TEHRAN -- When Anisa 
Grabus first encountered Persian, she was not searching for a new academic path. She was studying Bosnian language and literature at the University of Sarajevo, unaware that a language with centuries-old roots in her country’s cultural history would eventually reshape her own life.
Today, Grabus is a Persian language researcher and instructor in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She describes Iran as her “second homeland” and considers her first visit to the country an unforgettable journey—one that confirmed a connection she had built through years of studying its language, literature, and culture.
The relationship between Persian and Bosnia stretches back centuries. During the Ottoman period, Persian was one of the three major languages of scholarship and culture in the region. Persian classics, including the works of Saadi, Hafez, and Rumi, were studied in Islamic schools, while the tradition of reading and interpreting Rumi’s Masnavi has continued in Bosnia for more than five centuries.
Yet for Grabus, that history remained something she knew only from books. She had not heard Persian spoken or experienced its rhythm until she enrolled in a Persian language course organized by the Iranian Cultural Center in Sarajevo during her university years.
The experience changed everything.
“I approached the classes from a linguistic perspective,” she recalls. “I discovered that many words I thought came from Turkish had actually entered Bosnian from Persian.”
Words such as fenjan (cup), argavan (purple flower), jorab (socks), and shalvar (trousers) revealed a hidden connection between the two languages.
After completing her degree in Bosnian language and literature, Grabus made a decision that surprised her family: she enrolled again at university, this 
time to study Persian language and literature. Her parents questioned why she was not continuing in her original field, but she had already developed a deep fascination with Persian.
Her dedication brought academic success. She graduated as an outstanding student and received a silver university distinction from the president of the University of Sarajevo.
Her interest soon expanded beyond language. Persian literature introduced her to Iranian history and culture, while Iranian cinema and music strengthened her connection. She became a fan of actor Parviz Parastui and singer Alireza Ghorbani, discovering Iran through its artistic expressions as much as through its books.
Two years ago, Grabus finally visited Iran to participate in a Persian language teacher training course organized by the Saadi Foundation. During her three-week stay, she visited Tehran, Isfahan, Kashan, and Shiraz, where she was particularly captivated by the city’s atmosphere.
Before arriving, she wondered whether her Persian would be good enough to communicate. Instead, she found herself speaking comfortably with people and exploring cities independently.
“Iran, its people, and its atmosphere were fascinating to me,” she says. “The people were incredibly warm and welcoming.”
Back in Bosnia, Grabus continues to strengthen the bridge between the two cultures. She has contributed to Persian studies through academic work, including translations of scholarly articles, and has participated in projects such as compiling a Bosnian-Persian dictionary.
For her students, she now represents the same bridge that first inspired her: a reminder that languages are not simply systems of words, but living connections between histories, societies, and people.
More than a subject of study, Persian became for Grabus a way of belonging—to a culture she once knew only from afar, but eventually came to call a second home.