MY STUDENT MOBILITY IN PODGORICA: Teodora Nikolić

Teodora Nikolić
University of Arts in Belgrade, Faculty of Fine Arts

Erasmus+ Mobility for Studies at:

Academy of fine arts in Cetinje, University of Montenegro

During my three-month stay in Montenegro, on a student exchange, I realized all the wishes I had before leaving for the exchange, namely travel, active vacation, meeting new people and making contacts, working on my paintings and sculptures and consulting with professors there about my artwork. If I think about the school system at the academy in Cetinje, the impression is that it is very similar to the one in Belgrade; professors are very kind and approachable, they want to help, give advice, etc., I felt like “at home”. I also had opportunity to participate in a group exhibition with other Montenegrian students in Podgorica.

I had the opportunity to meet other Erasmus exchange students and I consider it one of the precious opportunities thanks to which nowI  have friends from different parts of Europe with whom I am already planning to hang out in the future. We lived together in the same house, hung out, went on trips and had amazing moments together. We used to go on trips outside Cetinje almost every weekend and hiked a lot. In the 3 months I was in Montenegro, I visited almost all the cities and interesting localities, among which I single out Durmitor National Park, Kotor Fortress and the island of Prevlaka, which belongs to Croatia (we crossed the border on foot, we covered about 25 km that day), then Rijeka Crnojevića, Lovćen, a salt pond in Ulcinj, a cave on Cetinje…

This experience really gave me wonderful moments, new people, getting to know Montenegro and its natural beauties, time for work (which there really is in Cetinje, especially when it rains in winter and spring, so in those moments I could devote to myself and my thoughts)… Given that this is my first Erasmus experience, I’m a little sorry that I didn’t apply earlier, so next year I won’t fail to apply again for one of the offered exchanges.