Today is International Podcast Day, so I’ve switched on the microphone for a slightly different episode.

The doors are open, the sun is coming in, and if the dogs bark — or Tamara reminds me about the dishwasher — you may well hear that too.

After more than half a century around microphones, I still don’t really think of myself as a podcaster. I think of myself as someone who makes radio.

And perhaps that’s why podcasting appeals to me so much.

In this short reflection, I talk about the magic I first found in radio as a child, listening to a transistor beneath the pillow, and why I’ve found myself moving away from screens, algorithms and chasing numbers and back towards something much simpler: a microphone, a story and somebody listening somewhere else.

I also talk about the kind of stories I now enjoy sharing from Bosnia and Herzegovina — walks through the village, conversations in cafés, journeys into the mountains, bits of history, and sometimes simply the sounds of everyday life.

Because perhaps podcasting doesn’t need to shout.

Perhaps it can simply be one person speaking, another person listening, and somewhere between the two, a connection.

A question for you:

What podcast genuinely means something to you?

Not necessarily the biggest or most famous one. Just the one you really look forward to hearing.

Happy International Podcast Day 2026 — and thank you, as always, for listening.

An Englishman in the Balkans

Stories of the people, places and everyday life of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

An Englishman in the Balkans is a weekly podcast about the people, places and everyday life of Bosnia and Herzegovina, told by David Bailey, who has lived here for more than 25 years. New episodes arrive every Tuesday.

Before I go, I'd love to hear from you.

If this episode brought back a memory, made you curious about Bosnia and Herzegovina, or simply gave you something to think about, why not send me an Email or WhatsApp voice note?

Got a question, thought or story? Send me a WhatsApp voice note or message on +38766219417.

Voice messages may be included in a future episode.

The Email address is: david@anenglishmaninthebalkans.com