Bosnia is a VERY complicated place
Bosnia isn’t just Bosnia. The country consists of four regions: Bosnia, Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Brcko District. The second two are almost unknown outside the Balkans.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have an ethnic majority of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslim) and Croats (Bosnian Catholic). Serbs, who are Orthodox Christians, make up the largest group in Republika Srpska. Brcko District is mixed.
Complicated? That’s only the beginning.
The Bosnian language shares strong similarities with Serbian and Croatian, but they’re all classified as individual. The nation has three presidents. And the demographics in some places today were very different to Bosnia before the war.
Not all Bosnians are Bosniaks
Bosnian and Bosniak sound pretty similar, right? What may seem innocuous to outsiders can be offensive and create hostilities if the wrong term is used. In short, Bosnian is a nationality. Bosniak, like Serb and Croat, is an ethnicity.
Coffee time is key
The Ottoman Empire ruled over and influenced modern-day Bosnian culture, architecture and traditions. Nursing a small cup of strong Bosnian coffee for hours while chitchatting with friends is an Ottoman tradition embodied in modern Bosnia. Flexibility and the emphasis on quality time with friends and family contributes to the overall travel experience. Compared to the west, this approach to life is refreshing in a world dominated by work and deadlines. This all taught me to be more laid-back.
Dealing with people is different
When you need to communicate in the service industry, throw all concepts of politeness and etiquette out the window. If you go to the bus station, you’ll probably see a stern-faced person at the counter. Trying to be polite and getting more than one piece of information doesn’t work. One or two-word interactions work best.
Getting around Bosnia isn’t cheap
One of the biggest shocks was finding out two return bus tickets from Sarajevo to Mostar would cost almost $40, and watching in disbelief as passengers were charged extra to store luggage. Getting from Sarajevo to Belgrade isn’t much better either. Long distance transport has a Western European price tag with Eastern European quality and service. Getting around Bosnia is expensive.
