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Sunday 24 August 2014

So, you want to teach in Russia?



If you are interested in teaching in a country that is full of history, culture, natural beauty and quirky people, then Russia could be the destination for you.  Maybe you're fascinated in the brutal past of this country, or maybe you're a huge fan of Tolstoy, Pushkin, or the other heavyweights of Russian literature.  Perhaps you've already visited Russia before and you were enthralled by its people and customs.  Whatever, the reason, Russia is an interesting place to live and work.  And, if you don't mind extremely cold winters and humid summers, and a bit of bureaucracy, then this could be the place for you.  

Stalin was a bad man.  A very bad man.
Russian Twerk Team...twerking their twerky stuff

It gets very, very cold in the winter
Go on Pushkin!!


Just some of the reasons to come to Russia:  lashings of brutal history, lots of ice and snow in the winter, a wealth of literature and The Russian Twerk Team.  I've only mentioned a few.  The list is much longer and it would most definitely include vodka.

But, if there was one reason to come to Russia, just one out of so many, I would say:  the Russian people. As I've mentioned in previous posts I think this is what makes Russia such a great country.  For an English teacher abroad Russian adults and children are fantastic to teach.  See previous posts for more details.

Preparing to teach in Russia

So, if you have decided to make the big move to Mother Russia, here are some tips about preparation:

1.  If you haven't got a CELTA/Trinity teaching qualification, then I would strongly suggest that you get yourself enrolled onto a course.  You can either opt for full-time (4 weeks intensive) or part-time (16 weeks and still intensive if you have a daytime job).  The cost is in the region of £1,300.  Expensive perhaps, but extremely worthwhile.  CELTA and Trinity qualifications open doors.

2.  Once you have the right qualifications, then it's time to apply and secure yourself an interview, which will more than likely be conducted on Skype.  Here are 2 websites that advertise teaching posts all year round:

                                   www.tefl.com                                              www.eslcafe.com

And make sure your CV is up-to-date which highlights any teaching experience, including your CELTA/Trinity training.  If you use tefl.com to apply for jobs, you will have to create an online CV which is then saved to your account.  Letters of applications through the website are usually short, so make sure you keep it succinct and appealing to your potential employer.  And whatever you do at this stage, make sure you check your spelling.  Nobody wants to employ an English language teacher who can't get the fundamentals right.

Interviews are nerve-wracking at the best of times.  Even a Skype interview can have your stomach in knots. To reduce any anxiety and potential problems before the interview begins, I would strongly suggest that you prepare for a variety of questions.  If you know someone who is currently abroad working as an English language teacher, please ask for advice on this matter.  And also, if you have never, or rarely used Skype before, it is a really good idea to practice with a friend and check everything works.  I can tell you from my own experience it is really embarrassing when you start the interview and they can't hear you because your audio settings are switched off.  

  

3.  The Russian Visa.  You cannot enter Russia without a valid visa.  So, once you have secured a position, then it's time for the merry dance that is getting a Russian visa.  Firstly, you'll need your letter of invitation from your future employer.  They will send that to you, possibly by courier.  And you will need to have a letter from your doctor stating that you are free from HIV/AIDS.  In order to do this you will have to book an appointment at your local sexual health clinic and have a blood test.  Once that is done it will take 10 working days for the results to come back.  Your doctor may charge a fee for the letter which carries your HIV status.  For me it cost £50.  While you are waiting for your results make sure you have some passport-size photos for your application.  When you have gathered all the relevant documentation, it will then be time to fill in your application online through a visa agency.  For an initial 3 month visa this will cost around £100. The application is a pain because of the level of detail, but once you have completed it, signed it and attached a photo and payment (with your passport), you will then realise how much closer you are to coming to Russia - and the ball-ache is over.  Within a week of posting your application, you should receive your passport back, complete with your Russian visa.  

This is the visa agency I used:   http://www.visitrussia.org.uk/

4.  Contract - you should receive a contract from your new employer, either by courier, pdf or fax.  Waiting for it by normal post takes too long (at least 4 weeks from Russia to the UK).  And once you do receive it, check it carefully.  It should be in at least English.  Some contracts are written in both languages.

5.  Flights - now that you have your visa and contract, it is time to book your flight to Russia.  To get to Saint Petersburg from Manchester I flew with Finnair.  A one-way ticket cost me £207.  If you are flying to Moscow you may be fortunate to buy a ticket on a budget airline, such as Easy Jet, which run flights from the UK to the Russian capital at bargain prices.  Total flight time from Manchester to Saint Petersburg is around five and a half hours.

