Job Discussion Forums

[Elan]

Please give me a perspective on my concern:

I am an American citizen of Indian decent. I was not born in the United States. I only speak English and it is the only language I have spoken all my life. Am I a native speaker?

I am 49 years old and have had a career in IT. I have worked for Georgetown University, California State University and even was a consultant for Arthur Anderson! The pay was great but I am tired of it. I love to teach and taught math classes and English as a graduate assistant while doing Graduate Studies at Georgia State University. I love to explain everything to my student especially the foreign student and I am a talker! I was also a debater at the University during my undergrad days.

I am planning to take CELTA in Moscow possibly in Januarys or February next years. And I am wondering if I can find a place in Russia to teach. I have been to Russia several times and surely it is like night and day compared to long beach California. I read recently that the skin head are romping in Moscow killing people with dark skin and it got me worried.

Do you think I am a crazy idiot to give up a six figure salary in the States to do start something that will bring more satisfaction and joy then cracking my head writing codes that is sucking the life out of me?


P.S I am single and have a dog

[rusmeister]

Well, I wouldn't say you are an idiot. Your dream is certainly laudable.

However, it would be good to know that while skinheads are random and can generally be avoided, walking past the cops and getting stopped for 'document checks' based on your skin color is a real and regular possibility, esp. due to all the people here (esp. illegally) from the Caucauses and Central Asia.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

LOL, I actually thought your subject heading was a joke: "Am I am idoit?"

[maruss]

My honest and sincere advice to you is that with your experience and qualifications you could find work in many countries which are far better to live in than Russia, for so many reasons!I also wouldn't take a course there either as there are plenty of other cities where you could do it,apart from those in the U.S.A. and England such as Barcelona,Prague etc. all of which are much more pleasant than Moscow!
Sorry if I sound negative,but having been there, done it and knowing the place very well for a long time I cannot honestly recommend Russia to you.
Drop me a line if you need more information.
All the best!
M.

[coledavis]

I'm inclined to agree with the previous respondent, and I like Russia. Unfortunately, many Russians have a problem with people who aren't 'white'. Why look for trouble when there are so many other countries which would welcome you as a native speaker?

[Elan]

Maruss and Coledavis

I thank you very much for your advice and insight. I appreciate the benefit of your experiences too. In my career I have found it much more rewarding to pay people to find fault with my logic and my perception of things than to accept compliments without reservation and then realizing that a mistake may have bee made. It is in that spirit that I am putting out my thoughts about Russia.

I have spent a few weeks in Kazan, Orenburg and passed through Samara and Ufa. I stayed with friends during my visit. I noticed that people were curious and occasionally steal a glanced at me. Even the gypsies were curious. Of course I did fork out a few loose changes, against the advice of my friends, to make a contribution to the betterment of the gypsies� spirit everywhere.

Throughout my trip in Russia, the common people I met along the way were very pleasant and it seems me that I am unable to reconcile the news of the barbaric skinhead to my personal experiences in Russia.

I hope you can enlighten me further to dislodge my romantic view of Russia! How true it is that people tend see what they want to see and I feel that am no different!

I will look into Prague and I will be happy if you could make recommendations of places that offer CELTA. I am hoping to do my homework and make the best educated decision. And I am hoping to complete my CELTA by the end of february.

[Millerlong]

You gave gypsies money? haha, you have a lot to learn. Best to have nothing to do with those thieving con artist thugs. Absolute scum.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

I apologize for my trite comment earlier, but I honestly did think it was a joke!
Anyway, I currently live in Vladivostok, I'm not "white", and I haven't (yet, knocking on wood as I type) personally suffered racism. I have heard some anti-American comments by people who didn't think I understood Russian, but nothing overly racist. People are, of course, curious, but are perhaps to polite or shy to say anything.
This isn't to say racism doesn't exist: It does. Most of the racism here, however, is focused on the Chinese (interesting to note that these people appear to be the hardest-working and diligent people around).
Also, I feel safe 99% of the time. The only times I don't feel safe is late at night in a dimly lit area. Avoid this sort of situation (sometimes, admittedly, hard to avoid) and violence shouldn't be a problem. I'd like to remind you, also, that I live in Vladivostok, not Moscow or St. Petersburg, where the situations might be quite different.
This is not a recommendation, or condemnation, of any sort, just my experience.
Good luck!

