Job Discussion Forums

zaneth · Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:42 am Post subject:

Haven't read the entire thread but wanted to comment on one thing.

Don't go to Moscow if you want to climb mountains. If your hobby is wading through swamps, picking cranberries and mushrooms, and feeding mosquitoes, then the environs around moscow are your place.

The best mountains in European Russia are in the South, which aren't considered overly safe right now. And I don't think Moscow will pay you enough for jaunts to the Alps.

etx · Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 26

Acquaintances who live in Moscow tell me that you would be a fool to accept less than $1000 per month. Moscow recently surpassed Tokyo and Hong Kong as the most expensive city in the world, according to a recent article in Forbes.

etx · Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 26

Acquaintances who live in Moscow tell me that you would be a fool to accept less than $1000 per month. Moscow recently surpassed Tokyo and Hong Kong as the most expensive city in the world, according to a recent article in Forbes.

Consider working in the provinces if you like mountain climbing. Around the Urals, somewhere like Yekaterinberg, there are plenty of course.

canucktechie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 343 Location: Moscow

This stuff keeps coming up. The stuff you read in Forbes and the like has to do with an expat business executive lifestyle. This includes things like foreigner medical clinics and international schools (both very expensive). It probably even includes expat beauty salons for the missus (yes they have them in Moscow).

I lived in Moscow and can tell you that everything I spent money on was cheaper (or at worst no more expensive) than in Canada. Some things, like concerts and hockey games, were a LOT cheaper. Nightclubs are cheaper too - I mean the ones ordinary Russians go to, not places like Night Flight. I got by fine on $550/month, granted prices are about 20% higher now.

bomberthomson · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 3

I don't know how they work out these city costings ( I believe Moscow has fallen down the list somewhat this year though ), but if you asked most teachers living here they'd tell you it is certainly not as expensive as many Western European cities. Having also lived in Japan, I can see it doesn't even come near to being as expensive as Tokyo or Osaka !

I've found that I've been able to save money without a problem and lead a decent lifestyle here on around $800 a month. One colleague has managed to save around 5000 pounds over 18 months ( although he has had some private classes to him up ) - so it's certainly possible. It's possible earn more, but $700-800 a month is quite reasonable to live on here, I can assure you.

asromacalcio · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 54

Pardon my ignorance but what's BC? I thought it was BKC until I read the quote below.

I was about to say I was offered a job there, almost, when I'd been teaching only 12 months.

I thought it was too good to be true.

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

asromacalcio · Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 54

Ah yes, of course.

No, it's the same here in Italy, they employ teachers with 4 years' experience or more.

Thanks

BELS · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 402 Location: Moscow

leroy · Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 49

You examiner status will certainly be a plus point but the British Council is for career teachers only. It is certainly not a place to work if your main reason for being in a country is not teaching. Teachers there have a lot of experience before joining.

If you need a job with more flexibility so you can pursue other goals it may be worth contacting a school such as Sunny Plus who pay reasonably well and as you would not be under contract, allow you to have a certain degree of autonomy over when you are timetabled for work.

With your intitial qualification you could apply for a more senior position (senior teacher, ADOS) at either BKC or Language Link, but they make mainly "in-house" promotions and you'd have to be a lot more qualified or experienced to get anything higher.

BELS · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 402 Location: Moscow

BELS · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 402 Location: Moscow

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

If you enjoy working with kids and have the proper credentials(the like teaching degrees, certification, experience teaching children...) consider Bonne. Their salaries are excellent, even if you are a part timer working say 4-5 hours a day with a child. This would be for a responsible individual who is here to teach children. Bonne places you with families who want their child to learn English, play and develop. They have many options including live -in or out, full time, or half day,and if you are live -out, housing is often included. If you prefer teens and adults, are qualified, and have some experience, give English Unlimited a shot. A full time contract is just 24 academic hrs and this includes a WORK visa, insurance, and airfare. 1700$/mo is the minimum on contract salary for starters working just the 24 hrs. Yes- you will easily be able to find time for private students to supplement this income. Experienced teachers can get more and you have the option of picking up additional classes at EU if you want. Some teachers easily clear 2000 here. The director IS careful about who she hires though. Also, on the above mentioned salaries, you WILL be able to save unless you are living in some posh flat in the center and frequenting Night Flight Very Happy

BELS · Joined: 24 Mar 2005 Posts: 402 Location: Moscow

Well ! we have contacted them in the past and had no results.Therefore we continued to work in the Western region and now have kids coming to us from all regions and now we are proving to be the best in the Western region .

Of course we never do one to one in their own homes because the price is never right for yhem[url] , but for groups it's fine. As far as I know BoNNe covers the Western region which is the same as our interest and we decided to do it ourselves with better results