Hi, I’m Paul. I’m your real-life Englishman in New York. Except that it’s not New York but the Balkans. You’ve probably heard the name but can you honestly say you know what it stands for? Mostly imagined as a place of political conflict, the Balkans are some kind of a mystery to many Brits.
That’s why I started this blog. It’s dedicated to those who think the Balkans are a single entity and to the youngsters playing football in Hyde Park not even caring about history, culture or politics. I’m the old geezer sitting at a bench, quietly feeding the squirrels but mention the Balkans and I’ll give you the names of the countries and their capitals. And a few personal stories, too.
The Balkans have been part of my life for 25 years. In late 1991, soon after the Fall of the Iron Curtain and the following break-up of Yugoslavia, I started teaching English in Macedonia. I later moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I met my wife, Kate. Kate is from Birmingham, so it was ironic we had to meet there. It was a sign we had to stay.
We are a Balkan family. We got married in Slovenia. Our son was born in Romania and our daughter – in Greece. With the kids now gone, Kate and I spend our time in either Kate’s family house in Yardley, east Birmingham, or in one of our cottages in Turkey, Croatia, and Bulgaria.
We tried changing the world by changing our family. I think we did good. But with age comes wisdom, so I don’t try to change anyone any more. I need my peace and quiet. And what gives me my peace of mind lately are online casino games. From the cultural and political peace in the Balkans to the metaphorical peace of mind when I play games – that’s what you can expect from me. Welcome to my blog – I hope you’ll enjoy my stories.