Job Discussion Forums

[bayarea7m]

I've scanned this category on Russia looking for anything on Sakhalin and found a bit of info from 2008... looking for an update.

Can anyone offer any tips and advice of life on this island? What about for a female?

Anyone know anything about The English Learning Center... located in the southern part of the island in Yuzhno- Sakhalinsk?

Anything you all have to offer would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

[jpvanderwerf2001]

I've been to Yuzhno a few times. The city itself is small and quiet; not too much going on. However, they did just finish a shopping mall of some size
There are a number of ex-pats on the island; the vast majority work at Sakhalin Energy, or an energy company of some sort. They will most likely be must better paid than English teachers (maybe I'm wrong on that? ). Yuzhno is not cheap (like most of the Russian Far East). My business partner there told me that one can expect to pay 15,000-20,000 for a one-room flat near the center. The energy workers there have their own compounds where most of the employees live. In short, I don't think I would re-locate to Yuzhno for less than 35,000 per month (ideally 5 or 10K more than that). But, of course, that's just me.
I've never heard of the Learning English Center. I do know there is or was an English First school in Yuzhno, though I'm not sure they're still around (perhaps LEC is connected to them somehow?).
Best of luck!

[bayarea7m]

I don't have much info on the school myself just yet. I have only been dealing with a Russian recruiter based here in the states and I haven't spoken to anyone who runs or teaches at this school (yet).

Is it normal in Russia not to sign any teaching contracts until you arrive??

update: I did find out this school derived from EF (English First). So thanks for the tip on that as it got me to ask the right questions! This new owner bought it out and made her own franchise with new books, resources, etc. From what I'm told the students are on the upper class side... younger folk during the day and businesspeople during the evenings.

I've gotten much more info to feel comfortable... thanks to those who answered!

[spiral78]

I can only add to this that I know quite a few of the Russian guys working for Exxon Sahkalin - and they are highly civilised and very supportive. I know no one at this particular school - but I wouldn't hesitate to go to Sahkalin in general, though of course I, too, would want to know more about the exact working conditions at this school.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

Anyone in Sakhlin now? Heading that way soon and wouldn't mind meeing up.

[chaiplz]

just curious if there were any updates on the school or how things went in the area?

[bayarea7m]

I was there in Yuzhno, Sakhalin about one semester working for this private school (English Learning Center), but I wasn't happy with the working conditions and they didn't pay what they promised so I left last fall. I started working right away when I came home and haven't taken the time to post here on my observations for Sakhalin, but I've been meaning to. I'm prolific and some of my experiences were negative, but I also tried to include the positive.

I rarely saw any other Americans there, despite all the ex-pat talk. I think they are there but segregated to a special part of town- a housing area called Zema, I think. I saw the occasional business-y looking man in some restaurant or the airport... they always looked like old cowboys from Texas. I also met a couple in the library who were doing some exchange program with the university. So I basically wouldn't expect to run into any Americans... much. Certainly not other teachers unless they are one of the few working at this private school. It's the only EFL school on the island with English speaking foreigners. When I was there the school had 4 Americans total, and 8 Russian teachers.

The town has a lot of traffic and pollution. There is tons of construction going on everywhere. It's busy but you can walk or take public transportation anywhere and find any modern conveniences you need. You can get a simple cell phone for as low as $30 with prepaid minutes. No contracts here... you just buy more minutes from local machines that you can find in most any shop around town. Internet connection in your flat is also available and prices will vary ($70ish-$150 a month- based on the two Americans who used that). There are also places around town to use the Internet. The school has exactly one computer with Internet connection in the staff room that the staff is allowed to use. There is also a camera on the ceiling right above it taping everything you do on it, lol. The school does have a computer lab (no Internet), but only the Russian teachers use it with kids for a grammar program.

You hear car alarms and crows... constantly. I now refer to it as crow island to my fam... I certainly never saw any other wild bug/animal life forms except mosquitoes. Just some stray dogs and cats.

I always felt it was a pretty safe place to be - and I'm a female. Okay. Once an old guy yelled at us for speaking English on the street- that scared us. And once on the way to school a drunk dwarf came out of a construction site and was chasing about all the women who walked by demanding 5 rubles (like that would buy anything!). Despite all the people walking by, no one would help, even when he grabbed my bag and let me drag him a few feet. I beat him off with my umbrella and ran. Other than that, I always felt safe. That was just some weird, random, isolated incidences, I think, lol. Afterwards it occurred to me that you never see any Russians with disabilities, missing body parts, wheelchairs, or birth defects in public. I just never saw any. Not even a broken arm or leg.

