Born in Gwangju, South Korea, Maggie spent her childhood in France, Poland and the U.S. She finished high school in Virginia and came to BiH after completing her studies in Canada.
For the past two years she has had an opportunity to get to know Sarajevo, its long history, specific culture and tradition.
There's no place like Sarajevo
- In Europe there is no place quite like Sarajevo – a city of hospitable people who are proud of their heritage and common values. I like the community feeling and running into people I know on the street, which is very different from the alienation one feels in big cities.
Maggie loves nature, so in 2016 she started working with long-time Sarajevo resident, Tim Clancy, and the platform, Via Dinarica, whose aim is to create the longest mountain trail in the region by linking seven countries and strengthening their tourism potential.
- Bosnia needs more national parks and protected natural areas.
She insists that our country’s natural beauty is accessible to everyone and she often goes hiking with Mišo (her boyfriend from Sarajevo) up to Oblo Brdo on Bjelašnica, to Skakavac or for a walk along Ambassadors’ Alley to Dariva.
She adds that Sarajevo has great economic potential in eco tourism and this has inspired her to make some big decisions.
- Sarajevo and the natural beauty of BiH have helped me realize what I want to do, so this fall I’ll be going to Scotland to do a master’s in ecological economics.
At a slower pace
Maggie enjoys going around town on foot, at a slower pace, and often stops for coffee at Boris Smoje Gallery, for some cake at Ramis or Torte i to and for craft beer at Gastro Pub Vučko and the club, Mr. Elephant, in Lukavica.
Here Maggie has made many acquaintances, among both locals and expats, and with some she discovered one of the city’s oldest restaurants, Marijin Dvor, in the neighborhood of the same name.
- In Sarajevo I tried wonderful sarma, sogan dolma and uštipci for the first time, which I wrote about for the web platform, Balkanvibe. On the mountains I enjoy soups and natural juices and in town I prefer Galatasaray Ćevabdžinica, Kod Bibana, Dveri and Žara iz Duvara.
She often enjoys events at the National Theater with family and friends and parties during the Sarajevo Film Festival. She celebrates her birthday with Jazz Fest Sarajevo, is fond of MESS, Ballet Fest and PitchWise and loves the festivals in nature, Javorwood on Bjelašnica and OK Fest on Tjentište.
After Scotland (where she will stay warm with the perfect Bosnian souvenirs – domestic brandy and woolen socks!) she may return to Sarajevo, “a city full of life and closeness, where memories are made.”
