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Dina Dzankovic was born in Novi Pazar, Serbia and Montenegro. She studied at the University of Management in Novi Pazar but was awarded a scholarship to study interior design in France, something she said was a dream come true.

Before she could leave for Paris, however - her life took a few surprising turns. She began dating Mirsad Turkcan, the brother of her good friend Emina Jahovic - a family she'd known her entire life.

She also entered the Miss Serbia and Montenegro pageant and, quite unexpectedly, won. At the Miss World pageant she told reporters her personal motto is "To be different is to be beautiful" in response to questions about whether or not a Bosniak Muslim should be representing Serbia and Montenegro at all.

The Belgrade press had a field day with her quick friendship with Miss Turkey, Hande Subasi, but never could have predicted what would come out of her mouth next. On international television she declared she was not willing to honor her commitments as Miss Serbia and Montenegro and would instead, following the pageant, leave the country and move to Istanbul. As a final stab she added, "If I don't leave now, I might never get out."

It might have sounded fine to her but an 18-year-old Muslim girl from Novi Pazar being sent to Istanbul for marriage was a great source of humor throughout the Balkans. The jokes were endless, from all sides. Even Bosnian papers printed cartoons showing Dina tied to the side of a donkey with her family waving goodbye - the slogan read, "It's all a Sandzak villager ever dreamed for their daughter!".

Turkish press, however, embraced her. She's been busy learning Turkish and adjusting to her new life as a Turkish trophy wife. She's already signed a modelling contract in Turkey and is expected to be offered movie rolls once her Turkish improves.