SANTA CLARA, California, June 30 (Reuters) - With folk songs blaring and cevapi sausages sizzling on the terrace, Euro Grill restaurant has become Bosnia fans' home-away-from-home in Northern California ahead of the World Cup round of 32 knockout game against the United States.
The only Bosnian-run eatery in the South Bay Area has enjoyed a World Cup boom, with hungry customers tearing into spicy meats and burek pastries on Tuesday, while others queued outthe door waiting for a table.
The fans who have travelled far to this corner of sleepy Santa Clara find an already strong Bosnian community on the ground, with some 10,000 living in the region, according to locals.
Many, like Aida Sibic, resettledas refugees from the Balkan wars of the 1990s, and can now hardly believe the national team will be up the road at the Bay Area Stadium on Wednesday, playing the co-hosts.
"Not even in my wildest dreams," Gilroy resident Sibic told Reuters. "It's pretty surreal to be here to experience this, the excitement. We have people flying in from all over the country, even from Bosnia and from other European countries."
Sibic was a child when she landedin the Bay Area in 1995, part of a family that had "pretty much nothing to (their) name" after fleeing the war.
Many in the community have similar background stories.
Euro Grill owner Ramiz Avdic arrived in California at the turn of the century, having passed bleak times during the nearly four-year siege of Sarajevo following the break-up of Yugoslavia.
Avdic took up arms to defend Bosnia and nearly lost a leg to a grenade but had it saved by a skilful surgeon.
"They were dark times but it's different now. We all support the Bosnia team. Everyone is welcome to my 'living room'," he says, referring to his restaurant.
BOSNIAN RESILIENCE
Fans say Bosnians have resilience, having developed it the hard way, and the same qualities underpin the team which has made the World Cup knockout phase for the first time.
"Our people have overcome so much just to be here. You have players who have been born outside of Bosnia that are choosing to play for the country. And it's part of that Bosnian pride, you know, to represent the nation which has overcome so much," said Sibic.
Bosnians have turned up to their World Cup matches in huge numbers, swelled by a proud U.S.-based diaspora that numbers over 300,000.
None of the Bosnian Americans at Euro Grill said they felt mixed feelings about supporting Bosnia against the U.S., but there was gratitude to the co-host nation.
"It's homeland versus motherland," said Sibic. "The United States took us in. We built a home here."
Germany-based Bosnian Armin Basic has clocked plenty of frequent flyer miles following the team, and was taking his uncle from New Jersey to the match on Wednesday.
He said Bosnia, with a population of about three million, was a small country but their fans could make a big noise.
"We have a huge fan base, and it's all around the world. I don't think I'm doing something unusual," he said of his extensive travels.
"This is some Bosnian thing we do. We would like to support our people no matter where they go."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Additional reporting by Elizabeth Mendez; Editing by Ken Ferris)