When the snow starts to melt, be careful. Large chunks of ice slide from tall rooftops unexpectedly. Sometimes I could hear them dropping like bombs all through the night.

There really isn't much to do at all. Cafes or restaurants, maybe. But that takes $$. There is a nice hiking trail (don't enter the rifle range along the way). Making friends is hard if you don't know Russian or are the quieter variety or female and the average age of the teachers at this school is about 22. I think it's a good place for a single male. Or a couple. Neither will be short of company.

The retired-age "missionaries" who taught with me stay because they are saving Russian souls... the early 20s male who taught with me stays because he has a girlfriend. If you're male, the women are certainly a reason to visit any part of Russia... even our remote little island. I read a lot. I liked the island and even wished it were a smaller town. I didn't need a whole lot of activity and enjoyed teaching at this school which basically took up most of my time. The books were so good I really felt like I was learning a lot professionally. But after a few months and feeling adjusted, I wanted to do more in town. I couldn't just work. If you want to survive abroad you have to find that extra something that makes you want to stay long term.

A good director/staff will understand this about her foreign teachers if she wants to keep them long term and will nurture assimilation. But I guess that's too much to ask for, and probably the American in me desiring American hospitality and common sense. If you don't let your needs be known here, no one will offer any help. It may take you a while to realize that. In the meantime, you're much like a pet rock and they think you need nothing but a flat and the job. My recruiter told me that when previous Americans left and left feedback with her, the director wanted to know why they never said anything about certain needs. I guess it's surprising how much we put up with thinking we have to because we're guests or because that's how we do it in our own county. Others think part of being abroad is figuring out everything on your own and you're just a crybaby if you complain or ask for help. Whatever. One thing that stuck with me from being in the peace corps is that not only do you take in the country, but you leave a little bit of America here too. I didn't come here to be someone's exotic pet.

When I was told I couldn't form any clubs or visit any English clubs already formed... that was it for me. It was not in my contract. I was not warned ahead of time that I couldn't "meet people in groups." I really began to feel like a prisoner and decided I couldn't live with this. The other Americans didn't mind so much. They simply kept whatever they were doing on the down low. So that's your option. I really wasn't interested in sneaking around.

I'm not a slave... the island is boring enough without being told you can't form any groups, or visit clubs or schools or universities... or basically make friends. I wasn't allowed to give private lessons, but I wasn't interested in that at all- even though we weren't paid as promised. I really just wanted to make some friends or have a few social activities with locals now and then. But I was limited in how I could go about that.

I was treated quite rudely when I brought it up. Since the director mostly hires young teachers, she isn't used to dealing with someone older who will question things. So she took a lot of jabs at me in front of staff to put me in my place. She held an all-staff meeting about my request to visit an English club and asked for everyone's opinion. None of the Russian teachers would speak, except the head teacher who agreed these were not lessons. All the Americans tactfully disagreed with her and thought our personal time was not her business. In the end she said any contact with groups were lessons and it would destroy the school if she shared us in any way and only her opinion mattered. Kind of a pointless meeting, lol. I think somewhere she was trained to have meetings like this but never learned you're actually supposed to listen to your staff.

I was not a good fit for this school. I'm very experienced/credentialed, did a fine job of teaching there, and although I generally find Russian communications kooky and amusing, I think I'm just getting a little too old to be abused in this way. I'm worth more than this, I thought. It's very hard for her to get Americans, and I was an actual English/ESL teacher with experience. And I could barely afford to stay and would be coming home with no savings to survive if I did. I figure I can be abused in my own country for a hell of a lot more money.

We worked for a dictator who considered everything an English lesson so we couldn't do anything public with groups... and she is the only school with Americans and is trying to keep that rep so she can charge an arm and a leg (she plans to send her daughter to Harvard) so she wanted our appearances to be only at her school. What makes an English lesson is not very logical in her mind, but there you go. The library has an established English club every Wednesday evening, I believe. I wasn't allowed to visit it, but that might be a nice activity to meet others if you're visiting. It's also a cheap place to rent Internet by the hour and you can find books and dvd's in English there.

