A few questions & thoughts

[marcusholgate]

 I’m glad I found this site!  there is a lot of great info here. I got started in this process by getting set up on a free dating site. Now I just happen to be the type who looks into anything pretty intently and as soon as I we had exchanged several emails I began doing my research on her city, the culture, etc. After hours and hours of research I have have learned much and it is funny how similar many of the free dating site hits are, it is like they have a standard script. Long story short Finally got smart and ignore the free site hits and joined Elena's models and I am corresponding with several women.
I am coming to realize that this is going to be a long and expensive journey but one I really feel good about making. Money will be tight to get it done but it is possible.
I’m planning to go to Russia and teach English there. This would give me a chance to get a much better understanding of the culture and language and also meet the women I have been writing to and spend time getting to know them without the pressure of being on a time schedule of a tour or limited visit.
I look forward to reading and learning from the more experienced travelor of this road as I find the women that I am corresponding incredibly intelligent and with a real depth of character.
Can jobs be had easily? Where can I get a TEFL certificate?
 

[Boethius]

Welcome to the forum, marcus.  You may want to PM the poster Kunstkammer.   He is an ESL teacher in Russia.  You will need five posts on the forum to respond to his PM, I believe.

[ML]

Despite having been a 'newbie' myself many moons ago . . . it gives me great pain to read the intro by a newbie.  I think OMG, is he kidding???   

Anyway, go here for some education:

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=14615.0

And my very best to you in your search.

[mendeleyev]

Can jobs be had easily?

Not really as you are not allowed to obtain a job that could be performed by a Russian citizen. There are exceptions of course but most of those are for industries for which Russia has employment quotas to fill. A company that could hire you would be registered with the government and have permission to hire a foreigner in accepted situations.

A good place to look is the online job data bank at The Moscow Times newspaper. Employment in Russia: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/come-to-russia-get-a-visa/employment-in-russia/


In past years there was the 180/180 rule which held that you could live a total of 180 days annually in Russia but no more than 90 days at a stretch. You'd live 90 days then leave for 90 and repeat the process, etc. As of last September that changed somewhat in that you can live for up to 6 months consecutively (180) days and then leave for 180 under the new 3-year multi entry visa system.

Visa resources: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/come-to-russia-get-a-visa/life-in-russian-housing/


If you are teaching English for an accredited organization there are exceptions and you'd need to research those opportunities for yourself.

Teaching in Russia: Some U.S. citizens coming to Russia to teach English have complained about schools’ failure to facilitate proper visas and pay agreed salaries. If you are a prospective teacher, ensure that your employer is prepared to comply with Russian laws governing the employment and documentation of foreigners, including proper visa support, registration, and legal salary payments. Ask for references from other foreigners who have taught at the school being considered and consider insisting upon written contracts stipulating the provisions of employment, just as you would in the United States. Warning signs include instructions to arrive in Russia on a tourist visa and “change status” later, payment under the table (in cash with no documentation or tax withholding), and requirements that the school retain a passport for the length of the employment. (Upon arrival, a legal employee must surrender his or her passport for registration by the employer but this process should take less than three weeks.)

Source: US State Department


Life in a Russian home: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/come-to-russia-get-a-visa/life-in-russian-housing/

[rambler]

Well, EM is not a bad choice but be sure you get a look at a girls passport to check how many times she has been abroad Vs how many times she could have paid for it herself, given her current job, income and holiday quota per year. There are several on there that just do nothing else but meet guys in Europe on his dime. And there are others who will marry the first guy that asks them just to get out of Russia. Then they will have a baby and disappear, on the guys dime, with a US or UK Visa for themselves and the baby. Once they have a UK baby the UK border agency lets the woman stay. The guys want the baby around so they lie to the UKBA that they are still together. The woman then upgrades,  but gets paid by the separated husband for the next 20 years.  Eyes wide open OK.  As soon as the baby is born they are gone.  I saw it  happen to a guy in front of my very eyes. He is like $1250 a month in hole and he has seen his wife and 1 yr old baby 6 times this year. Married two years.  EM village girl that moved to Moscow and was dating European guys from age 20 to 29. Check it out.


