On his Summer break before taking up a place at Bocconi university in Milan to read Economics, Victor took at trip from the Balkans through to 'the Stans'. He was awarded a Bradfield Society Travel Award in support of his travels and his deftly written report reveals the true essence of travel…

The 29th of June 2024 marked the official end of my time at Bradfield. Yet on that same day, a Skyscanner alert lit up my phone with a flight to Zagreb departing the very next morning. My father had long resigned himself to the idea that I would wander off again, but even he was taken aback by the speed of my departure and how it would shape the years to come. Zagreb became the first stop in a long chain of buses and trains in the months to follow.

Croatia is better known for its glittering coastline and throngs of British students celebrating the end of exams than for its cultural legacy. And yet, beneath the tourist gloss lies a history that cannot be ignored. The Balkan war and tragedies like the massacre of Srebrenica are stark reminders of how the complexity of this region is so often underestimated. I had already brushed against these realities on a past trip to Bosnia, but true understanding only begins to emerge when you set foot in every country and listen to every story. 

People invited me into their homes, walked me through neighborhoods outsiders might avoid, or simply shared their time. Their kindness exposed a truth: in our busy worlds, we too often forget to look out for one another

read more...

Leavers have the opportunity to apply for The Bradfield Society Travel Awards in their final year. Awards are offered in the categories of Adventure Travel, Charity Project or Eco Travel, so if you are planning to go abroad and do something interesting in your Summer break before university or your Gap year share your proposed travel plans with the Bradfield Society on bradfieldsociety@bradfieldcollege.org.uk