Job Discussion Forums

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

I have decided to leave the Russian forum, possibly the teaching forum altogether. I have returned to Britain and am looking for work as a technical writer. What I don't want to do is to start providing out of date information about Russia or teaching generally.

With regards to the current crisis: at the moment, the main problems are likely to be a tightening of visa regulations, probably in a tit-for-tat with US and/or UK as sanctions worsen, and as a result of the latter, possibly less jobs because of inconvenience to employers and also less students able to afford school fees.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Dear cole:

You'll be missed! You've been a voice of reason for quite some time; not one wasted post of your 1,827.

Please stick around in the General and Newbie worlds, at least - join the tradition of revered retirees from the profession who still have much to contribute.

Best,
spiral

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

Thanks for your kind words Spiral. When I get the time, I'll look in now and again. However, I do mean what I say in that I do not want to become a purveyor of out of date information. So I guess I'll be circumspect about what I say.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Your kind words, comments and suggestions have all been very welcome and appreciated. I can understand your point about not being to provide up-to-date info. any longer etc. because I am in a similar position to you, having last been in Russia in 2006.
Anyway do keep in touch-I think you also have my e-mail address-if not I will send it to you.
Good luck with whatever you do.
M.

AGoodStory · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 738

Best of luck in Britain, Cole! I hope you are having success with finding work as a technical writer. I see that your announcement is almost a year old, but I just now saw it. (Some of us are slower than others!) I hope this past year has been a happy and productive one for you. Smile

.

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

Thanks. Although going back to looking for work in research and data analysis. Although if things continue to be this bad, I might be tempted back to the land of the flea. (joke) Best wishes to you. Pukkar!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 12:33 pm Post subject:

Cole! Don't leave! Stay with us in Russia! (Or the Russian board, at least...)

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

Well, after over 10 yrs I am now finally back in Alaska as of about 6 weeks ago. I have been waiting essentially since about 2009-which was about the time it just became less and less profitable to be a private English teacher in Moscow unless I was willing to sell my soul into governess slavery and live -in which I was not in this lifetime. I'm 40 and have better things to do than work until I die. I have 6-7 years left in the Alaska system to retirement, so this was a no brainer decision. I'll probably work more because I LIKE my job, but who knows. I am feeling the pressing need to secure my retirement in full while I still have my health.Right now, I'm vested with minimum benefits if I were never to come back to AK. That will help in old age but not support me in full. My time in Moscow was not helping the retirement cause.

I have always wondered on that note, what expats do for retirement? Do you even think of it or wait til it's too late?

In 2005, I took leave from my Russian bilingual job in Wasilla, AK planning 2-5 yrs MAX to go out to save money and return to buy a house. By 2009, my old school district was in hiring freeze about the time I was ready to go back and it's been a waiting game since. I was doing really well in Moscow until that crash in 09 and then it just leveled off and got more and more pointless thereafter but going back to the USA was not an option without a job nor was the Lower 48. Why start over and work 30 yrs when I can work less than 10? I kind of loathe the Lower 48 and have been gone nearly 20 years with no desire to return and do like Alaska. It's not like the rest of the rat race USA.

Anyhow, I'm now a full time Russian teacher just outside Homer, Alaska in the Old Believer village of Voznesenka. I teach grades 6-12 and Russian is a required part of the curriculum as kids are all bilingual and speak Russian at home. I am subletting my place in Moscow for now since I'll be coming back on my school holidays winter/ summer like I did before going full time expat. Also, I figured, I'd better hang on to my place in Moscow until I am re-tenured as a CYA strategy. In Alaska, if you are gone 16 months or more you lose tenure which for me sucks. Things are going well though and the kids are great. I just keep the flat in Moscow as a backup plan in case of budget issues here since Alaska is also oil and gas dependent like Russia ...just minus the bee ess sanctions.

I do not miss the instability, flaky students (last winter was the worst in the 10 yrs I was teaching in Moscow largely due to the crisis ), more time on the metro than in the classroom, but mostly the instability and inability to budget and plan got me totally fed up. I am now enjoying just the basics like insurance, sick leave, paid prep time, salary schedule (the ability to do financial planning again),my classroom, same work hours every day,ONE short commute a day on a drop dead scenic road (google Kachemak Bay/Kenai Fjords), not feeling knackered afrom all the chasing, returning to mountain running,....

Things I miss-
-MY PARROTLET I can't get out til the jerks on the US side get Russia off the list of places you can't import birds from.
-my friends, the racing scene(but I have sponsors lined up here too and great support)....but I can go back to this on my off time 3-4 months a yr without worrying where my next d--m kopeck is coming from. while writing it all off as professional development since I'll be getting more resources for my Russian classes while in Moscow.