NB:  Approximate time between accepting a post and arriving is two months.

What to do and what not to do


Do it!
Do:

1.  Bring enough clothes for a very cold winter, lots of wet weather and a humid summer.  Please note that the price of clothes in Russia is very high compared to the UK.  And bring sturdy boots or shoes.  That is absolutely essential.

2.  Bring a laptop.  This will be your outside line to friends and family back home.  It will also be your source of entertainment during those long, dark evenings alone.  

3.  Learn some Russian.  At least learn the Cyrillic alphabet before you arrive as this will make learning Russian so much easier...a little easier at least.  Be prepared - Russian is a hard language!

   



4.  Bring some reading material, preferably on an e-reader.  

5.  Bring some Russian currency with you for those initial purchases, which will include the essentials such as food, drink, toilet paper and vodka. And the metro too.  You may also want to save some money before you arrive for a deposit and first-month's rent.  



Don't:  



1.  Expect a lot of smiles on arrival, either from the lady at the border control, or outside on the streets.  If you smile at a stranger, they will think you are mad, insincere, or both.  Smiles will come later...I promise.

2.  Expect much choice for vegetarians/vegans.  This is still a meat-loving nation.

3.  Talk about politics; especially about anything to do with Putin and Russia, unless you know the person. 

4.  Wave your new smart phone about in public.  There are people (criminals) ready to swipe it off you.  Be alert when you do have to get your phone out on the street.

Phone-jacker picks on the wrong woman in a metro subway


5.  (i) Approach the police, unless you really have to.
     (ii)  Go near any protests where there are neo-nazis present.  You are a foreigner and they hate foreigners.
     (iii) Go near near any ex-VDV (paratroopers)  on VDV Day (2nd August) - they are not keen on foreigners either.
  
Russian neo-Nazis 

6.  Let your guard down.  Just like in any city, you should always be careful when walking on the streets alone at night.  As it is the same in any British city, the same applies in Russia.

Please don't let the above six points put you off from coming to Russia to teach.  Some of this advice was passed on to me.  I haven't seen any neo-nazis.  I have not been assaulted by any street robbers.  But you do have to be cautious at times, especially on the underground.  I have been pick-pocketed once.  I wish I had been more careful at the time and had kept my wallet in my jacket, rather than in my trouser pocket.  

If you have made the decision to come to Russia to teach, then you will have some really great experiences. Russia has its own charm.  But the most charming element, as I have repeated on numerous occasions, is the people.  Be prepared for some wackiness! 







Stoned Fox:  Loved and loathed in Russia in equal measures.  He is now part of the quirky-twerky fabric of contemporary Russian culture. 






Welcome to Russia! / Добро пожаловать в Россию!




Monday 18 August 2014

Summer in Saint Petersburg

 The Summer turns into a heatwave




                             

For about 6 weeks, from the end of June, right the way through July and into August, the temperature had hovered at around 29 degrees Celsius in the daytime and never dipped below 20 degrees at night.  On occasions it did go above the 30 mark.  But, it wasn't so much the heat that was unbearable, it was the humidity.  Just sitting in your flat doing very little was enough to bring on the sweat.  Even lying in bed, trying (unsuccessfully) to get to sleep was no better.  And when the time came to wake up from what little slumber you had that night, you were greeted with the uncomfortable sensation of a wet pillow.  Fortunately, at the time of writing this blog entry I am happy to report that the crazy temperatures have dropped to a very comfortable 20 to 22 degrees in the daytime with a marked drop in humidity.  Now that we have 'normal' summer weather in Saint Petersburg again, going about your daily business is not the sweat-fest, clothes-clinging-to-your-back kind of affair anymore.  Hallelujah!  


Putin and Medvedev were thinking of some effective campaigning techniques, but all they managed was to bounce a couple of ideas off each other!


