|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
canucktechie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 343
Location: Moscow
|
 Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:55 am Post subject: |
 |
|
Where did I say that I'm not here right now?
I was here last year and I'm here now. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| canucktechie wrote: |
Where did I say that I'm not here right now?
I was here last year and I'm here now. |
Thanks, CT.
Sorry, this:
| Quote: |
| Been there, done that, last year. |
threw me off. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
canucktechie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 343
Location: Moscow
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
Present perfect is used for something which was true in the past and is true now. 
"Was there, did that" would mean something different.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| canucktechie wrote: |
Present perfect is used for something which was true in the past and is true now.
"Was there, did that" would mean something different. |
(...looks for a snowball to throw CT's way...)
Actually, "last year" fixes the time in the past and requires the past simple (and of course implies a finished state). So nyahhh!!!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Thenewkidintown
Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Just moved here to Moscow from Canada and I am actually surprised just how cheap things are. Not rent of course, that is the killer. Me and my husband are paying about $1200 US each month for a really cute 1 room apartment in a nice building in a really good area. Phone and internet are pretty cheep. I think it is about $30 a month right now but we are going to change it to something better. Food is very cheep compared to Canada. I notice people think it is rising here, but they have to realize that it is rising everywhere else too. Some imported stuff is really over priced but the basics are cheep especially if you figure out how to shop at the markets. Restaurants are expensive but not really compared to London. Other fun things like the zoo are very reasonable.
Like I said, I just moved here in August but my impression is that life is not that expensive. With a double income you should be able to live comfortably and save some money too. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Thenewkidintown wrote: |
Just moved here to Moscow from Canada and I am actually surprised just how cheap things are. Not rent of course, that is the killer. Me and my husband are paying about $1200 US each month for a really cute 1 room apartment in a nice building in a really good area. Phone and internet are pretty cheep. I think it is about $30 a month right now but we are going to change it to something better. Food is very cheep compared to Canada. I notice people think it is rising here, but they have to realize that it is rising everywhere else too. Some imported stuff is really over priced but the basics are cheep especially if you figure out how to shop at the markets. Restaurants are expensive but not really compared to London. Other fun things like the zoo are very reasonable.
Like I said, I just moved here in August but my impression is that life is not that expensive. With a double income you should be able to live comfortably and save some money too. |
Of course, if you have a double income and no children and are willing to live frugally, you can make it work. Although how long can you really live on "shi and kasha" (generally meaning buckwheat)? If you have kids, things like dairy products, meat, etc become essential. (I shop at the markets, btw - people know me because I've been here for years so I get price reductions, etc - I even teach some of their kids). If you tell me that with, say 2 kids and $3,000/month (double income, right?) in Moscow you find it inexpensive, I would say that it is inconsistent with reality.
And yes, some things are not so expensive (although I would hardly take the zoo as a sample of cost of living).
I suspect there's a big difference between short-term no kids and long term with children, too. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Thenewkidintown
Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
| rusmeister wrote: |
Of course, if you have a double income and no children and are willing to live frugally, you can make it work. Although how long can you really live on "shi and kasha" (generally meaning buckwheat)? If you have kids, things like dairy products, meat, etc become essential. (I shop at the markets, btw - people know me because I've been here for years so I get price reductions, etc - I even teach some of their kids). If you tell me that with, say 2 kids and $3,000/month (double income, right?) in Moscow you find it inexpensive, I would say that it is inconsistent with reality.
And yes, some things are not so expensive (although I would hardly take the zoo as a sample of cost of living).
I suspect there's a big difference between short-term no kids and long term with children, too. |
I understand what you are saying but kids are expensive everywhere. Trying raising kids in North America or in the UK right now. Dairy products in Canada are almost double what they are here in Moscow, meat prices are the same or even less here then in Canada. Gas prices in Canada are $25 percent higher. The Toronto Metro is over $100 a month, Moscow's is, what $25? Plus you have higher taxes and all your bills, and these little things that add up.