Restaurants can be pricey, by the way. So if you're on a budget you can get cheap, pre-cooked and made "to go" meals in the supermarkets. Things can be expensive in this city, but you can live cheaply if you want to. If you don't have fancy tastes and don't eat out in restaurants all the time or drink up all your money in nightclubs, you can save a lot of money. Basic staples like rice, pasta, potatoes and veggies are inexpensive. My apartment was paid, and I found I could live on $300-500 a month on food and other basic needs. My phone/electricity bill ran me about $30 a month. I asked a Russian teacher what he pays for electricity a month and he said about $10. I doubt they use a washing machine or some other electrical appliances, even if they had one (I had one). But then again, I don't drink, I avoided expensive restaurants, and I lived simply so I didn't spend tons of $$. But some months were more pricey when I went to a hair salon and used the gym. These things were expensive.

As for pay... two of us were hired from a job post that told us we'd make $1500 - $2000 per month. I never made more than about $800-900ish - and it built up to that. Luckily I came with plenty of savings! The director doesn't hire anyone full-time. The way she runs the show is everyone is part-time and she anticipates losing teachers via firing or quitting throughout the year and so all the others can pick up those lost hours. The school runs from 9am-9:30pm Mon-Sat and you must be available all of those days and hours if they need you. The pay is still better than other places (if you're a Russian teacher), but you will have no life and many Russian teachers refuse to work here. All staff, Russians and Americans, work 6 days a week with random classes throughout the day, everyday. It turns out to be quite exhausting, especially when you leave at 9pm and have a class at 9am the next day. Some Russian teachers also refuse to work here because of the threats that arise when you're good. The good ones are told if they ever leave they will get bad references and blacklisted from teaching anywhere.

The last two Americans hired got higher pay than the Americans already there... the director thought no one would find out. This created some issues but in the end she raised their pay (amazing from someone who never admits she is wrong). If you decide to work here, you should know what you're in for with the pay because it created a lot of stress for us. It all gets very deceptive and you better show up with savings because this town isn't cheap and if you have debts back home to pay... you're in trouble. Here's what we were told when I started last August:

- 1 academic hour for pay purposes is 40 minutes.
- So for the 80 minute classes = 2 hours
- The 2 hour classes = 3 academic hours
- 1 academic hour = 350 rubles
- Last I was there, $1 dollar = 30ish rubles
- Yes, that means you�re working for like 10-11 bucks an hour
- First paycheck came on October 7th (we arrived August).
- Tax is 13%
- They openly admit they lie on records about what they pay you or they would actually tax you 30% as a foreigner. Apparently, it�s to your benefit that they lie. Who really knows.
- You start with part-time hours and get more with time. I started my first week with 20 academic hours. I had 4 more academic hours by the end of the 3rd week. By the end of November I never had more than 27 hours.

I share all this detail of pay and how the school is structured, not just to tell my story, but because this director originally ran this as an English First school and was trained under them. I know for a fact she still kept a lot of their routines, even if she did change all of their books. Granted she is a greedy tyrant, but I'm sure she picked up a lot of ideas from this program. So perhaps you might expect some similar issues in other EF programs- the positives and the negatives. I don't have other EF experience, and I'm sure her values and personality soiled a lot of things, but she's an interesting model to study nonetheless. She often flies to Moscow for business trainings/meetings... so I take it they're all sharing ideas and your director may be attending those same meetings.

Now a few positives (mostly). There were definitely some good things about this school. I would still be there even with the low pay if I'd been treated more respectfully and allowed to visit clubs and schools in town. I didn't mind the isolation and I was getting used to the little kids... I can't get used to outright abuse, lies about my pay, and disrespect.

The first thing is the school uses Cambridge University Press Resources. All British English, of course. These are great books. The resources alone were reason to work here. The classrooms were small and cramped and we capped groups at 12... no more could fit in those closet-like rooms. And when it was hot, it was bad, bad.. and those windows mostly stayed shut due to the evil "draft." But there was one makeshift whiteboard and a computer monitor with all the Cambridge audio and dvd's downloaded. We had access to a little copy machine. These resources were good things.

Another thing I really like about the school is the Americans and Russians working together. Boy did this really need work, but they'd come a long way and were on to something good.

Only Russian teachers taught the zero English levels. Despite the militant "English Only" attitude, they were willing to concede there is a place for the native language in learning English. This created much more efficiency and less management issues. Most groups were shared. The Americans did the conversational half and the Russian teachers mostly focused on the grammar. We all did a little bit of everything though.

After the Americans were instructed to give the Russian teachers weekly English classes using their higher level books, we suggested the Russian teachers give us Russian classes. The director liked the idea and even ordered us books. This was a very, very good experience. It was a good bonding experience and slowly worked to bring down walls between us... eh, slowly.