I get the impression that most Russians rather like the summer.  That's hardly surprising since the winter is rather long.  When the sun comes out it's time to don those sunglasses, expose some skin, and when the opportunity arises, head to the nearest beach or a dacha outside the city to bask in some golden rays.  While the men opt for some wacky t-shirts with the most bizarre of slogans in English (I sometimes wonder if they really understand what is actually written on their clothes).  The funniest I have seen so far was a middle-aged man wearing a t-shirt that had the words 'I've been banged' on it.  Suddenly, my left-eyebrow started to go upwards and my mouth had to contain a full-size grin.  It really is not advisable to burst out laughing at anyone on the street.  As for the ladies, bizarre takes on a different mode.  While it is certainly not unpleasant to see a good-looking woman wearing little more than a bra covered by a gauze-like shirt on top, it becomes weird to see a much, much older woman wearing similar attire.  During one particular journey home on the metro I saw such an older woman...minus the bra....what is seen cannot be unseen!  And one last thing about summer clothes in Russia:  what is this fashion wearing anything with a British union flag on it about?  I asked this question to a student.  His reply was "it's a good design, isn't it?"  Award-winning.  I was kind of hoping of this instead:  "Well Martin, this trend (wearing the British flag on our shirts, tops and bags) symbolises our strong historical and cultural ties with the United Kingdom and our desire for peace and friendly relations between our two great nations."  Nah!  It's got the same colours as the Russian tricolour and it's a nifty piece of graphic art. 

Here are some pictures of some summer-loving ladies:  

Not crazy and perfectly normal:   

    

Crazy:   
 


And if lying in a large, dirty puddle dressed in nothing but a bikini doesn't cool you down, you could always convert your living room into a swimming pool like these young lads did:

I wonder how their neighbours felt; the ones below



The White Nights


The time before and after Midsummer's Night, on 21st June is known as the White Nights here in Saint Petersburg.  Due to its northerly geographical location, the city experiences its longest days with just a couple of hours of darkness.  Even at midnight it is still quite light.  



Midnight on Nevsky Prospekt
  
The River Neva


The Russian Barbecue (shashlik -  шашлык)

 Another summer tradition in Russia is to eat shish kebabs grilled on a barbecue.  If you are unable to grill your own, then there are always plenty of food outlets where you can buy them.  With no barbecue areas in the city centre, I opted to eat mine at a restaurant.  A Georgian restaurant.  And I have to say that the Georgian-style shish kebabs, with their subtly-spiced sauce, were excellent and some of the best food I've eaten since my arrival in Saint Petersburg.  

Shish kebabs Georgian-style

For a Russian-style recipe:  everydayrussian.com/?p=50


Enjoy the rest of summer while it lasts.  There's not much left it. 


  

Summer Madness

  


Sunday 6 July 2014

What I love about Russia and other stuff



  

There is still nothing like a nice cup of tea, with milk.  And there is absolutely nothing wrong with the odd shot of vodka too to get you in the mood.

  


I do apologise for the stereotypes depicted above.  Just kidding...No I don't!

Nine months in

I can't believe that I have already spent just over nine months in Russia.  It really has flown by.  I must be having too much fun or working hard.  Or both.  I have decided that I want to stay for at least another year in Saint Petersburg.  One year here is just not nearly enough.  When I first arrived I experienced the initial euphoria of being in a new country, which gave way to certain feelings of frustration after the novelty of Russian life had worn off.  Then, over the last few months I have grown an affection for my host country and have a renewed interest in its language and culture.  As I have mentioned before in previous posts, living in Russia has its own particular annoyances, but overall I have been overwhelmed by the friendliness and generosity of the Russian people I have met thus far.  I would also like to take the opportunity to pay a wee tribute to my ex-patriot and Russian colleagues and friends who have been outstanding in making me feel welcome and a valued member of the teaching staff.  And also my students who have made teaching a pleasurable and rewarding experience.  I would like to say a huge thank you to my last class; an upper-intermediate class who excelled with very good final grades indeed -  Margarita, Maria, Alexey and Tanya - well done! 

Alexey and Tanya enjoying the delights of the English Wagonwheel

So, since I have been away from the UK, have I missed anything?  And, what's keeping me in Russia?

What I miss about the UK

  • Friends and family - that almost goes without saying.  And that includes my ginger furry friend, Magnus the cat.  
  • Good ale - especially certain ones like Banana Bread Beer.  
Sexy beer with a hint of banana
  • Cheaper, good-quality food - say what you will about food in Britain, I still like the fact that fresh food is abundant and at a reasonable price.  I could really do with some real British or Danish bacon right now.  
    A sexy bacon sandwich...mmm...baaaacon. 
  • The English countryside - when you're in your home country you tend to take it for granted.  There is a lot to be said for the beauty of the English countryside.
  • Christmas - I'm no massive fan of Christmas, especially the tacky elements, but as Russians don't really celebrate it, I did kind of miss it last year.  Mince pies, Christmas cake, stuffing - you get the picture.

