Bosnia

Tuzla, Bosnia

Five years ago, give or take a few days, we were in Bosnia. While we’re not in a place to be planning our next trip, I can certainly revisit my memories. Which I do, often.

I was out in the backyard playing with the kids the other day—it could have been the other day, or yesterday, or last week—playing with our bubble machine and soccer ball when I noticed that the dirty old ball we were playing with happened to be a gift from Bosnia. We have family there, I’m sure the ball came across the seas as a gift from a family member. But when I thought about it, I couldn’t remember. It did, however, make me think of my cousin (second cousin if we’re getting technical), Semir.

Four years ago this fall, Semir came to live with us. He was in Canada at my parents’ house and came to stay with Brad, Archer and I (there were only three of us at the time) for a bit. I taught him how I run a household (everyone pitches in) and he met some new friends his age in the Croatian community in Vancouver. He has since returned to Bosnia and started a family of his own. I think of him often, mostly thanks to social media, but also because he’s the type of family that is light on my heart. He’s happy to connect when we have the chance, and I know he would open his arms to our family in a heartbeat, if and when we ever make it back there to visit, the four of us.

I see how they live over there, such a simple life, together. And it makes me wonder if we could live the same way. Off the land, close together, with small luxuries and family that truly depend on one another.

Not that we would ever move there, don’t get me wrong, I just let my mind wander, since my feet aren’t travelling far these days.

We took Archer to visit family in Croatia and Bosnia when he was just about one year old. What a time ago that was. I met my grown cousin, Semir’s father Senad, and his family, which includes his wife and another son, Damir. We travelled the countries, visiting a land where we didn’t know the language, where we will certainly need help when we go back.

It makes me happy that we are able to stay connected—without really even connecting—to these lovely people that live on the other side of the earth, or close to. We’re lucky to live in the time that we do, with technology to close the distances in an instant. Imagine what the world our kids will be grown humans in will be like … I wonder how similar or different it will look than the world we see, or even the one we could imagine.

Hopefully these pictures can take you away for a bit, even just in your imagination. I think we could all use the break.

Daydream with no bounds,

Anya