An Englishman in the Balkans – Details, episodes & analysis

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An Englishman in the Balkans

David Pejčinović-Bailey MBE

Society & Culture

Frequency: 1 episode/33d. Total Eps: 137

An Englishman in the Balkans is a podcast about life, culture, and slow living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, seen through the eyes of a British expat who’s made the Balkans home for over two decades. Hosted by broadcaster and storyteller David Bailey, each episode explores everyday moments, local traditions, conversations with fascinating people, and reflections on what it means to live abroad. Whether you’re curious about life after 50, considering a different pace of life, or simply fascinated by the hidden corners of Europe, this podcast offers a gentle, engaging escape. 🎧 New episodes weekly from the heart of the Western Balkans. Perfect for listeners who love expat stories, slow travel, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and authentic cultural insights.

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https://www.anenglishmaninthebalkans.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp
136 shares
https://www.paypal.com/davidbaileymbe
124 shares

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Score global : 48%

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Why I Don’t Talk Politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Saturday, August 9, 2025 • Duration 06:22

Welcome to An Englishman in the Balkans, where I share personal stories, conversations, and moments of everyday life from my adopted home in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Whether you’re curious about the culture, thinking of visiting, or just enjoy a slower pace of storytelling, there’s something here for you.

Hello again. I’m David, a long-term resident of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This episode isn’t about the beauty of the Vrbas river or where to find the best ćevapi (although there’s plenty of that on this channel).

It’s about why, despite living here for over two decades, I choose not to talk publicly about politics.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am interested. I follow what’s happening.

I see how decisions impact everyday life. But I also know, deeply, that this isn’t my country.

And with that comes responsibility: to observe, not interfere. To listen, not judge.

When friends and visitors ask me about the conflict, the three presidents, or the state of the country today, I tell them what I can. But the truth? The truth depends on who you ask.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is many things.

Complicated. Fragmented.

Yes, dysfunctional. But also endlessly generous, rich in stories, and deeply human. It’s a living archive of history, culture, pain, pride, and resilience.

In this episode, I reflect on the minefield of discussing politics as a foreigner, the legacy of the Dayton Agreement, and why it’s better to explore Bosnia through its people, not its politics.

If you’re curious about this beautiful, complex place, watch, listen, and maybe even plan your own journey to the heart-shaped land.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, you can support the podcast by leaving a review or buying me a coffee, it really does help keep things going.

Want to hear more or catch up on past episodes? Visit anenglishmaninthebalkans

For a deeper look into life here in the Balkans, check out my Blog at Coffee and Rakija.

Find us on ALL podcatchers at: PODLINK

Until next time — stay curious.

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7 Questions and Answers about Bosnia and Herzegovina

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 • Duration 23:36

Tamara and David answer some of your questions:

1. Are there many houses made of wood in BiH? Seems that most houses are made of bricks. In Norway 90% of the houses are made of wood.

2. Is Herzegovina a separate geographical area within BiH?

3. What are the various culture that made up Banja Luka and the various cultures in present day? What about the people living there. What are their occupations; industry, tourism etc?

4. How many dogs you guys have?

5. How did you guys meet?

6. What are the rules to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina at the moment?

7. What is your favourite place in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

If you enjoy the podcast please subscribe/follow and share with a friend!

If you would like to support our podcast you can, by maybe buying us a coffee or a sandwich?

https://www.paypal.com/davidbaileymbe (https://www.paypal.com/davidbaileymbe)

Read Our Blog at https://livinginbosniaandherzegovina.com/ (Living in Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina (https://www.facebook.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina)

Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina/ (lifeinbosniaandherzegovina)

Ask us any questions or give a suggestion for a Podcast.

Some Fun Facts from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Monday, February 8, 2021 • Duration 28:43

Tamara and Me look at some Facts concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina.

When researching somewhere to visit, I invariably land on links that say 5 fun facts about wherever, or 6 stunning places you must visit.

So, on this episode we look at some fun facts from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Without giving too much away, a few of them are quirky and not well known at all.

If you enjoy the podcast please subscribe/follow and share with a friend!

If you would like to support our podcast you can, by maybe buying us a coffee or a sandwich?

https://www.paypal.com/davidbaileymbe (https://www.paypal.com/davidbaileymbe)

Read Our Blog at https://livinginbosniaandherzegovina.com/ (Living in Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina (https://www.facebook.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina)

Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina/ (lifeinbosniaandherzegovina)

Ask us any questions or give a suggestion for a Podcast.

Come and visit us and holiday in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

E-Mail us at info@livinginbosniaandherzegovina.com

Support this podcast

Get full access to 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 An Englishman in the Balkans 🇧🇦 at

Traditional Folklore Dancing in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Monday, January 25, 2021 • Duration 38:07

Hello and welcome to the living in Bosnia and Herzegovina podcast. A podcast that tells stories from this much misunderstood country. In today's episode, we'll be finding out more about folklore, and in particular, traditional dancing. Back in 2019, I became aware of a young lady from South Holland, who had been dancing with a folklore ensemble in the nearby city of Banja Luka. She was at that time starting to make a film about Bosnian folk dancing, because she felt that these traditions might be starting to disappear, and she wanted to preserve that experience for future generations. So in the COVID world of early 2021, I have caught up with Efie Derksen to find out more.

