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tommyp32
Joined: 12 Nov 2014
Posts: 19
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 Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:45 pm Post subject: American, Bachelor's degree, TEFL, considering Russia |
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So, as my thread topic suggests, I am an American with a bachelor's degree and a TEFL. I am considering applying for positions in Russia.
I am wondering
1. What is the current climate like towards Americans primarily and then expats in general? Sometimes the political situation makes me uneasy so I am wondering about that and how it has effected people.
2. Where are places to consider going aside from Moscow or St. Petersburg? (not saying I wouldn't teach there, but if there are other good parts of the country to consider I'd like to know about them.)
3. Who are the more reputable employers?
4. How does pay/ cost of living in Russia compare to that of other Eastern European countries?
Thanks for any advice. |
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EFL Educator
Joined: 17 Jul 2013
Posts: 988
Location: Cape Town
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| Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:00 am Post subject: |
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Your main concern should be about savings....you are likely to save very little or nothing at all teaching English in Russia....the depreciating currency against the dollar will not benefit you at all as you will be paid in local Russian rouples. It is almost like swearing an oath of poverty teaching English in Russia these days!  |
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tommyp32
Joined: 12 Nov 2014
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:59 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I forgot about the currency crisis. That will certainly be something to consider. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2015 7:01 am Post subject: |
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Rubles, gentlemen!
Not as shakey as the media would have you believe. Just like the euro and dollar have had some shocks in the last 10 years, but are still around.
In any case, charge your private students in dollars if you are worried about currency exchange rates.
Oath of poverty? Such piffle! |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2015 11:20 pm Post subject: Re: American, Bachelor's degree, TEFL, considering Russia |
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| tommyp32 wrote: |
So, as my thread topic suggests, I am an American with a bachelor's degree and a TEFL. I am considering applying for positions in Russia.
I am wondering
1. What is the current climate like towards Americans primarily and then expats in general? Sometimes the political situation makes me uneasy so I am wondering about that and how it has effected people.
2. Where are places to consider going aside from Moscow or St. Petersburg? (not saying I wouldn't teach there, but if there are other good parts of the country to consider I'd like to know about them.)
3. Who are the more reputable employers?
4. How does pay/ cost of living in Russia compare to that of other Eastern European countries?
Thanks for any advice. |
1) Russians prefer Brits over Americans. Sorry, we're just better  (plus we're closer physically!) Plus a vast majority of Americans (and Brits for that matter) tend to go to Russia expecting everything to be the same as their own country...and this is coming from Russians themselves!
2) Anywhere west of the Urals
3) Well...
4) Moscow and St P are obviously far more expensive than anywhere else |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 1:50 am Post subject: |
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| Russians prefer Brits over Americans. Sorry, we're just better Wink (plus we're closer physically!) |
Hehehehehe. My numerous Russian students will be amused to hear this  |
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tommyp32
Joined: 12 Nov 2014
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:15 am Post subject: |
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The Brits are closer than the Yanks? Depending on where in the country we are, I'd say us Yanks are quite a bit closer.  |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:29 am Post subject: |
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| tommyp32 wrote: |
| Depending on where in the country we are, I'd say us Yanks are quite a bit closer. |
You're able to see Sarah Palin from your home in Russia? |
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tommyp32
Joined: 12 Nov 2014
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:45 am Post subject: |
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Without binoculars.  |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 6:36 am Post subject: Re: American, Bachelor's degree, TEFL, considering Russia |
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| Gamajorba wrote: |
1) Russians prefer Brits over Americans. Sorry, we're just better (plus we're closer physically!) Plus a vast majority of Americans (and Brits for that matter) tend to go to Russia expecting everything to be the same as their own country...and this is coming from Russians themselves!
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Not really true. Our own students may say such things, but that doesn't make them generally true. I have found that students here dislike both toughly equally. Americans are plagued by cliches like being overfed and stupid, not to mention gun-happy. The British are seen as perfidious and lacking in any soul. 'Prefer' doesn't come into it. Unless you mean accent? A lot of students claim to prefer 'classical English', by which they seem to mean RP. Not too many teachers like that knocking around these days though, even from the UK... |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 8:21 am Post subject: |
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Exactly Sasha, the accent. Like everything else in this world, it's not clear cut and there are many exceptions, but that's something *I* have noticed. No doubt you have heard differently.
Thank god I've been blessed with a 2nd nationality AND a non-descript accent  |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 8:34 am Post subject: |
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The accent issue is a red herring, though. Most learners who get hung up on it are elementary learners who can barely tell the difference anyway... What they mean by 'chisti angliski' doesn't exist in the real world.
Which second nationality do you mean? Out of idle curiosity... |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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Exactly Sasha, the accent. Like everything else in this world, it's not clear cut and there are many exceptions, but that's something *I* have noticed. No doubt you have heard differently.
Thank god I've been blessed with a 2nd nationality AND a non-descript accent |
Brit-speaking Irish teacher? My Irish colleague snorted at the notion and mumbled something about plastic paddies...which of course I don't get, being North American myself. |
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Stirlitz17
Joined: 11 Mar 2015
Posts: 14
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
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Exactly Sasha, the accent. Like everything else in this world, it's not clear cut and there are many exceptions, but that's something *I* have noticed. No doubt you have heard differently.
Thank god I've been blessed with a 2nd nationality AND a non-descript accent |
Brit-speaking Irish teacher? My Irish colleague snorted at the notion and mumbled something about plastic paddies...which of course I don't get, being North American myself. |
Or a Scottish teacher? Can't imagine that's an easy accent for a foreigner to deal with, some of my friends from the South of England have problems understanding Scots. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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| I work with some Scots; their in-class English is perfectly clear, but if they natter together over a pint, it's another language. Fair enough. |
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