Why I Started an Independent Podcast About Bosnia and Herzegovina

Twenty episodes in, it seemed the right moment to explain why these stories matter, and why I chose to tell them through audio..

When I published the first episode of An Englishman in the Balkans, I did something rather unusual.

I didn't introduce myself.

I didn't explain what the podcast would become.

I simply pressed record and began telling stories.

Twenty episodes later, it feels like the right time to answer a question I've never really addressed.

Why this podcast?

The simple answer is because I've spent almost thirty years living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I'm still fascinated by it.

Not because it's perfect.

Not because it's exotic.

But because it constantly reminds me that the most interesting stories are rarely the ones that appear in the headlines.

They're found over coffee in a village café.

On a mountain path shared with strangers.

During an unexpected conversation in a local market.

Or in the sound of church bells drifting across a valley while the river continues its journey below.

Those are the moments that stay with me.

Those are the moments I want to share.

Looking Beyond the Headlines

Bosnia and Herzegovina is often viewed through the lens of its history or politics. Those subjects are important, but they don't tell the whole story.

Everyday life here is filled with quiet moments that rarely receive attention, neighbours chatting across a garden fence, a village celebration, a local café where everyone knows each other, or a walk through landscapes that seem untouched by time.

Those are the stories that fascinate me most.

More Than a Travel Podcast

People occasionally ask whether the podcast is about tourism.

Not really.

Others assume it's about history.

Only when history helps explain the present.

Some think it's political.

It isn't.

Politics has its place, but there are already enough people talking loudly about politics.

I'd rather spend my time listening.

Listening to people.

Listening to places.

Listening to the sounds that give a place its identity.

That's why you'll often hear birdsong, rain, rivers, footsteps and village life woven into my episodes. They're not background noise.

They're part of the story.

Life as an "Inbetweener"

I'm English.

That hasn't changed.

But Bosnia and Herzegovina has become home.

Living between two cultures gives me a perspective I value enormously.

I can still notice the things that many locals naturally take for granted, while understanding enough about life here to appreciate the deeper stories behind everyday events.

I often describe myself as an "Inbetweener."

It isn't about belonging to neither place.

It's about belonging, in different ways, to both.

Why I Came Back to Audio

Before retirement I spent many years working in broadcasting.

Radio was always where I felt most at home.

Like many creators, I later found myself experimenting with YouTube.

I enjoyed it, and I learnt a great deal.

But eventually I realised something important.

I wasn't missing video.

I was missing audio.

A podcast feels wonderfully personal.

You're probably listening while driving, walking the dog, preparing dinner or simply enjoying a quiet moment with a cup of tea or coffee.

Audio doesn't demand your full attention.

Instead, it keeps you company.

That conversation between host and listener is something I missed more than I realised.

Listening Before Speaking

One of the reasons I deliberately avoid politics is because I'd rather spend my time listening.

Listening to people.

Listening to places.

Listening to the sounds that make Bosnia and Herzegovina unique.

Many of the exclusive soundscapes I record for podcast members began simply by standing still and paying attention.

Sometimes the sound of a river or the bells of a village church can say more about a place than a thousand words ever could.

One Story at a Time

This podcast isn't trying to explain Bosnia and Herzegovina.

That would be impossible.

I'm still learning myself.

Instead, I'm trying to understand this remarkable country one story at a time.

Every episode is another conversation.

Another walk.

Another discovery.

Another opportunity to meet people whose stories deserve to be heard.

Thank You for Listening

If you've been listening since the beginning, thank you.

If this is the first time you've discovered An Englishman in the Balkans, welcome.

I'm delighted you're here.

There are many more stories still waiting to be told, and I hope you'll continue the journey with me.

As we say here in Bosnia and Herzegovina...

Vidimo se opet.

I'll see you again soon.