Job Discussion Forums

[bigmak]

Well, at least there's something to spend money on lads 'n' lasses. But is it still wild n wacky? Is the Thirsty Chicken still there? Can you still buy (crap) beers at the kiosk for 50p? Is the metro still peanuts? Are the girls still... (well, I know Stevey G isn't game, but anyone else?)

These are the important questions which need to be integrated with issues of cost, surely? Who'd go there for the money?! Come on, you HAVE to take a pay-cut because of the side-attractions of the place, just like you expect a pay-rise for the opposite reasons in the M East. Having said that, I've heard some people are cleaning up over there. You one of these SG? Still, I bet you bust your load making up the 'competitive local salary' that those dodgy Russian outfits offer.

[steven_gerrard]

Bust a gut? Nah, I'm much too idle to do that. In the immortal words of Linda Evangelista (or suchlike) "I won't get out of bed for less than $50 an hour" Mind you, I don't do much private work anymore- getting idle in my old age.......

[canucktechie]

[steven_gerrard]

Thanks for the advice. I might just get out the circle sometime but does that mean -gasp- getting on the metro??????? Anyway, I don't see why I am getting so much stick on here. So what if I find Moscow an expensive city- I am not alone in this, you know. I have lived in this city whilst earning $500 and I have lived in it whilst earning a lot more. I am fully aware that if I really wanted to live on a few hundred dollars a month I could, thanks. I did it for long enough. This is an old argument and we're really going round in circles. I don't see what I have said that is so controversial anyway.

If only the BC paid 2 grand in other countries- they don't. Russia is a hardship post- that's why the salary for teachers is among the highest in the world within the network. All salary scales in the BC are based on (amongst other things) cost of living, so it's no surprise teachers in Russia earn a lot more than some of their colleagues in other countries. If Russia paid the same as other European BCs then they'd have even fewer teachers than they do now.

And as for the BKC types not being able to afford to be sex tourists- pull the other one. Not all sex tourists pay (at least directly) for what they get, you know. Not noticed the discrepency in the level of (at least physical) attractiveness between your average male EFL teacher in Moscow and his Russian girlfriend/wife? Wonder what all that's about, eh? His *sparkling* personality?

[canucktechie]

[bigmak]

Sensible post from canucktechie there.

Even the ones that DO leave usually start pining for the 'rodina', the soil of the 'Motherland', or some other such nonsensical, mystical mumbo-jumbo which they torture themselves trying to explain upon being invited to expand on this 'soul': 'Oh... you foreigners wouldn't understand!' is the best they usually come up with, as if being starry-eyed and staring off into the distance substitutes a good explanation and description. Tiresome, nauseating, boring trash, if you ask me. But if 'soul' boils down to malfeasant, irresponsible, emotionally selfish, sickeningly patriotic and irrationally suspicious, then soul it is...

Having said that, there's a remarkably high incidence of western men looking for Russky brides, and they're not looking for insights into Chekhov and the decaying Russian bourgeoisie. I'm sure a leg-over and a woman who 'knows her place' comes into it somewhere along the line? And have you seen/heard American women?! Having said that, I wouldn't label it 'sex tourism'.

[steven_gerrard]