A Little Perspective… What Does Cuba Look Like Now?

You know that idyllic image of American life in the 1950s? You know the one I mean:  Neat yards aligned up and down the streets of pretty suburbs, complete with white picket fences and neighbors pruning their roses while tossing friendly hellos to their neighbors? I wasn’t alive back then, so I don’t know how …

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A Little Sweet… Six Fun Treats from Around the World

When you travel the world, you discover all kinds of new things: new dishes, new festivals, new cultures, new friends. The list is endless—it’s a parade of new things. Include sweet treats! Sure, over the years I’ve found my favorite signature dishes that I will forever love thanks to sampling them in a new country—some …

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Traditional Turkish coffee in Sarajevo, Bosnia

A Little Travel Memory… My Big Bosnian Coffee Blunder

I winced as I took my first sip of the jet-black Bosnian coffee—it was certainly not your average American brew! My couchsurfing hosts in Sarajevo, Furkan and his roommates Anida and Sidak, decided that I couldn’t leave Sarajevo without stopping in the Turkish quarter for a traditional Bosnian coffee complete with Turkish Delight. They were …

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Aerial shot of Stari Most bridge in Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

A Little History… Surveying the Damage in Bosnia Ten Years After the War

Emerging from the train station in Mostar humbled me. We took a gorgeous ride from Sarajevo to Mostar and the sun shone bright on the glossy, newly painted buildings. Much of the city stood in stark modern relief against buildings riddled with holes, crumbling walls, and visible bombing damage. Even more than a decade after the …

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A Little Fun… New Friends, Coffee Overload, and So Many Cafes

Gentle summer breezes, water-misting fans, and one creamy ice cream cone is all it takes to fit in throughout Bosnia and Croatia. The sidewalk café culture is alive and rampant here; locals and tourist alike spend hours people-watching or being people-watched. This shared social activity in the late afternoon and early evenings is an intrinsic …

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eating vegetarian in Bosnia

A Little Food… Vegetarian Survival Guide to Bosnia & Herzegovina

I love Bosnia & Herzegovina. Completely and with the whole of my heart, this country has won my affection. My couchsurfing hosts played a big part in those first days, as they walked me all over Sarajevo, imploring me to dig beneath the surface to see the city’s deep charms. I was skeptical—I rarely enjoy …

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Visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia

A Little Welcome… Travel Days and a Cultural Faux Pas in Sarajevo

A constant whirring sounded from deep within the train as the wheels sped across the tracks. Coupled with the constant rocking and the constant intrusions into my train compartment, the overnight between Zagreb and Sarajevo wasn’t restful. Added to that, the customs offers at the border crossing between Croatia and Bosnia have absolutely no mercy. The …

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