I may not have been here long but these are simple prices differences. Inflation is happening everywhere. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Thenewkidintown wrote: |
| rusmeister wrote: |
Of course, if you have a double income and no children and are willing to live frugally, you can make it work. Although how long can you really live on "shi and kasha" (generally meaning buckwheat)? If you have kids, things like dairy products, meat, etc become essential. (I shop at the markets, btw - people know me because I've been here for years so I get price reductions, etc - I even teach some of their kids). If you tell me that with, say 2 kids and $3,000/month (double income, right?) in Moscow you find it inexpensive, I would say that it is inconsistent with reality.
And yes, some things are not so expensive (although I would hardly take the zoo as a sample of cost of living).
I suspect there's a big difference between short-term no kids and long term with children, too. |
I understand what you are saying but kids are expensive everywhere. Trying raising kids in North America or in the UK right now. Dairy products in Canada are almost double what they are here in Moscow, meat prices are the same or even less here then in Canada. Gas prices in Canada are $25 percent higher. The Toronto Metro is over $100 a month, Moscow's is, what $25? Plus you have higher taxes and all your bills, and these little things that add up.
I may not have been here long but these are simple prices differences. Inflation is happening everywhere. |
Understood. But there IS a difference. This report is what I'm talking about:
| Quote: |
| Рост цен на продукты питания в России в январе-августе (12,2%) более чем в 4 раза превышает удорожание продовольствия в ЕС (3%). Об этом говорится в сообщении Федеральной службы госстатистики (Росстат). |
http://finance.rambler.ru/news/economics/4357082.html
For non-Russian readers, it says that inflation of food prices is four times that of the EU. I'm an old kid in town, and that confirms what I am seeing. Yes, 5 years ago things were decidedly cheaper here - I was proud of getting good beer at the prices of the cheapest American beers. Now they are at least 50% more expensive. That represents quite a difference in inflation rates.
Why don't you go ahead and quote the Russian rates you see? It'll give the rest of us a chance to compare (and probably eliminate most disagreement).  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
maruss
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:17 am Post subject: It's not just the money..... |
|
|
| It's the quality of life,based on the environment,pollution etc etc and there is no denying that Moscow rates very poorly in this respect.Official figures,both Russian and those from abroad prove this.The south and south-eastern districts are notorious for bad air quality and poor health among many of the inhabitants.What live in such a place unless it is for a short period and you are handsomely rewarded for it?Certainly not for the kind of wages many teachers still seem to be earning! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
canucktechie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 343
Location: Moscow
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| rusmeister wrote: |
Actually, "last year" fixes the time in the past and requires the past simple (and of course implies a finished state). So nyahhh!!! |
Right you are, and the corrected version is...
"Been here, done that, since last year."
BTW, in cost of living discussions, talking about expenses for kids is a complete red herring unless OP mentions it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| canucktechie wrote: |
| rusmeister wrote: |
Actually, "last year" fixes the time in the past and requires the past simple (and of course implies a finished state). So nyahhh!!! |
Right you are, and the corrected version is...
"Been here, done that, since last year."
BTW, in cost of living discussions, talking about expenses for kids is a complete red herring unless OP mentions it. |
I don't know about you, but I always find interesting colors in my cans of herrings... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kazachka
Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 220
Location: Moscow and Alaska
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Bare bones minimum-I'd say at LEAST 3000$ for 1 person but better 4. Rents have gone up TEN FOLD in 5-6 yrs. Food costs more here at my local shop than it does in ALASKA where food prices are the highest in the US! I pay 15,000 rub for a 1 roomer 4 stops from the center, but I'm just waiting for an increase since it's been a year and a half since my last increase. I pay in Dec. and in June to keep the rent reasonable. I think 20-25000 rub is the bottom end of the price scale for a place now. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
canucktechie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 343
Location: Moscow
|
| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
3K is not bare bones, more like 2K = 54,000 R.
Agree about 20-25K R for a one room flat. That leaves 1000R a day spending money, and I certainly don't spend 1000R every day. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
|
| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Agree with CT. A single adventurer could get by marginally on 2k. But much more tolerably on 3. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
maruss
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus
|
| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: Hear,hear!! |
|
|
Get by on 2 k-probably,but who wants to go to work abroad and just get by,unless you are doing charity work etc?
Nice to hear from the three of you again anyway! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
