Berlin, Berlin

The town´s landmark Brandenburger Tor, the tourist side of Berlin


Berlin is home to many migrants: 40% of all youngsters living in Germany´s capital have a migration background. Initially there were circa 345 000 Bosnian and Hercegovinian refugees in Germany, 40 000 of them in Berlin, many of them returned to Bosnia and Hercegovina, some voluntarily, some with repatriation grant, and some were deported.

Finding interviewees is more difficult than expected. Why me, why not somebody else? This is the typical question I get. Especially organisations and institutions connected to Southeasteurope were helpful, but also social networks, so, I can start with my first interviews these days…

Anja

From London with Love

In Poland a Bosnian community is invisible. Therefore I decided to conquer the British Islands.


peace-camp in front of Big Ban


I spent a week in London, where a lot happened to surprise me. Firstly, tea is not a national good here anymore (pity), secondly, one can spend in the underground a whole day not meeting the people he knows (cool!)
and last but not least, the Bosnian community in London is as hard to find as in Warsaw.

I had 4 institutions to visit. Only one of it - the Embassy - still exists and has not changed the address. The Bosnian Institute and 2 BiH associations just vanished.


Bosnian Embassy in London


Fortunately I found a Bosnian Saturday school, just 200 m from Westminster Abbey! It is attended by 25 children, whose parents does not want to loose the bounds with their motherland. The children in the age 7-15 are attending classes of Bosnian history, geography, language and Muslim religion.

Vedrana, mother of 4, said it is a pity that Bosnian School is atended only by Muslim pupils, while Bosnians of Serb or Chroat origin prefer to keep their children at home.

Vedrana is the oldest of my interviewee from London. She was born in 1975, so she spoke about war time in details. Two other Bosnian girls, which I found via internetnet and social nets are Bojana (born 1987) and Selma (born 1985).
Getting in touch with young people was quite hard, since they do not like to take part in any official community life. The opposite with elders.




In far suburbs of London there is also the Advice Center of Bosnian community. On Sunday I knocked the door and was welcomed with a bit of surprise and wide smile.
- We do socialise here - elderly lady said to me. The average age is there 50, so I could not find nobody to take interview with, but the atmosphere of interior is worth to show here. Look at the pictures:

Mostar, Baščaršija...




socializing


What about Your travels and socializing, dear team?

Hania