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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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 Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 9:32 am Post subject: |
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| Sashadroogie wrote: |
About clothes, I'd certainly pack some heavy winter gear - boots, scarfs, gloves, heavy coat. It will not be so cheap to buy most of this stuff here. But it will take up some of your 20 kg baggage allowance, so you'll have to weigh up what is worth more to you: paying more on the plane, or paying more for clothing here. |
Thanks for this Sasha! I've been debating all this recently myself! Suppose I better get a second suitcase with easyJet! |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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One other consideration: footwear doesn't last very long in Moscow usually. One winter, maybe a second. A combination of harsh winters and the awful chemicals that are sprayed in the roads to melt the snow take some serious toll on boots. So be prepared to replace them every year, and consider just getting something mid-priced. Simply won't get the value out of anything more expensive anyway.
Nothing worse than leaky boots, grr... |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Sashadroogie wrote: |
Nothing worse than leaky boots, grr... |
I had this problem in Kiev...ugh, horrific! |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Possibly dangerous too, depending on how low the temperature drops. Brrrr!! |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:15 am Post subject: |
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Something else that might be good to do is have about a half-dozen passport photos. Matt finish. Can easily be had in Russia too, of course, but it requires some speaking. You'll certainly need pics for the next step of your visa after you arrive.
Similarly, if you can get your documents, degrees, TEFL certs etc. apostilled before you come to Russia, then that might reduce some of the bureaucratic fun and games just a little. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:18 am Post subject: |
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| Back to the subject of clothing, Russians tend to wear muted colours. So if you want to blend in with the crowd, no flaming scarlet jackets. Has tourist written all over it... |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Sashadroogie wrote: |
Something else that might be good to do is have about a half-dozen passport photos. Matt finish. Can easily be had in Russia too, of course, but it requires some speaking. You'll certainly need pics for the next step of your visa after you arrive.
Similarly, if you can get your documents, degrees, TEFL certs etc. apostilled before you come to Russia, then that might reduce some of the bureaucratic fun and games just a little. |
Oh god... |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Opening a bank account usually involves translation and notarization of passports. More joys await... : ) |
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Shelby
Joined: 24 Dec 2010
Posts: 66
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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| You might get lucky with the bank account. I did! The school opens the account and deals with the translation and notarization of the passport. I just had to go to some strange office in a basement somewhere with a member of the admin staff and sign about 30 times to receive the card. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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And that is luck!  |
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Jeff19
Joined: 23 Jun 2015
Posts: 24
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Sashadroogie wrote: |
The above statement is not true in the main. Not everything is cheap. Prices on many items have been adjusted upwards.
In any case, here's my take on things.
Food shopping can be done in a range of outlets. Auchan is quite big here. Other local supermarket chains are Perekrostock (Crossraods), Pityorchka, and sundry others. For foreign food, you can try Azbyka Vkuza (The ABC of Taste. Or is it the A to Z of Taste?) But be warned this is quite pricey indeed. Here's a website:
http://av.ru/
About clothes, I'd certainly pack some heavy winter gear - boots, scarfs, gloves, heavy coat. It will not be so cheap to buy most of this stuff here. But it will take up some of your 20 kg baggage allowance, so you'll have to weigh up what is worth more to you: paying more on the plane, or paying more for clothing here.
Really aren't any English language libraries to speak of. And Russian language libraries are torturous to use. At least the Lenin Library is, in my limited experience. But not to worry. Plenty of English language sections in bookshops here, and other languages too. However, I'd advise getting a little ebook reader device, and then you can download any book you may care for, without any limit on availability. And probably for free too, wink wink...
Theatre is great here, but mostly Russian language. Can still be enjoyed, but obviously, a major element is missing for non-Russian speakers. Ballet and concerts are better for foreigners for that reason.
Cinemas are usually in Russian too. Everything is dubbed here. TV or cinema, urgh, and dubbed badly. But there are some cinemas that show films in the original language, with Russian subtitles. Here's one that I like:
http://pioner-cinema.ru/en/
I'm fairly stone age about apps. But there are good ones for transport. Metro. Probably buses too. Someone less Luddite will come along with that, I hope : )
Internet providers seem to be all the same. About 500 rubles per month, and you'll have as good as unlimited traffic. Choose whichever one operates near your area. Really cheap, fairly reliable, and very important for those of us who Skype home, or download films in English, books, etc. Might need a Russian-speaking friend to help you open an account though. Passports and docs are needed.
Hope that helps somewhat. |
Thank you for these and the other advices!
About clothes, do you have a website as well so I can have an idea of the prices? I actually have a lot of winter clothes(I lived in Glasgow), but my boots are finished and I doubt I will find a proper pair here(Sicily in August).
I am even struggling finding a direct flight from anywhere in Italy at less than 300 euros, and I am not sure if booking it now is a good idea, considering possible delays due to the visa process.
The great theatre scene represents certainly another good reason to improve my Russian quickly. What places would you reccomend to meet locals available for a language exchange?
About the bank, my school will deal with that, but yeah I will make sure to bring photos, documents ecc.
What about beds? I've read this: Where do Russians sleep? European style sofa beds are quite comfortable and offer a good rest. Often L-shaped, there are no sagging springs, but instead a solid bottom section pulls out at night to form a very comfortable bed. (https://russianreport.wordpress.com/come-to-russia-get-a-visa/life-in-russian-housing/)
Comments?
Also, I want to share this quote which amused me
"But you've got to be there: you're taking a leak in some filthy public urinal and the man in the next stall leans across and asks you about God or Kafka or freedom versus responsibility; so you tell him because you know, because you're from the West. And before you've finished shaking your dick you think:"What a great country!" That's why I love them... and they're very fond of me."(from the movie The Russia House) |
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Foma87
Joined: 13 Sep 2011
Posts: 116
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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While many Russians may be more philosophically inclined than your average anglophone, they are also more private when it comes to public restrooms. As for Kafka, you're much more likely to come across readers of the author, as well as those honed culturally enough to discuss him intelligibly, in St. Petersburg than Moscow.
BTW Pioneer is fantastic, also has a great cafe. 35mm on Kyrskaya is also really good for films in English, especially on their big screen. If they ever reopen the Khudozhestvenny on Arbat, they also showed movies in the original sometimes. Its main screening room with its wooden interior is beautiful. |
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