Job Discussion Forums

[misteradventure]

Simply hoping to revive the thread, as Russia's oil wealth obviously has an impact on price inflation and wage inflation. I've watched the price of imported canned corn increase 50% in the supermarket- before the flooding in the USA.

My question is this- I'm contemplating a position that pays $RUB30,000/month and includes (shared) flat near the center (so prices will naturally be higher in the shops and cafes) and I'm wondering if it is worth it.

(This next bit is off-topic, but I want you folks to know that I'm not out here as some "adventurer" who wants to explore the exotic East.)

It is more than they are offering in Poland, for example, without the discrimination against Yanks, etc.

I believe most 'schools' in Poland are simply small 'training centers' who could not get the visa waiver Poland passed for foreign language teachers as they are not registered with the Ministry of Education and do not comply with the requirements for schools. But they don't pay all that well either.

Wages there, for example, are still around the 2000zl mark- more money in terms of the collapsing USD, but hardly extravagant. I have a friend who makes 150% of that wage as an executive secretary for a Polish concern.

So, back on-topic- I have no idea what costs are for living in a city of perhaps half million inhabitants on the edges of the Empire. As this is mid 2008, anyone have constructive comments to contribute?

[rusmeister]

30K r is still a minimum wage gig, even with a room thrown in. It's OK for someone starting out, I suppose, but cost of living (COL) is still not going to be super-cheap because prices of anything not grown locally are not going to be much cheaper. If you have a solid resume of experience, I wouldn't take it, but if you don't and are looking to build it (and have nothing better to do) it might be worth a whirl.

[maruss]

Without knowing which city you are referring to, I would agree with Rusmeister that the salary is nothing exceptional(don't believe what the firm says!)and in principle I don't agree with people being expected to share accomodation with someone unknown.If you got on well with another teacher and both opted to share that would be a different case but things can often go wrong for the most trivial reasons and they have a nasty habit of multiplying until they become intolerable and one of you has to move out!!I can confirm this from my own personal experience when I nearly spoiled what had been a very good relationship with a woman after accepting her suggestion to rent a spare room with her and her kids that was empty in her appartment!
It is also true that inflation is becoming a problem in Russia(just like in many other countries, as we all know only too well!!)and the cost of basic foods etc. has gone up alarmingly there, especially during the last year or so.Prices outside the capital are not proportionately lower in comparison to the massive difference in incomes so this is why so many people are flocking into Moscow for better paid jobs,even if they have to commute for several hours each day, whatever the conditions etc.Of course this makes the congestion and overcrowding on the roads and trains etc. worse and adds up to more stress and aggravation for everyone,residents included!
So I wouldn't take a job in a provincial city expecting everything to be dirt-cheap there or you will probably be in for an unpleasant surprise!Unless you already know the place you are going to and have deliberately chosen it for that reason,I would also bear in mind that in the even that things do go haywire with the job(I hope not of course!) you could be in a very bad position when it comes to finding another one and alternative accomodation, so I would have this in mind.
Feeel free to p.m. me for more advice if you prefer.

[rusmeister]

I'll just say that maruss is quite right on this one.