Job Discussion Forums

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

From experience I have learned that Russians can be surprisingly generous.....but then they may well ask something from you which far outweighs what they have done for you before!Be almost certain that your refusal may well mean the end of your friendship with them,unless they are convinced that you are genuinely unable to fulfill their request!
This is a tricky subject which needs very careful handling and has resulted in many inter cultural misunderstandings between ex-pats and Russians,including divorces and lifetime estrangements....
the old saying, 'a friend in need' has many interpretations!

Phillip Schofield · Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 7:42 pm Post subject:

Yeah! A Russian friend of mine bought me a drink once. In return, he wanted me to murder the entire population of a small town.

I tried to argue that this was a rather uneven favour, but he wasn't having any of my excuses.

What could I do? 9,812 people. I just couldn't get the stains out and had to buy a new outfit.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 10:30 pm Post subject:

What was the drink?

Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

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

Probably home made in Berezhniki by some ex cons! :

Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

How about those who claim to not be expats in Moscow, simply because they have a few Russian friends they hang out with, and get highly offended when they're referred to as one?

Sashadroogie · Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 5:17 am Post subject:

Have not come across such types myself. Has anyone?

Sashadroogie · Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 5:20 am Post subject:

Slightly annoying is Russian colleagues complaining about all the immigrants invading Moscow, meaning central Asians or Caucasians, yet are oblivious to how it sounds to non-Russian teachers...

Phillip Schofield · Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 7:16 am Post subject:

Deats · Joined: 02 Jan 2015 Posts: 503

Foreign to them means non-white.

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

generally speaking, many Muscovites don't much like people from former S.U. countries,especially Asians and the Caucasus, who they consider have invaded the capital and live illegally there.They consider them responsible for most of the problems the city is facing,from overcrowding to drug trafficking and even the perceived threat from Moslem extremism etc!This can also extend to prejudice against Ukrainians and Moldovans etc. regardless of whether these people are being exploited as cheap labour in jobs which most Russians shun?
Similar situations exist in other countries of course and the U.K. is no exception-it was used as an argument by the UKIP party in the election,but did not get the support they had hoped for.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Fri May 15, 2015 10:04 am Post subject:

I dunno, Maruss. I beleive that foreign EFLers are the root of most of the criminal issues in Moscow today. Drug and alcohol abuse, prostitution, fraud, the list goes on...

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

Wow Sasha-I know that wages have fallen but I didn't realise teachers were having to turn to that to get by!!!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 1:31 pm Post subject:

EF teachers been making money on the side on the game for the last couple of years already. Needs must!

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

You mean girls and guys Sasha????