My experience arriving in Serbia without speaking Serbian

I landed in Surčin one Sunday in October with three suitcases and a one-week Airbnb. I figured it out, but at a high cost.

The good

Young Belgrade speaks decent English in cafés, coworking, modern shops. Older generations don't.

The hard part

Not ordering a coffee — booking a doctor, reading a rental contract, decoding a bank message. All in Cyrillic, no English versions.

What I'd do differently

• Learn Cyrillic alphabet before flying — one afternoon, saves months.
• Get sworn translations done before the flight.
• Book a 30-day apartment, not a 7-day one.
• Have a local network before arriving.