trip back home to reconnect with her country, her culture, and her people. She went to Slovenia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia. She ended up in Split and came across “absolute perfection” basketball player Božo.
Vanja Grew Up In Bosnia
Vanja Is Originally From Eastern Europe
Vanja spoke about how, at first, growing up in Bosnia was the most “magical” childhood. However, when she was 10 years old, the whole country separated and broke into pieces and a war started. Vanja had gone to visit her grandparents with her family. They were getting into their car to start driving back home when they saw missiles exploding. The night sky was lit up, and the ground started shaking. “We were never able to go back home,” Vanja recalled. They ended up having to stay at her grandmother’s house.
Vanja Moved To Florida When She Was 10
Vanja Now Lives In Orlando, Florida
Custom image by Cesar García
They had no electricity or water for a year. They ended up boiling flour and onions, and they called it the “black soup.” They ate it for months. They got bombed all the time. Vanja was “almost killed” on a couple of occasions. She would never forget sitting in the basement for days at a time because the air raids were happening. Bombs were dropping everywhere and Vanja could feel the ground shake. She didn’t know if the next one was going to drop on her.
“To have to go through that level of stress and trauma as a child it is absolutely devastating.”
Vanja Wished To Reconnect With Her Roots When She Met Božo
Will Vanja Date Someone From Croatia Again?
Vanja explained that the war in Croatia had not been as devastating as it was in Croatia, but Božo’s family had been affected by it, just like everybody else from the former Yugoslavia. Božo understood what she had to overcome and the scars she carried in her heart. It was always going to be a part of who she and Božo are. Vanja was proud of them for being survivors and for what they had accomplished. Vanja was taking the relationship very seriously, but in the end, she got her heart broken on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days.