What I don't miss about the UK

  • My last job - Anyone who knows me knows exactly why.  The only thing I miss about teaching at the prison are my former colleagues.  Okay, not all of them, but a fair few.  
  • Crap, expensive transport - almost self-explanatory.  Over-priced buses and trains that offer a poor service at an exorbitant price.  
Waiting for a crap bus?  Then, get down and boogie!
   
  • Chavs - the very people who make travelling on the 'peasant-wagon' even worse.  
 

  • Crime - I know that crime exists in every corner of the globe, but I think it is a huge problem in the large cities.  
  • High taxes - If the chavs/criminal classes don't rob you, HM Revenue and Customs will.  And then when they are finished, your local council will take another slice out of your salary.  
  • Political correctness - It's the disease that has spread over the last few decades consuming freedom of speech (and thought) as it pervades our daily lives.  So, you're not allowed to fly the English flag in England for fear of causing offence?  Well, cover me in flour and bake me for fifteen mintutes!  That is just fookin' bonkers!  I could go on about this for more than fifteen minutes...
  • Negativity/moaning - Yes, I know, I'm guilty of this too.  It's such an English trait and one that just grinds you down when you have to listen to others gripe.  Even worse, when it's about nothing important.  I gripe about the wider issues (see above) 'n' shit.

What I love about Russia


  • Friendly, plain-speaking people - with a no bullshit, and a no political correctness.  It's refreshing to say the least.  And yes, Russian people do appear to be cold at first, but beneath those icy exteriors, are layers of warmth and smiles. 
  • Beautiful women - I think Russia has some of the most stunning looking women in the world.  I'm sure I am not the only man who holds that opinion.

  • Conservative and traditional - this suits my own outlook on life - men are men, women are women and the children are allowed to be children.  Russia likes to maintain their traditions and values, much to the annoyance of western countries.  Fair play to Russia for wanting to keep their own national character.
  • Eccentricity - I cannot get enough of the various eccentricities of this country; from dash-cams/stunt videos, the lack of health and safety (which can be plain bonkers at times) to just stuff you see on the street.  Oh, and the 'folk-cures' for common ailments.  
  
Sweet Jesus - I love these clips!
The Russian Fuzz stop an unroadworthy car
  • Pancakes - my new favourite Russian food.
  • Vodka - it's cheap, everywhere and the best in the world.
  • Saint Petersburg - my host city.  It may not be my most favourite city I have been to, but it comes a very good third place after Copenhagen and Prague.
  • Beautiful women - Oh, I've already mentioned it before...well, I just had to mention it again, because it is so ruddy true!

What's not so good about Russia

  • Beer - it's just crap!  Most Russians who drink tend to drink more beer than vodka, but they still have not mastered the art of brewing.  It's a crying shame.
  • Weather - it's like a cross between the Arctic and Manchester at times!  I do like the snow in the winter however.  But even the snow (when mixed with the grit on the pavements) can 'eat' your footwear.
   
  • Dawdling - this is quite the teeth-gritting annoyance that one experiences walking behind people on the pavements and in the Metro.  FFS, speed-up will you!  
  • The water supply - you shouldn't drink tap water, unless you boil it for a nice cup of English tea.  So, bottled water has to be bought, which only adds to the amount of waste you throw out.  In the summer hot water goes off for about 2 weeks, so that the water authority can carry out maintenance on the pipes.  That is not a fun experience.
  • The internet service - I don't know what it is, but from time to time the internet speed slows down to a crawl, or just goes off for a few hours at a time.  It's very annoying if you're on Skype, or you've got some important stuff to do on the net.
  •  Poor quality meat and vegetables - a common complain among ex-pats and native Russians alike.  Rotten vegetables, fatty, sub-standard meat (and crap bacon with two thirds fat leaving a tiny strip of actual bacon) are sold at eyebrow-raising prices.  
  • Customer service - it's without a smile and it's all your fault! You have just disturbed them at the till!  Two smiles in nine months.  Have a nice day.
  • Spam text messages - Ooh great!  Someone loves me.  Oh, no they don't.  They just want to bombard me with spam...a lot.
  • Recycling - or lack of.  I have not seen one recycling facility here.  Everything gets thrown into the bin and thus destined for landfill.  Environmentally aware, Russia is most certainly not.  Mother Russia dumps on Mother Earth.

There you have it.  These were some of the pull and push factors that have lead me to conclude that another year in Russia is definitely a good decision.  And who knows?  May be I'll stay for a little longer beyond 2015.