[maruss]

Interesting comments from others members of this site!I would agree that on an individual basis,Russians can be very good hearted and welcoming-in fact, several of my very best friends are from there and I have visited a lot of countries.For example,I have spent much of the last 28 years or so living in the Greek-Cypriot part of Cyprus and apart from very few exceptions,I have to say honestly that I have not made any close friends here, even though my wife was born here and I speak the language well etc.Apart from the island mentality which prevails in these type of small countries, we also have historical and other on-going problems, many of which date from the British Colonial period.On top of all that there are also a lot of 'nouveau-riche' and arrogant people here who remind me of the 'New Russians' in many ways!The Cypriots also have a lot of pyschological hang-ups which a leading analyst here described as a 'superior inferiority complex', although they tend to seem very outwardly friendly and hospitable and this has contributed to the islands tourist reputation.(which has been sadly fading in recent years due to a number of factors!)
Coming back to Russia, what got to me most was the inequality between a priveledged few and the vast majority, the corruption and cynicism of officials etc. and the alarming indifference of most people to what is rapidly becoming another nasty dictatorship, especially when those responsible for Stalins crimes and the Gulag etc, have never been called to account for their actions!In addition to all that you have the awful weather for much of the year, the pollution and grime and overcrowding etc etc!!These factors are too much to be compensated for by the good things such as the culture, history and lovely scenery if you find the chance to explore this vast country!

[Millerlong]

"welcoming"???? Just try the visa process and you will then see how welcomed you are.

[canucktechie]

I spent 2 years in Moscow and met some teachers of Indian ancestry and didn't hear of any problems from them.

I also did not once see someone whom I would describe as a "skinhead".

Now before someone gets testy I am not claiming that non-whites never have any problems in Russia. However some people seem to think that every Metro train has a carload of skinheads ready to pounce on the first non-white they see.

India was quite close to the old USSR and Russians generally have a positive view of Indian people. Also many of them vacation there.

You won't have any problems getting a job if you successfully complete the CELTA.

Re gypsies: you wouldn't want to be mistaken for one, but I think that's unlikely. Also the whole time I never saw an adult male gypsy - maybe they're all hiding somewhere.

[Elan]

When I got off the plane at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, all I had was a name to the train station from which I had to take a train to kazan. Sensing that I need some help a Russian man stepped and offered to lead me to the information counter where I can find someone who spoke English. He asked for no money and promptly left after talking me to the counter. I got a cab and paid 40 usd to o go Kazanski train station to buy a ticked to Kazan. I did not speak a word of Russian. With improvised sign language I managed to get on the right train and arrived in Kazan safely the next morning. During the trip the person who shared the cabin offered to share his food with me. The only thing that bothered me was the 3 passport checks in Moscow within 3 hours and 1 in Orenburg.

So this is the contradiction of Russia. It seems to offer the best of the best and the worse of the worse! But then that is how I feel about the US of A! Just try wondering at skid row in LA and immediately you will have a reality check on where you really are!

As far as visa application process, I did that all that on line and I had to pay about 130 usd to get a tourist visa. No hassle at all and upon entering the Sheremetyevo the custom officer looked at my luggage and asked why I carried 2 dozen Belgium chocolate and I took it that he would like to have one. And I gave him bar. In fact I have more of a hassle going into Chennai than into Moscow.

I guess I am trying got convince myself that going to Russian for a months is not a big risk and the possibility of exploring that country for the next 5 years is very tempting. Perhaps if I keep reading all of your posting I may come to a conclusion as to what I should do. I hope to read more posting of your experiences and perspective on Russia

[expatella_girl]

Visiting Russia and living in Russia are two entirely different things.

I'm delighted that you were so happy with your experiences here before, but I'm with maruss on the issue. In complete agreement.

After you've seen the museums and churches and breathed in the culture, you're living in a cold inhospitable 3rd world country. Poor, backward, unplumbed, xenophobic, and frigid. It takes perhaps a little over a year to come to this conclusion.

Perhaps your first year will be bliss? Good luck to you.

[canucktechie]

[Deicide]

I have the feeling though that if you are interested in Russian language and literature you couldn't do much better than Russia....