To Leave or To Stay: A Look at Life in Subotica

The Main Advice for Newcomers: Don't Rush

For those who are just planning to move or have recently arrived in Subotica, there are several key insights based on many years of experience. The very first and most important one is not to do anything in a hurry.

1. Don't rush. Most mistakes and financial losses among newcomers happen precisely because of haste. This applies to finding an apartment, handling paperwork, and other important steps. The city lives at its own, slower pace, and to successfully fit in, you need to synchronize with it.

It is recommended to simply slow down: sit in the main square, have a coffee, and observe the unhurried life of the locals. This will help you get into the local rhythm and make more balanced and informed decisions, avoiding failures and fiascos.

Work and Business: A City for Those Who Have Made Their "Exit"

The second important insight concerns professional fulfillment. Subotica can be called a city for people who have already made their "exit"—that is, they have left active business, sold it, and received capital. Those who can afford a leisurely lifestyle feel comfortable here.

• Retirees
• Older ladies
• Young people enjoying life

Because of this, one gets the impression that no one in the city works. Finding a job here, especially a skilled one, is significantly more difficult than in major Serbian cities like Belgrade, Novi Sad, or Niš. If you are not prepared to work in a factory, be ready for a long search that could take a year or a year and a half. The best option is to have a remote job or a financial cushion for this period.

Typical Mistakes When Starting a Business in Subotica

Many people, after selling, for example, a second apartment in Russia for 50-60 thousand euros, arrive with the desire to start their own business here. However, they often make the same mistakes, which leads to failure.

1. Focusing on form over substance. Entrepreneurs invest a lot of effort and money into renovations, design, and creating a beautiful "shell," but they forget about the most important things: the product, marketing, sales, and customer communication. An example is an establishment that positioned itself as a "community" but offered guests neither loyalty cards nor special treatment, and eventually closed down.

1. Targeting only the Russian-speaking audience. For a business to be successful, it must cater to at least a trilingual audience: Serbian, Hungarian, and Russian/English. By limiting themselves to just one segment, entrepreneurs severely narrow their market.

It is important to understand that the service culture here is different. People are accustomed to certain communication standards, and a simple "What will you have?" may not be enough. It is necessary to build communication and offer quality service to attract and retain customers.

Community Projects and Community Life

Despite the difficulties with business, there are many opportunities for active and energetic people in Subotica. If a person understands that business is energy multiplied by the number of attempts and is ready not to give up after failures, they will succeed.

In addition, important community projects are being implemented in the city in which one can participate. This is an excellent way not only to contribute but also to find friends and like-minded people.

• "Green Place" (mesto.rs). An environmental project whose participants are cleaning up the Kelebija Forest. This area was affected by trash left by the stream of refugees from Syria, and now activists regularly hold clean-up events there.

• Restoration of the old tram. A project to restore a historic tram with the goal of turning it into a tourist art object and a source of pride for the citizens. An "insta-zone" and a "secret gallery" have been created inside, where installations by local artists change every month.

Participating in such initiatives helps one to integrate more quickly and find their social circle. For example, interest groups have already formed in the city: a business community, volleyball players, football players, dog owners, cat owners, and various women's clubs.

Thoughts on Emigration: An Envoy or a Traveler?

In the 21st century, it is difficult to speak of emigration in the classic sense of the word. Previously, when leaving, a person completely left their past behind: their surroundings, friends, language, and culture, starting life with a clean slate somewhere in Paraguay. Today, everything is different.

A modern move is not a symphony where everything is written out note for note, but rather jazz, full of improvisation. It is better to see yourself not as an emigrant, but as an envoy of your family, culture, and language, or simply as a traveler. This approach helps to avoid the feeling of being cut off and losing one's roots.

Living with the mindset "I am in emigration" means constantly feeling like a stranger and looking back. Instead, it is worth accepting the new reality as an opportunity for growth, sharing experiences, and creating something new, enriching both yourself and the place where you now live.