Job Discussion Forums

[jabberjaw]

I have several questions about how to get started in Russia. I wouldn't rule out working in other former soviet countries either but in this post I'm going to focus mainly on Russia. That's not to say that I wouldn't welcome information and suggestions about cities in other former soviet countries. Although I have been to many of the countries in Europe, I have never been to Russia. I have to admit that I don't care for the cold weather and my interest in Russian culture is not a passion or obsession. However, I would really like to at least visit St. Petersburg some day as I admire the architecture there and would love to see the different museums and experience its history and culture. For instance, it'd be nice to go to the opera or ballet there and to several art museums. I'm interested in history, poetry, music, art, film, and literature and have some basic knowledge of Russian culture that I would like to expand on. I'd also be interested in the nightlife. I love hard rocking live music as well.

Moscow might be too big of a monster for me. I'm used to cities but not big bad ones like Moscow. [I'm used to medium sized cities (1 million to 4 million people).] Also, I'm concerned the price of rent might be too hefty to make it worthwhile for me to live there. I am open to suggestions about other cities to teach in such as St. Petes, Samara, Kazan, or any other place you have something good to say about. Please feel free to be honest about your responses but try not to make it hurt too much. I'm not looking to start any flame wars. I'm just looking to gather information.

I'm a curious person and have always loved to travel and learn about other cultures. I have lived in four foreign (at least to me) countries, that is to say non-native-English-speaking countries on three different continents. I'm looking to live in an affordable and open city that is both modern and cultured where I can make a living, save some decent money, and actually be able to go out, explore, enjoy myself, and not feel paranoid about my security -- obviously it'd be nice to not have to feel like I have to peek over my shoulder to avoid terrorists or people who are looking to mug me or spy on me or monitor my behavior]. So, enough with the intro, here are my questions.

In Russia how realistic is it to expect to be able to teach adults, make halfway decent money and not to have to work a split-shift and do a lot of commuting?

Is it reasonable to expect to get a good job from abroad or would I have to take a sub par job from abroad at first and then make contacts and work my way up?

Or, should I go to Russia on vacation and try to find a job on the ground? What kind of job/how good of a job could I find if I went that route?

What sort of salary can I expect starting out? And what sort of salary could I work my way up to?

What's the going rate for privates these days in St. Petes, Samara, Kazan, etc.?

Is it normal for language schools or corporate training centers in Russia to pay their teachers severance pay?

With only a bachelor's degree, is a university job out of my reach?

If I were to get an M.A. in TESOL or Applied Linguistics, then how would this change my prospects in Russia?

How much do you pay for the visa paperwork? How much of a hassle is the process of getting a visa?

I've heard some people on this Web site mention taking a job with a lousy language school and just using it as a way to get a plane ticket and visa to come to Russia and then branching off on their own and teaching privates? Is this legal? How much time would you have to work at the language school before you could go off on your own? How complicated of a process is it? How risky is it? How much does it cost?

Though I value the information in the Russia Forum on this Web site, it doesn't exactly compare with the wealth of posts that the Korea and China Forums have. Do you have any Web site suggestions for finding info about teaching English in St. Petes or another Russian city that you would recommend?

How much time should I expect to spend working and commuting for work per week?

How many vacation days should I expect to be able to get aside from the 10 national holidays?

How do you manage to get privates in if your school expects you to be on call from morning till night for five days a week? Is it easy to go behind a language school or corporate training center's back and teach privates during the week? Is it risky?

What kind of housing can I expect to live in considering that including utilities I wouldn't want to pay more than 500 or 600 USD a month for a one bedroom, 700 square foot apartment that is in decent condition and is secure? Where (in what cities) would this be possible?

Do you know of any employers out there that offer this kind of housing and a decent salary and benefits package? If so, then please let me know.

What's the name of the part of town/the closest metro stop of some good places to live in for English teachers in St. Petes or any other city in Russia worth living and working in?

How hard of a time would I have getting my Filipino girlfriend to Russia with me? She has experience as a school teacher teaching kids and also doing administrative work and most recently in the past few years as a maid. Is this a realistic possibility or would I need to take that frightening step and marry her?

How much should I expect to pay for utilities?

Gas?

Electric?

Water?

Cell phone?

Internet 56k?

High speed Internet (DSL or cable or satellite)?

Cable or satellite TV with plenty of American channels?

Also, what is the Internet service like in St. Pete's, Samara, Kazan, or wherever you would recommend living in Russia? Is it reliable or does it hang up a lot?

