Job Discussion Forums

mitchellmadisonp · Joined: 12 Oct 2004 Posts: 12 Location: Tennessee, USA

It baffles me that you actually have enough free-time to post a response on every message board regarding Russia here and on other websites. Obviously Russia rubbed you the wrong way and you got out--congratulations. I do think you need to learn the fine line between helpful comments and senseless, repetitive complaining which benefits no one and clogs the real lines of helpful communication people are trying to maintain here. Russia like any other country has its problems, but I think any intelligent person who keeps up with any world news realizes this. Let's please try and intelligently answer people's questions and keep the soapbox politics for the poor unfortunate souls who have to sit and have a beer with you in Cyprus. If you choose to ignore this and keep dragging Moscow through the mud with exaggerated information that subsequently keeps good quality teachers from moving here, then fine with me because I'm making a very nice living with BKC and my private students and could do without the competition.

Mac

sebastienupper · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 29 Location: Australia, Western

I think you're being a little harsh there.

Maruss can defend himself, but as I see it, since many posters seem to come here wishing to check how their romanticised view of Russia or of TEFL might compare to the reality of Russia or TEFL, Maruss has taken it into his 'question-answering' role to deliver what he considers to be the ruthless truth.

I think he is very genuine about wanting to help people, even if, when you really, really, really want to go to Russia, and you'll probably have to do it with one of the big3, his advice might be hard to follow.

But that's kind of the point is it not? The message that comes across is that this 'Russia'-thing is not impossible, but you would have to really, really, really want to do it in order to make it work.

If you believe Maruss is mistaken about Moscow or painting a false picture of Russia in general, then why not tell us how? And where?

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

Although it does seem to me at times that maruss comes off excessively negative, I don't think he's wrong by any stretch, and my opinion should count for something because I have lived here (not in the city of Moscow, but close enough to visit regularly) for years.

If you believe that world news contains objective truth, then you'll be in for a rude shock later. It contains what its owners want it to contain.

Finally, if maruss' posting really does benefit you, wouldn't it behoove you to silently approve, or at least keep silent? The impression I get, in all honesty, from some posters is that they want to draw new recruits to their centers.

One area where I do think it's unnecessary for maruss to worry is in politics. The assumption that active engagement in politics can really change the existing governments of major powers is not well-founded, as is the idea that America is significantly better off than Russia in this regard. There are both pluses and minuses to Russia, and maruss has (outside of politics) accurately described some of these minuses.

GF · Joined: 08 Jun 2003 Posts: 238 Location: Tallinn

My only beef with Maruss is his love affair with the exclamation point and the fact that he often doesn't separate his sentences with a space. I find his longer posts hard to read because of these two points.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

I've obviously upset the person who started this thread so have P.M'd them hoping to make amends etc!
Thanks for the other comments-democracy and debate are what it's all about and I don't mean to offend anyone,except of course the'siloviki' and New-Russians etc!
As an overall comment,when you are in a place for any length of time, you tend to overlook it's faults due to familiarity and this applies to anywhere,including Cyprus where I live!One English teacher last year said to me in Moscow that he thought we were like 'flies on s...!' and no longer noticed the dirt and grime etc. around us because we had just come to accept it as normal.
Cyprus is becoming like a 'mini russia' regarding it's political situation with people here seemingly oblivious to what the government is really doing to the country-either they don't care or believe the lies they hear from the media channels and newspapers which are on their side.

PeterBar · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 145 Location: La France profonde

Hey Mac !

I guess that you are American and fairly new to tRussia and this TEFL game.

Martin Maruss has been around, in and out of Russia, for a long, long time. He's not new to TEFL and he's not new to Russia. So, maybe, a little respect is due.

I have the impression (correct me if I'm wrong) that you want to "shoot the messenger" who brings news that BKC don't want to hear. Are you looking to score some Brownie Points, after you scored the CELTA?

