Remote operation with a view of the sea and the mountains: a personal experience in Montenegro

Who am I and what I do h5> My name is Cyril Klyushkin I COO of Alconost and, concurrently, the co-founder of the service Alconost Video . I see the work of project managers involved in the selection and the coaching staff, along with marketers working on strategic and short-term marketing objectives, sometimes I write scripts and manage the process of creating videos. In addition, the company engaged in the development and optimization of business processes. And me a support customers in our service live online translation Alconost Nitro . Everything else we do a number of its products, and to me is part of the Project Management, the development of product concepts.

All this I have been at home in Minsk, all of this I continued to be engaged, arrived in Montenegro.

It is said that the work of our team is built so that all our employees work remotely . Without it I would have been difficult to decide on such a long departure.

Why Montenegro? h5> Montenegro close to us on location and has a minimum difference in time zones from Moscow or Kiev (two-hour difference can not be said about the same Thailand). It is important to work in rhythm with colleagues.

To reach Montenegro is possible as the aircraft (~ $ 300-600 in both directions during the flight from the European part of Russia) and by car (1-2 nights), allowing great savings on the rental car to explore the country. By the way, Montenegro is very compact in size, you can drive around the whole country in just a day. At the same time its small territory there are hundreds of different attractions.

And here we love. Montenegrins are very loyal to the Russian-speaking tourists. Moreover, they do not share the Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russian: we have them all brothers Slavs alike. Also, there is very sincere and friendly to children. On the street, in stores, in taxis locals are always smiling at us with her daughter, her daughter touched the handles, each is committed to treat the child or give a small toy.

In Montenegro, safe and almost no crime, as the country and the cities in it are small, everyone knows each other in the face. You can leave a pram with valuables on the beach, you can walk at night with a phone in his hand.

There is very beautiful nature. Mountains, mountain rivers and lakes, small villages ... I can not help feeling that I am, or somewhere in Tolkien Middle-earth, or among the mountains and fjords of Norway, where somehow grown palm trees. Sea - warm, clear and clean. And the air is delicious. Aromas of flowers, pine trees, the sea, the mountains, the Montenegrin pastries and grilled meats are constantly mixed in a delicious cocktail, different each time.

on formal h5> On arrival in Montenegro is necessary per day to get the "white board". For this we must turn to the landlord or the hotel, who will do everything himself - you will only pay a fee of 0, 6-0, 8 euros for each day of stay in the country.

White board may be asked when leaving the country, and in his absence - slapped a fine of 200 euros. More than sure that if you have a "word" in the airport while you're running after paying a fine, have your aircraft will fly.

Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians can stay in Montenegro without a visa for up to 90 days within six months, and for the Russians and Belarusians period of continuous residence shall not exceed 30 days. This means that every 30 days you need to leave the country at least for a couple of hours.

When and where to go h5> The best time to travel to Montenegro to work remotely - April-June or September-October. At this time there is already / still warm, no crowds, reasonable prices. In July and August in Montenegro is very hot, very expensive, very crowded.

Off season lives on the coast only in the big cities: Bar and Budva. Bar is more adapted for life (more offers apartments, more stores, more people), but in the vicinity of Budva and the best beaches. We chose Budva just because of the beaches: where else will spend time wife and daughter, as I work from home.

In the first few days is better to book a hotel through the Internet, and already on arrival to start looking for housing in ways that you prefer:

• walk around the city, call the ads on the pillars and porches, go to your favorite home and ask about rent. It sounds strange, but trust me, it works in Montenegro;
• to ask people on the street, taxi drivers, vendors in stores. Montenegrin towns are very small, everyone knows each other, your companion is sure to be a friend who just rents an apartment. His first apartment, we have found: demand drives up our taxi driver, and after half an hour watched two excellent low-cost apartments, which eventually rented;
• to look for online ads and write in English owners liked the apartments (by the way, You can use our online translator Nitro, there are English and Serbian): ○ Realitica. com - first select a city, then Stan-apartman (apartment) or kuce (home) and press trazi (look);
  ○ Tender Oglasi - Nekretnine select and enter a search string in the city that you need;
  ○ Montenegro Realty - here offers long term rentals are mixed with rental "tourist" to tourist prices. By the way, through this group I found the second time in his spacious apartment in the center of Budva for very little money;
  
  
  • to buy a local paper and Tender Oglasi call liked ads. The key phrase in conversation on the phone: "I trazhim camp for three months" (I'm looking for an apartment for three months). Most often rent for three months out of the tourist season looks to be the landlord is very attractive, and he becomes interested in how to overcome the language barrier and clearly explain to you where you will meet;
  • to apply to the local real estate agencies, often Russian-speaking. But on the basis of experience with 5-6 local agencies, I concluded that it was a waste of time: the prices unreasonably high, apartments and service quality do not shine. These agencies will soon come to buy expensive real estate or tourism for short term rent.
    

