Job Discussion Forums

prospect · Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 3

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

So, I have recently passed my CELTA, and i am looking for/applying for jobs at the moment, and I am really rather interested in Russia because it seems to be a really interesting place to 'pay ones dues'.

I understand as a first time teacher I cannot command the highest of salaries, however, whilst researching some schools on this forum and around the web generally, i have found something rather disturbing.

In my position, of coarse, i am looking at the 'McSchools' and these, such as IH and LanguageLink as well as a couple of other smaller schools in Moscow seem to be offering a general salary of about 35,000 RUR.

However, I saw a post from 6 years(!) ago whilst researching Windsor Language School, that a teacher should demand at least $2,000 on top of the accommodation, thats more like 80,000 RUR.

I am asking really, for advice, can one live on 35,000 RUR? Are the jobs paying this hidden from those of us that are new to the industry, or should i be going in to this process expecting to negotiate and double the offered salary?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to at least read this.

Prospect

teacher X · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:49 pm Post subject:

It all depends on you as a person. Can YOU live on 35,000?
Russians can.

As for Windsor. I had an interview with them before I came here (about 20 months ago) and they were offering about 40,000rub and an apartment.

In short, you WONT get 80k from a McSchool.

Honestly, I'd say that Russia is the worst place to come as a new teacher. Russians actually have standards and expectations (well, some do).
Asia is a much better place to start off as a teacher since you can screw up almost daily and it wont matter. It's a much softer entry into the ESL world.

Of course, if you want to dive in, sink or swim, Russia might be the place for you.

Basically, find a job with a McSchool for low hours and an average wage. Then you do what everyone else does and pick up privates and make an decent wage. If you're happy to work weekends, you'll hit 100k no problem.
Get yourself settled and a bit of experience and then the following year you can go out into the wilds of Russia and hunt the big game.

Honestly, if you're here for the money, you've come at a bad time. If you're here for the melancholic, alcoholic, snowasholic, babe-a-lovic times, it's all good.

Brunouno · Joined: 18 Apr 2013 Posts: 129

I agree with everything that teacher x has said. Not only do Russians have standards and expectations, some can be very judgmental and have attitude problems (not just the kids). In my opinion, Moscow is rather westernised, and it doesn't have the novelty or exotic factor that most people think it has. Moreover, it isn't a foreigner-friendly place.

If I were in your shoes, I would do what teacher x said and live in an Asian country where your salary will be unheard of compared to most of the locals and live a lifestyle of your choosing. Asia doesn't mean China; there are many Asian countries that are constantly advertising such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Korea to name a few. These countries are much more welcoming, and you would likely have a better time.

Be careful about having a picture of the non-mill schools being the holy grail. If one looks closely, you will see that most of the non-mill schools have salaries and conditions that are comparable to the mill schools. There was a job advertised recently on Dave's offering 1300-2000 for a whopping 190 academic hours a month! That would kill anyone. The mill schools cop most of the flack because they are so big. It's an expensive process to hire a foreign teacher, and the smaller schools need to offer a salary and conditions that are similar to the chains in order to offer courses that are similarly priced to the chain schools.

GotoRussia · Joined: 02 Jan 2014 Posts: 182

Good advice by all. Russia isn't for the faint of heart. I have lived in China and South Korea as well. Although I wasn't teaching in Asia I was studying and saw firsthand how students and teachers interact.

Teachers are respected more in Asia.

Salary wise I know some friends teaching in China and the starting wages are higher, in the $2000 US range.

I don't think asking for double salary in Russia is a good negotiating tactic, they will most likely not bother responding to you at all.

As for living on $1000, it's all "perspective". Are you a recent college graduate who is used to mac and cheese dinners, ramen noodles. Or do you need your daily Starbucks fix, shop at Whole Foods and buy designer clothes.

Moscow in general is much more expensive than Asia for basic things, save for the metro and mobile phone plans!

but if Russia is where you want to go then by all means do it.

prospect · Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 3

Thank you guys for responding.

It is really helpful to get advice from people in the know.

I am interested in Russia because i have always been fascinated by it, i have a few Russian friends and we've always had a good time.

I am not used to designer clothes etc. My only concern is not being able to do a basic food shop and the like.

I will continue with my applications, and no, i had no intention of demanding double the salary, i was just unsure of what the advice meant!

Is the VISA process difficult for a UK national?

Any other hints and tips you have for me would be much appreciated, and if i do make it out there, i'll buy you guys a drink sometime... only a small one mind!

Thanks again

Prospect

teacher X · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:25 pm Post subject:

Well, you'll be able to eat for sure.

I've just checked my cupboard to see how much my vegetables were.
5 medium potatoes - £0.06
Medium sized cabbage- £0.18
4 large carrots - £0.09
2 cloves of garlic - £0.07

I just went shopping, so they're still in their bags with the weights and prices stuck on them.
As you can see, if you like your vegetables you wont go hungry.

Meat on the other hand is pretty poor quality and far more expensive than you'll buy in the UK. I love lamb, but expect to pay £10+ for 450kg of fatty mutton. Bacon is a total joke and shouldn't even be called bacon.

The VISA process is pretty simple for Brits. Any potential school should sort it out for you with minimal hassle.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:45 pm Post subject:

Come to Russia! Live the dream!

Come to the home of dialectical materialism. Forget the soulless materialistic west, and their decadence.

teacher X · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:49 pm Post subject:

Sashadroogie · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:55 pm Post subject:

By counter do you mean collective noun? Tsk tsk...

And they are not materialistic - they are just highly-trained operatives, adept at weeding out those with no Socialist ardour and playing them at their own game.

Counter-revolutionaries tremble in their presence... Especially at the knees...

teacher X · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:34 pm Post subject:

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 4:14 am Post subject:

Shame on you, teacher X! How can you bear to face those lovely dyevs when they'd know so much more about linguistics than you???

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 5:20 am Post subject:

Perhaps you can arrange some private tutorials with one o them... Very Happy

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 5:21 am Post subject:

A bevy - great collective noun. As in a bevy of gorgeous Komsomol... molls!

prospect · Joined: 02 Oct 2014 Posts: 3

Do you know the collective noun for flamingoes?

A flamboyance... apt perhaps...?

Thanks for those prices teacher x, helps to set my mind at rest, or stomach, maybe both.

Anyways, more applications to ping off.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

You all know what happened to me with the one I met in that bookshop!!
Actually,probably the worst part was accepting the lift in her fathers car back to Moscow with her on the Sunday evening.....it was an old Lada Zhiguli which stank of petrol and exhaust inside and after all the food and especially the drink they had plied me with I kept wanting to ask them to stop so I could leap out and throw-up while were stuck for about two hours in a terrible queue of traffic!It was a miracle how I held on until we came to the metro at Kuzminki!!That is one of my worst memories of Russia......