Job Discussion Forums

[mdk]

I don't think anybody has mentioned what I think is essential advice. At least be able to read cyrillic characters and sound them out. Many Russian words are direct cognate although you will find the occasional false friend.

They have a book down at Barnes and Noble called something like "Russian in 10 minutes a day" it will at least get you to the point of asking simple directions and buying food.

My other survival tips are

(a) the word for a chicken leg is "okarochok" and the word for a smoked chicken leg (available in most grocery stores) is "kopchoni ocarochok".

(b) if somebody drops a bankroll on the ground in front of you, keep walking and if they start hasseling you, say, "Let's go find a cop and settle this."

(c) if you "must" get sauced in Russia, do it in your room with the door locked.

[Sgt Killjoy]

Good advice. I take it you have experience with the bankroll one?

[mdk]

It happened on Tverskaya last fall. A guy walking beside me dropped a wad in a baggie at my feet and I walked on. He tried to get my attention and I just kept walking. Then this guy showed up and wanted to look in my back pack. I let him look which was probably a mistake, but I think he could see that I didn't have much to bilk out of me. I never touched the money and kept pointing to the wad thrower who was standing by and saying search him.

I would be tempted to kick it in the gutter next time, but who knows? They might be carrying knives. In general it is a paradigm for people who go to Russia thinking it is a place to get rich. You are liable to get it stuck to you good and hard. Russia is a place to go and enjoy the people and see the sights.

It was broad daylight.

[Def]

[Def]

As an additional... I've travelled around various African, Asian and European countries, and not once have I had a bad experience with crime. Meanwhile, many, many... many... years ago, I was held at knife point as a kid (well, 13) by four guys who wanted to look in my schoolbag to see if I had (and subsequently steal) a laptop. Which, incidentally, was about 3 years old, b&w, and had a cracked screen. So unless they were just really desperate to play solitaire, man they were in for a disappointment.

Anywho, this was at 4 in the afternoon, nice suburb, outside a hospital. Haven't heard of anything like that happening before or since, in the same area.

Heh. I feel almost as though I'm betraying Australia with that story. This is without doubt my favourite country, Melbourne is an awesome city, rah rah rah. I wouldn't consider it a dangerous place, despite that happening. Point is more... this sorta stuff can happen anywhere, even if the likelihood is higher in certain places. So the possibility of it happening isn't much of a deterrence for going somewhere, to me.

As ever though, I appreciate the advice.

As the Australian government is especially fond of saying: Be alert, but not alarmed!

... gits.

[ColdRodear]

Well Def I gotta tell you that there is more crime going on in Australia than the average Aussie knows about. Years ago, I lived in Kings Cross and every shop owner on the strip was connected to one mob or the other for protection. The hoods there wore suits and drove Mercedes'. I get into more trouble in Australia than I do in the USA.

[Def]

Hahah... well yeah. Considering you're talking about Kings Cross... I wouldn't expect any differently. But the Cross isn't really an adequate representation of the rest of Australia. And don't get me wrong, by no means am I suggesting Australia is crime free. In fact I think my last post was pretty much pointing out the opposite. This is my whole... er.. point. Crime can occur anywhere. It isn't really a reason not to travel somewhere (from my pov).

I've just never experienced the whole 'bankroll scenario' mdk was referring to, nor known anyone else to, so I'm wondering if it's more common to Russia.

Aaand so I don't stray completely from the purpose of my original post, if anyone has any advice on choosing between the main three schools, I'd still be happy to hear it. If anyone has any opinion about Rostov-on-Don, I'd also like to hear about that.

[maruss]

How about New Zealand?That's generally quite a safe country but admittedly very quiet too!Compared to Moscow it's like a dream!What will do you in in Moscow more than the mob is the dirt and grime,overcrowding,dirty air and rudeness etc.-plus of course, the legendary awful weather!

[coledavis]

Returning to learning to read. I would suggest just learning the printed version of Russian cyrillic, not the handwritten, at this stage of the game. The latter is a bit difficult for a beginner and you're unlikely to need it while you're learning. With the printed version, you can at least find your way around the shops and even patch together notes to explain things to people.

[Def]

[coledavis]

Well, one useful thing is that most Russian words are pronounced as they're spelled, so once you've mastered reading print, you can then use a dictionary, not just to point words out to Russians but also to prepare some crude sentences. I say crude because getting the grammar right is a very very different kettle of fish!

[canucktechie]

[Def]