What I didn't like about this is only one of the Russian teachers gave us Russian classes. All of the Americans rotated weekly in giving our classes, but I think the Russians considered it more of a punishment to have to do this. That is strictly my personal opinion, but the teacher they did choose to give us these classes is one of the teachers who most recently tried to leave the school to work elsewhere. Then again, half the Russian teachers were new teachers and no doubt terrified to do this. The more experienced were secretly terrified too, I think. Personally, I think the whole staff should take part in this as part of collaboration and professional development and to bond. None of the Russian teachers were trained to teach Russian, so that wasn't the issue. But hey, only a couple of us Americans were credentialed teachers at all. We were basically all in the same boat and I wanted that to be emphasized so we could bond. Despite my criticisms, I loved this practice of teaching both languages to each other!!

Meetings were messy and orientation was basically waiting for our schedules and listening to teachers get insulted for being late like 2 years ago. I really wish they thought we had something significant to offer in organizing collaboration and curriculum. What a waste of time. As an experienced teacher, this was painful for me to watch. But I was mostly passive as I felt like a guest.

In the end we were responsible for knowing things about testing and such that should have been taught to us beforehand. This would be a great environment to nuture collaboration... but no Russian teacher there has the vision, experience, or planning skills to do it now. I was never once asked my opinion and it seemed rude to offer. Russian teachers are insecure enough without you showing them (however humbly) that you know a more efficient way.

A couple of them were quite catty and tried to discredit us at times. I think some of them felt threatened that I had experience and were out to prove I didn't know jack. There is definitely some junior high drama communication dynamics with Russians. The male Americans wouldn't completely agree about this, but there is an underlying current between females that they will never be aware of. I know the females will experience this for sure, especially when you're new. Both of us certainly did. It used to quietly frustrate me and then once I was in the staff room alone and one of the teachers who didn't seem to like me very much had left her webpage open to an ESL site where she had an account and could upload handouts to share. All her recent uploads were from my file I'd left on the computer. She stole all these random worksheets I'd made, uploaded them as her own, and even copyrighted them, lol. I found it oddly flattering. I just never felt frustrated by their cattiness and jabs again. Girls can be bratty, but overall, the teachers there were very polite and nice and really did try the best they knew how to work with us.

Upon arrival we were asked to do a model lesson in front of all the staff. This determined who would get the little kids, basically (difficult schedule). We'd been told we were going to be "tested" upon arrival and this would determine employment, but no one could explain what that meant. We couldn't believe they'd ship us there and then send us back. They didn't. We were just given a couple of pages of a low level workbook and told to do the same thing. Then the staff told us what was good and bad afterwards.

The school is made up of kids all day and adults at night. I was told I'd get 50-50 with adults/kids... but I got all the little kids (my background is all high school). I knew I could only sing Carpenter songs with 10 yr olds for so long. I really wanted the adult experience or at least variety and thought they might take requests... but nope, not at all - another reason I was glad to leave, lol.

Accommodations were excellent. They varied in perks and not all were in walking distance as promised. My place was fully furnished and I had all modern luxuries, even cable and a washing machine (dryers are for the super rich - but washing machines are a huge luxury, actually). Another American didn't even have a phone or TV. It was random. Sharp knives seem to be a rarity. But all were nice and safe. So they will take care of you as far as your flat goes. I did learn that everyone is to be quiet after 11pm as a general rule. I fell asleep with my TV on a few times and got some vicious hate mail from my neighbor.

Electricity and hot water are not stable. But it really depends where you live in town. My electricity went out almost daily, sometimes for a minute or two, sometimes for about 5 hours. I never had hot water all through September. Most of the Russians here seem to have a heating device in their flats that is turned on when the hot water goes out. My landlady didn't trust me to touch it because I'm a female so I had to call her to turn it on when the hot water went out... which got ridiculous because it could change every few days or just come on for a few hours. She also had to call her father to figure out which valves to turn!

I also felt I could ask any of the teachers for help and they would be helpful. However, none of them would initiate help. They basically think all of the Americans will help each other, I guess. They just don't get involved. There is also that element of shame in speaking English in front of you. I think this was a safer place than most though. They learned we were friendly and harmless.

There is a new and huge mall on the edge of town. Very nice and modern. But it's bizarre to walk through as it is often close to empty and feels a little twilight zone. There are also a couple of gyms you can enroll in for various prices. The big one is in the new mall and the other in the Panarama shopping center. I think the lowest might have been for about $70ish a month. Not much else to do as I said. It was also a little weird seeing some men working out in full camouflage gear or running on the treadmill barefoot, lol. My gym access card had a near naked woman on it. Giant pics of the perfect chest guys from the movie 300 were posted all over the walls. Gotta love it.

