Goodbye Montenegro

Dear friends and family,

Yesterday I crossed the border from Montenegro to Albania. Sometimes I think to myself that I should have researched more or asked about crossing the border or some such thing. But, then once I get to the border I get:

Two customs officers waiving me past all the waiting cars to the walk through windows. An officer inside gruffly told me to “just wait until I get to yours” about processsing my passport.

At the immigration window which was next, the guy sitting in an unheated cold room dressed for winter said to me “You will really like Albania, as we really like Americans here”. 

So, I enter my sixth country by bike this trip, but first a summary of some of the things I found in Montenegro.

I asked the young woman at the hotel front desk to tell me about Montenegro which she proceeded to do. 

She told me that even though they had national health care here that it was a terrible system. She had a test done at the doctor and then was told that she had to wait three weeks for the follow-up meeting with the doctor and she found that unacceptable, so was willing to pay for private health care with cash out of pocket. 

I smiled as I thought of Liz trying to get an appointment for a breast exam and even though she tried two different providers, she would have to wait just under a year to get in. And that poor young woman with the “terrible health care system” had to wait three weeks!

I don’t think anyone who has national health insurance can really understand the insurance denials and costs of healthcare and medications in the US. I quit trying to explain it to them as they look at me like I am making up lies. My eye drops for my glaucoma cost $500 per 3 oz bottle and last only a month. Frustrating. Their medicines cost them about $3 each.

The country of Montenegro just this year (2025) instituted a new national minimum wage system of about $450 USD (or Euros since now almost even to the dollar), per month. If you have a degree you get a minimum of $600 dollars per month if you work in your field and if you have an advanced  degree and work in your field you get a minimum of $800. These are amounts after taxes, but still it is low. 

I was told that it is possible, not easy but possible, to live on those wages if you just want food and lodging. Nothing more. If you want more you can either work in a higher paying profession or have your own businesss.  My taxi driver had a business owning five taxis and said that he can make a good living doing that. Otherwise Montenegrans travel to higher paying countries to work, which can be challenging since they are not part of the EU. 

State universities are basically free to citizens, but very competitive to get in. Private schools also are competitive to get in and cost very little in tuition, even by local pay standards. So, if you are a good student you have opportunities for economic growth. 

Montenegro has applied to the EU to become a member, but right now with their relationship with Russia and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it seems to be on hold. Because they are in NATO, the EU allows them to use the Euro as their currency. Complicated international relations here.

I was surprised at how tall people are in the countries of Montenegro, Croatia and Albania. The average is similar to the Netherlands, who are the tallest in Europe. It’s especially nice for me, being so tall, to not stick out so much like I did last year in Colombia. 

It is not easy to get a long term visa for an American in Montenegro. We get one year and can be renewed, or you can buy property for a long term stay visa and the rules seem vague as to the minimum value of property to get you that. 

I enjoyed my stay, but again, what really bothered me was the amount of smoking. The law says no inside smoking, but several restaurants I went to (those that did have inside seating) allowed smoking inside. The official percentage of smokers is something like 33% and 26% of the deaths per year are related to smoking. Seems like they are related. I cannot understand how these countries can afford national healthcare when people are working so hard to make themselves sick. Since I have never been addicted to nicotine, maybe it is naive to criticize. 

I just know that I really don’t like being exposed to the second hand smoke and it sours me on a country that allows so much exposure. That alone would keep me out of Montenegro long term. 

I look forward to flatter riding and even lower prices, so exploring Albania is next.

Sending love,

Charley