Maria Hetman, updater of the Bradt guide to Bosnia and Herzegovina, first came to the country on a one-way ticket in 2009 to work as a journalist for a summer, and immediately felt compelled to immerse herself in the local culture. The beautiful scenery, unspoiled nature, and warm hospitality of the region cast their spell on her, and she ended up staying much longer than planned. She lived in Sarajevo for six years, in Croatia for a year, and Montenegro for several months. She has travelled extensively in BiH and neighbouring countries. Maria has written numerous articles about tourism and environmental and social issues in BiH and Croatia, and has worked on projects with a number of local and international NGOs and media. She is fluent in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian. Her strongest interests relate to working on policies and initiatives that protect the environment from exploitation, support sustainable agriculture, and enable local communities to thrive. She recommends hiking in the mind-blowing mountains of Herzegovina, trying local wine and food especially anything with wild plants like nettle, wild garlic or mushrooms, listening to people's stories, and river rafting.