Job Discussion Forums

[tudodude]

I have been made an offer... Is $1000 bucks a month normal... seems low.. is it normal????????????? Location: Ufa and Sterlitamak, Republic of Bashkortostan., Russian Federation

[jpvanderwerf2001]

It depends (these questions coming from someone who has never lived in those cities, mind you):

* Is an apartment included?
* Are bills at the apartment included (except phone, internet)?
* Is the apartment search (if there is one) paid for?
* Are airfare, airport transport, and visa costs reimbursed?
* Can you easily walk to school, or get there by relatively cheap transportation (bus, metro--if the have one there)?
* Is that $1000 salary after taxes?
* Are you actually paid in US dollars? If not, will you be paid the Central Bank exchange rate in rubles (as opposed to some arbitrary exchange rate that the school chooses)?

If the answer is "yes" to every one of those questions, I might say that salary is enough to get by.

If some of those answers are "no", then I'd think twice.

[coledavis]

It is not legal in Russia to pay in US dollars. The question would be whether or not the payment in roubles is pegged to that number of dollars or if it is just an advertised current equivalent.

[maruss]

Cole has referred to something that it is easy to overlook but very important!
In this case ,how much do you know about Sterlitamak and what kind of a place it is,environmentally and regarding lifestyle,costs and facilities etc?
I would do all you can to find out BEFORE making a decision to go there and using Google might be a good start....Let us know as it would be interesting!

[zeke0606]

tudodude -

When I first came to Ufa the salary was $500, apartment, air, visa costs - usual stuff. And that was in 2003. Inside of six months I had a 12x12x12 safe deposit box full of rubles! And I like to spend money like a drunken sailor on leave!

Now, I pay my own rent -- downtown central city Ufa and next to everything you would want, 10,000 rubles/month. I work if I want to and usually don't - but I have pensions from the US.

Until you are 'used' to the climate and how things are done in Russia, that $1000 or about 3000 rubles/month might be thin - they pay the rent and utilities, air and visa and local transportation -- you will be OK!

If you come to Ufa - I know that Language Link is the only "school" that hires outside of Russia and I was there in 2003 and never again.

If you come to Ufa or Sterlitamak - get a hold of me and we can have a beer or two!

Zeke

[zeke0606]

I made a small mistake in that post -- I left off a 0 ---------- $1000 USD = 30,000 rubles or there abouts.


Turbodude -

Did you decide against coming to Bashkortostan? Or are you here?

Zeke

[Kilij-Arslan]

Offering $1000 to start in Ufa seems odd, but knowing cities outside of Moscow I think that it would be a good salary there. The problem is though, that you don't have so many opportunities for private lessons in cities like that; and/or they can't pay as much. In Moscow, $1200 a month means you're living payday to payday, but you can supplement that with private lessons which, depending on how much time you are willing to sacrifice, can earn you up to twice that much on the side. I doubt you would be able to do the same in Ufa.

And like the guy said, check about all the benefits and whatnot. If you have free accommodation, $1000 would go a lot further.

[zeke0606]

Kilij-Arslan,
Do you live in Ufa? And if not, why are you casting aspersions on this wonderful city?
Are you one of those Moscow snobs that MUST earn the maximum dollar for bragging rights at the local expat bar?
And there are so very many opportunities for private tutoring here, one could work 24/7 and have a waiting list. And as far as not paying as much as those being ripped-off in Moscow ----- 500 rubles an hour for a private lesson goes a very long way out here in the 'frontier' far from the tourist dives in Moscow.
You appear to be another know-it-all that understands nothing!

[Kilij-Arslan]