    What is how much? h5> When renting for three months, you can get a pretty good price, which differs from the tourist prices three to four times. Both times I was looking for an apartment in late March-early April for three months. According to my observations, a small studio apartment in the main can be rented for 150-350 euros per month, odnobedrumnye (one bedroom plus one living room combined with kitchen room) - for 250-500 euros per month, dvuhbedrumnye - for 400-700 euros per month. The difference in this range - due to the varying distance from the sea and the degree of severity of the interior apartments themselves. By the added cost of rent bills for water, electricity, sometimes the Internet: 50-100 euros per month.
    
    In his first visit we took a pleasant odnobedrumnuyu apartment for 400 euros per month, a 10-minute walk from the beach and 20 minutes from the old town. To be honest, every day walking to and fro strained, so a second visit, we rented an apartment with a spacious dvuhbedrumnuyu cozy atmosphere relatively far from the sea, the center and the old town of 530 euros per month. Given that we seize the season (July 1-10), it is not expensive.
    
    With regard to the cost of living in Montenegro, it is about the same as in Minsk or Kiev, and just lower than in Moscow. Sit together in a restaurant with fish and wine - from 40 euros, pizza and beer - from 15 euros, hearty burger - 2 euros. In general, food stand or cheaper, or as well as we have. Furniture - much cheaper. Clothing is the same as ours. The locals live on about 1,000 euros per month for a family. I can see that if you do not show off, and perhaps a little to save, in this amount is quite possible to meet.
    
    

    The language barrier h5> In the coastal Montenegro do without the knowledge of the local language is quite possible. Firstly, Serbian (and Montenegrin spoken in Serbian) is very close to our language. Untrained Russians generally understood about 25%, Belarusians and Ukrainians - about 50-60% of the information. Second, the older generation to learn the Russian language in the Yugoslav school. And thirdly, Montenegro - tourist country with traditionally a very large number of tourists from Russia, so the locals like it or not, and taught Russian. Even English has not been canceled: Montenegro know him pretty well, even the majority of channels broadcast in English with Serbian subtitles.
    
    Personally, I managed to find a common language with the owners and see about two dozen apartments with little or no knowledge of Serbian. I can say that the language barrier is completely avoidable. Especially if you - the one who pays the money.
    
    
    
    

    My tips for the Development h5> As the purpose of the visit - not a vacation, and the work should look for an apartment so that you can equip a secluded workplace: at least put a table and chair. If such a place in the apartment is not worth thinking about renting a cheap apartment near the studio to work. By the way, inexpensive furniture in Montenegro: for ~ 100 euros to be found acceptable for a table and chair.
    
    It is important to look for an apartment with Wi-Fi router. If the owner says that the router had a few apartments or, worse, in the cafe next door - expect problems with the connection, which you will not be affected and will not be able to remove themselves. If the owner says that "the Internet will deliver tomorrow" - do not believe, Montenegrins unhurriedly in business and good if the network you hold at least a week and a half.
    
    I advise you to choose an apartment with a good location. So it will be easy for a few minutes to drive to the sea, to swim and to continue the work.
    
    I recommend to take with them not only a laptop and a large monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse. In his first visit, I worked for 15 "laptop, the second - for 24" monitor. With the monitor turns efficiently. By the way, the monitor can be purchased here, about the same price tag.
    
    

    Internet Montenegro h5> With the Internet in Montenegro are all well, though not so cheap. Fiber anlim 20 megabits from T-Mobile is 30 euros per month. 1 gigabyte of mobile 3G-internet for 15 days from T-Mobile is 3 euros. 3G-coverage good.
    
    Speaking of mobile Internet: upon the expiry of the Internet package is not lost, but it begins to be charged by a wild prices. Notification of the expiration of the package does not come. It looks like the system to make such a stupid intends to obtain additional money from tourists.
    
