Job Discussion Forums

carol_engels · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Posts: 11

Hello my name is Carol,
My first teaching job was in Russia at THE LONDON SCHOOL in Sochi on the Black sea. I would not have gone if I had of read what other people said about the school on this website. All that they said is true and it is even worse. Yes, there are NO BEDS in the accomodation- it you can call it accomation.
The lies that they tell on their website are staggering. They say that all their teachers are native english speakers and have a degree but I was the only native speaker at he school and I do not have a degree. The photograph on the website showing a teacher in a modern school teaching a small class is from ANOTHER school. The teenage students are extremely rude. There are no lessons in Russian, French or Arabic as they say on the website. I heard of an American teacher who saw the flat and caught the next plane home.
They treated me like scum and I will always think of these people as lieing scum - even though the Russian people are generally nice.

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

Your last words are true-on a personal basis,the Russians can be wonderful people-BUT-this does not unfortunately apply to many employers there!If anyone saw B.B.C. 2's This World last night there was a programme on corruption in Moscow's real-estates market which showed the horrors suffered by both ordinary people and businessmen at the hands of the state officials/mafia which was frightening to watch!As one woman said,decency and respect count for nothing in their country and even life is an expendable commodity while all that matters to them is money, money, money!!
A previous unlucky employee at this school in Sochi thought he was being clever by reporting them to the police etc. but I warned him that not only would he be wasting his time but could also put himself at personal risk as everyone has a 'krisha' who they pay to look after their interests!
I think he has now left the place-and probably Russia amd as you can see,the school is carrying on as before!!
Be warned and cover your back!!

Martin.