Job Discussion Forums

[CelticSlav]

Hi everyone,

I've been in Korea for nearly two years now, and may well be looking to get out at the end of my current contract (in late August). I've wanted to go to Russia since after I got my CELTA, and almost took a job with LanguageLink in Moscow (judging from what's been posted about them, I dodged a bullet). I'm looking for jobs there again. My goals would be:

-To live someplace that isn't a hideous, overcrowded metropolis like Seoul is (Moscow is out of the question)
-To teach class sizes of no more than 15 people - either elementary school children, or adults
-To move to a more "European" setting after two years in the far east
-To teach at a private, not public, institution - where students are there either because they want to be or because they're very young
-To have access to some wide-open land (see my first goal).
-To save at least a small amount of money

My main question is: do these sound like reasonable motivations to abandon Korea for Russia? Do I have any chance of obtaining this stuff?

I'd also be willing to work in the Ukraine or elsewhere in Eastern Europe, if there were a decent opportunity. If anyone has any advice or recommendations, especially if they too came from Korea, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[anubistaima]

Russia is not very "European" once you step outside of Moscow and even there the comparison would be a little sketchy.

[spiral78]

Saving money is pretty much off the table in Central/Eastern Europe. Salaries are really subsistence level. Consider that buying a bicycle or a winter coat would be a major expense requiring advance financial planning, though most teachers manage to go out and enjoy the area, food, drink, and entertainment being relatively cheap in many places.

Otherwise, Prague, Krakov, Bratislava, and other nice (relatively small) cities probably meet your criteria, in terms of atmosphere, open spaces, and students.

One other issue you may not be aware of: your experience teaching in Korea may not be recognised by employers in the greater Euro region. Most good directors are aware that the Asian teaching context is vastly different from a European one, all the way from classroom approaches and methods to student's expectations regarding how much control they have over what's taught and what kinds of interaction they will have in a class.
Further, most newbie level teachers in this region have a CELTA or equivalent: if you've got less than this, expect to have to shell out the time, money, and energy to get a cert that will be competitive. Online ones aren't usually enough.

[CelticSlav]

Thanks for this info. I had no idea my teaching experience in Korea might not be recognized, but I did get a CELTA before coming to Korea, so no worries there. Also, I've got good references and experience with two different age groups over here, so hopefully that counts for something. I guess we'll see when we get there.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

In Ukraine, Kyiv would be a nice option, though it's not a quaint lil' burg. I would also look at Odessa, L'viv, and Kharkov. I think, with private students, one can save a bit of cash each month in any of those places.
In Russia, your best bet is to get a visa, get ON THE GROUND, sniff around and try to hook yourself up. Choose a mid-sized city (Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk), get to know some people and things happen. My two cents.
By the way, before going to either Russia or Ukraine, be sure you've got some coin saved up for unforeseen expenses. In these countries, that could be almost anything!
Good luck!

[CelticSlav]

[yakov1]

under the visa rules(which look like they will change again soon anyway) you will have rouble without school sponsorship in being on the ground...you can make good money working for yourself but unless you have a TRP(temporary resident permit which usually involves marrying a russian) you are subject to 90 days in and out of the country at a time.

my best advice is to be invited by a school and have that all sorted for you...depending on where you are if you don't like the school you can jump ship from within russia to another(just be mindful how you do this)...i know plenty who have...

as for money....well it comes down to you...i am on typical salary of circa $1000 plus apartment etc(not in moscow)....i also have a military pension worh another $1000 to me every month....i never have money even on double a teacher salary!

however the canadian and american guys who rely soley on their teacher salary ALWAYS have money....they just cook a lot more at home etc and have no trouble saving a bit and partying quite hard too.

the female american teacher saves HALF her salary a month and is also happy to party etc occasionally....

so yes you can save but it depends on your lifestyle(i cant though...lol)

[maruss]

Definitely avoid Moscow because it has all the things you don't want,apart from money!But even though I was well paid there compared to the Mac schools and was by no means extravagant,I still found it hard to save money on a reliable basis:I also definitely agree about having the 'reserve fund' as a safety net because unexpected things have a nasty habit of going wrong:my final one was at the airport in Domodyedovo when I left and the guy on check-in insisted I had to pay around 50 dollars equivalent in roubles for excess baggage,which I knew I didn't have and I also had to go to another queue to change money!!I t was also pouring with rain and cold and due to extension works on the terminal I had to drag my stuff through it as cars could not approach the departure area that day!!I was more than happy to see blue sky again when the plane got above the clouds and not at all sorry to be leaving Russia for what was effectively the last time, unlike how I had felt on previous occasions!

[anubistaima]

I think saving money in Russia would be tough, if not impossible. I lived well enough when I was there, but only because I work as a freelance writer for a US company, so I had money coming in in addition to my teaching salary. Otherwise, good luck. Novosibirsk is smaller and might fit your criteria in that regard, but it has NOTHING that resembles an European feel. And it's expensive. A winter coat will set you back 150-200 USD. Same for a pair of boots. Once winter rolls around, fruits and vegetables cost a fortune. You might be better off in Eastern Europe or even Ukraine.