Meet Ivona — a Bosnian language teacher at Tako Lako whose lessons are about much more than grammar rules. They are a warm story about language, belonging, and love for one’s roots.

Bosnian – my home, wherever I may be!

Ivona’s experience of living in different cultures, surrounded by people with whom she did not share a language or customs, taught her how important one’s mother tongue is for a sense of identity and belonging. “Far from home, with no one I could exchange even a few words with in my own language, teaching Bosnian meant a lot to me,” says Ivona. “By explaining it to others, I was able to use it every day and think in it.”

Although she is most interested in morphology, syntax, and semantics, Ivona always brings cheerfulness, humor, and imagination into her classes. She likes to know each student personally, remember their stories, get to know their families, ask about their dreams, fears, and hobbies, and tailor lessons to their interests. “What matters most to me is that my students enjoy the lesson. That they look forward to learning the language, laugh, and feel safe,” she says.

Teaching Bosnian was also a personal therapy against homesickness for Ivona. “Teaching healed my loneliness,” she admits. “During that period, I realized that teaching is my life calling. The course allowed me to work with children and adults around the world and become more creative, more flexible, and better at my job.”

The world through the Bosnian language

Her students come from all over the world — from preschoolers to adults. “All of them are connected to Bosnia and Herzegovina in one way or another. Their parents, grandparents, partners, or friends carry that language in their hearts.”

Ivona’s online classroom is often filled with laughter, with children protesting when the lesson ends, teenagers impressing her with their mature thoughts, and adults lovingly learning the language of their loved ones. “I am especially touched by those who are not from our region but learn Bosnian because they want to share the language and culture of their partners. It is an expression of great tenderness and respect.”

No lesson is ever the same. Games, puzzles, video clips, drawings, and songs all serve the purpose of learning through joy. “I remember a lesson when the children had to bring as many fruits and vegetables as possible from the fridge — it looked as if they had just come back from the market! And we finish a lesson about games by all playing hide-and-seek. When I turn toward the camera, all the students are already hiding under their tables!”

Small successes, my greatest joy

Ivona is especially proud when she sees her students pronounce with ease words that once sounded foreign to them. “When I hear them string words together naturally, with warmth and confidence, my heart trembles. Every one of their successes is proof that language is more than words – it is a connection to home and to those we love.”

A community that connects

“Tako Lako” is not just a language school — it is a community. “We do our best to know our students, understand them, and adapt the lessons to them. Some of my students have been with me for more than two years. I watch them grow, start school and university, fall in love… We have become part of one another’s lives; we have grown close.”

For Ivona, teaching a language means creating memories and connecting people. “If you feel that the time has come to reconnect with your roots, to speak more intimately with your family, to create memories in the language of your loved ones — get in touch with us! Knowing another language is always an advantage, but even more importantly, that experience brings you closer to your family and opens the door to wonderful friendships. My students have taught me that language is more than communication — it brings people together through love, understanding, and joy.”

Ivona is not just a language teacher – she is a guide through the story of belonging and the warmth of home that we carry with us, wherever we are.