Bosnia, Herzegovina and Accidental Encounters

I don't know why I wrote down so long entry, being so careless for readers. For those who do not want to read through, please check my pictures at least. You can find the Flickr flash slide at the middle of this post. 50 pictures are included with descriptions(in order to read it, please click information icon).

To write down about the travel, it is always required so much time, but i believe it is deserved. Bosnia and Herzegovina is such a beautiful country. Feel free to leave some comments.



When Romeo, a Rumanian friend of mine, asked me if I would like to attend in an AIESEC national conference in Sarajevo, I was thrilled a bit with expectation for getting to know about one of the most uncommon countries. By hearing the name of Sarajevo, I could not identify which country the city is in. I only assumed it should be somewhere around southern Europe, might be between Greece and Hungary, and could be lied in former Yugoslavian countries, but it sounded really familiar for me. Sarajevo. I have heard the name probably in some video games, maybe in Dragon Quest 5.

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Therefore at the time I saw the national flag of Bosnia/Herzegovina for the first time through Romeo’s blog, I seriously thought this should be the one for a football club, not for a nation. I know nothing about the country. That is why I was excited, especially for talking with local people. I took 2 days off and spent 4 days there in total.

Saturday morning, I woke up at 7AM and hopped in international railway. Having used international lines for 2 times so far, in both case something occurred to me. Something bad, something disgusting, something saddens me.

As I anticipated, it happened when train stopped at Croatian/Bosnian border for passport checking. As is often the case for passport controllers, 2 rugged armed men came closer to me, and instructed to show the passport. I did. After that, they asked if I had cigarette or alcohol stuff, and asked me to show them. Actually I brought one bottle of sake and a package of Mild Seven (Japanese tobacco) as souvenirs to AIESEC members there.

So I did show them. Then, yes, they asked me to give the stuff to them. I didn’t, saying “No, sir, sorry, No sir. This is something I must give to a friend of mine. Sorry”. They were still saying something in different language which I cannot understand, but finally left with my passport to stamp on it. I could save my stuff but was afraid and doubting the risk they got mad against me not to give me the stamp.

Around 5 minutes later, they came back to my compartment and returned the passport with small black stamp. Once I got it, they again started asking me to give the Japanese specialities. I suggested that they may take 1 or 2 pieces of tobacco if they are going to smoke right at that time, but they declined my offer with compromise saying “I am interested in this package, I want to keep it, give me the whole one”. Though I know I need not care that much, I didn’t give it. I might think such attitude would be the revenge against former station officers whom I have ever met in Europe.

One of them showed up again. I was totally convinced and got ready for giving it to them. But he was lightly smiling and saying something different. Apparently, he was informing me the presence of another Japanese girl in same wagon and urging me to say hello to her. Then I did, without any hesitation. I found one Japanese lady and one Canadian guy were playing card game together. Having got tired of reading, I said hello to them and moved in their compartment.

Yoko, the Japanese lady looked more or less 5 years older than me, wearing deep pink jeans and tight black jacket, had been traveling over Europe more than 10 month. Jason, the Canadian guy who had just turned to be 18 years old carrying huge and vivid backpack, was also limitless traveler and said would keep hanging around until the money runs out. He said he had been traveling for 3 month at that time. I joined the card game. It was 21:30 when we had arrived to Sarajevo, 12 hours ride.

Sarajevo was iced, and it was snowing. Actually I was supposed to call Romeo to check the place of AIESEC conference as soon as i arrived to the station, but at this moment my motivation for appearing was disappeared in frozen air in Sarajevo. I decided to team up with Yoko and Jason. We 3 people luckily found relatively cheap hostel to stay. Looking back, this decision is the starting of random encountering.

As soon as we arrived to the hostel, a group of Finnish people were getting ready for going out for drinking. After small talk, they turned out to be students from educational program named Erasmus learning in Budapest for one semester. What a coincidence. Jason and I joined them and had great time together over local beer called Sajaevoska. We promised to hang out together with them and got tight sleep.

The next day I noticed Karly. She is also another AIESEC trainee in Hungary from Hong Kong, and we were supposed to meet up in Sarajevo, but actually we have not seen with each other. Even worse, because of less contact, we finally at this moment accidentally happened to meet up. To my surprise, she stayed in a same hostel. At the same time we have also met with 2 other Canadian guys stayed in same room. At the breakfast, once I started to introduce myself to them saying “I’m Japanese or something”, suddenly a small Asian girl asked me in British accent “Do you know a Japanese guy named Seko perhaps? He’s from student organization named AIESEC.” Then I told her the guy you had looked for was me. Possibly we have met before in Budapest, but simply we could not identify our faces with names.

Sonia, a Swiss female student who's also traveling Europe for 1 month together, stayed in a same dormitory. So we (Jason, 9 Finnish guys, Karly, Sonia, and me) made a group and hanged around the Sarajevo.



