Living in a different environment is something that, for those of us who have had the opportunity to experience it, broadens our horizons in such a way that we then understand no one can determine our destiny, and that we don’t have to live in a ‘system’ our environment is used to, the one we grew up in.

Milan Nikolic

 ‘Just go elsewhere, it will be better’, ‘what do you even want to do here, everything’s either been broken or sold out’, ‘they’ve stolen everything, get out of here’, are only some of the phrases young people hear on the daily living across all of Serbia…

Many of us leave the country every day, some estimate as many as 30,000 to 40,000 each year. A good part of those young people are university educated, and they are leaving in an effort to secure a more prosperous future for themselves and their families.

Do you always leave just because things are better somewhere else, because the political system is better organized, or because the grass is greener elsewhere?! Not really! Simply put, young people need to take advantage of all the offerings of the 21st century and seize all the opportunities, both in Serbia and in other countries. I am one of those people. The past, present and future situation in which our country finds itself has never been a deciding factor as far as my desire to move to another country for a longer or shorter period of time. I’m not one of those people who believe that a person just decides and says ‘I’m off, see you!’, as I’m also the type of person who plans any departure in detail.

My desire for adventurous experiences began to develop as early as high school. In between 2015 and 2021, I’ve lived in America, the Netherlands, Romania and finally in Hungary, where I had the opportunity to complete a two-year master’s degree in international economics and business at the prestigious Corvinus University, which is considered one of the best schools in this part of Europe.

The question is, what’s it all for? In short – it’s incredibly useful! The benefits are many, starting with making acquaintances that can later open many opportunities both in our personal and working lives. Living in a different environment is something that, for those of us who have had the opportunity to experience it, broadens our horizons in such a way that we then understand no one can determine our destiny, and that we don’t have to live in a ‘system’ our environment is used to, the one we grew up in.

The misconception, however, is that only people from our region are leaving at breakneck speed.

Migration happens everywhere and that is why we must not always associate someone’s departure with poor conditions of the system they came from. Of course, there is that, as well as people who want to achieve certain professional successes elsewhere. Hence the question that bothers everyone  born in Serbia: ‘Are we financially and professionally secure?’

We grew up in an environment that is oriented towards family and friends as the foundation (which could not be said for any other country), and that was a crucial factor in my decision to choose Serbia as a permanent habitat, although I support every departure and stay in any a region in the world that will make us better and more successful in terms of personal and professional development. Whether people admit it or not, the fact is that most of them use every opportunity to visit Serbia whenever possible.

Each of us is an individual and we make our own decisions about our future and the location where we want to or not want to be, but the key is that we provide understanding and support to each other and leave enough time for things to be thought through. I will forever be grateful to my family and friends who had the time to listen to my ideas and give their honest opinion whenever I needed it. This made me better and more confident, and I reciprocated with detailed stories about the adventures I experienced. They often tell me: ‘Milance, you are our window into the world!’

 

Milan Nikolić, economist