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[waxwing]

I'm seriously considering returning to the Motherland after a year's absence. I have a plan at the moment to mix a few different activities, but the idea is to learn Russian part time (something I always wanted to do more seriously, + visa benefits!), and mix in some teaching and some other stuff depending on how it fits together timewise.
A few questions for the old timers:
1. Am I insane?
2. Has anybody done, specifically, what I was planning to do in terms of enrolling in a part or full time Russian course and still managed to get some English teaching done?
3. Is anybody out there doing privates regularly, or alternatively, teaching on a freelance basis at different schools? What hourly rates are you getting for either (in Moscow or St Pete's, please specify).
4. Theoretically, the student visa is a great way to work legally (of course it greatly limits how much time you can spend doing said legal work), but I wonder if anyone out there knows any snags/complications (there are always such in Russia) - such as regarding accommodation (although I may well end up living on campus, I'd prefer not to).
5 - Oh I just realized, yet another one. Which school/University/institute (if any!) would you recommend for Russian learning in St Pete's/Moscow?

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

здравствуй waxwing:

Long time no post!

With regard to question #5, there are so many schools out there offering Russian.

Having said that ...

I've heard Extra-Class in St. Petersburg is good:

http://www.learnrussian.ru/

Now I'm off to enjoy my Saturday night extra-curricular activities.



with your plans!

[bobs12]

Come to St. Petersburg! Extra class has a great reputation. The State Uni is also supposed to be good and can do the whole visa thing for you.

I can put you in touch with the head of the International Students office there for more info - pm if you're interested.

Come back!

[zaneth]

Come back!

And after you learn Russian, or maybe for your diploma work, you can design a (free) on-line service to help us poor slobs still struggling along.

[waxwing]

Thanks guys
Nice to see people with some enthusiasm for their adopted home.
I looked at the Extra Class thing, seems out of my price range really. I was expecting as much, I think only the public/state Universities are (probably) going to offer the kind of thing I'm looking for - like paying $350ish / month tuition - although I'd be happy with as few as 12-15 hrs/week.

I looked into the Pushkin institute in Moscow, it seemed OK in some ways, and certainly cheap enough, but talking to the lady on the phone, she insisted on a full 24hrs/week timetable (it was so funny phoning a Russian organization again ... rings 20 times then -лло! (doesn't bother to wait to pick up the phone before shouting the word )), despite the fact that that opportunity was specifically mentioned on their website. In fact she gave me a long list of potential problems heh.

Anyway, подробности, подробности ... Thanks for the offer Bob, I'll take you up on it.

If anyone else knows good links to Universities offering Russian courses to foreigners in Russia, please do add to this thread!

Oh and if anyone needs some info about getting Russian visas in China, PM me, because if I'm not an expert now, I may become one very soon.