Coffee & Rakija
An Englishman in the Balkans
Why I Don’t Talk Politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦
0:00
-7:51

Why I Don’t Talk Politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦

Personal reflection on identity, responsibility, and navigating complexity as a foreigner in the Balkans.

An Englishman in the Balkans is a personal podcast about life, travel, culture, and storytelling in Bosnia and Herzegovina, told from the perspective of a British-born creator who has made this country home.

Expect gentle reflections, real places, local voices, field recordings, and stories that go beyond the usual headlines.

Living here has taught me that sometimes the most respectful thing an outsider can do is listen rather than judge.

I’ve lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina for many years, and one question comes up more often than almost any other: why don’t I talk more about politics?

The truth is, I follow what happens here and I see how political decisions affect everyday life. But I also believe that, as someone not born here, my role is to listen more than I speak. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a deeply complex country, shaped by history, memory, identity and experiences that do not fit neatly into simple explanations.

In this episode, I reflect on why I avoid political commentary, why outsiders can so easily misread this country, and why I would rather encourage visitors to come for the people, the culture, the landscapes and the stories. Sometimes the most respectful thing we can do is ask questions, remain curious and accept that not everything has a simple answer.

Leave a comment

If you enjoy these stories from Bosnia and Herzegovina, you can find more at:

Website: https://www.anenglishmaninthebalkans.com

YouTube: A British Voice in Bosnia with David Bailey


If this episode gave you a different glimpse of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the simplest way to support the podcast is to share it with someone who might enjoy these stories too.

You can also subscribe here on Substack to receive future episodes and reflections directly by email.

Share

As always, thank you for being here.

David

Discussion about this episode

User's avatar

Ready for more?