re: They Hunted Humans

My boss' dad (Croatian) was on the run from the Serbs for like a month -- everyone thought he was dead during that time.

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I've learned that Bosnia still functions day-to-day, but the political system is under strain. Nationalist rhetoric is louder, institutions are being tested, and the margin for error is shrinking

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Tensions are escalating over the Serb Republic. They are back to screaming that Bosnia has always been Serb land and should be again. Being in that part of Bosnia is weird. Serb Republic flags everywhere and do not even let them see you wearing anything Bosnian.

No one likes Serbs.

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These Balkan states have absolutely brutal histories. Why is that?

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It is what happens when you have a country or region with a pretty equally mixed population of different ethnicities, religions, POV, and they break up into smaller areas and fight each other. They even named the term for it after them: Balkanization.

If the United States ever has equal parts White Christian, White Atheist/Other, ME Muslim, Black, and Hispanic all together, the same thing will happen here.

Melting pots don't usually work out.

That's crazy Bunk. The Serbs were next level blood thirsty.
Hope you are doing well, friend.

Damn. I thought our diversity was our strength.

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Damn. I thought our diversity was our strength.

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There is enough difference that they want to kill each other to the point of genocide. I guess it doesn't take much

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Biggest difference I can tell is religion. Language spoken in all parts of ex-Yugoslavia differs a little, but I am learning Croat and Macedonian has the largest difference. As far as appearance, they all look the same.

But Serbia is Orthodox, Bosnia and Kosovo still mostly Muslim and Croatia holds onto the old Venetian Catholic influence. It is so strong that I will be able to get Croatian citizenship easier than my Bosnian wife. She has an Orthodox father (Serb last name) and a Muslim mother (Bosnian last name)...is why I am over there all the time.

Serbs in Bosnia keep tensions much higher than anyone else does and were the 2nd biggest spark back in 1991. Will not say what the biggest spark was. Will just say it was from outside influence.

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1. The most valuable item he recommended stocking up on was disposable lighters. He said they are small and some people traded a week with a woman for one lighter.

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Yeah but after 3 and a half minutes you'd want you bic back.....

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Tensions are escalating over the Serb Republic. They are back to screaming that Bosnia has always been Serb land and should be again. Being in that part of Bosnia is weird. Serb Republic flags everywhere and do not even let them see you wearing anything Bosnian.

No one likes Serbs.

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Republika Srpska is one of the two political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, established during the Bosnian War, and is predominantly inhabited by Serbs.

You are correct that when you go from the Federation to Republika Srpska they are all Serbians. No Bosnian flags.

True of Croatian areas as well. The main Croatian-majority region in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Western Herzegovina, often referred to historically as Herzeg-Bosnia. All Croats. All Croatian flags.

As noted earlier, these are artificially created boundaries from the Dayton Accord.

I have a couple of Serbian friends and they're great people. The guy that did our tour has family there, goes frequently and said "we like Serbians as people. No problems. It's the politicians creating this problem".

Funny side note: A Serbian friend told me to goof on the Sommelier on our ship who is from Bosnia (they know each other very well and are friends). Apparently, there's this banter between the 2 countries about burek, a pastry that's amazing. Bosnians are purists and only eat it filled with meat, whereas Serbians may ask for it with other fillings like cheese. It's kind of a playful insult they do. In fact, one of the local football clubs to insult the other recently put on the board they eat their burek with cheese. Go figure!

But, you can also imagine for some that lost family in the war that it's hard to put the past behind them.

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Apparently, there's this banter between the 2 countries about burek, a pastry that's amazing. Bosnians are purists and only eat it filled with meat, whereas Serbians may ask for it with other fillings like cheese

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Eat Burek and drink yogurt is a thing in both Bosnia and Croatia. Meat is the most common in Bosnia, but potato and potato/meat are also popular. The cheese burek...not so much. My wife makes all but the cheese burek.

It is funny to visit her hometown of Doboj. It is part of Serb Republic. She escaped in 1992. Went to Germany first, like most, then here. You can still see bullet holes in the buildings of the older parts of town. Kinda weird seeing those brutalist apartment buildings from socialist times and then look over and see the modern apartment buildings in the newer part of town.

Luckily, she did not lose family, but she did lose friends. Still, we own short term rentals in Croatia and will be moving there full time within the next 5 years.

Taking her to the Croatfest in New Orleans this year. She nor I knew it existed until someone here told me about it.