Job Discussion Forums

[tunafish]

Hi all,
My name is Marco, and i've just signed a contract to go and teach in surgut siberia, just need to wait for the visa to get sorted.

Despite knowing that it's mighty cold out there (just being back from oz won't help) and mates constantly giving me stick (They have a fixation with me being raped by a polar bear, and "parts of my body dropping off beacuse of the cold) I'm looking forward to it.

I'm with the surgut school of foreign languages....

So any suggestions as what to bring, expect?? no point trying to put me off though. A good mate has been googling the place foar week now and printing out pictures of barren landscapes an those lego looking builidngs... nothing will put me off!!

I'll be in moscow for a few days before they fly me out... what's the crack there??

And surgut?? night life? people? facilities?
And most of all is anyone keen for a few bevvies once I'm surgut, who wants news of the real world....

Ok kids... HIT ME WITH IT!!!!
Cheers
Marco

[Seeker of truth]

What's the website for your sponsor in Siberia?

[JessInRussia]

Hi Marco

Surgut is a great town and there are a few great schools there. I myself have been there, teaching, for three months. it was over the 2005/2006 winter period, the hardest winter in 40 years, they told me. The mercury dropped to -56 in early January.

I also worked for the Surgut School of Foreign Languages. It is truly a great school, funded by a very wealthy man who owns a large building company in Surgut itself. The teachers are well qualified and the Director of Studies is highly experienced in teacher training as well as normal English teaching. So there are ample facilities, hundreds of students and a very warm (no pun intended) atmosphere.

However, I must warn you about one fact - the Executive Director director of the school is not very professional, and has a terrible reputation. So much so, that the teachers do not respect her and instead, fear her. An average of one (Russian) teacher leaves the school each month. After some time in this school, I decided it better to leave (the contract allowed for resignation with two weeks notice). Suddenly, my salary was withheld from me, in breach of the contract, and the terror of the director flowed my way. Your contract means very little in her eyes. Since I have left, others have too.

I would definitely go to Surgut - it is the experience of a lifetime. But not if Tatiana Aleksandrovna is still the Executive Director...

Jess