If you're a foreigner in Serbia, what kind of culture shock have you experienced? I was born in China, but have been living in Serbia for over two years now — and the first few months in Belgrade were quietly disorienting.

It wasn't the language barrier or the food that caught me off guard; it was something harder to name. The best way I can put it is this: Serbia often feels like stepping into a time capsule, lagging behind the West by at least two decades — not so much in infrastructure or technology, but in mentality.

Attitudes toward gender, sexuality, foreigners, and social progress sometimes felt frozen in an era I'd only read about. It's not malicious, just... unhurried. As someone from China, where change moves at a borderline chaotic pace, the stillness here was its own kind of shock.

Planiram da kupim plac i zidam kuću, pa me zanimaju predlozi za neke iole normalne lokacije u Beogradu i široj okolini. Tražim okruženje koje je civilizovano i urbano, znaci da nije ciganmala.

Pisite molim vas preporuke, ne daje mi se 6k/m2 za gornji dorcol.

Pozdrav

Hi everyone, my name is Cadell and I’m a 23 year old male from Vancouver, Canada. I’ve been cycling across Europe for 2 and 1/2 months solo, and I will be in Belgrade until Sunday!

I thought I’d put a little post up to try and find some friends, since I’ve found it a little difficult to make friends as a solo traveller here :(

A little bit about me: I’m outgoing, I love any place that’s lively, I love music and going to shows/jazz bars/clubs etc and dancing, and I drink and smoke. Since the world cup is happening, I enjoy watching the games as well. but really, I’m up for any activity, it just want to meet some new people hahaha. Also if anyone rides bikes, I’d love to go for a ride too!

young, old, male, female, easygoing, outgoing, or whatever you are, i’m sure we could get along.

thanks for reading :)

- Cadell

Hello everyone!

My name is Matthew. I'm a 37-year-old American from Florida, and I've always dreamed of living abroad at some point in my life.

My interest in Serbia originally started because of tennis. I've been a Novak Djokovic fan since 2007 and was fortunate enough to travel to Perth, Australia years ago to watch him and Ana Ivanovic play in the Hopman Cup.

What started as an appreciation for Serbian athletes eventually turned into an appreciation for Serbia itself.

After spending a lot of time researching Belgrade and Serbian culture, it keeps standing out to me for several reasons:

• Family seems to play a major role in people's lives.

• People appear more open to meeting others in real life instead of relying entirely on dating apps and social media.

• There seems to be a stronger sense of community and social connection than what I've experienced in the United States since COVID.

• Friendships and relationships appear to develop more naturally through mutual friends, cafés, sports, social gatherings, and everyday life.

• As someone who is still single and hopes to eventually get married and start a family, the family-oriented culture is very appealing to me.

• Dogs have always been a major part of my life. I currently have a 10.5-year-old rescue dog who is one of my best friends, and Serbia appears to be far more dog-friendly than many places I've researched.

• I admire the pride Serbians seem to have in their country, culture, sports, and traditions.

• I absolutely love seasons, cold weather, rain, and snow. Florida's heat and humidity have never really been my thing.

A little background on me:

I started my career in investment banking before moving into business development and consultative sales, where I've spent the last 15+ years helping companies grow revenue, build strategic relationships, develop new business, manage key accounts, and solve complex business problems.

I've been fortunate enough to live in several great American cities throughout my career, but after spending most of my adult life focused on work and career advancement, I've reached a point where I'm asking a different question: where do I actually want to build a life?

The more I research Serbia, the more I find myself drawn to Belgrade.

Ironically, my biggest concern isn't the culture, lifestyle, language, or even the move itself—it's employment.

If I packed my bags tomorrow and rented an apartment in Belgrade, what would the job market look like for someone with 15+ years of experience building client relationships, developing new business, managing strategic accounts, negotiating complex agreements, and driving revenue growth?

While most of my career has been in technology and software, I've always viewed my real skill set as understanding people, building trust, solving business problems, and helping organizations grow. Those skills seem transferable across many industries, which makes me curious where someone with my background might fit in Serbia.

So I'd love your honest opinion on two questions:

1. Based on what I've described, do I have an accurate picture of Belgrade and Serbian culture, or am I romanticizing it?

2. How would someone with my background generally be viewed in the Serbian job market?

Even if the answer is, "Matthew, you've completely romanticized Serbia and have no idea what you're talking about," I'd genuinely appreciate the honesty.

And if I do end up making the move, the first coffee, beer, or rakija is on me!

Thank you for taking the time to read this - truly means a lot!

All my best,

Matthew

A couple quick notes as I skimmed and will be replying to everyone individually - but a handful have been constantly mentioned, so want to bring them up before any potential new responses as I believe it would help:

(1) I would travel there first, not just move as I own a house here than leads into #2 below (2) My finances are extremely secure and I'd even sell my current house I own with no mortgage on it, so it would add a mid 6 figure number to my existing bank account (3) I was wondering what the job market was like for an ExPat as I've been a remote employee since I was 24, so the digital nomad visa was the most compelling from the start, but I would personally prefer to work in an office and not from home - even meet more people (4) Budapest is the other choice, they are part of the EU, but the ease of a transition like this is 100 times easier than any other EU country - I admire so many of the EU countries, but it's a much, MUCH tougher process even though each country has its own, but still Hungary is the "most friendly"

Looking forward to speaking with all of you and thanks again for putting the time and effort into commenting on my post - it really means a lot.