How much would it cost me to get health insurance that would pay for emergency care, doctor and dental visits, and maintenance prescription drugs? Should I expect an employer to provide me with health care benefits or am I most likely going to be on my own with this one? Also, what is the quality of the health care that would be available and affordable to me in Russia like?

I know it's a long post but I really appreciate your time and advice. Just remember, you were a newbie once too. Cheers!

[jpvanderwerf2001]

Phew.
I'll try to answer as many as possible, in a limited time, and in bold.

First off, let me introduce myself. I have a B.A. and four years of experience in the teaching English abroad field, but I have never taught in Russia or a former soviet country. My experience has been mostly teaching adults which is what I prefer. I'm not interested in teaching kids.

This could be an issue. I think most schools prefer that you teach teenagers (if not children). Of course that could be ironed out in the hiring process.

I have several questions about how to get started in Russia. I wouldn't rule out working in other former soviet countries either but in this post I'm going to focus mainly on Russia. That's not to say that I wouldn't welcome information and suggestions about cities in other former soviet countries. Although I have been to many of the countries in Europe, I have never been to Russia. I have to admit that I don't care for the cold weather and my interest in Russian culture is not a passion or obsession.

If you don't like the cold, and aren't really interested in Russian culture, you might consider another location. This isn't the easiest place to live. Just a thought.

However, I would really like to at least visit St. Petersburg some day as I admire the architecture there and would love to see the different museums and experience its history and culture. For instance, it'd be nice to go to the opera or ballet there and to several art museums. I'm interested in history, poetry, music, art, film, and literature and have some basic knowledge of Russian culture that I would like to expand on. I'd also be interested in the nightlife. I love hard rocking live music as well.

My suggestion might be to visit St. Petersburg then, and not move to Russia.

Moscow might be too big of a monster for me. I'm used to cities but not big bad ones like Moscow. [I'm used to medium sized cities (1 million to 4 million people).] Also, I'm concerned the price of rent might be too hefty to make it worthwhile for me to live there.

Rent is not cheap in many Russian cities (in comparison with, say, Ukraine). For example, rent in Vladivostok will be somewhere in the 10-12K rubles range, or $400-$500. That's a one-bedroom joint, and usually not near the center.

I am open to suggestions about other cities to teach in such as St. Petes, Samara, Kazan, or any other place you have something good to say about. Please feel free to be honest about your responses but try not to make it hurt too much. I'm not looking to start any flame wars. I'm just looking to gather information.

I have posted a number of times about my experiences in Vladivostok. Search my username and read up. I don't know much about teaching in other Russian cities, sorry.

I'm a curious person and have always loved to travel and learn about other cultures. I have lived in four foreign (at least to me) countries, that is to say non-native-English-speaking countries on three different continents. I'm looking to live in an affordable and open city that is both modern and cultured where I can make a living, save some decent money, and actually be able to go out, explore, enjoy myself, and not feel paranoid about my security -- obviously it'd be nice to not have to feel like I have to peek over my shoulder to avoid terrorists or people who are looking to mug me or spy on me or monitor my behavior]. So, enough with the intro, here are my questions.

I'm not trying to be trite here, really. But you want a place where you can save good cash, not feel paranoid, and live in a modern and cultured city...and you want to move to RUSSIA?! You may be barking up the wrong tree.

In Russia how realistic is it to expect to be able to teach adults, make halfway decent money and not to have to work a split-shift and do a lot of commuting?

It depends what you consider "decent money". University gigs abound, but you usually have to be in the city to get those. Split-shifts are sad facts of the McSchool trade. I already mentioned the adult thing.
Who knows? You might be able to negotiate the split shift and adults things.

Is it reasonable to expect to get a good job from abroad or would I have to take a sub par job from abroad at first and then make contacts and work my way up?

Contacts are everything in Russia. Your second statement is much more likely.

Or, should I go to Russia on vacation and try to find a job on the ground? What kind of job/how good of a job could I find if I went that route?

As I said, university jobs can be had. You should be able to find some teaching gigs at language schools as well. Private students might harder to procure, but by no means impossible.

What sort of salary can I expect starting out? And what sort of salary could I work my way up to?

This varies widely, I imagine. I make about 40K rubles/month, and have a number of private students at 500 rubles/hour. I think 30-50K rubbles/month would be pretty standard for a full-time, contracted, qualified native teacher.

What's the going rate for privates these days in St. Petes, Samara, Kazan, etc.?

Don't know about those places, but at least 500 rubles/hour in Vladivostok. Sometimes more.

Is it normal for language schools or corporate training centers in Russia to pay their teachers severance pay?

Not that I'm aware of. There might be an end-of-contract bonus attached, however. (I have one.)

With only a bachelor's degree, is a university job out of my reach?

