Job Discussion Forums

[Thenewkidintown]

Hello everyone,

I really need help making an educated descision on what school to work for in Moscow. So far I have heard from EF, Languagelinks, BBLC, Sunny School Plus, and Inlingua.

I just want to make sure that they are good in terms of honoring their contracts, pay what they say, and of course that I don't have any problems with the visa. I also want to know that I will be working with a good group of people if anyone can tell me that?

Thank you

[rusmeister]

[mdk]

In my humble opinion anybody who is looking to work in Russia with such a naive shopping list needs to be put to bed with a glass of warm milk.

What is the line from Zorba the Greek? Something like... "Life is trouble! Only death is not! To be really alive you must tighten your belt and go looking for trouble!"

Maybe that is a bit extreme, but Russia is no place for somebody who wants to be "treated fairly". It is a great place, but you must bring a spirit of adventure and (if I may misquote another author - Melville) look upon those "little bits of bad luck as mischievious hits from sly fate" like one of the sailors on the Pequod.

It's a nice place, but if you expect to be treated as you would be at home....maybe mo' bettah you stay dere bro!

Or in other words - If you're not of the mindset that thinks, "screw it all! I wanna walk down Tverskaya; get myself a mushroom blini; then go see the Tretyakoff, and to hell with the contract and all that stuff"... I recommend that you think again.

[maruss]

Perhaps the least bad of them all is Inlingua but even they will promise you things and not deliver them!As for the others,AVOID!
Another word of advice-any postings myself,BELS and Rusmeister on this site will give you the truth behind the recruitment ads.
If you have never been to Russia before and don't want to end up hating the place then DON'T go there and work for any of these outfits!
There are still some firms who pay well for experienced teachers but there are other hurdles such as finding affordable accomodation(harder than finding work!!)work permits, (not business visas as they are no longer any good for teachers due to new restrictions,) and the unavoidable fact that you need at least $2000-3000 of your own money in hand to tie you over until you get sorted out.
Sounds tough?You're not going to Disneyland or the French riviera,or even Barcelona and I guarantee Russia, and especially Moscow is enough to waken anyone up to reality!No country for old men,or inexperienced ones!

[Thenewkidintown]

One has to wonder why any of you even live in Moscow, you all sound so angry and bitter. Not to mention rude and presemptuous, considering none of you know me. I lived in Afghanistan for a year and a half so am not exactly naive about the world.

Also I am moving to Moscow with my husband who is a born Moscowvite. We have friends and family there. And well I haven't been yet I am always up for an adventure. I don't expect things to be perfect. But obviously, if I trusted everything I read I wouldn't be on here asking your opinions. So instead of giving me constructive advice I am getting insulted by people I have never met. If this is what the expats in Russia are like I am glad I have lots of Russian friends.

I would still appriciate to hear and REAL experiences not just rambling.

[spiral78]

I'm not going to slam you for naivete, but I do wonder why you asked about visa support from a school if your spouse is Russian. I don't think you'd need school sponsorship of a visa in this case.

[savage_zrak]

Amen sister!
I am also getting aggravated with what I am reading.
I posted a question and got some bitter answer with no explanations whatsoever.
It seems like there are a lot of bitter people ( ex pats ).
I am also coming there to teach and live. I have lots of Russian friends ( not from Moscow ) and I speak Russian.
This site should have helpful information for newcomers...I didn't think I was signing up for a site where a bunch of disgruntled people come to complain.

[Thenewkidintown]

Spiral78 - Russia doesn't have "marriage visa" like in the UK, Canada, or US. I have to go in under a family visa (1 month), a business visa (180 days), or a teacher visa (1 year). Once we get settled we can apply for my temperary residency permit but that will take a long time to get. I also want to have a job of my own, to meet people and make some extra money. (Source - Russian consulate and Expats.ru)

Savage_zrak - Good to know I am not the only one who finds this bazare. I mean people are working and living there so it can't be the worst place in the world.

[mdk]

Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Have you had yer glass of warm milk and slept on this and you still want to go to Moscow and teach? OK then, watch and learn grasshopper.


If you have an international youth hostel card then you can find a dorm bed in an IYH hostel in Moscow for $20-25 a night if you look for it. Try www.hiusa.org Apparently the one at Sherstone gostinitza where I used to stay has gone out of the the business, but the other ones I saw just now on the web site look decent enough.

So you can get a 30 day visa and go over there and look for yourself - FIRST.

You can go and see the cathedrals at Suzdal, Vladimir and the rest of the Golden Ring so your trip won't be wasted should you find that Moscow isn't your cup of tea ..as so many have.

But then it probably isn't even necessary since you apparently are already an expert. In any case you can ask your Russian husband. I have taken the time to mention these things to you (who obviously are already quite informed) in the interest of the peanut gallery out there who might be misled into believing, that taking a job in Moscow is no different than a move to Yuma. ( I still feel badly about the kid from Glasgow who lasted all of 72 hours and left me the duffle full of EFL books she had packed along anticipating a long and fruitful career there, you see )

From the manner in which you take advice, I think you will have a very interesting time in Russia.