Job Discussion Forums

[disc77]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone had information on Novosibirsk - the number of schools, requirements, etc... What is the student population like? I know that the city has a great state university, and while university teaching is something I'd like to land in the future, currently I would be satisfied with a good language school. Something like a IH-BKC in Moscow. I have looked online for information and have come across maybe 2 or 3 job postings for Novosibirsk in 2 years. Is that what the state of affairs is like? Or are there jobs out there and I am just not looking in the right places? If anyone has any info, I'd appreciate it.

[maruss]

Denis School, who I worked for in Moscow,have branch there.I was very happy with them but of course I don't know how they are out there in Siberia!It is big industrial city and not particularly attractive but once you get outside it you can experience some glorious Taiga etc!If you find you don't like Novosibirsk once you get there,it's a hell of along way to get to somewhere else from so my advice would be to make a short visit first if at all possible!

[disc77]

Hi maruss,

thanks for the reply. The fact that it is an industrial city is what is attractive to me about it - I kind of would like to go somewhere in the middle of nowhere and Siberia is what I am looking for - at least I think so at the moment.

I'll check out Denis School and have also come across Labaton? which now links to Cambridge Schools. It seems that these two are it for now. I am surprised because I've regarded Novosibirsk as an "intellectually developed" city - they have / used to have an academgorodok, "academic city"? Not sure how it would be translated to English. Anyway, I'll continue my search. Would love to just visit, but can't do. We all have to pay the bills.

Outside of Language Link - do you know anything about Irkutsk? I know Lake Baikal is beautiful, but other than that?

[maruss]

Akademgorodok was an elite scientific town in the Soviet era where high-level intelligentsia lived very comfortable lives compared to the majority of the population!Nowadays,much of it is run-down and decrepid because the values of the Russian version of capitalism don't rate science as being important any more,only money.You can read about this in John Thubrons excellent book'In Siberia' which is also available on C.D. and I really recommend it before you go.You can visit most places in Russia freely nowadays,with some exceptions for military and special research areas and Akademgorodok is now open to everyone.
Irkutsk is more interesting because it has an old quarter alongside Soviet era monstrosities and of course Lake Baikal is one of the wonders of the world!But I cannot recommend Language Link as an employer,based on my knowledge of them in Moscow and the many other negative postings about them on this and other sites.Also not so attractive is the ecological damage in many inhabited areas of Russia, caused by ignorance in the Soviet-era and sheer greed and inefficency today!Lake Baikal is being threatened by effluent from a saw-mill amongst other things,to name but one example.Siberians are friendly and the women there are the complete opposite of the very cold winter climate so I'm sure you will have a very interesting time!Mind you, you deserve it after going so far to somewhere so away from the usual tourist destinations!As a general rule,avoid oil towns such as Nizhnivartovsk and Surgut because they are awful and many people there are red-knecks from all over the former S.U.!!

[disc77]

maruss,

maybe things are changing - I know now the Russian government has created some kind of program to help "restore" science. But these are
baby-steps and the process can take a long time.

On Language Link, I did apply for a position with them 3 years ago - Moscow - and after an email from the director going over the application procedures, don't remember his name, I never got any replies to my application. So, I guess I will not be able to confirm the negative postings - it's all for the better!

As far as Russian women - being one myself, it's nice to be appreciated for the warmth. Maybe it's not the fur coats after all You sound like the spy in a "Cheers" episode "The spy who came in for a cold one". "Let me tell you something about Russian women. The cold weather makes them very passionate."

[anubistaima]

I'm currently in Novosibirsk. The city is not small and it doesn't really feel like you're "in the middle of nowhere." It's also not Moscow, of course. As far as I know, there are 19 language schools here. 4-5 big ones; the rest are small. Diana