No, not at all. Especially in the more provincial areas.

If I were to get an M.A. in TESOL or Applied Linguistics, then how would this change my prospects in Russia?

I don't know if it'd make too much different at all. Of course, I don't have those qualifications, so I can't say with any certainty.

How much do you pay for the visa paperwork? How much of a hassle is the process of getting a visa?

It's no more hassle than other countries I've gotten visas for. The biggest issue is getting an invitation letter. This is one aspect where having a job beforehand is nice: they get you an invitation.

I've heard some people on this Web site mention taking a job with a lousy language school and just using it as a way to get a plane ticket and visa to come to Russia and then branching off on their own and teaching privates? Is this legal? How much time would you have to work at the language school before you could go off on your own? How complicated of a process is it? How risky is it? How much does it cost?

I don't know if it's legal, but I'm unsure if anyone cares. My suggestion is to stay with the language school--at least part-time, for the invites and to stay off the radar, and teach privates in your free time.

Though I value the information in the Russia Forum on this Web site, it doesn't exactly compare with the wealth of posts that the Korea and China Forums have. Do you have any Web site suggestions for finding info about teaching English in St. Petes or another Russian city that you would recommend?

Try www.expat.ru

How much time should I expect to spend working and commuting for work per week?

That depends on a lot of factors.

How many vacation days should I expect to be able to get aside from the 10 national holidays?

I think five paid holidays are standard, at least for EF, where I work.

How do you manage to get privates in if your school expects you to be on call from morning till night for five days a week? Is it easy to go behind a language school or corporate training center's back and teach privates during the week? Is it risky?

If you show up for work on time, do your job well and your private students don't interfere with your contractual obligations, schools shouldn't worry.

What kind of housing can I expect to live in considering that including utilities I wouldn't want to pay more than 500 or 600 USD a month for a one bedroom, 700 square foot apartment that is in decent condition and is secure? Where (in what cities) would this be possible?

I think that price range should get you what you want (not sure about the size thing, though).

Do you know of any employers out there that offer this kind of housing and a decent salary and benefits package? If so, then please let me know.

What's the name of the part of town/the closest metro stop of some good places to live in for English teachers in St. Petes or any other city in Russia worth living and working in?

How hard of a time would I have getting my Filipino girlfriend to Russia with me? She has experience as a school teacher teaching kids and also doing administrative work and most recently in the past few years as a maid. Is this a realistic possibility or would I need to take that frightening step and marry her?

That's up to you. I think it would be easier to get visas and everything if you're married (that's pure conjecture on my part, no proof). But would you want to come to Russia already married, that's the big question!

How much should I expect to pay for utilities?

Gas?

Electric?

Water?

Cell phone?

Internet 56k?

High speed Internet (DSL or cable or satellite)?

Cable or satellite TV with plenty of American channels?

All these depend on many factors. I really don't know. Many landlords will take care of your bills for you (the basics- not internet and cable) and you pay them back.

Also, what is the Internet service like in St. Pete's, Samara, Kazan, or wherever you would recommend living in Russia? Is it reliable or does it hang up a lot?

How much would it cost me to get health insurance that would pay for emergency care, doctor and dental visits, and maintenance prescription drugs? Should I expect an employer to provide me with health care benefits or am I most likely going to be on my own with this one? Also, what is the quality of the health care that would be available and affordable to me in Russia like?

I believe employers are required by law to give you health insurance. (At least the basic stuff.) And if they aren't required by law, I'd insist on it. Prescription drugs are very cheap here.

Good luck!

[maruss]

I think he has covered most of the points raised quite adequately-my further advice would be that if you have any doubts about Russia due to the climate and other negative conditions,I would think twice about going there because it's not an easy place overall to live in.If you want to earn serious money,then it inevitably has to be Moscow with all its drawbacks as you are most unlikely to make much anywhere else in Russia, especially by comparison with wages in western countries.
A good compromise might be to try one of the Baltic countries which have recently joined the E.U. but still have the advantage(for you,although I'm not sure many people who live there would agree!) of being very near Russia so you could visit St.Petersburg on a tourist visa etc.
As a general rule,I always suggest anyone who is considering going to work and live in Russia makes at least one visit there beforehand if possible,although I do realise this is not very practical for people living outside Europe,as well as costly.

[jabberjaw]

Maruss, do you have any suggestions in particular about newly acquired EU countries, e.g., Latvia, Lithuania, or wherever else? And please, I�m open for more info about those countries including salaries, what I could charge for privates, etc.

I think your advice about visiting Russia before really consider taking a job there is sound. I am curious as to why you said that it is not an easy place to live. I don�t doubt that at all but I would appreciate it if you were to elaborate on that point.

