Job Discussion Forums

[BA]

Guys-

Got an offer from English First in Moscow. Sounds great.....but one hang-up. Apartment. I would have to pay for my own apartment. This makes me nervous both from an apartment securement perspective and money perspective. I've been around the world enough that this situation is rife for problems!

For the guys that are privy to Moscow accommodations- could I secure an apartment for less than $1,000USD per month (including utilities)?

$1k would REALLY eat into my savings ability.

Thanks! And cheers!

BA

[Sashadroogie]

Very doubtful. Even living in a filthy hovel off the last metro station will set you back about 30 plus thousand rubles. Around the 1000 dollar mark. Sharing a two-room flat might be more economic, but sharing is also rife with issues.

My advice - forget EF. Horrible place, nasty admin factor is quite high. Try another chain. Slightly less horrible, but at least they sort out your run-down tenement for you in advance.

Best of luck to you!

[Sashadroogie]

PS

Bear in mind that you may have to go through a real estate agent in order to find a place. So that involves shelling out a month's rent to the realtor, as a fee, one month's rent as a refundable deposit (one hopes!) to the landlord, and another for the first rent in advance. That about 3,000 dollars right there for the privilege of entering a stinky concrete box in a grim tower block in some industrial wasteland.

Better off avoiding all this your first time out here.

[RoscoeTX]

Howdy BA,

Can't say much bout EF and as much as I hate agreeing with 'Red Heat' (Droogie howser md), think going with EF could cause you headaches down the line.

About apartments, I found a nicely remodeled, two bedroom apartment here about 3 years ago, 5 minutes from the metro by foot and 30 minutes to the center by metro and been paying round 1000 bucks every month with utlities. I did use an agent and paid her a small fee and paid last months rent. I am fixin to move from this place and the landlady said she was gonna raise the rent by 150 bucks or so...but she was real nice to keep the rent the same all these years.

Anywho, back to what red dawn said, it would be tough to find a place NOW for that price. i may have gotten lucky. And you will still have to pay a good chunk of change up front. There are some apartment search sites that you can check out which may give you a better idea of the market prices. If you can't come up with any decent sites, let me know and I can send you a few.

Best of luck to you

[RussianWinter]

Hi BA,

I actually work for EF in Moscow at the moment, so PM me if you have any questions. It definitely has its drawbacks and advantages, and the drawbacks are not insignificant. As for the apartment - they found me a shared place (2 bedrooms) for around $675 USD/month. It depends what part of town you're in, though, but I'm close to the metro and around 25-30 minutes from the city centre. It's also within walking distance of my school. This was the combination of luck and a good DOS...

[BA]

Thanks for your input, guys!

Such a tough decision. I'm having bad luck trying to find a job here in the US. It's a shame, really.

I'm currently evaluating my options. I love Russia and teaching was the best job I have ever had.

But, Russia isn't a journey you just decide to embark on without much thought.

Thanks again! I'll keep you all posted.

BA

**RussianWinter- I pm'd you.

[BA]

Another question....

Russia, among other things, is noted for its attractive females. Ive been to Ukraine and I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor on a regular basis. My goodness, I have never seen anything like it. Anywhere. Including Colombia.

Of course I have thought that this could be a, ahem, fringe benefit of ESL teaching in Russia.

But, call a spade a spade for me.......does an American ESL teacher stand a chance with all the Bugatti-driving, young, Russian billionaires on the scene?

BA

[maruss]

Well, very broadly speaking I would say that there are plenty of lovely young girls in Moscow too but they tend to have much higher 'maintenance fees' than their Ukrainian counterparts! What does Sasha think?

[expatella_girl]

Russian and Ukranian *girls* certainly do have the reputation.

But so do Slavic babushki. And from whence do you suppose they emerged? Cute little Russki dyevushki? Nah, come on, can't be, there must be some other explanation.....

[Sashadroogie]

Sasha thinks that this kind of motivation for coming to the Motherland is quite dubious. Smacks of bourgeois neo-imperialism to me, with a twist of Orientalism.

No, no, no. Far better it would to be fully versed in Dialectical Materialism before coming over. Then you'll be able to fit right into life here. As an extra benefit, women cannot help falling for a man who can quote Engels and Plekhanov. Hic!

[expatella_girl]

[spiral78]

[Sashadroogie]

Industrial grade!

[teacher X]

I'm actually writing a paper on Babushki for National Geographic.
I find it interesting how a Russian woman will remain beautiful until the age of 55 and then will instantly lose 2 foot of height, put on 10 pounds in weight and become as aggressive as a rabid tiger.

I'm drawing comparisons between Russian girls and Pokemon. Clearly the Babushka is the ultimate battle form in their evolution.

[Sashadroogie]

Hope you are conducting your field research with a telescopic camera. Don't approach them, or even get too close. They can spot a lily livered weakling from the west a mile off, chew him up and spit him out, all without breaking stride while pushing onto the metro carriage.