Life in Novi Sad, Serbia, is anything but dull for Russian expat Viktor. His job in the tourism industry enables him to travel frequently, learning the local language wasn't too difficult, dealing with the usual expat challenges is made easier with the assistance of his Serbian girlfriend.	Viktor Juscenko

-Where were you born?

I was born in Murmansk, Russia.

-In which country and city are you living now?

I have lived in Novi Sad city in Serbia since 2006.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my Serbian girl Milica.

-How long have you been living in Serbia?

Three years.

-What is your age?

I'm 37.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Serbia?

I had been in a relationship with Milica for about 5 years, and  we were thinking about living together.  I was searching for a job in Serbia one year and finally I found it.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

To get a visa is not a problem, but to get a job is so difficult not only for foreigners, but for Serbian people too. I was very lucky, because I was working in tourism in Saint Petersburg and I found job in Serbia as a tourist guide for Russians because of my knowledge of Russian. It is really difficult to find a job here.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, to get a medical insurance is not a problem.

-How do you make your living in Serbia? Do you have any type of income generated?

There aren't job agencies in Serbia. I used websites but you should know that Serbian job sites are not in English, only in Serbian. It was nota  problem for me because the Russian and Serbian languages are similar and I have a Serbian girl who helped me to understand advertisements well.

-Do you speak Serbian and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

Now, after 3 years I'm speaking Serbian, but it is not so important because a lot of people, especially young and educated people, speak English very well.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Sometimes, but thanks to my job I usually go to Russia ( 3-4 times per year).  There are a lot of friendly people in Serbia and I have a lot of friends here.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Thanks to my job I do a lot of travel. I have gone around Serbia and since this summer I will also travel to Montenegro. Our agency has started to organize a big Balkan Travel Tour: Serbia - Montenegro - Bosnia and Herzegovina.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We rent a flat in the downtown area of Novi Sad. A two-room flat costs 220 euros. Same new flat costs no less then 50.000 euro. If you want to buy here, you should be careful. Do not pay in advance because investors usually go bankrupt and you can lose your money.

-What is the cost of living in Serbia?

Somebody who rents a flat and live alones, need 700 euro for life. If you earn less you will live very poorly. Middle salary in Serbia is 350 euros, but it is not the same across all cities.

-What do you think about the Serbs?

I have never had a problem.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Serbia?

 Positive: Serbian people, weather (unlike Rusia, here it's always warm )

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Serbia?

If you travel to Serbia, you should forget about taking the train. Trains are very slow here, they are usually late 2, 3 hours and you never can be sure if the train will go.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Serbia?

I work in the travel industry and I need Serbian travel sites for my job. My favourite site about Serbia is Serbia Travel Guide.