The Midweek Listen
A weekly audio postcard from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Good morning from Bosnia.
Just a quick midweek note to let you know that the latest episode of An Englishman in the Balkans is now available.
This week, I’m taking you into the centre of Banja Luka on the evening of the annual “Matura”, that wonderful end-of-school celebration when young people step out in their finest clothes, families gather with cameras and bouquets, and the whole city seems to pause for a moment of pride.
It’s not a formal guide to the tradition. It’s more of a gentle walk through the atmosphere of the evening: the colour, the noise, the photographs, the proud parents, and that unmistakable feeling of a city marking an important rite of passage.
As ever, it’s a small window into life here in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A story, a place, a moment, and a few reflections from someone still trying to understand this remarkable country after all these years.
You can listen now on the podcast page of my website.
Thanks, as always, for listening and for being part of this small community.
Vidimo se opet,
David
A brilliant podcast there, David! I love the perspective you gave, as well as the small details (the bouquets, for instance) you noticed, with the matura celebrations. As you mention, pretty much the same thing happens all throughout the Balkans. Actually, I’m currently working on my next article focusing on Bulgaria where, to a greater degree than in ex-Yugoslavia, graduation has eclipsed weddings as the primary rite of passage.