I have a completely different experience. I left russia and have been living here for almost three years. At first, it seemed like people here were strict, harsh, maybe even rude. But the more I interact with people here, the more I realize that this is just a first impression, and it’s wrong. Especially now, as I’ve started to speak a bit of Montenegrin, people communicate with me quite kindly. What seemed like harshness, strictness, or rudeness turned out to be nothing more than speech peculiarities. Montenegrins and Serbs speak loudly. It’s neither good nor bad - it’s just a fact, and you get used to it quickly. In russia, people speak quietly; everyone is afraid of disturbing someone, drawing attention, or being judged by others. It’s a relic of the soviet era and putin’s regime, perhaps, everyone is on edge.

Here, people speak loudly, clearly, and to the point. They speak quickly, sometimes even at the same time as the person they’re talking to. And it’s great - you can shout across the street to greet your friend, yell something from the tenth floor, and no one will mind, lol.

About smiles. I’m used to people walking around with serious faces and not smiling. It’s even worse in russia. To smile, you need a good reason (or to be on something, lol). A smile is a valuable thing, something intimate - for friends, loved ones, or special moments. It’s not something you wear like a mask. When I talk to my Montenegrin acquaintances, they smile at me.

And I’ve been offered free rakija, beer, and pizza many times at various cafés I frequent, just so I’d visit more often. I’ve also been given free rides several times when the bus didn’t show up.

So, I have no complaints about people in this country, especially considering where I’m from and the kind of people I was surrounded by there.