One year on ..

Today's date marks exactly one year since I first ever visited this beautiful country that we call Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In all honesty, it feels like just yesterday when I was on that bus from Zagreb to Zenica. Who could have honestly predicted that I would be in this city one year on? In this situation?

How much can change in a year, huh?

Sorry, but I felt compelled to write about it.

In life, you really never know what is just around the corner.

15,000 views

After just 99 days of this blog going public, we have managed to topple the 15,000 views milestone.

Thank you to everyone who has ever clicked onto this page to have a read; particularly those who are regular readers and contributors.

Upon creating the blog, I honestly could not have anticipated this sort of response. Truthfully, I would have been stoked to have received 500 views after these first 100 days.

Not meaning to boast, but I gain further pride due to the regular messages I receive from people - mostly strangers - providing me with compliments about my work.

Sorry to dust-off the cliche book here, but it is things like that which make it all worthwhile, and motivate me to continue what I am doing here.

Once again; thank you so much.

Football: Celik Zenica v Zeljeznicar

Finally some photographic proof I was actually at a Celik
match! 

There was an atmospheric and enjoyable match of football played last night in Zenica, with Celik playing host to reigning league champions Zeljeznicar.

Sadly - for us 'Zenicani' - Celik was, once again, on the receiving end of a defeat; losing 2-1 on this occasion. After a promising opening month to their campaign, Celik are now languishing in 10th position on the table, with relegation seeming like a greater possibility than any hopes of finishing in a position to qualify for Europe (they would need to finish no lower than fourth).

Nonetheless, as previously stated, the atmosphere was, characteristically, fantastic. It perfectly supported my opinion, less than a fortnight ago, when I stated that football is truly nothing without its fans.

Here are some photos and videos of the evening:

Things I'll miss about Bosnia: #1

Here is a new little 'segment' I will bring to you on this blog from now on; 'Things I'll miss about Bosnia'.

In case you are unaware, I do intend to be travelling back home to Australia sometime in the next few months. When exactly, I do not know, but the fact is; I will not be in Bosnia forever.

Lately, upon realisation of this, I have begun to appreciate every little thing that I will not have once I am back in Australia.

So, beginning from today, here are just some of those things which I am talking about. Although many, if not most, of them may not exactly be Bosnian, they are stuff which I have found to be freely available in this nation - to the contrary with Australia - and are the little things which have helped build memories of my time here.

Therefore, and without further to do ... I bring you the first cab off the rank.

#1 - Clipsi Max: Sweet Chilli

These are a flavour of potato chips that are sold in just about every supermarket or petrol station I have visited in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The cost of a standard 35-grams packet is just 60 fenings (that's around 35 cents in Australia). Not bad! They taste brilliant, and are an absolute must-have whenever I simply glimpse at them - even when I am not hungry! Every other flavour I have tasted in BiH certainly pale in comparison.
Indeed, I may need to stock up on a bunch of these before I jet back home; unless someone discovers a store or two in Melbourne that distributes them - I would be greatly indebted to you!
There is no greater feeling than these cone-shaped beauties being munched on in your mouth, believe me.

Just check out what state I am in when I have my hands on these sweet chilli chips(!):

Can't sit still: Shaking with excitement when 'that' red packet is in
my hands. 

2014 World Cup Qualifying: Balkan nations.

Edin Dzeko will be key to Bosnia-Herzegovina's hopes
of qualifying for their first FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)

Now to more positive news; A number of Balkan nations have made promising starts to their qualifying campaigns for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which is due to be held in Brazil.

After the first two match-days, 7 countries out of a possible 10 are undefeated: Serbia (1 win, 1 draw), Croatia (1W, 1D), Bulgaria (1W, 1D), Romania (2W), Bosnia-Herzegovina (2W), Greece (2W) and Montenegro (1W, 1D).

The signs are good, especially when it is considered that only three Balkan nations (Serbia, Greece and Slovenia) were successful in qualifying for the previous World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

In the case of Bosnia-Herzegovina; they will be looking for their first ever qualification into the World Cup finals - and many pundits believe their current team is capable of achieving that goal.

After obliterating minnows Liechtenstein 8-1 away from home, followed by a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Latvia on home soil a few days later, BiH's national side seem primed for their first 'real' test - an away fixture to Greece in Athens.

Some have suggested that Greece is the only thing stopping Bosnia from finishing atop of their qualifying group, so the October 12 match is sure to draw plenty of attention.

Bosnia-Herzegovina will then back up from that match with a fixture at home against Lithuania; of which I plan to attend. So, yes, I am most certainly on the bandwagon, people! Hajmo Bosna!

Check out the cracking goal scored by Edin Dzeko to round out BiH's 4-1 defeat over Latvia in Zenica two weeks ago:

The reality ...

I hate to be all doom-and-gloom, but I felt the need to post this.

While this photo is a few years old, and I do not know its exact whereabouts, it provides a good illustration of how inhabitants of this nation feel about their way of life.

It acts in stark contrast to us Australians, who love telling ourselves how we are all members of 'The Lucky Country'. 

Some might interpret the following as a bit of black humour, while others might be saddened.

Nonetheless, somewhere on a wall in Bosnia and Herzegovina ...

"Just 4 million people have the luck to live in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

others do not have that luck ... 

But they have everything else."

Zenica remembers Amer Pivic

A life too short: Amer Pivic, 1994 - 2012.
(Source: Klix.ba)

Zenica marked Tuesday as an official day of mourning to commemorate the life of Amer Pivic, the 18-year-old accidentally killed by a stray bullet during a gun-battle on Saturday evening.

As a mark of respect across the city, flags were flown at half-mast; shopping centres and retail outlets refrained from playing music; radio stations played only 'soft' music, mostly without lyrics; while thousands of people attended Amer's funeral in his home suburb of Klopce.

On an emotional day for the entire city, free buses ran to the cemetery from the bus stop where the teenager was killed on Saturday.

Here are some fantastic and moving pictures and video that have been captured by ZenicaBlog and Klix.

Pictures:

For more photos from the funeral of Amer Pivic, click on the following:

• Klix
• ZenicaBlog

Video:

REST IN PEACE

AMER PIVIC

1994 - 2012