    But with the Internet services in Montenegro in trouble. Online stores, service Order food online, order a taxi online, adequate boards simply do not have. The design and usability of most local sites causes almost physical pain. There is a feeling that the local Internet in the middle of the two thousandth stuck. And, it seems, is completely satisfied with the Montenegrins.
    
    

    My daily routine h5> wake up at 8 am, 3:00 to work, take a dip in the sea, the shock to work during lunch heat at 5 pm to get to the beach / inspection of nearby attractions, 8-9 pm and return until one night deal with time- consuming tasks until no distractions. At the weekend - in the morning for a couple of hours to rake churn and deal with the fast task, and then whirl away in the next journey on mountain roads, inspect another abandoned fortress, or a mountain lake or a deep canyon or the monastery of the XIII century, or petroglyphs, which a few dozen thousands of years. In the evening - return until late at night to do business.
    
    
    
    I can say that at the time the work began to spend less mainly due to travel on weekends. But the feelings, the overall performance has not declined, rather the contrary, because of the diversity in the schedule it became easier to write lyrics, to come up with unusual ideas, there was almost a lost drive.
    
    

    Complications h5> Home and not entirely expected difficulty that I faced when moving - the solution of domestic problems that are time-consuming and distracting from the great affairs. Search for apartments, construction of the workplace, purchase of necessary things - all these smaller tasks as a result eat up a lot of time and energy. Once these problems are solved - working life is part of his usual The orderly course. During his second visit, I already knew a lot about Montenegro and the decision of household problems happen much faster and painless.
    
    In addition, it is important not to lose contact with their colleagues. No matter how distracted everyday problems, we should still be there, as far as possible when working remotely.
    
    And you need to convey to the colleagues thought that the beach day and night rest of your wife and daughter, and you're still in the ranks, fully work with absolute dedication.
    
    

    What's not to like it h5> Yes, there are negative impression of Montenegro. Not much, but there is.
    
    In Montenegrins have a kick-ass nature and do not have any understanding of what it should be protected. Garbage in Montenegro can be found not only in secluded places where tourists do not look, but will make only a step to the side with the tourist trail. It's dirty, and because they do not clean litter and because all and sundry. Throw a plastic bottle into the bushes or a cigarette butt near the trash - a common occurrence.
    
    
    
    Montenegrins are a lot of smoke. In any cafe or restaurant is impossible to sit with the child, as the neighboring tables, without stopping to smoke a few people. Why, even in the mall to keep the child in a playful nursery problematic. After all, next to it there is a cafe, every visitor who smokes ten cigarettes a few minutes - so the air hangs a real shopping center could.
    
    After some time begins to be evident superficiality and carelessness in urban infrastructure. Broken tiles on the sidewalk curve asphalt with concrete patches crumbled on which it is impossible to walk normally with a baby carriage. Sidewalks on the streets half not, in spite of the busy car traffic. Traffic lights are lit so that "green" can go only half way. The grass on the lawns often nekoshenaya. Often, there is no lanterns, but the night is not white. In general, sometimes unkempt Montenegro resembles a Soviet sanatorium.
    
    

    would remain for a lifetime? h5> Absolutely not. In addition to the above-mentioned disadvantages of the Montenegrin culture, there are a couple of significant drawbacks of immigration to Montenegro.
    
    First, Montenegro is small and provincial. For example, a modern cinema, a large shopping center, the theater is only in the capital and then only in the singular.
    
    Second, the winter in Montenegro very sad: the weather is cool and rainy, and social life, as opposed to home fades completely.
    
    Third, in Montenegro the laws are working as the local government decides and the majority of cases are resolved through acquaintances. And immigrants difficult to do business here because of the very much attention inspection bodies they turn a blind eye to the violations at the Montenegrin companies, but are judged to the fullest extent for the slightest fault of our former compatriots.
    
    

    Would recommend to come to Montenegro to work remotely? h5> If your work does not depend on the particular office - come necessary. It's a great experience, a great opportunity to change for the duration of habitats and breathe new life into what I do.
    
    Now I'm back in Montenegro, but the last time I returned home safely returned to continue the rhythm of work, keeping the charge of a drive for the whole year. By the way, it is to say that for the first time in my life my family and I for the year never got sick. I am sure - it is in the sun and healthy air of Montenegro.
    
    By the way, I calculated that the expense of low-cost rental housing and low-cost products, my three month trip cost was equal to three months of life at home, plus a two-week vacation at sea.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Source: habrahabr.ru/company/alconost/blog/227375/