R

[marcusholgate]

Great! Thanks for all this info! Since my post I've been researching lots of different avenues to get a job in Russia and it seems the English teacher route looks best at the moment.

[Tulip]

I’m planning to go to Russia and teach English there. This would give me a chance to get a much better understanding of the culture and language and also meet the women I have been writing to and spend time getting to know them without the pressure of being on a time schedule of a tour or limited visit.
I look forward to reading and learning from the more experienced travelor of this road as I find the women that I am corresponding incredibly intelligent and with a real depth of character.
Can jobs be had easily? Where can I get a TEFL certificate?
 

Do you speak Russian well ( maybe I miss something )? Only having a diploma of pedagogical University and knowing Russian you could work as a teacher in Russia.

[Tulip]

...but be sure you get a look at a girls passport to check how many times she has been abroad Vs how many times she could have paid for it herself, given her current job, income and holiday quota per year....

So, it would be logically to take a look on guy's passport to see how many times he visited FSU's. Some of guys have a lot of trips for years. Not every girl would like such a man who has "great experience" 

[mendeleyev]

Marcus,

If you are looking at jobs I'd recommend you reading my articles on it. At www.MendeleyevJournal.com see the column on the right of menu options. There are a number of pages you should read under the "Come to Russia" section.

Especially appropriate are the sections on:

Life in a Russian home: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/come-to-russia-get-a-visa/life-in-russian-housing/

Employment in Russia: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/come-to-russia-get-a-visa/employment-in-russia/

Medical Care: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/come-to-russia-get-a-visa/medical-care/

I encourage you to browse each page in that section.

Unless you have a work visa from a Russian employer or a diplomatic/journalistic visa you'll still be dealing with the restriction of staying in Russia no more than 6 months per calendar year.


Russia is a very beautiful place. This is Царицыно (Tsaritsino), Catherine's summer palace in the Moscow area. No, that isn't the palace--this was her "small" servants quarters I believe.




Normal mortals like my wife (whose shoulder is seen, pretty blonde in blue) and I can't stay at the palace. We have to return from the park back to the Metro station.

[cc3]

Great! Thanks for all this info! Since my post I've been researching lots of different avenues to get a job in Russia and it seems the English teacher route looks best at the moment.

Give the nicer areas of Ukraine (L'viv and Odesa) some consideration as well. They are very classically attractive  and relatively non-Soviet looking cities, with milder weather than than Russia to the north.

[steveboy]

I’m glad I found this site!  there is a lot of great info here. I got started in this process by getting set up on a free dating site. Now I just happen to be the type who looks into anything pretty intently and as soon as I we had exchanged several emails I began doing my research on her city, the culture, etc. After hours and hours of research I have have learned much and it is funny how similar many of the free dating site hits are, it is like they have a standard script. Long story short Finally got smart and ignore the free site hits and joined Elena's models and I am corresponding with several women.
I am coming to realize that this is going to be a long and expensive journey but one I really feel good about making. Money will be tight to get it done but it is possible.
I’m planning to go to Russia and teach English there. This would give me a chance to get a much better understanding of the culture and language and also meet the women I have been writing to and spend time getting to know them without the pressure of being on a time schedule of a tour or limited visit.
I look forward to reading and learning from the more experienced travelor of this road as I find the women that I am corresponding incredibly intelligent and with a real depth of character.
Can jobs be had easily? Where can I get a TEFL certificate?
 

If your serous about teaching English in Russia, maybe checkout expat.ru there are plenty of English teaching jobs. And many ways to stay in Russia

[steveboy]

I have a good friend from the US  like many, once you come to live and work in Russia you probably will want to stay life is to good good. Go for it