Two Worlds, One Equation

Michael James Broadwith

You know, looking back at my school days in St. Albans, it's funny how, uh, different the atmosphere was compared to what you’ve described, Nikola. It was, honestly, a lot more—relaxed, you know? The teachers encouraged exploration, especially in maths. We had these creative problem-solving exercises that were just... fun. It wasn’t about being strict or, um, rigid—it was more like uncovering puzzles.

Nikola Jovanovic

Ah, that’s interesting. For us in Niš, school was more like a machine. Very structured, very... how do I say... discipline-oriented. My maths teacher, he—he was like a drill sergeant! But it worked, you know? I mean, it really worked for me. He made us solve problems on the board in front of the whole class. No mercy if you got it wrong. That pressure—it was intense—but it’s where my love for maths started.

Michael James Broadwith

Wow, that sounds, uh, terrifying. We definitely didn’t have anything like that. I mean, we had structure, but not the... emotional scarring side of it! But now I kinda wonder if I’d have, maybe, done better under that system. Or—well—maybe not. Probably would’ve cried my way through it.

Nikola Jovanovic

You? Cry? I—I can’t imagine that!

Michael James Broadwith

Oh, it would’ve happened! Especially in sports. I mean, at least you had water polo. Me? Basketball was a disaster. Picture this—tall, gangly, and couldn’t shoot to save my life. I was like Bambi on ice out there!

Nikola Jovanovic

Ha! Bambi on ice... That’s good. Yeah, but water polo wasn’t exactly soft, either. It’s—it’s like, full contact! You go into the pool, and you come out with bruises. My coach—he’d always scream at us like we were training for the Olympics. It was no joke. But we were tough kids, you know?

Michael James Broadwith

Well, sounds like you had to be! I think the toughest thing I faced was the basketball coach just giving up on me entirely. He had this look of despair that I’ll never forget. But, okay, what about friends? I’m curious—did you, um, get to have fun with everything so strict?

Nikola Jovanovic

Oh, of course. We found ways. Friends were everything, especially during the tougher times in Serbia. It wasn’t always easy, so there was this... how do I say... bond? Like surviving things together made the friendships closer. I remember once, uh, during a power outage—common back then—we all sat around with candles, just talking, laughing. Simple but, you know, meaningful.

Michael James Broadwith

That does sound nice. Almost makes my stories sound silly. I think the most “resilience” my friends and I showed was pulling pranks on each other. There was this one time we rewired a mate’s Walkman so it played everything in reverse. Hilarious at the time—he was furious, though, said we’d wrecked his Depeche Mode tapes.

Nikola Jovanovic

Wait, wait—reverse? That’s actually brilliant. And mean. But brilliant!

Michael James Broadwith

We thought so! Looking back, it’s hardly as profound as your candlelit chats, though. Still, it was the 80s. Fun meant, uh, simpler things—I guess it just reflected the times, really.

Michael James Broadwith

You know, Nikola, talking about the things that shaped us growing up—it reminds me of something a bit heavier from my childhood. The Troubles in Northern Ireland were still a significant issue back then. My history teacher, Mrs. Clarke—she, um, she used to talk about it as if it were this distant thing. But at the same time, it felt so close—same country, and all that. Have you ever heard of the Good Friday Agreement?

Nikola Jovanovic

Ah, yes, I’ve read about it. The ceasefire, right?

Michael James Broadwith

Right, right. It was a massive deal back then. And, I mean, I—I didn’t fully understand all of it—I was just a teenager—but the way my teacher explained it, uh, it was about hope. You know, finally seeing an end to decades of violence. That really stuck with me. How people could talk their way out of something so—so awful.

Nikola Jovanovic

Hmm. You see, for me, it wasn’t distant. In Serbia, the war—well, it came home. I still remember when one of my classmates didn’t show up to school one day. We asked the teacher, and she said their family had—they’d fled the city. Their home was... destroyed. It—it wasn’t because of them, it was just... wrong place, wrong time.

