Amra dream

Listen to testimony

I was astonished by the fury and courage with which the girl relentlessly hammered on the piano keys. Curfew or not, she was every morning at the academy of music in the deserted, bombed concert hall. She dreamt of a career in music that kept her going through out the war. I went to search for her in the same place, the huge hole was still there to witness this painful era, and so was the piano. But she was not there, other priorities had taken over her life…
“My name is Amra. The marriage filled me, I think you can see that!My son will be born in a month and that’s pure bliss. I remember this period at the Music Academy, twelve ago. A few weeks earlier, a shell had blasted the wall of the concert hall. After the first moments of shock, my passion for music took over. I went back to play the piano, with fear of course, but I went there regularly because my dream was becoming a concert pianist. Why have I given up music ? Right now, music does not allow you to earn a living here. If you want to survive, you need to adapt. I think it must be somewhat the same thing in other countries but here in Bosnia, after long years of war, “real” culture is no longer a a priority. Commercial values dominate artistic ones, that’s the key to success here.Music and singing remain an important component of my life: I always dedicate a part of the day to this passion and here, I will sing you traditional Bosnian songs, even if my diaphragm cannot move well because of my belly !My situation and my professional life in Bosnia - Herzegovina? Despite university studies in psychology and my Masters degree, I am unfortunately still unemployed. Even if you have a good level of education and are ready to enter the job market, if you don’t have connections you can’t find a good position; it is very difficult. The main reason is the wariness older people have of graduates because they fear for their social position: the arrival of new ideas endangers their privileges. In conclusion, it is easier to find work for average people, than educated ones.The political and economic situation of my country worries me. Just look around and try to understand. Despite everything, I am happy and hopeful because I’m expecting a child. This is a true blessing for me”