First broadcast in March 2024, this candid village conversation explores cross-cultural travel, ćevapi debates, and what it really means to return to Bosnia, this time with the whole family in tow.

It’s a misty Sunday morning in the village, the firewood’s sorted for next winter, and the banana plant has, miraculously, survived.

In this special episode, first aired back in March 2024, I sit down outdoors with Hannah Thomas, a young German-American nurse who’s just wrapped up her second visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Joined this time by her father, brother, boyfriend, and younger brother, Hannah reflects on what it’s like to travel somewhere that’s not “on the list.”

We talk about ćevapi comparisons between Croatia and Bosnia (spoiler: Bosnia wins), what shocked her the first time she crossed the border, and how it feels to slow down, embrace ćejf, and soak in a country still unknown to many.

This is the first time a guest has agreed to chat right here, and it’s raw, real, and refreshingly honest.

We explore:

The contrasts between German and Bosnian culture through the eyes of a traveler in her twenties

Why slow travel in the Balkans might be the antidote to all-inclusive burnout

How Bosnia’s charm sneaks up on you, through smoky cafés, fruit markets, and unexpected kindness

So brew yourself something warm, find a quiet moment, and join us for a very human story about family, curiosity, and the power of returning.

Have you ever visited a country that completely changed your perspective, where your expectations didn’t match the reality?

If so, where was it… and would you go back?

As I sit outside this evening, the sun is just slipping behind the wooded hills of Kozara National Park. The sky turns that perfect dusky pink, the kind that makes me reach for my camera, though it never seems to capture the colours quite right. I must work on that.

But tonight isn’t about the view. It’s about the sound.

Not the familiar birdsong, the bark of a village dog, or even the faint whir of a distant tractor.

No, this evening’s soundtrack is coming from underground.

Meet the Mole Cricket

Around this time of year, late July, something remarkable happens just below the surface of the soft, river-fed soil we have all around us.A gentle, rolling trill begins to rise from the earth. At first, it sounds faint, almost electronic. Then, as the minutes pass, others join in, and the entire area begins to hum.

These mysterious little performers?

Mole crickets.

Now, I’ll be honest, I hadn’t paid much attention to them until about three years ago. They’re not flashy. You won’t catch them hopping across the path or fluttering through the trees. No, they live in the quiet, deep in the soil, digging with their strong, spade-like forearms and keeping mostly to themselves.

We accidentally dug one up during some garden work once, and I was genuinely startled. They’re not the most handsome of creatures, in fact, I’d say they’re a bit grotesque,but they’ve earned their place in my summer evenings.

Nature’s Hidden Symphony

There’s a particular kind of magic to their chorus.

It starts with just one cricket calling out from its burrow. Then another replies. And another. Before long, the valley becomes filled with this strange, pulsing music, nature’s own ambient soundtrack.

It’s not easy to miss, even if you’re busy scrolling or wrapped up in the noise of the day. But if you sit still and let yourself listen, it’s like discovering a secret concert performed just for you.

That’s one of the many things I’ve come to love about life here. The quiet things are the main event. You begin to mark the seasons not just by the dates on the calendar, but by the sounds around you.

In spring, it’s the frogs.

In June, it’s the nightingales.

And in the height of summer, like right now, it’s the shy, subterranean song of the mole crickets.

The Rhythm of My Bosnia

What I’m sharing here isn’t a tourist destination or a hidden gem to pin on Google Maps. It’s just a moment. A rhythm. A reminder that some of the most beautiful parts of life are the ones that hum gently in the background, waiting for you to notice.

So wherever you are, walking, working out, winding down,I hope you’ll pause and listen to your own dusk chorus. I’d love to know what it sounds like where you live.

Let’s Stay Connected

If you enjoyed this little postcard from my Bosnian summer, I’d love to hear from you. You can drop me a message.

🎧 And if you’d like to experience it yourself, I’ve included a short soundscape, just under half an hour , of the dusk chorus recorded right here in Čardačani.

Thank You

Thank you for listening to these little slices of my life. If you’d like to get more stories, you can subscribe to my Substack, it’s free, and if you ever want to upgrade to paid but can’t afford it, just email me. I’ll sort it out, no questions asked.

Here are 3 questions I have.

* What would make you hit “play” on an audio post instead of just reading?

* What makes a podcast episode feel personal or meaningful to you?

* Would you like me to add audio versions of my blog posts so you can choose how to enjoy them?

I’ll give a complimentary subscription to Coffee and Rakija for life for taking the time to answer.

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📍 A Walk in the Garden, and a Few Thoughts from Čardačani

Hello and welcome back to Postcards from Bosnia.

If you heard a funny announcement at the start, no, that wasn’t a railway station speaker! It was actually someone calling a staff member over the loudspeaker in a local supermarket. Life’s little unexpected moments always make me smile.

I haven’t shared one of these “walking in the garden” updates for a while, so I thought today was the perfect day to do just that.

Recent Visitors from Austria

As I walk up the hill (you might hear a bit of huffing and puffing!), I think back over the last few days. We had Fritz and his wife Nicole visiting us here in Čardačani, that’s our little village between Banja Luka and the Croatian border.

They’ve been here several times before and have already promised they’ll be back next year. They left just a few hours ago on their motorbike, heading back to Niederösterreich in Lower Austria after a long, winding journey.From Austria into Italy, then a ferry to Greece, up through Albania and Montenegro, and finally here to us.

We spent the days sharing local food (Tamara always works her magic in the kitchen), enjoying some pivo and rakija, and simply relaxing. Yesterday, after nearly two weeks of travel, they were ready for a slow day, and we gave them exactly that.

A Magical Evening by the Water

In the evening, we took them to Slap, a beautiful little waterfall outside Banja Luka, right on the Vrbas river.

We sat down to dinner, chatted about life, and watched Fritz capturing videos and photos.

Afterwards, we drove past Banja Vručica, natural warm pools on the river. Even as the evening got chilly, people sat happily in the steaming water, beer cans in hand, soaking in the supposed healing properties.

I love these places. Spots you’d easily drive past without knowing they exist. Fritz and Nicole both said they would never have discovered them on their own.

Off the Tourist Trail

When you come to Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the northern region of Krajina, you’re visiting an area still wonderfully under the radar.

If you choose to stay with us, we can show you places far away from the usual guidebook suggestions. Places you might miss unless you know a local. We move slowly, enjoy each moment, and encourage guests to embrace local food and traditions.

As Fritz and Nicole said, they felt they’d seen a different side of Bosnia, and that’s exactly what we want to share.

A Walk Through Banja Luka

After the pools, we took a slow walk through Banja Luka. They were amazed by how clean and orderly the city felt, and by its fascinating blend of architectural styles: from sleek modern buildings, to the heavy, concrete lines from the Yugoslav period, to elegant Austro-Hungarian facades, and finally the older Ottoman houses.

We passed a church where a small group of young people were singing under the guidance of a choir leader, a Syrian woman, an Orthodox Christian who now calls Bosnia home. Their voices carried beautifully through the evening air.

I managed to pull out my phone and catch a rough recording, which is at the end of this podcast episode.

Weather, Orchards, and Changing Seasons

As I walk, I notice the brown patches in the grass, we’re still in the middle of very hot days, up in the mid-to-high thirties. Rain is expected tonight, and we’re hoping for a good, heavy downpour to quench the thirsty land.

The weather patterns have shifted...