“What words do you live by?”: New video captures the voices of Bosnian and Herzegovinian youth

"The countries may be different, but the youth grapple with the same pressures and anxieties of their age. In taking my time to listen to them, I wanted to make them feel heard"

Fulbrighter Aida Smajic, along with her partner Joshua Cubas, have premiered a new video asking a selection of Bosnian and Herzegovinian students just one question: “What words do you live by?”.

The video’s aim was to present young people from the region in a more humanistic and approachable light. Students at Behram-Begova Medresa in Tuzla were asked – without having prepared a response – to introduce themselves and to share their words to live by. The responses are diverse, compelling, and always authentic.

Aida was a 2021/22 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reflecting on the importance of the video, Aida said “During the school year, I made it a point to have my students practice introspection by journaling and through oral presentations and discussions in class. This was especially true in opening up a dialogue and communicating topics around mental health, which I learned that the students were highly interested in exploring and analyzing. I was able to gain first-hand experience to see how similar their struggles in young adulthood are as compared to the adolescents in the US. The countries may be different, but the youth grapple with the same pressures and anxieties of their age. In taking my time to listen to them, I wanted to make them feel heard and this video is a result of that effort.”

The video is available on the People of Bosnia YouTube channel.

You can also follow Aida's well-being journey at The Power of Breath Facebook Page for an upcoming meditation and yoga program for healing PTSD in Bosnia.