Mostar and More

On Saturday (9/20) the YES Abroad Sarajevo group had our first trip out of the city. We all woke up bright and early around 6:30 to start our drive to Mostar. The ride was around two hours and it was really great to be able to see the beautiful Bosnian countryside. Since Mostar is in Hercegovina, we drove through the "i" or "and" bridge that is in between Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina).

Before we went to Mostar we stopped at a small town called Pocitelj. First, we got coffee at a café and an adorable little kitty joined us. Next, we climbed up the Pocitelj Tower which was built in 1383 by King Tvrtko I of Bosnia. It started to rain a little bit while we were climbing up but it wasn't too bad. When we got to the top, it was an amazing view so we took lots of group pictures and selfies. On the way down, it was basically pouring and since the "stairs" were made of stone, coming down required some major concentration.

Our next stop was the Blagaj Tekke. The Tekke was built around 1520 and is considered a national monument in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here, we enjoyed the view of the beautiful Buna River and took lots of pictures.

Our last stop was Mostar. First, we went to get lunch at a really cool restaurant in old town Mostar. On our way there we walked over the famous Stari Most which also required some concentration because it was very slippery. The restaurant was really cute and pretty. At one point, because of the rain, the power went out and they actually started bringing out candles for light! Soon, they regained power and all was good. After lunch, we went in front of the bridge to take pictures. We were planning to visit a lot of interesting places in Mostar but since the rain was basically a torrential downpour, we were unable to and we headed back to Sarajevo.

Why you should apply to YES Abroad

The YES Abroad application was recently released so I thought I would give you a couple of great reasons to apply.

YES Abroad is a program that offers 65 competitive, merit scholarships for high school students to study in one of 13 countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey)

1) Because the goal of YES Abroad is important. YES and YES Abroad were created in response to 9/11 to promote understanding and cross cultural awareness between Americans and countries with significant Muslim populations.

2) Because you will make lots of friends from around the country and the world. From the YES Abroad Facebook group (K-L YES Abroad 2015-2016), to IPSE, PDO, and being in Bosnia I have met so many wonderful people who I definitely would not have otherwise met.

3) Because you have nothing to lose. Seriously, nothing negative comes from applying.

4) Because next time this year you could be here! Just think about that! Next year, right now you could be in Bosnia, Thailand, Indonesia, Macedonia, or any of the other YES Abroad countries. Exchange is one of the most challenging, unique, and rewarding things you can experience in your life let alone in high school! I have only been in Bosnia for a month and I have already learned so much.

Me halfway down one of Sarajevo's surrounding Mountains

Brandon- Thailand

Victoria-Indonesia

Faber- Macedonia

Basic Eligibility Info for 2015-16 Year
-U.S. citizen
-15-18.5 years of age at start of program (birthdate between March 5, 1997 and June 29, 2000)
-Currently enrolled in high school (including home school)
Click HERE for more information about K-L YES Abroad!
Click HERE to start your K-L YES Abroad application!

If you are a Bosnian reading this apply to K-L YES!
Click HERE for more information about K-L YES!