Job Discussion Forums

[KatyaGooner]

Hi, I have two job offers for summer school - one in Moscow (with LL), one in Tashkent (with Westminster University).

I speak Russian reasonably well and have worked in Russia as an EFL teacher before and I know all about the glorified babysitting job that is summer EFL teaching.

The money is about the same (ie. crap) for both jobs, but I'm more interested in the experience. My heart says Tashkent, but my head's not so sure.

Any suggestions which to take? Thanks.

[maruss]

Although it is a very interesting country with lots of history etc. the regime there is one of the nastiest in the world and Karimovs secret police have literally boiled opponents and dissenters alive!The former British Ambassador there was fired after threatening to expose western tolerance and collaberation with the regime,ostensibly because of the strategic value of our base there which is used against the Taliban in Afghanistan!Strange how human rights go out of the window when it suits them??
Personally,I wouldn't want to do more than make a quick visit to such a country and feel very sorry for people who have to live there.
Not that I admire Putin either and his corrupt former K.G.B. lackeys who now run Russia with a not very 'glove hand' but at least they don't boil people alive as far as I am aware!

[kazachka]

Maruss has a valid point here. If you go there in the summer, I hope you like hot climates too -sheesh! After this last week in Moscow, I've had enough to last me the rest of the yr, but I'm a polar bear and like it cold. As far as Tashkent, I have a FEMALE friend who survived Peace Corps there. If you are female, it's also not the friendliest place to be either. Please consider this.

[The_Hanged_Man]

I actually worked in Uzbekistan for two years as part of the Peace Corps. I lived in a region in the far west part of the country called Karakalpakstan, which is ground zero for the Aral Sea disaster. I have pictures of fishing villages and ship graveyards that are now 50km away from the sea. Absolutely surreal. When I asked people who visited my town what they thought I usually got comments along the line of 'it looks like something out of a Mad Max movie' or 'it looks like the end of the world'.

If you do go, and get out of Tashkent, you will be able to see things that are truly amazing. Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva are silk road cities that have some of the best Islamic architecture in the world. There are many hidden and forgotten ancient Pre-Islamic and Zoroastrian ruins in the desert waiting to be discovered.

Unfortunately, Uzbekistan is one of the least tourist friendly and corrupt societies in existence today. If you don't speak Russian very well or have friends that can show you around I don't advise going. Not being able to communicate will leave you at the mercy of local authorities and con artists who take you for every thing you got.

[mdk]

Hmmm, Moscow or Tashkent now there's a decision.

I don't think anybody ever wrote a song called, "Tashhkent nights".

You ought to go down to Borders and read thru the lonely planet guide to Moscow. (You don't have to buy it) Read up about the sights on the golden ring, and kholomenskoe park, and the Tretyakoff gallery.


I think you'll be able to decide after that.

(Sigh) If you go have a pork chop at that little Korean place behind the statue of Engels at Kropotkinskaya and then walk thru the park to the Gogol statue.

[maruss]

And when you've done all that,plan your exit strategy-take well-meaning advice from someone who survived there for 6 months in the winter of 2005/6!
Even though there won't be any snow there at this time of year(mind you,who knows with climate change and global warming etc??) don't imagine the dirt and grime and polluted air etc etc get better in summer-if anything they are worse!That's without mentioning the crowds on the metro and buses as well as the rudeness and crudeness of the place....Six months there aged me six years and I can somehow forgive people for acting that way because most of them are so stressed-out from just trying to earn a living.
But it has to be admitted that there is nowhere else like it on earth and for that reason I say to almost everyone to see it once!

[mdk]

Well, I can agree that Moscow is a large city and has all the drawbacks of being one.

But really all those things you mention are things I noticed while I was staying in Philadelphia. Subway behavior aside, I have always found the Russians to be refreshingly polite - except for the exceptions you would easily find in Philadelphia too.


The exit strategy is simple, You take the 801 bus from Rechnoi Voksal and get on the airplane when it gets to Shremetovo II. Either that, or you can take the Night train to Helsinki from the Leningrad station. Frankly, I would opt for the train to Helsinki. Then you can catch the ferry over to Stockholm for a walk in the deer garden and then a stroll down Stureplan.

[maruss]

Avoid Sheremetyevo and use Domodyedovo-the first one is a Soviet-era s*** hole with a few cosmetic updates and represents everything I hate about Russia,while the second is another world and run by Eastline who at least try to make passengers feel like human beings,not annoying items that need handling!
As a general rule,I try to use airlines from Domod. whenever possible!

[KatyaGooner]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question about summer school in Moscow or Tashkent.

Well, I'm off to Tashkent on Tuesday for a couple of months. I appreciate it will be an interesting experience with some difficulties but hopefully my Russian will be up to the challenge and hey, the whole reason I did CELTA was for the experience so I can't pass up on Uzbekistan.

Have a good summer and wish me luck!