After finishing the sightseeing, we have encountered with Romeo. He finished the sightseeing and on the way to grab something to eat, with 2 of his friends: Natalia, a Polish girl studying and doing AIESEC in Rome. Also Mesut, a Turkish guy from AIESEC.

Before long, the 2 Canadians and one Bengali British guy also joined us. Another guy from Tunisia, actually he’s the President of member committee in Bosnia/Herzegovina and also the only trainee in this country, got together for a drink. We went out to a bar. Then 2 French and 2 more Finnish guys from Erasmus, and 3 or 4 local AIESEC members also showed up. If I am not mistaken, yes, that’s all. I was alone when I hopped in a train right exactly the day before. Then suddenly we were more than 30 people.

Yes, at this point, I can see the cultural difference. In Japan, it requires much time to be titled to show up parties. Speaking to which, in most cases no one is allowed to be accompanied with strangers because it is atmosphere that counts for a party. A kind of, let's say concerned, or united atmosphere. Among Japanese people, maybe it is because of,,, i don't know but possibly difference of distance. Distance between one and the other one. Here in Europe, that is close enough to join in every party no matter how stranger I am, and enough to kiss with each other in public areas or just in front of girlfriend's mom. Japanese requires so much time to get invitation for party, and seldom, if ever will be able to kiss in front of their parents.

Next day, we lazy non-planning old people (Romeo, Sonia, Natalie and me) followed the idea proposed from enthusiastic young Canadian(Jason), the guy answered me it was Lonely Planet in Europe when I asked what his religion is. According to his bible, we woke up at 6:00 and took the train starts at 7:00. We headed for Mostar. I just had no idea about the area, even did not know that whether it is Bosnia or Herzegovina. But indeed, I have to appreciate him for suggesting us such a great plan. Go for the slide show if you wanna see the details in Mostar.






Japanese National flag printed on the bus.




On the train, it happened. We met one old lady, and It was disaster because she;
begged and took my 5 mark (2.5EUR) without saying thanks, suddenly kissed me, always been with us not only on train but also in Moster as well, guided us to Bosnian local restaurant, invite us to her friend's house to have a party, introduced us another student from Singapore (this is the only stuff for which I said honestly thanks to her), gave me a piece of warm cheese, scold me for not eating the cheese, made taxi driver mad , coughing all the time....

I was so fed up, but to my serious surprise we had been together with her more than half of our time in Mostar. But I know I have to appreciate her for that she amazingly introduced one Singaporean student, one Japanese jeweler, one Korean student, and one of her relative to us. How ? She just suddenly and fiercely said "Hello my friend, come! you come with me! I have good plan!! Mostar is nice city !! Party !! Party at my friend's house !! Come !!" as soon as she saw foreigners on a street.

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Party at her friend's house. How come she and her firend opened the door to completely strange foreigners just 5 or 6 hours back they met?

I always think like, compared with Japan, honestly speaking I have so many things to complain about Hungarian/European society. There is one thing, however, which reminds me of how good to live in this areas. To socialize with others is very much as easy as to taking breath in and out.

Most of European people are so open, never care about small stuff, just are keen to talk with others, and are always trying to meet with new people. Speaking about human relationship, looking back this rapid fire meeting with new people only and actually in 2 days, as an Asian guy living in Europe for his first time, for me at least, I think so. I just think this is something completely different from that of Japanese, and probably we have to face up to.

Yes, Japanese government is spending more than 130 billion US dollars per one year (data it up to 2006)just for ODA(Overseas Development Assistance) so as to provide every kind of support toward so called developing countries. For almost 50 years, our tax have been used for the same purpose, for the countries where there are poorest people are living.

And what did we get in return? Isn't it good for Japanese that to remain closed, or not being interested in other cultures. There are millions of social problems in Japan. Evey year, more than 10,000 people died from Karoshi and more than 30,000 people died by committing suicide. Just Imagine 90 people killed themselves today.

There are no countries being with no problems. It does not matter whether they are succeeded financially or not. If people in Mostar solve their problems with financial aid from Japan, then why we cannot solve our problem with some kind of aid from people in Mostar? We should think about how Mostar assist Japan, if we really want to built real cooperation ship. It is out of question to regard ourselves should be looked up to by Mostar, that's nothing with cooperation.

By the way, "Cooperation" is written as "協力" in Japanese. Maybe you know that Japanese character has each meanings on each characters. "協力(cooperation)" is made from one "+" on the left, and one big "力" and three small "力". Can you see ? I know you know what "+" means.... it is "Plus", even in Japanese, of course.

And "力" means "Power". So "協力"(cooperation)" is a word of combination means like "Put the power together". You know ?

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Then, What I learned from Bosnia/Herzegovina? I hardly understand. I just saw a lot of graves, damaged building, beautiful natures. I just talked with local people. Just still trying figure out.