[presidentcarter]

(12-07-2014 08:15 AM)Chaos Wrote:  

So what?
I have absolutley zero interest of spending new year in Ukraine.

I really don't want this to turn into another Russia vs. Ukraine thread unless you have some specific info on the teaching biz there and are suggesting I go.

(12-06-2014 06:43 AM)William Windsor Wrote:  

presidentcarter, excuse me saying this but I don't think you went to Russia to save cash. So what else is going on? Please elaborate on how Moscow is not meeting your expectations, if that is the case.

William, I'm happy you asked. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Moscow. I very much like it here overall. The only thing that's really lacking in my experience here is the food. I watch Bourdain's or Eddie Huang's shows and it makes me pine for cheap, delicious Asian street food. Moscow sucks in this regard.

Anyway, it basically boils down to this: when I came here, after leaving a finance career in the US, I kind of had a one foot in one foot out mentality and was thinking that I may spend a few years here then return to the states and get back into finance. Sometimes I do miss a stable paycheck, driving a nice car, wearing a nice watch, and seeing my family more often. But, even after a year, I really feel no strong desire to "go back". So, I have to consider longer term options which are viable. No, I didn't come here to save money, but with the insane devaluation, it makes even saving up for a week on the Black Sea or any excursions outside Russia in general much harder. Essentially if I stay here I am treading water and the worse the economy gets, the faster I begin to sink.

Inflation is beginning to strike here. My date last night had to go home because she was getting up early to go to IKEA today because on the 16th IKEA is raising all of it's prices in Russia. That's just one example. I expect to see pricing creeping up in restaurants, bars, my local shops very soon and at a faster pace than usual. Also, I don't see my employer or students raising my wage or prices for lessons due to the devaluation. Everyone is feeling the pinch.

This does create some job stability for expat teachers here though. There are less native speakers willing to come here and the demand is two sided - some companies and students will be less willing to pay for English lesson, while others will be more willing because they see it as the only "way out" of the country and will focus more on English.

So, the question of relocating encompasses a longer term plan of teaching and living abroad, in a stable way. Sure I could go to the Middle East and stack cash for a year or two and return here, but my dating life would be abysmal. Or I could alter my course entirely and go to Asia, where I may find much better long term opportunities (perhaps something entrepreneurial or a move back into something finance related while staying in Asia).

Russia just doesn't provide sound long term opportunities now that I'm starting to realize that I don't...ever...want to go back to the states. And this economic meltdown doesn't help matters.

I'm not saying I'm definitely leaving. I'll be here for at least another nine months. But, a move takes months of research, hence why I'm starting to brainstorm.

Also, as regards girl's opinion of English teachers here, it's mixed bag but mostly positive. The top girls here aren't going to be interested in any expat, whether you're an English teacher or business mogul. For one, they are usually the worst about speaking English. They just don't have a reason to learn. And two, they're perfectly happy being spoiled by their rich Russian suitors. However, many of the 6-8 girls here are quite curious and interested in a foreigner and some are very surprised and excited to know I'm a teacher because they're happy to not only have a nice foreigner to date but also someone to practice their English with. The English teaching profession is viewed as "hired help" only by the rich here and most people look at us with curiosity and interest, assuming you're not a fresh college graduate that's here for a gap year or something and you just go out drinking cheap beers with other teachers every weekend. The old adage that location doesn't fix game certainly applies. Those guys pull the 5-6s, even here. Also, it helps to let people know that I've come here intentionally and not just because I found a decent job here. Saying "I chose to come here, specifically here" always gets them excited.