David:

Efie, you're in the Netherlands, I'm here in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I bumped into you quite randomly on the internet, and I thought, "What an amazing story." So we've never really met in real life. So if we did, my first question to you would be, "Who is Efie?"

Efie:

Yeah, that's a good question. I am very jealous because you are there. I miss it so much to be in Bosnia. But, I'm Efie, I'm a Dutch woman and there is no genetical link with the former of Yugoslavia, but for me it's something I grew up with. So it was in our home. We always listened Balkan music. And first, your question, who is Efie? I'm a lot of things. I'm a nurse, and I'm making a from my heart. I'm not a filmmaker. So it's just something that I wanted to do, to preserve what we can find now.

David:

I read a little bit about you, and you said that your parents are both from the Netherlands, were into folklore themselves. But they met not in the Netherlands, I understand, but somewhere close to here as well.

Efie:

Yeah, it's true. They met in Hungary. My dad is a musician, he always was, and he loved music from the Balkans. It was just that feeling, and the new music, and the songs. So he would travel to the Balkans to learn from the musicians there. And my mother was a folk dancer, and in that years, I'm talking about '70s early '80s, I don't know. It was very popular in Holland to do folk dancing. So there were courses, and she went to a course in Hungary. There was just like a folk festival, and my dad also was travelling there, and he came to play, and she came to dance, and then they met like two Dutch people and the one folk festival in Hungary, so it's funny. Yeah.

Sounds of The Balkans - November 2020

Friday, November 27, 2020 • Duration 01:22:24

Sounds of The Balkans In this edition of the podcast, we play some eclectic Balkan music mixed with some Balkan gossip .

The tracks we featured are:

Balkan - https://www.facebook.com/omikimusic/ (Omiki )

I Daje - https://www.facebook.com/SassjaSassja/about/ (Sassja)

Baila Leila - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goran_Bregovi%C4%87 (Goran Bregović)

Lasting Kind of Love - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Popovi%C4%87 (Ana Popović)

Opa Cupa - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavic_Soul_Party! (Slavic Soul Party)

Trust - https://www.facebook.com/bruhuuhu/ (Bruhuuhu)

Cross the Line - https://dubioza.org/ (Dubioza Kolektiv)

Samo Malo- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnifico_(musician) (Magnifico)

Na Na Na Na - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubismo (Cubismo) with Josipa Lisac

Noć Noć - https://popnable.com/bosna/artists/57683-brutal-protest (Brutal Protest)

Professor Jakov - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_3 (Let 3)

Sounds of The Balkans - October 2020

Tuesday, October 27, 2020 • Duration 59:05

Sounds of The Balkans

In this edition of the podcast, we focus on music from Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Croatia and Serbia.

Some old tracks and some really up to date ones too.

The tracks we featured are:

https://www.divanhana.ba/en/biography2/ (Divanhana) - Oj safete, sajo, sarajlijo

https://amiramedunjanin.com/ (Amira Medunjanin) - Ajde Jano Kolo Da Igramo

http://www.snailrecords.nl/artist/ljb/ (Ljiljana Buttler) - Nocas Mi Srce Pati

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0aban_Bajramovi%C4%87 (Šaban Bajramović) - DJelem, DJelem

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parni_Valjak (Parni Valjak) - Moja Je Pjesma Lagana

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekatarina_Velika (Ekaterina Velika) - Zemlja

https://www.facebook.com/vanjamisica/ (Vanja Mišić) - Tu I Tu

https://www.n1m.com/sopot?album=66179 (Sopot) - Zovi Me

https://www.facebook.com/sundaystoriesofficial/ (Sunday Stories) - Dišem

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanda,_Kod%C5%BEa_i_Neboj%C5%A1a (Kanda, Kondža i Nebojša) - SAT

The Wooden Church of St Nicholas at Romanovci

Tuesday, July 9, 2019 • Duration 14:50

On this edition of the podcast Tamara and I visit the wooden church at Romanovci. Over the years, I have developed an interest in wooden chapels and churches, and mosques with wooden minarets, that are to be seen across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Today I travelled the short distance to Romanovci, to see the church of St Nicholas (Sv Nikola).

Sadly it was closed but I will come back to see inside.

This church is special, in that it is a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

If you enjoy the podcast please subscribe/follow and share with a friend!

If you would like to support our podcast you can, by maybe buying us a coffee or a sandwich?

https://www.paypal.com/davidbaileymbe (https://www.paypal.com/davidbaileymbe)

Read Our Blog at https://livinginbosniaandherzegovina.com/ (Living in Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina (https://www.facebook.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina)

Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/lifeinbosniaandherzegovina/ (lifeinbosniaandherzegovina)

Ask us any questions or give a suggestion for a Podcast.

Come and visit us and holiday in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

E-Mail us at info@livinginbosniaandherzegovina.com

An Englishman in the Balkans – Details, episodes & analysis

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An Englishman in the Balkans – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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RSS feed quality and score

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Latest published episodes

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