Job Discussion Forums

[amisexy]

Hi guys!

This forum has been very helpful in the past, giving lots of advice and information about schools, countries and the industry.

I've finally done it. I've signed a contract with a school in Russia (though not a legal one yet, as it's in English), and the letter of invitation has been applied for.

I was wondering if anyone had any good advice for new teachers to Russia. I'm particularly hoping for information about general things; supermarkets, entertainment, bureaucracy, transport and security among others.
Also, does anyone know of any good ways for a new teacher in Russia to get private students? How much should I be aiming to charge per academic hour?

Thanks

[coledavis]

Lot of questions.
Supermarkets: if you have a bag with things in it, put it in a locker in the entrance.
Bureaucracy: don't do it yourself.
When you're doing your socialising, shopping, etc, you will get non-stop offers to teach.

[Shelby]

Sent you a pm

[coledavis]

[Sashadroogie]

Possibly the PM was to amisexy...?

[coledavis]

[Sashadroogie]

Dear amisexy

Congratulations on your decision to come to Russia! Well done. As you have asked for advice, here is my input.

Supermarkets: Prices are generally higher than at home, where ever home may be. Bigger supermarkets are usually away from the centre. Not much in the city centre. Service is pretty poor compared to Britian. You have to bag your own shopping; the cashier probably won't have the correct change, and will pester you for it; old grannies frequently try to jump the check-out queue, but do not expect the cashier to maintain order. As mentioned previously, there is a certain paranoia about shoplifting, so you shouldn't walk into a supermarket (or any other big store/bookshop etc.) with a shoulder bag or backpack. These usually need to be wrapped up in cellaphane by a security guard, or placed in a locker by the entrance.

Entertainment: There is always plenty to do, but it is pricey. Cultural activities like the opera or ballet are cheaper, overall, than at home, but nightclubs and bars are much, much higher. I'd advise not falling into the expat crowd in the pub every night. Costs too much and can be very debilitating.

Transport: Make sure your school arranges transfer for you from the airport. It can be very hard for first-timers to navigate their way through the airports here. Few staff will speak English, signage is confusing, distances within the airports quite long. Airport taxis are basically extortionate criminals, so do not take one of them!

Day-to-day travel, in Moscow at least, can be draining, but it isn't expensive. Get a metro travel card - your school should provide this. Try not to get a timetable that involves excessive tours around the metro system. Buses and mini-buses are not so bad either, but are harder to navigate initially. For mini-buses, you need to hand the driver, or other passengers, the fare, and be able to shout out your stop. Takes a little getting used to : )

In most transport situations, expect overcrowding, some pushing and jostling from old grannies.

While travelling on the metro, if someone taps your shoulder and says something to you, he is probably asking if you are getting off at the next stop. Either nod to confirm you are, or shake your head if you are not. He will then squeeze past you to get nearer the metro carriage doors.

Security: Exercise the same basic caution you would at home! Don't talk to total strangers in a bar and drunkenly wander off home with them through dark alleys. Don't flash loads of money around on the street, etc. One thing that may be different for though is the need to carry ID with you at all times. The police, who hang out at all the metro stations, have the power to stop and request ID from anybody. In practice this means they racially profile Central Asian guest-workers and extort money out of them. However, if you stand out by wearing flashily bright clothes, speaking English in a loud voice, or just looking lost, then you could be stopped too. You need all your documents in order in that situation, especially your city registration. Personally, I only ever carry a photocopy of everything. But technically, it should be the originals. Never had a problem though.

Beware railway stations in general. Assorted nasties inhabit those places - pickpockets especially. In cahoots with the police. A cash-belt is a good idea when using inter-city train stations.

If taking a 'private taxi' (basically thumbing a car, but paying for the service) be very careful and size up the driver before you get into the vehicle. If there is more than one other person already in the car, forget it. Actually, I strongly advise you NOT to even try this at all at first. Do it with other teachers, and locals. See how it works. Then, when your Russian is better, and your judgement more attuned, try taking the lead, still in a group of friends, and flagging down a car and organising a trip. This takes a little practice to get right, but can be very convenient when mastered.

Overall, Moscow, and Russia generally, can appear grim and ominous. While it is important to be aware that there are real dangers as elsewhere, it is also important not to get paranoid. Most Russians are law-abiding, not out to harm anybody, and are more concerned with their own families than with you. As in most lands. If they seem gruff, or staff unhelpful, this is as much to do with them not being able to communicate in English as anything else. So, remain calm and many dicey looking situations turn out to be fairly harmless. The exception to this is if there is alcohol involved. Remove yourself from any threatening situation if the other people are under the influence. It can only get worse.

Apologies if this seems a little alarmist. That is not my intention. It is just that many new teachers find all the above mentioned something of a jolt when they first arrive here. So, forewarned is forearmed and all that. I have been here for over a decade or so, as have many of my friends. Some security issues here and there, but nothing to scare off anybody else. Russia is a great place. It may be challenging at first, but stick with it and you'll see that it is worth it. Your students will show you a side that may not be apparent on the street. Your school network will provide a safety net for you at the beginning too. All this will help you immeasurably initially, so make use of all there is.

Enjoy Russia! Welcome!

Sasha

[teacher X]

I will disagree and agree with some of Sasha's points;

A) Supermarkets. I find them to be only mildly more expensive than the UK. Meat, especially Chicken, is on par and often cheaper than in the UK (although not by much)
Vegetables also seem cheaper here, although I can't say that I paid too much attention to the price of Sainsbury's vegetables when I was home.
For sure, Chocolate in places like Ashan is pretty damn cheap and a Super Sized Snickers will cost practically nothing compared to a Snickers in the UK. But if you go to a store like Magnolia you'll find it twice as expensive. So shop around a bit.

