Job Discussion Forums

[james_baldrey]

Firstly I just wanted to say hello to all and say what a great forum this is. Secondly a request for some advice with regards to coming to Russia. I have spent the last 3 weeks searching the net until my eyes were sore looking for information and seem to be getting nowhere fast! So if anyone could answer these questions I would be so grateful! I am 24 and I have been teaching in Thailand for 2 years with a BA and MSc masters in Business, 2 weeks TESOL certificate, and will finish studying my CELTA in February 2005.

1) In Thailand I had a great job at a business college and NOT a language school, hence my naievity! .(The same one as a guy who worked with Kent in Samara I believe!!) Great accommodation next to the school, 8-5 M-F, good social scene in Bangkok and a good salary. It was about $630 dollars after accommodation was paid. I liked to eat out once or twice a week, see a movie or two, and on the weekend have a few drinks with my friends . On the salary of LL, EF and BKC could I have the same quality of lifestyle as I did on my wage in Thailand ?.

2) Are the salary offers from these 3 schools, and other schools in general negotiable? Am I likely to rule myself out of a job with them if I ask for 750 US?

3) I really am not to bothered about where in Russia ie Moscow, St Petersburg or Samara, but somewhere that does have some sort of entertainment scene after a hard weeks work!!! Any ideas apart from these 3?

4) I guess I was lucky finding such a great 1st job, but I really would like to work in a school where I work at the same office everyday. If that means teaching in Siberia then so be it. This is probably my most important need! Is it possible to get this?

5) I see people on forums talking about jobs from all these other language schools. I only ever seem to find jobs for these big 3. Where can I find a list of other schools?

6) I went to Thailand without any contacts, no job and no idea of where to start looking for work. I lucked out and found a great job!! I will not try this again however, and wondering if you Russophiles had any ideas for someone like me of where to start!

7) My CELTA finishes in late February, so I would be looking to go to Russia in March. Not a great time to find work I believe. Any thoughts?

Any replies to any questions from anyone would be very welcome!! Cheers! James

[bobs12]

Come to Saint Petersburg.

There's a list here: http://www.visarus.co.uk/community/schools.php with phone numbers and addresses of about forty schools in the city.

It's by no means comprehensive, but should give you something to go on.

Hope this is helpful.

[Zorba]

(1) Possibly, depends when you are and what you do. Moscow can be very expensive or very cheap. The most expensive restaurants, clubs etc. can be dearer than in the West. On the other hand if you go to out of the way places and know a bit of Russian you can save yourself a lot of money.

(2) Don't imagine they would be negotiable from the outset, but if you display talent and flair once you start, it might be negotiable.

(3) If you speak Russian, any of the major cities (Moscow, St Peterburg, Nizhnyi Novgorod, Kazan', Rostov-on-Don, Sochi, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok etc. etc.) will have a wide range of bars, restaurants, cinemas and other entertainment. If you want to operate in an ex-pat community the only options are really Moscow and St Petersburg.

(4) I don't see why not.

(5/6) Trawl through the internet. Better still, talk to people who have worked in different parts of Russia. I can still you a bit about the south-west (Krasnodar region) if you want. Better still, visit the places and make face-to-fact contact. If you e-mail the British Council they might be awfully nice and provide you with details of some private language schools.