Pros and cons of living in Montenegro, part 1

Dear readers, the following question came to our studio:

“Dear blog authors, please tell me on the site (or write to me briefly) what are the shortcomings in Montenegro (whether subjective or objective). I will be very grateful to you)”.

After a short delay in thinking about this rather global issue, I nevertheless decided to accept the challenge and try to at least partially illuminate the topic. pros and cons of living in Montenegro (perhaps it would be nice to write a whole series of posts on this topic).

So, well, firstly, how many people - so many opinions, and what seems to be a plus for one is a huge minus for another and vice versa. I will start with what I personally lack in Montenegro - an emigrant from Siberia, and then I will mention some of the complaints of others that I know.

1. Shops and a rich selection of almost any goods. Perhaps this is the main disadvantage for me - at least for now. Sometimes you can’t find seemingly banal things - for example, normal threads or satin ribbons, which does not mean that they are not here at all - but they are probably not in Kotor, and if they are, then all these shops are quite difficult to find, you just need to know. In Russia, in any city, you can easily buy any product - everywhere there is advertising, everything is clear. In Kotor, for example, in the fall I was looking for ordinary seeds (parsley, basil, lettuce), and could not find - as it turned out - not a single store selling seeds! I was rescued by a Russian friend who suggested one shop - if not for her, I would never have noticed it, despite the fact that I often drive by! No sign... and the owner complains that there are few customers 🙂 Most locals do not lack more powerful computers and some other goods... they are not used to all these gadgets, so many former Russians actively use online stores. And anyway, when some acquaintance flies to Montenegro from Russia, there will always be a couple of wishes for him what to capture 🙂

I thought and thought, what else am I missing ... and never came up with 🙂 From what I heard from others ...

1. "bored, nothing happens, nowhere to go" - with such arguments, many leave Montenegro. These are people who miss the big city with its entertainment and dynamic lifestyle. Love and stay in Montenegro are those who, on the contrary, escaped from the bustle of the city, who love to enjoy the views of the Bay of Kotor with a cup of coffee, who do not want to rush, who love nature and history. I am not a fan of discos and parties, so Montenegro is ideal for me (there are really no decent discos in Montenegro) - in any free minute you can walk to the mountains and have a picnic and a camera, by the sea, to some beautiful city or a beautiful place - such Montenegro has a lot - if you are not a nature and outdoor lover, then you will probably be bored in Montenegro. For me, a walk along the embankment, along a silent bay or along the beach to the accompaniment of the sea surf, is many times better than along the most beautiful and crowded highway of the Russian capital. Yes, there is no ballet in Montenegro… (recently, a friend mentioned this shortcoming in a personal conversation), but how many Russian cities can boast of this? And even if there is a ballet in your city, how often do you go there? It's nice to feel the opportunity - I can go to a production of Uncle Vanya whenever I want - but how often do I actually go to the theater? And another unexpected moment for someone - a modern cinema (as in any Russian city, Kinomax, for example) in Montenegro is only in Podgorica. It’s not on another planet, but it takes 1.5-2 hours to get there from the coast - so I’ve been to the cinema only once for 2 years 🙂 And to be honest, I don’t have time to watch movies at all 🙂 any film can be found on the Internet - so there will be no cultural vacuum.

2. Education and healthcare in Montenegro. Here, many scold him, but find their way out without fleeing the country. Education, as they say, is lame, it strongly depends on the school and even on the teacher, but some Russian families go to home education or take an active part in the education of their children. Again, many opportunities open up "on advice and on a tip." As far as healthcare is concerned, it is relatively “normal”, but a serious illness is obviously better left untreated in Montenegro…

Something like this for today, to be continued 🙂 I hope that it was useful and informative.

PS Life in Montenegro in winter is a whole different story - tourists leave, beaches become empty, many entertainments aimed at tourists stop. But even here everyone sees Montenegro in the winter with their own eyes - some see abandoned beaches and deserted old towns, while others see fun and a lot of leisure options available only for "pets", as they say here. On that topic, I offer a photo selection.

To be continued: "Cons of living in Montenegro, part 2«.