Maruss, I noticed one poster in particular is giving you a hard time. I don�t think it is justified because you most likely have good reason to feel and think the way you do about Russia and at least you bother to post and give advice to newbies like me which is more than I can say for a lot of people. The person criticizing you probably has some kind of financial motive behind what he/she is posting, so if I were you I�d try not to take it to heart. Thank you for your comments.

jpvanderwerf2001, I�ve really got to thank you to for your thorough response.

[canucktechie]

[jpvanderwerf2001]

[rusmeister]

One big caveat - the school year actually ends at the end of May. Even in June you'll have a hard time finding people that want to study. For Russians, who through a long and dark year are bound to their apartments, work and study, the onset of relatively good weather makes it more mandatory and universal to toss studying and head off for vacations and serious change in life style. The end result is that you can't even find most of your Russian friends in the summer. Even the last days of May the students are just goofing off, homework ceases to get done by the middle of May, classes get cut...to borrow a line from "Bambi", "They're all twitterpated!".

[jonniboy]

As others have said you might be best off looking at the Baltic states if you're not totally sure about going to Russia proper. Like you I'd planned to go to Saint Petersburg but ultimately, visa hassles, cheap flight networks etc made me decide to stay in Europe. My original plan B was Tallinn but I found Estonians to be very reluctant speakers of Russian. Riga offered more of what I wanted - a larger city, 50% ethnic Russian and a taste of Russian culture without all the crap of actually living in Russia (which even my Russian friends in Spain advised me against.)

Salary wise, if you get a decent language centre they'll usually pay you 500-600 lats (950-1150 USD) with a free flat, although be advised this is likely to be in the suburbs. A bus journey one way will cost about 55 US cents. As for privates, they're very easy to come by but it's getting them to pay decent rates that's the problem. Some long termers have managed to get 10 lats an hour (19 USD) and I do have one such client but a more realistic expectation, especially at the beginning would be 7 lats ($13.25) If you wanted your own flat then you could get one close to the centre for 200 lats a month.

From Riga you can easily get to Saint Petersburg. The other bonus is that you mention you're not that keen on teaching kids and you could easily make a living here just doing adult classes. In fact the market is such that parents rarely pay for their children to attend language academies so you'll get adults and well motivated teens.

[jonniboy]

[maruss]

I thoroughly agree about the summer recess situation in Russia,which seems to start in May!In real terms,if you rely on freelancing on an hourly basis this can leave you without regular income for several months in the summer so what you earn during the rest of the year needs to be divided by 12!It's easy to overlook this when you are raking in $2.500 per month or more and you can easily get complacent until the reality suddenly hits you-your landlord of course will not give you a break on paying the rent and there are plenty of horror stories on the expat.ru site about people who have literally been evicted without notice,even if they have always paid on time etc!
As a general observation, there are millions of rules about almost everything in Russia and it would be literally impossible to obey them all,so obviously people break them at least some of the time.The problem is to know which ones will land you in trouble if you do and perhaps even more important, what the cost of circumventing them is and who to pay it to!
Foreigners are especially vulnerable to the enormous bureaucratic corruption which is prevalent in Russian life and learning how to cope with is an essential lesson for anyone intending to stay for more than just a short holiday visit.It is something that has existed for centuries there and not a result of the Soviet system or the present regime, and is almost as traditional as vodka!
I appreciate the words of support for my postings,but in any case I don't hold grudges against anyone who differs in their opinions-after all isn't that part of democracy?
Maybe our friend from Tennesee who now works for B.K.C. does have a vested interest in defending them-and himself, but as I learned very quickly,Russia is unfortunately a very selfish place to live in and if you don't look after your own interests,it's very unlikely anyone else will!
That is one of the main reasons why I don't recommend it for a very long period as such societies inevitably have other problems which make them even more unpalatable.
Especially with Russia,you either put up with it or leave as no way can you change anything there and you should always be grateful that you have the option which millions of others would give anything for.

[jabberjaw]

.Duplicate.

[jabberjaw]

Part of the reason that we're having trouble communicating is that we're from different countries and have worked in different countries. In the US a studio apartment is like what you described as a one room apartment. And a one room apartment would be what you think of as a two room apartment. That is a one room apartment in the US is an apartment with one bedroom that is separate from everything else. Further, when you rent an apartment in the US they are normally unfurnished except for an oven, some kitchen cabinets, and a refrigerator. Also, in the US what you're calling severance pay is called unemployment benefits. When I worked in Korea we called severance pay what you are calling the end-of-contract bonus.