Job Discussion Forums

[tokyomocker]

I've just been offered a position at M&k English school in Almaty. I was wondering if anyone could provide any info on Almaty or more specifically the school. The website they have looks very nice, and the school itself looks very modern and professional, I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of working for the school. Also if anyone could pass on any advice about Almaty that would be much appreciated. Cheers..

[maruss]

All I can tell you is to be VERY careful of anything to do with Kazakhstan!There seem to be no laws there and firms can do what they like with employees!Several people have posted negative reports on this site about their experiences in that country,although I don't know if it was about the particular school you mentioned.Sorry I can't tell you more and also bear in mind that it's a long way from home and could also be very costly if you have to pay your way out of there etc!

[thrifty]

[philbags]

If your school is owned by russian business people ,they'd typically screw you at the end as a matter of course ; I worked for ICCE in astana and almaty for 3 years and for the first 2.5 years they loved me; it only took another 6 months of b*tchy staff and HORRIBLY stuck up mafia/government (same thing) kids to get me stiffed for 1000 quid and no references for the entire 3 year period. of course the director waited til she knew I'd bought a flight home and was leaving the next day before she dropped the bombshell.
As a teacher in central asia you're VERY vulnerable; firstly 'cos you really have no protection under law( no lawyer would touch you), and secondly cos you'll be next to broke ( because you're an efl teacher), actually thats why the lawyer wouldnt touch you i suspect. In any case kazakhstan is totally corrupt making law a pointless concept.
If you do take the job make sure youre registered and that your employer in covering your tax- if not you'll have to take out any savings stuffed down your pants with the risk that the customs could just take them.
by the way - how much is the gig paying?
on a brighter note - almaty is a pretty cool town tho i hear the congetion has got worse over the last few years.

[thrifty]

Avoid Language Solutions in Kakakstan. PM for specifics.

[basiltherat]

hi
i dropped by M and K abouit 5 weeks ago to ask about part time evening work. They seem quite nice and the school in good condition. Only problem is they dont seem to have a staffroom so yur basically doing any prep out of your bag in the particular classroom that yur gonna teach in. Theyre very near the brit embassy and council which you can use to do prep, i guess. The woman I spoke to about working there seemed nice. I think the DOS is expat but may need to check this.

I don't work for them at all so i cant be any more specific than the above. They have a couple of native speakers; one girl in particular who was very pleasant. A very youthful staff.

Almaty is fairly pleasant. Wat makes it rather unusual is that it doesnt really have a 'downtown' as such. Rather, the whole city is an 'uncrowded downtown'.

Yes, traffic can be pretty chaotic at times. The city pattern is based on the US grid system so very easy to get around. Buses are easy to use with a flat fare. Taxis are virtually non-existent so people act as 'taxi drivers' in their spare time to earn extra cash part time. You just stand by the roadside with your finger pointed down until someone stops. Going rate is 100 tenge for average ride. Btw 1 dollar is about 120 tenge now.

Almaty has a great back drop of snow capped mountains. Great to look at as you go to and from work.

Cost of living is pretty low but not ridiculously so. You can live on 600 to 700 bucks fairly easily here.

Try to pick up so russian before coming. I didnt so im paying the price a little.

Kazaks and the russians here have taken a great like to western ways including general behaviour, films and music. At night Almaty can be a pretty funky place if yur into that kinda thing.
best
basil