Incidentally, my own credentials - in Russia, all along the Volga, as well as in Moscow, (just for a 18 months) since 1997.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

I can see the guys point of view if he has a senior job with BKC and they gave him a decent appartment etc.If he has managed to schedule in some private lessons and does not have to work split hours all over the city, he probably has a good number and is making around $2.500 per month or maybe more.But as most of us know, these kind of firms generally don't pay well at all and give you a bad time into the process.You still have to endure living in Moscow on top of all that,which is no walkover.
On a more general subject I saw a very interesting programme on B.B.C. 2T.V. last night via satellite about people who have been poisoned by drinking bootleg alchohol in Russia and were dying from it,filmed mainly in Pskov and Vladimir.Apparently disinfectant had been added to the stuff and it was literally dissolving peoples livers!Perhaps even worse was the reluctance of the police chief interviewed to give any concrete information about it,probably because he was being paid-off by the owners of the factory etc.
I also found a tape cassette yesterday on which I recorded Paul Robsons English version of the Soviet National anthem from a c.d. at a school in Aviamotornaya where I was teaching last winter.Some of the words about 'a people united in freedom' etc. sound very ironic but compared to the state of affairs I saw on the programme later,perhaps the old days were really better for a lot of people then??

mitchellmadisonp · Joined: 12 Oct 2004 Posts: 12 Location: Tennessee, USA

PeterBar isn't it a dangerous game to make assumptions about someone you know nothing about. My comments to Maruss are based on the ongoing negative theme in his posts. I don't know how my nationality is important to the issue. I am not new to the game or to Russia. Also I'm not looking for brownie points with BKC after my CELTA. BKC and I have had problems just like anyone might have with any company they work for, but my problems are specific to my situation and I don't waste my time broadcasting them to the world especially because a person may come here and have different problems or believe it or not no problems.

To Maruss. I'm glad you are able to see my point of view, but for everyone's information I do not have a senior position with BKC and have always worked split shifts for them. My first class is at 9 am and my last class at 7pm and it gives you a great opportunity to have a look around Moscow or spend time in one of the huge beautiful parks. My opinion is that most things in life including your job depends a lot on your attitude towards it. I'm not trying to attack you or to kiss ass defending BKC, but I am thinking about all the people out there who may be thinking about coming to Moscow and I don't think it's fair to drag Moscow through the mud and potentially scare off people who could have a fantastic experience here. It is my opinion that if you are no longer here you should let the past stay in the past.

BrianPBG · Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 5 Location: bowleys quarters

Mitchell, while I disagree about the way you went about discussing such a matter; certain points you made, were not blind based assumptions. You could have just e-mailed Maruss and talked to him about it, but you two have kept the conversation "adult".

PeterBar, however, is as you said a person who bases all his comments on biased assumptions.

PeterBar, I guess that you are British or some kind of similar entity, which has ten years of experience in Russia, hiding from the fact that no one back at your homeland can stand you, hence why you ran away. Most likely, it�s that you could not get a girl if your life depended on it, and ran to a country that girls are desperate for a good man. It is just sad that it has taken you ten years and many cities there to realize that Russian girls has no interest in you, just like British girls.

Of course these are MOSTLY blind assumptions, based on your pompous ass attitude; however, Maruss is a big boy and does not need you to defend �his� credentials. Discuss the matter at hand only, not "guessing" someone is American, when it so obviously suggests he is by his location. Hence, the only motive I see in your post was to berate Americans, Mitchellmadisonp, his experience and his motives. It doesn't take some kind of special person that has taught in Russia since 1997 to realize that your post was condescending.

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

JessInRussia · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 36

Wow, I can't believe I even read some of this string of time-wasting texts.

Two truths:
-If you have a problem with someone, tell them, not other people.
-If you don't have a life, don't waste other people's.

Jess

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

I don't get it. The person who makes a comment about an adult (i.e. civilised) conversation between the two main protagonists then makes a very personal and probably unjustified attack on another contributor....

BrianPBG · Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 5 Location: bowleys quarters