Michael James Broadwith

That must have been—I mean—that’s heartbreaking. As a kid, how do you even process that?

Nikola Jovanovic

You don’t. You just—you live it. There’s no time to think, you know? My grandparents, they used to tell us these incredible stories. During the war, they’d, uh, save every scrap of food, every candle. My grandmother, she’d say, “Nikola, remember this: life is survival, but it will always go on.”

Michael James Broadwith

That's—a lot of wisdom. My parents told me different stories. More about the division here in Britain—you know, between Catholics and Protestants. I—I didn’t grasp it all back then, but hearing their perspectives, well, it was like a window into how deep those divides could run.

Nikola Jovanovic

Hmm. And yet, people survived, no? Endured, like my grandparents. They were also tough. But I think the wars leave—not just scars, but... how to say...?

Michael James Broadwith

Wounds?

Nikola Jovanovic

Yes, wounds. Not just physically, but here, inside. Families remain divided. Trust—it takes generations to rebuild, I think. But still, we hope. Same for your Good Friday Agreement, no?

Michael James Broadwith

Exactly. That’s what I remember most—the hope. I—I think that's what stuck in my mind as a kid, more than anything else. Even when the world seemed, well, broken, people still came together.

Michael James Broadwith

You know, Nikola, thinking about what we said earlier—about hope and coming together—it’s a bit like mathematics, isn’t it? It’s always finding patterns, connections, solutions. I mean, here we are—two teachers from completely different worlds—and yet we’re connected through, uh, equations and geometry.

Nikola Jovanovic

Maths is universal, Michael. It speaks... every language, crosses any border. And the best part—it never lies. That’s what makes it beautiful, no?

Michael James Broadwith

I couldn’t agree more. I—I think for me, the moment I knew I wanted to teach maths was when I solved this, uh, really nasty trigonometry problem as a kid. It stuck with me—like, this sudden realization, you know? I thought, "Okay, this is it, this is my thing."

Nikola Jovanovic

Ah, I had a moment like that too! In Serbia, there was this big competition—maths Olympiad. I won my first medal there. It was a small thing, but for me, it—it meant everything. I still remember the pride on my father’s face. At that time... life wasn’t easy, but that moment? It made it all worth it.

Michael James Broadwith

That’s amazing. And that’s what I love about teaching. It’s not just about algorithms or, uh, solving for x, but showing kids those moments. Like when something just clicks, and they light up because they get it. I think that’s what keeps me going.

Nikola Jovanovic

Yes, yes, exactly. Even when they hate us for giving them homework, huh?

Michael James Broadwith

Oh, I’m sure my students think I’m some sort of villain by now.

Nikola Jovanovic

Ha! Well, you do ramble a bit, Michael. Maybe that’s why!

Michael James Broadwith

What do you mean? I don’t ramble! I—I elaborate. It’s not rambling if it’s educational.

Nikola Jovanovic

Sure, sure. But in my class, I get to the point. No storytelling needed.

Michael James Broadwith

Ah, but that’s why you’re a coach too—straight to the point, no fuss. Me? I like to paint the whole picture for my students.

Nikola Jovanovic

Well, maybe in the end, we balance each other, no? Like, uh... complementary angles.

Michael James Broadwith

That’s... that’s a good one, Nikola. Complementary angles—I like that. Maybe we should trademark it.

Nikola Jovanovic

If we do, I’m taking the bigger half.

Michael James Broadwith

I—I don’t think that’s how angles work...

Nikola Jovanovic

Maybe not, but it’s how I work. Anyway, Michael, it’s been good talking today. Always is. Even with your rambling.

Michael James Broadwith

Ha! I’ll take that as a compliment, I think. And yeah, same here, Nikola. Always a pleasure. Until next time, my friend.

Nikola Jovanovic

Absolutely. Until next time.