For some reason I found Russians to be the least friendly at the gym. Russians get a bad rap for being pretty unfriendly (not exactly untrue, but I think they're mostly xenophobic), but I experienced super friendly people in all the shops I ever went to. Many are happy to get your business or practice some English with you (even when giving you a pap smear). We found that in general they were more friendly anywhere to the male Americans than the females. Again, not the easiest place to make friends. You have to be involved in some activity to get close to them unless you are really outgoing and assertive enough to start random conversation in public places... but some are so shy that even if they know English they will be too ashamed to show you.

One of the young Americans found some local buddies using an international couch surfing website. But mostly really young people are there.

Our students, being more affluent, had international traveling experience. They were generally pretty worldly and open to different ideas. I'm told this is true about a lot of people in the city and there is a different atmosphere here toward foreigners that is less negative than other parts of Russia. Also, not everyone is white here. A lot of Asians. And not everyone was stick-thin. The different shades of color and sizes surprised me.

Another thing this reminds me about the students at this private school is that they are truly overworked and extremely busy. This private school is in addition to their regular school schedule. Some also do sports, take music classes, work part-time, and whatever else. Very little if any homework is given... and boy do they hate writing. It's a weakness with the Cambridge books and the whole communicative approach. Yet they need to pass a a big exam that includes a writing test in English to get into the university. This was a hole in our curriculum I wanted to discuss more. In any case, doing extra activities with these kids outside of class will not be successful... we tried. They are just too busy.

Okay a few random notes that would be helpful to know if you come here.

The Sakhalin airport has an excess baggage weight charge. I don't know if this is country-wide and no one warned me upfront about it. I'm not talking the airline fees. I'm talking the island itself. Russia customs has a 50 kilo cap. Meaning, yes, they charge you for bringing too much weight into their country and there is absolutely no reasoning that I was told behind this. If your luggage weighs more than 50 kilos you will be charged a penalty fee of 4 Euros per kilo over that 50.

Money issues. No bank here will accept imperfect dollars. I wish someone had warned me of that. And I'm serious. They must be perfect! I couldn't change a lot of the money I brought. ATM�s are no problem to find here. You can take out up to 7,500 rubles at one time. That�s over $200 dollars. When I left I had something close to 40,000 rubles I wanted to change in person with the bank but they capped me at a $1,000 exchange and gave me back the remainder rubles. I never clarified the rules involved in how much you can exchange at one time, but obviously there is one. So plan in advance when you are trying to get your dollars back before leaving for the states.

Bring a minimum of 9 passport size photos with you (you can get them on the island too). In addition to my Visa I needed them to renew my Visa, for my medical records there, for the library...

Ah yes, medical. No matter what you had done before you came, they don't care. You will get a medical exam in Russia if you work with children. That means one chest x-ray and for females a pap smear (don't ask me for details, I will never...) and for males an equally traumatizing procedure that involves sticking an alcohol drenched q-tip about an inch and a half up your urethra. We all tried to figure out why... someone said it was an outdated syphilis test. Oh and a couple of vaccinations (tetnous? diphtheria?)... in your back. Yes, in your BACK. Just a tad psychologically unsettling to get jabbed in the back.

Upon leaving the clinic I still thought it wasn't as terrifying as visiting the dentist in Ukraine or as filthy as the hospital in Ukraine where stray animals ran about... but it was equally annoying when we were dropped back at work only to be met by a news crew who followed us about for the rest of the day. That was a test of endurance after you've had a pap smear in Russia. It's the hot shot school on the island and the news crew comes in from time to time. Without warning.

hmm... what else. I kept a journal while there and I'm a tad prolific, lol... and while this school and island didn't work out for me, I don't want to scare anyone else off completely. If you want the whole kooky abroad experience, dictators and all... well, some travelers are open to whatever and I get that. But this is an isolated experience. You will be on a remote island so don't expect many events, activities, or tourism. However, a lot of architecture is mirrored all over Russia and you'll see that here, monuments and all (what center does not have Lenin?). I just hope you walk into it more informed than I did. I think it's safe to say you will experience obnoxious disorganization and abuse and low pay most anywhere in Russia. If I were like 22 I'd probably have put up with anything and stuck it out (been there done that in Ukraine). I just wasn't up for it and wanted a little more freedom and better pay. I've earned it. And I've probably worked for one too many crazy ladies on a power trip in recent years and just wanted to move on to something else. But I'm glad I got a peek at the mothership.

