Serbia: A People Who Finally Have a Home

Serbia is an absolutely beautiful country. We got to experience many parts – Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, and many train and bus rides through the countryside. It reminds me of Indiana in many ways because all you can see for miles is flat farmland. It was cold and snowy for the majority of the time we were there, but the snow added to the old-world European charm.

Throughout their history, Serbians have been ruled by many different nations: the Ottoman Empire, the Nazis, and most recently, the Soviet Union. Serbia was a part of Yugoslavia during the Cold War, and Serbians were grouped with several other people groups, including Croats, Bosnians, Macedonians, etc. When they gained their independence in the 90’s, they finally got their own nation. They are still working to build their economy and figure out how to work under a democracy.

Serbians are very brusk and direct, but are usually helpful and hospitable. Many people in the cities spoke some English, so that was helpful. We talked to many Serbians who would love to come to the US, but it is hard for them to get a visa. Serbia is one of the most economically disadvantaged countries in Europe, and many people do not have jobs. They were all very surprised when we would say how much we liked Serbia. They could not imagine why we would even visit when we were from America. Many people seemed hopeless about the economy, but we know that God loves the people of Serbia and is moving in big ways there! 

Here are 10 unique things I observed during our time in Serbia: 

1. EVERYONE smokes. Smoking is allowed pretty much anywhere, so any restaurant or coffee shop you walk into will be filled with smoke. Our clothes smelled so bad after a few days. Thank goodness for washers!

2. You do not discuss politics in public. Serbians have a history covered in oppression. They still have a disputed territory – Kosovo. Many countries, including the US, recognize Kosovo as an independent nation, but Serbia does not.

3. 85% of people identify as Eastern Orthodox, but it is a very secular country. Many Serbians that we talked with will say they believe in God, or that they grew up Orthodox, but it is more a cultural thing than an actual relationship with Jesus. It is very similar to the Catholic church in South America.

4. Almost all of the doors push in instead of pull out. I’m not sure if this is because of the cold or what, but we have looked very dumb several times and thought a door was locked when we were actually supposed to push it. 

5. It is very hard to hail a taxi, and in some cities (Novi Sad), they will drive right past you. You have to call the taxi company and they will send you one – and even then they might just tell you “no” over the phone.

6. Many of the words don’t have any vowels. Serbians use two alphabets – Cyrillic and Latin. Cyrillic looks like Greek and is very difficult to read. Words written in the Latin alphabet have the same pronunciation as words in Cyrillic, but they use letters that English speakers can recognize and pronounce. Words include zdravo (hello), srpski (Serbian), hvala (thank you), dva (two).

7. Serbians will walk directly at you without changing direction. It’s like the game of “chicken”, but it’s just how they walk in public. They will also cut right in front of you in line. This tested my patience several times, but I met many Serbians who were very helpful and gracious as well.

8. Serbians greet you with rakija. Rakija is a fruit brandy that many Serbians make in their homes. We were given shots of rakija at our hostel and at several restaurants. It is rude not to drink it!

9. The main food groups of Serbia are meats, cheeses, and breads. Kebabs, sausage, prosciutto, and bacon are very popular. 

10. The music in restaurants in coffee shops is always super loud pop music, usually in English. It is hard to have a conversation without being distracted by the music.