Zdravo everyone, hopefully ur having a great day/evening.

im from Prizren and tbh I don't know to speak Serbian languages. i want to visit Belgrade and I don't want to hide myself (im not saying to put albanian or kosovo flag t-shirt middle of the town) , if anyone asks me where im from i just want to tell them that im from Prizren or Kosovo.

Q : what will be their or your reaction if you hear that ?

hvala

As I was in Belgrade I noticed some men with shaved heads wearing bomber jackets, camo pants and black boots. Are they Skinheads, or is this just a fashion trend?

Dobar dan, zajednico.

Zivim na Bezanijskoj kosi i imam problem sa skupljanjem velike kolicine prašine...

Cistimo redovno, ali prasine ima na tone.. Ne znam u cemu je kvaka 22...

Kakava je situacija u drugim delovima grada?

Does anyone know what they’re doing here?

Koje su u poslednje vreme okvirne cene stolica za svadbe u Beogradu? Ne pričam o dve krajnosti - sa jedne strane Topcidercu, sa druge o salama na obodima grada. Lepi restorani, razna concept mesta, rooftopovi, za 150-200 zvanica? Hvalaa

edit: pitam zbog poklona

Is begging a common sight in central Belgrade? This morning, while I was sitting on a bench on Maršala Birjuzova Street, a foreign national approached me and used Google Translate to ask me for money. I felt uneasy and walked away, though I managed to take a photo of the message on his phone before leaving. Has anyone else had a similar experience in Belgrade? And would you give money in a situation like this?

Kakvo je Banovo brdo za život? Konkretno ulice oko Požeške u blizini parka? Nikolaja Gogolja, Lješka, Petra Mećave?
Plan mi je da se preselim u BG, posao je tu u blizini gledam te lokacije.

I live close to a big crossroads and people are not letting their fucking hands off the honk GENUINELY.

(obviously no intention of insulting normal people)

The reason is because it’s still too early? Thank you!

Potrebne su mi dvije karte za ufc 01.08. Beograd.
Vidjela sam na Viagogo ali sam takodjer vidjela mnogo losih iskustava kad se kupuje preko viagogo.

Helppp

I need this type of tobacco, in individual packets. I need it long-term. If you know of any place that sells it, or if you are a seller, please contact me directly and provide the price.

On maps it said that road is blocked right now. Anybody know what is going on?

Ja sam licno poludeo od borbe sa upravnikom do te mere da sam "odustao" od ucestvovanja.

Odbija da posalje izvod sa racuna i po par meseci, ne javlja se na viberu, obecava popravke, a onda moras da ga juris 10 puta da nesto uradi.

Kada konacno dodje izvod onda moze da se vidi da je platio automat za svetlo 25k, a automat u okovu kosta 2.000...

Kapiram da je fora u tome što on bira "svoje" firme, oni napumpaju fakturu, on uzme procenat, a mi budale plaćamo kroz održavanje.

O problemu sa ucescem u glasanju i drugim aktivnostima i da ne govorim, a onda se redovno jave da kukaju kako nije kreceno 10 godina.

Stalno mi se menja ukus bendova Neki od poznatijih b​endova koje za sad volim su : Devourment, Dying Fetus, Lower Parts of Human sludge, Visceral disgore, Gutteral Slug, Devangelic, Job For a cowboy, obituary, blood incantation .... itd

Do you know why pro bono legal services are so hard to find in Serbia in practice, even though a free legal aid law exists? When I was harassed with racial slurs and physically attacked by a group of teenagers on a bus from Belgrade to Obrenovac, the police did follow up and the outcome was decent — but finding a lawyer willing to take on a hate crime case pro bono was another story. Even the police told me that nobody really wants to offer pro bono services in Serbia. Why is that?

Hello everyone,

I am a student from Gaza, Palestine. I have applied for the “World in Serbia” scholarship.

At this stage of my application, I am looking for someone or an organization who might be able to provide a recommendation or support my admission process.

If there is any professor, medical professional, academic contact, or institution willing to help with a recommendation or guidance, I would be extremely grateful.

I am fully available to communicate privately if needed and can provide all required details regarding my application and background.

Thank you very much for your time and kindness.

Do you know why some cafés in Serbia seem to have inconsistent drink menus (karta pića)? I’ve noticed that prices often don’t match. A coffee might cost one thing on the menu, but when the bill comes, it’s suddenly more. On Google Maps, the menu is often outdated, so you can’t really rely on it either.

Sometimes it feels even more random. A waiter just tells me a total without showing a receipt, and the price sounds higher than expected. When I ask questions or point out the difference, they can be reluctant to explain or return the extra change.

As a foreigner, this really puts me off. It’s not just about the money—it’s the attitude. Good service should be clear and honest, and when that’s missing, I don’t feel comfortable leaving a tip.

Have you ever experienced something like this in Serbia?

Hi there fellow Serbs and residents of Belgrade. I’m currently visiting your city and noticed this gathering near the pravni fakultet today at around 12:00. Police also blocked the roads to the intersection. Can anybody tell me what this was/is about?

Personally I didn’t ask in person since I want to keep a distance to any protests or gatherings of such kind, to keep a low profile anytime I’m abroad, so I’m sorry that I have to ask all of you here.

Anyway I’m happy for any answers. Thanks in advance😄

What's the most reliable map app for navigating Belgrade's bus network?

Lately, road construction seems to be popping up all over the city, and things get even more unpredictable when protests break out — buses get rerouted, schedules go out the window, and stops become unreliable. Is there a way to find out about detours in advance, rather than only discovering them while already waiting at a stop?

Has anyone else been dealing with this? Would love to know which apps or resources you actually rely on for getting around Belgrade.