Job Discussion Forums

JamesonWhiskey · Joined: 18 Jan 2014 Posts: 34

Hey gents and ladies, I'm thrilled to have finally made it to Russia! A little bit of political turmoil didn't slow me down.

Well now I'm here and I have an American roommate, who is actually awesome, but I don't really see anyone but him and my coworkers / boss who are all English.

I'm in training, won't have students for 3 weeks. I would LOVE to make some Russian friends (Russian gf <3) but I don't know how to do it here...

Any advice?

PS I'm in Shel-Do not Moscow. Thanks guys
Edit, I guess it would be better to spell it Zhel-Do

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

Firstly congratulations for accepting a job in a place like Zheleznodorozhniy and not making plans to quit by the end of week one!
Although you are very close to Moscow it is not part of it,even though it's officially in the district......good news is that you can either get the electric train into the city centre or take a mini-bus 'marshrutka' to the nearest metro station and from there the capital is your oyster!
Generally there are far less foreigners in satellite towns-what would they be doing there anyway- and so people are far less likely to speak English.Without trying to over generalise, I also found them to be not that friendly towards strangers so by far the safest way of meeting them,including some of those stunning girls, is via mutual acquaintances at work etc.
Although it applies in many places,I would advise against going to bars and nightclubs on your own or even with another ex-pat, unless you know the place and the kind of people who hang-out there.Do keep in mind that Russia is not like western europe,despite the Macdonalds and modern shops etc. and this applies to many aspects of life there.Good luck!

JamesonWhiskey · Joined: 18 Jan 2014 Posts: 34

Haha thanks man but maybe you overestimate how bad Zhel-Do. Actually maybe it's not great but I don't notice because everything socially is good (apart from no Russian friends). My roommate is awesome, my boss is awesome and my school is brand new and awesome.

Zhel-Do may break some stereotypes because both my boss and roommate have told me I'm not getting the full Russian experience because people here are nice and smile. I feel cheated lol. But we definitely are Westerner's in a land of non-westerner's.

I am trying to make some friends through acquaintances, but I don't really have acquaintances yet lol. Anyways I hope it will come Confused

Chrstphr87340 · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 28

I'd be willing to bet that Moscow has free, open English conversation clubs. You can find these easily on the Internet, and it would be worth taking the time to go into Moscow and attend these. Being a native speaker (I assume you are), you would probably be quite popular at these clubs. If you are interested in a girlfriend, these clubs are also a nice way to meet educated girls with nice English.

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

The last posting makes a very good suggestion on how to meet educated Russian people and there are several clubs in Moscow which operate for that purpose.Your main handicap is going to be the time needed to commute there and back when they meet and also whether it will clash with your teaching schedule-once you get one!Educated Russian girls can be mind-blowing ,not only for their looks but also for their intelligence so be ready for some intellectual challenges,as well as hot times when it comes to that side of things!But also beware that some of them have an 'attitude' and think they can do as they please,including how often they want to see you and how to spend time etc....either you fit in with them or they can drop you without warning and some date several people at the same time,thinking that's 'their business' and not yours,unless you have both made a clear commitment to something long -term.!!
Life there is full of surprises, so keep that in mind!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 4:27 am Post subject:

My god, Maruss! Who did you meet in Moscow? : )

As for meeting people/girls while not speaking Russian, an old ploy, ahem!... method, is to go to bookshops and mooch around the English language section. Plenty of English-speaking Russians there, and openings for casual chat. Not a bad way of picking up private students either : ) Or whatever...

Good luck.

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

I could write a book about my experiences in Russia and the people I met there etc and maybe I will one day!
The bookshop ruse got me some weird acquaintances too....one was a very polite but lonely woman of around 60 who spoke very good English and insisted I accompanied her home for tea so she could show me her collection of what she said would be' british novels from the 1930's'......this turned out to be hard-core porno mags. that would have shocked people even in Amsterdam and Berlin and needless to say I made my excuses and just about managed to get out of her door!
Another was a middle-aged very academic looking chap who said he knew the son of the composer Shostakovitch, whose music I was researching, so I accepted his suggestion to go the cafe in the bookshop to discuss the possibility of him introducing me to him......he then whispered to me that he was 'blue,' (the Russian equivalent of gay) and pleaded with me to become his 'closest friend'alleging that it was very difficult for him in Russia etc!To get rid of him,I said that I was AC/DC which he didn't understand and when I explained he soon took-off with a horrified expression on his face!
Another ex-pat friend who had studied in Moscow during the Soviet era once gave me a hint that for anyone looking for a one night stand,the female shop assistants in the old Detsky Mir toy shop were 'easy game' but I never did try that one!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:37 am Post subject:

I think, perhaps, I am very glad that I don't know, Maruss!

All sounds very decadent and bourgeois to me...

teacher X · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 7:39 am Post subject: