Goodbye England! Hello Russia!

 

Goodbye Manchester!

 

"If you want to teach English abroad, you will need a CELTA qualification." 

I was told this time and time again.  I thought my PGCE teaching qualification was good enough, especially with over nine years of teaching children and adults.  It wasn't.  Again and again I was either ignored or told that I needed that most golden key to unlock those expatriate doors: a CELTA.  And CELTAs don't come cheap.  When the time came to book my place on a part-time course (at ELC Manchester Academy of English), the fee was £1,350.  And, no regrets.  It was worth every single penny!  After feeling a little jaded, having taught secondary school children history, and adult male prisoners basic maths and English, this rekindled my passion for teaching.  During those 16 weeks between February and May 2013, I learnt new teaching techniques and it felt reenergising in an odd way.  I say odd, because I attended those 3 hour plus classes and teaching sessions (thrice-weekly) after a full day's work at the prison (and no, I won't mention which one!) ; and I'd be lying to you if I said it wasn't knackering.  I would arrive home around ten at night, absolutely exhausted, and yet rather satisfied. 

May - July 2013: Decisions and Applications

One of the most frequent questions my students ask me is:  Why Russia?

I had considered Russia before, but after the course I did consider other countries.  Firstly, there was China.  A former colleague from the prison suggested that I should apply to the company he had been working for.  I applied, I was interviewed on Skype, and after many enquiring emails as to whether they had made a decision or not, with no reply, I decided to look elsewhere.  Then there was the idea of going to Turkey, especially Istanbul.  Now there was an interesting location and I loved the idea of living in such a colourful and historic city.  I applied through an agency (on tefl.com) and again, I was interviewed on Skype.  It sounded very interesting and the initial interview (rather like a q & a session than an actual interview, made me think that I would end up teaching Turkish youngsters English.  However, in the meantime, my attention shifted to an advert for a native English-speaking teacher to teach in Saint Petersburg, Russia.  I gave it some thought.  I had always wanted to visit the country and the idea of living in this particular historic city, with plenty of the finest vodka known to mankind, and being surrounded by attractive Russian ladies, prompted me to apply.  Very soon I had the reply I had hoped for: an interview.  And as you've already guessed, the interview went very well indeed.  A job offer came through ten days later and I accepted immediately.  That really was a happy day!  Now for the escape plan...Hang on!  No!  First things first - contracts and then visas, and then the ticket....and letter of resignation (oh, how I relished that!  But, I will tell you more about that sweet taste later).

August - September 2013:  Contract, Visa & Ticket

To say that the following weeks were stressful is an understatement.  Waiting for the contract to arrive was painful.  And once that arrived (finally!), there was the letter of invitation from my new employer to wait for.  Without these documents, I would not be able to get a Russian visa.  That wasn't the end of the paperwork.  There was the HIV/AIDS test to be done, with a supporting letter to say that I am clear.  It's another requirement.  Once I had all the necessary documentation, passport photos and fee, I could then fill in my visa application online, print it out, sign and send off.  It took 4 hours! 

Here's a link for the agency who processed my Russian visa - a very swift and most satisfactory service:

http://www.visitrussia.org.uk/

I could not wait any longer.  I booked my flight (with Finnair - the cheapest one-way ticket was £207 from Manchester Airport).  On the same day, I wrote my letter of resignation.  Now that was such a beautiful feeling typing those words, signing it with my best disposable fountain pen; but the best moment was handing it to my line-manager.  Nice!

The visa arrived just 6 days before my flight.

27th September:  Manc - SPb

The day had finally arrived.  No more Bolton.  No more Manchester, Salford or BBC Breakfast News.  It was a case, and a 24 kg case at that, of getting a taxi to the railway station and catching the train from Bolton to Manchester with enough time to check-in, browse the shops and drink a big, fat cappuccino in the waiting area.



 

 

First stop:  Helsinki Airport.  Not after a four and a half hour journey over England, the North Sea, Denmark and Sweden.

 A two hour wait later and it's onboard a turboprop humming us away over the Gulf of Finland to Saint Petersburg.  That just took one hour.

And so I arrived in Russia.  There were the grim border guards in Pulkovo Airport.  Cool!  It's what I had expected.  Echoes of the Soviet past still linger.  Coming out of arrivals I was met by a member of staff from the language school and drove straight into the heart of the city.  At this point, I was both nervous and excited.  I was now in a country I hadn't even visited before, yet I had signed a contract for a whole academic year.  I didn't know anyone in the city and I only knew a few words of Russian. 

It's always during the first night you look up at the ceiling and wonder:  have I made the right choice?  And it dawns on you that you are a long way from home, from your friends, from all the things familiar to you. 

The first night was lonely, but after such a long day of travelling, I soon fell asleep.  Bye England!

 

 

Welcome to Russia!