After I left and shared my story with the American-based Russian recruiter who found me, she refused to help this director find anymore Americans. She was mad as anything about the pay issue and that we were treated like slaves and not allowed to socialize (I love Americanized Russians!). She didn't want to represent that. Even now she says, no way. So I can tell ya now this director wants more Americans but doesn't know jack about recruiting them. I really hope the Americans there demand more money, lol. She can afford it.

To her credit, I will say this director paid for my trip home even though I didn't stay all year. It was prepaid when I came and I never paid for any airfare. At first she demanded I pay for it but when I told her she never paid us as promised... in front of the other Americans, she backed off. She denied it to the bitter end (she is never wrong) but still said, okay. lol. I told her I would be glad to complete my contract if I were allowed to socialize on my free time which was none of her business... she said that just wasn't possible. I left without regret. She paid my airfare.

As for our contract, it was made up of about two sentences and written in Russian only. It basically said we are employed there for the school year, according to the verbal translation we got. Who knows what it really said, lol. We didn't speak much Russian and allowed whatever to happen with the paperwork, to be honest. They didn't even bother giving us a contract until over a month after our arrival and that's only because our recruiter from the USA arrived for a visit and got mad about it. I get the disorganization, but I'm guessing contracts don't mean much here and they are confident you won't fight anything about it as a foreigner who doesn't speak Russian. It's pretty easy to be exploited here. Or any foreign country. Our director here just seemed to make up rules as she went along according to what she did or didn't want us to do. If you don't mind being her isolated prisoner and never questioning anything she says, you'll be fine here and she'll take care of you.

After I left one of the Americans told me about the latest Russian "rule" which has them scrambling a bit - foreign teachers must have "apostilled" copies of diplomas and proof that their universities were accredited at the time of their graduation. So if you are heading to Russia... and I'm seeing this in other foreign countries too.... get prepared.

Well I could include more random things but I'm not sure if they apply all over Russia and I've put my story out there for you to learn from and I think I'm done here... so I don't know if anything more would be relevant.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. If you'd like to be referred to the other Americans I worked with and who are still there, let me know.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

bayarea,
Very thorough and interesting post, thank you!
About the taxation: Your director was probably telling the truth. The tax structure in Russia is horrific for small business owners; something which they (the government) promised to ammend years ago. Hasn't happened. In fact, business just got nailed for an additional tax a few months ago. I'm not excusing that school for lying, it's just that I totally understand why.
Most people who come to Russia to teach will receive a "gray" salary, which means that park of their salary will be "official" (i.e. taxed), and another part will be black, or "unofficial", usually in the guise of a housing allowance or something or another.
I can say that while I worked for a large English school here, I went an ENTIRE YEAR on a totally black salary without them letting me know. This became a pretty big problem when I tried to do my residency paperwork.

[deepteeth]

Just wanted to follow up with my own two cents. Most of what bayarea said is accurate.

Re: payment: I think you're right about the administration planning for teachers to leave. "He" is now getting paid within the range he was promised on the job ad, so maybe the school was counting on one of us (or some of the Russian teachers) bailing. Salaries in Russia are negotiable if you're cutthroat, which the other two Americans certainly aren't, given their personal philosophy.

Re: costs of living: you can find cheap things, but the prices in restaurants and bars will be about equal to Moscow, according to a news report. The fact that the flat is paid for is a big deal; they're not cheap.

Re: Russian teachers: 100% are extremely friendly and helpful if you ask for it. I have a wildly fun time at all corporate events. But 75% of them are pushovers and this will cause discipline and academic problems to slip by unless you step up and be a real hard-ass. They want to be loved by their students. I want to be loved by my students' parents. There are communication problems with some of the teachers.

Re: other Americans and tourists: The oily Americans certainly stick to their own, not to mention they're on-site for a month or more at a time. Yuzhno is like a resupply depot for them between oil offices and their families back in the states or UK. There are a fair amount of tourists given the city's population. I've hosted about a dozen people through the CouchSurfing website, all of whom were tourists.

Re: why "he" is still here: I don't think it's got everything to do with his girlfriend, though that does help. He's trying to save up and has moved cities three times in his very short life. The costs involved in moving are immense. And he doesn't mind it here. But there's nothing to do usually - this is true.

When I go back to the US, I'm (honestly) getting 50 passport sized photos printed.