Also, you'll usually be asked two things by the cashier. The first thing is usually if you have a store card. Just say 'нет'. The second thing they'll ask is if you want a bag. The word to listen out for is 'packet'. I usually say 'Да' followed by how many I think I'll need.

Amusingly, they'll probably see that you're a foreigner just by looking at you. Even if you dress like a Russian, your facial structure and mannerisms will set you apart from normal Russians. I walked to the checkout yesterday and before I had even opened my mouth, the cashier was asking me, 'Bag? You bag? How many?'.

I actually didn't know about the whole backpack thing when I first got here and walked straight past security without any issues the first 4 or 5 times I went to the supermarket. I don't even bother with lockers in smaller stores and nobody gives a shit. Although now when I go to Ashan I cellophane up my backpack just to avoid any potential problems and to help destroy the environment with wasteful plastic bags.

B) Totally agree on the bar issue. Stay away from expat places as they tend to have crazy prices. But in general, you're going to feel the burn if you party too much. I would advise you to get on the spirits and pre-drink before you go out. I always have two bottles of vodka sitting in my freezer ready for such an occasion. Just keep in mind that if you look too drunk, you wont make it past security.

C) Security. I would say that Moscow is no more dangerous than cities like London. Just keep your eyes open and be sensible. I have to say that I have only seen two fights since being here. Compare that to my home city in the UK where I would usually see 2 or 3 fights every Friday and Saturday night.
I have to say that I have been extremely lucky. I have done some really dumb shit and have made it out ok. Such as getting so drunk I blacked out, but then woke up in a girl's bed up in Krylatskoye. No idea how I got there, but it sure as hell could have been worse.
Just try not to be a dumbass and you should be fine.

Hopefully you'll get here before winter properly hits. This will be my first winter and I am filled with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

[Sashadroogie]

What did you disagree with, TeacherX, eh?

[teacher X]

That supermarkets are generally more expensive. I'd say they're on par.
That was it.

[Sashadroogie]

Aha! A splitter! Had my suspicions all along!

Please show us the evidence for your heresy against the official Party line. Apart from some staples like bread and eggs, or booze and fags, most else is pricier than home. This is doctrine and cannot be overturned. Not without overwhelming evidence. Please provide some. And please have a small bag packed and leave it ready just inside your front door...

PS Getting so blind drunk that you black out is a really bad move anywhere, but even more so when living abroad and do not know the local language. Even if you end up in some beauty's boudoir. The risks to personal security are sky-high.

OK. Moralistic lecture over. Carry on. As you were.

[coledavis]

Look, just for the sake of scientific research, run me through the routine for getting thoroughly blotto and ending up in a girl's bed.

[Sashadroogie]

Cheers Cole! That made me laugh!!!

[amisexy]

Sorry for the delay in replying. I went on a short holiday, and then though I had replied. Sorry

Thanks for all the advice guys!
I'm very excited for my move to Russia, and have been trying to learn a bit of Russian in preparation. I was in Eastern Europe (but in the EU) last year, and it seems like things are fairly similar in Russia. I'll place my thoughts in categories to make it easier to structure my thoughts.

Supermarkets: I was already expecting Russia to be an expensive place to live. In my last country I was initially shocked at the prices in supermarkets, which were usually only around 10% cheaper than the UK. Shocking when you consider the average salary is (officially) only 20% of the UK average. Prices being fairly similar to the UK is an annoyance, but something I will have to deal with. I won't be purchasing any electronics in Russia, as I guess these are cheaper in the UK also?

Transport: The transport system in Russian cities look like they are very good. I am not really worried about transport. Also, flight prices don't look too bad. Especially now that easyjet fly to Moscow.

Security: This is probably the thing that worries me the most in Russia. You see some things on the internet, that make it seem quite scary (things to do with hooligans, 'anti-fascists' and others). I think it's mainly a fear of the unknown. I am sure sensible precautions will ensure that I am fine.

Bureaucracy: My school has aid that they will deal with all bureaucracy. They have however said that if I leave the country I will need to be re-registered, and that they will charge for this. Is this usual? How much do you think this should cost?

Entertainment: I'm not really a nightclub guy, and would struggle to keep my eyes open later than 1 or 2am. So the nightclub thing doesn't bother me. I'm quite a fan of hitting a bar with a few friends, and having a few beers. Also, I don't mind the cinema, but English would be essential. The only thing on top of this I would really like to do is a bit of travelling. I've seen big ranges in the 'average price' of beers in Russian pubs, ranging from 80 to 200 roubles. Now that's a big range! What do you think?

[Sashadroogie]

Don't worry about fascists or hooligans. They are there, but not to the degree the media would have the world believe. The coppers are the ones to be wary of...

Registration is the responsibility of the employer. But many illegally charge staff for getting this sorted. Prices range from 2,000 to over 3,000, depending on which agency the school employs to expedite the process. I refuse to pay it, but then that is me causing trouble.

Beer. Sorry to disappoint you, but prices of beer in pubs, especially British/Irish/German beer restaurant places, range from 200 to 300 for 0.5 litre (a pint, approx.) 80 rubles? Might be so in a run-down dive for 0.3 of gut-rot, but you wouldn't want to consume this at all....

Travelling. Inside Russia, this is harder than you might think. Time, distance, cost - all will take more than you would imagine. Doesn't fit in well with teaching schedule.

All the best to you.