Long-time lurker, now maybe the search is real?

[Slingerland]

I wante to say "hi" to the group.  I'm a long-time lurker (both here and Planet Love) and my life is making an interesting turn.  I was married to a Korean-American for 15 years, and while I don't speak the language, I am comfortable with the customs.  I was thinking about looking in Korea for an Asian bride, but an interesting job opportunity has arisen.

My employer is starting a new project, based in both the US and in Russia (primarily Rostov on Don but there is some other travel within the RF.)  They have asked me to head up the technical operation for a year, alternating between the countries.  I would spend two weeks in Russia, two in the US, etc.  The money being offered is very tempting, along with the future career opportunities.

I have never been to Russia.  I do not speak the language.  I took German in college (almost 30 years ago!) and I've forgotten it all.  (I know Korean foul language becuase my ex-MIL used it on me. )  The company is offering a 2 week language bootcamp before leaving, and daily tutoring while at the Rostov offices.  The office operates in English.

So now I'm starting to wonder whether to expand my horizons away from Korea and the Philippines. 

[I/O]

IMO you'd but stark raving nuts if you didn't jump at this one.

[Faux Pas]

Sounds like one fantastic opportunity! When opportunity knocks, answer the damn door.
 

[Jumper]

absolutely why not?

I would jump on it instantly in your shoes.

If you are singhle and looking,
 it 's a great opportunity  to work in another culture ,and a  possibilty to meet RW in a far more
normal enviroment than most here will,
and a good chance at some decent  language instruction if you are diligent about it,
also good  odds are your coworkers and russian  instructor in rostov would have some interesting contacts for you as well.


The only slight downside i see is the proposed schedule _
2 week US , 2 weeks Rotov.

Having lived a similar schedule before, that is absolutely draining if done over a long period of time.

Re-negotiate 3 or 4 weeks there 3 or 4 weeks back , or even longer--
draw oput the alternating as muich as isd humanely possible for the wortk you sre involved in.

in my past case , it wasn't possible to change the alternating times,and they covered several euro and east euro cities  and that aprt was  a real pain.
I'm still glad i had the experience.

Good luck!



 

[Slingerland]

It's a very serious, very tempting offer.  The language camp is the first week of March.  The first trip would be the first week in April, after spring break is over (my employer knows I need to spend time with my kids.)

I wonder though... I'm in my upper 40s.  I'm based out of Little Rock, Arkansas, which is not exactly a large metropolitan area (population is about 250,000 between LR and the suburbs.)  There is a local Orthodox church that serves both the Greek and Slavic community, but to be honest, there are FEW FSU people here.

I've seen other threads about FSUW opinions of "villages."  I wonder if Little Rock would be acceptable?  To be honest, I have children here (one adult, one college and one high school; my ex-wife has primary custody of the high school one) plus a mother getting on in age, so relocating permanently is not an option.  Once this project is over, would "she" be able to adjust to my "village"?

And I'll be honest, I prefer a woman closer to my own age and education.  I can't picture dating a woman over 10 years younger than me.  But at that age, can a woman adapt?

[Faux Pas]

It's a very serious, very tempting offer.  The language camp is the first week of March.  The first trip would be the first week in April, after spring break is over (my employer knows I need to spend time with my kids.)

I wonder though... I'm in my upper 40s.  I'm based out of Little Rock, Arkansas, which is not exactly a large metropolitan area (population is about 250,000 between LR and the suburbs.)  There is a local Orthodox church that serves both the Greek and Slavic community, but to be honest, there are FEW FSU people here.

I've seen other threads about FSUW opinions of "villages."  I wonder if Little Rock would be acceptable?  To be honest, I have children here (one adult, one college and one high school; my ex-wife has primary custody of the high school one) plus a mother getting on in age, so relocating permanently is not an option.  Once this project is over, would "she" be able to adjust to my "village"?

And I'll be honest, I prefer a woman closer to my own age and education.  I can't picture dating a woman over 10 years younger than me.  But at that age, can a woman adapt?

Don't sweat it. The Rock is hardly a village and doesn't equate to what many RW consider a village. My wife actually views Little Rock as a nice city and she was/is a "city girl". It's not Chicago or NYC but it is nice with many of the amenities  city ladies seek. There is actually some Russians in and around Little Rock but, not as many as one might expect to find in a city that size.

[Jumper]

Slinger..

I do understand the concerns,
but it is just a little cart before the horse

If you meet some  RW, and eventually through your time there she  truly loves you,
these *possible* issues will resolve themselves.

but to answer,
you need to visit Rostof,
spend some time there , and compare it to Little Rock.

There are a lot of RW or UW from provincial cities,
while the cultural differences are great , the cities wouldnt be drastically different than what they are used to.

Your own western view of a provincial city might not be village..but it might be far different than you are invisioning.
While they vary there somewhat.. most arnt sprawling metropolis'.
Think 1950's/60's  smaller industrial US city as a general idea.

rostov is  1.3 million,
 but remember they tend to incorporate all suburbs /population , unlike a similar sized US city.
ie: Whats Little Rocks total population with suburbia?

As far as adaptation, highly individual..and personality driven.
no way to even speculate,.

millions of immigrants have done so..
whether the person you *might* someday have interest in could , is unknown.
no different than asia?
 *shrugs*

[Blues Fairy]

I would spend two weeks in Russia, two in the US, etc. 

Sounds like you'll be seriously jet-lagged for a year, but otherwise it's a cool opportunity.  Make sure you bargain for a good compensation package in RU; hidden expenses may eat up much of your salary.

