After all this researching what you really need is a good feed! Unfortunately announcing your vegetarian in Bosnia is similar to saying you have a very contagious skin infection: you are met with disgust, horror, and no one knows how to help you. Here they eat Chavabi (a sausage meet kebab type thing) like it's coming out of their ears, chavabi for breakfast, lunch, late night snack. There is obviously no McDonalds here (nor Starbucks!) just McChavabi as they joke - LOL. A McDonalds is opening in Sarajevo in a few weeks though which is causing something of a stir, the Bosnians are all joking that they are charging 2 euros for this little burger (compared to a chavabi this is ridiculously over-priced). But think about it, McDonalds is without a doubt something a concept known throughout the world so imagine if suddenly one opens near you and you have never been able to try one - the queue will be enormous I predict!
One vegetarian option, however, is a sort of pastry thing that is usually filled with meat and called a Burek but can also be filled with cheese, spinach, or potato. Good as it is, its greasiness almost pours out of your skin so it is not really a long term option. One restaurant told me they had nothing for me while when I went into another and announced Ja sam vegetarijanka (you can probs translate yourself) they laughed, maybe at my pronunciation also!
Although definitely possible thanks to lots of bakeries and green grocers this is not vegetarian country; in Sarajevo one vegetarian restaurant does exist but at 3 pounds for a main is considered pretty pricey, a god send for me however. I was told that one girl was travelling round the Balkans writing a vegetarian food blog which sounds an intriguing idea as you would certainly find the weird and wonderful.
One thing I will say about the Bosnians is that there are incredibly friendly and giving, anyone you meet will offer you coffee and insist on paying. They always believe in sharing when they have lots so you can share back when you have lots - a lovely attitude but one that is probably very alien to most students!
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