[ECOCKS]

Go look in the mirror and ask, "Am I an idiot?"

If the answer is "No" then get over to Barnes and Noble for a Rosetta Stone and Berlitz set, come home and order Pimsleur and get yourself scheduled for the language bootcamp.

[Jumper]

Go look in the mirror and ask, "Am I an idiot?"

If the answer is "No" then get over to Barnes and Noble for a Rosetta Stone and Berlitz set, come home and order Pimsleur and get yourself scheduled for the language bootcamp.

lol !!









One thing i did note-

**The office operates in English.***

So you will be working with english speaking staff there,
all the more reason to not only take the opportunirty for it's career merits and intersting situation itself,
but for the possible contacts that speak english well you will certainly make.


I just don't see any downside at all,
other than the repetitive travel schedule...

[Faux Pas]

Sounds like you'll be seriously jet-lagged for a year, but otherwise it's a cool opportunity.  Make sure you bargain for a good compensation package in RU; hidden expenses may eat up much of your salary.

Do you suppose under such conditions one could actually become somewhat use to the jet lag? Twice a month is pretty hairy. I hardly ever experience it going over but, it takes a week to recover coming back

[Slingerland]

You're right AJ, I am definitely too much cart before the horse.  But the opportunity was a shock, and I am a bit stunned by it.  Little Rock itself has a populatoin of 165,000, plus another 90,000 in the commuting suburbs.  We're a 3 hour drive to Memphis, 4 hours to Dallas, so going to a bigger city for a weekend is easy.

Blues Fairy, one of the compensations will be a free company apartment (the company maintains several 1 bedroom apartments for visits of U.S. upper management and worker relo purposes.)  From what I've been told, these are fairly new, and are expensive and kept up very well.  I would be allowed a per diem for food and other expenses, and the apartments are a two-block walk to the office complex.  There will be some late days and nights, but during the weekends for the most part I will be free to play tourist.

The Russian staff are highly educated electrical and computer engineers, with varying degrees of English-speaking ability.  (Hopefully they can handle my Arkansas accent!)  From what I've been told, they are very excited about this project as well.  In this job, I would be the "Scotty" in charge of the engineering team (FYI, I have a masters degree in computer science, and I hold several patents on AI algorithms.)  

I'm reading everything I can on Rostov tonight... I'm excited and terrified...

[tim 360]

Slinger, Sounds like a great deal for you, don't hesitate, don't procrastinate--seal the deal now.  If you don't take it, later you'll be kickin' yourself in the a$$ because you let it get away.  Have a great time.

[Jumper]

You're right AJ, I am definitely too much cart before the horse.  But the opportunity was a shock, and I am a bit stunned by it.  Little Rock itself has a populatoin of 165,000, plus another 90,000 in the commuting suburbs.  We're a 3 hour drive to Memphis, 4 hours to Dallas, so going to a bigger city for a weekend is easy.

Blues Fairy, one of the compensations will be a free company apartment (the company maintains several 1 bedroom apartments for visits of U.S. upper management and worker relo purposes.)  From what I've been told, these are fairly new, and are expensive and kept up very well.  I would be allowed a per diem for food and other expenses, and the apartments are a two-block walk to the office complex.  There will be some late days and nights, but during the weekends for the most part I will be free to play tourist.

The Russian staff are highly educated electrical and computer engineers, with varying degrees of English-speaking ability.  (Hopefully they can handle my Arkansas accent!)  From what I've been told, they are very excited about this project as well.  In this job, I would be the "Scotty" in charge of the engineering team (FYI, I have a masters degree in computer science, and I hold several patents on AI algorithms.)  

I'm reading everything I can on Rostov tonight... I'm excited and terrified...

my motto is - lifes an adventure to experience , not a destination..




but to be truly objective-

you are asking this question to people who are involved, or were involved in this venture one way or another.

The answers are pretty predictable

just curious,.
If you ask this of your peers, and they answered only on the career opportunity itself,
what would the answers be like?
% pro/con?


Many men here would give thier left arm for such an opportunity.. so .....






FP- while it certasinly is doable, the travel really wears on you and i'm not sure you get *used to it*,
 but you do adapt.
Once my schedule was typically 2 over there, 2 stateside,
the following year it changed ,at various peoples urging, to 4 months there,8 USA,and that was so much better.
 

[I/O]

FYI, I have a masters degree in computer science, and I hold several patents on AI algorithms.

Look dude, we'll even cut a geek some slack if he'll listen. Get your chicken arse into that boot camp pronto. All your other questions are just bird squalk. If you are there for a year or whatever, what an opportunity to meet someone and let it progress slowly and naturally and..............in and informed way (for both people)...!! Nike stuff here, just do it..!!

[wicheese]

Slingerland,

I was in Rostov a few years back in the dead of winter, it's big enough that you'll find enough to do.  Plus, when I was there I did a side tour to Sochi and Krasnaya Ployana for skiing.  If you go the other direction you'll find yourself in Ukraine which could be interesting as well.  Only negative, make sure you always have your registration up-to-date as more than a few people (myself included) have been pulled aside at the airport by someone looking for extra money.  If I remember correctly, a few American companies had an obvious presence such as Cargill so you'll probably not be the only expat there.

Side note, the women are not that bad looking either...

Good luck!

[wicheese]

I've seen other threads about FSUW opinions of "villages."  I wonder if Little Rock would be acceptable?  

Based on what I know, if you found someone in Moscow or St. Petersburg, then your concerns are well founded.  But, in Rostov-a-Don I would not worry as there is much less to do there than in Moscow so the transition would not be so bad for a lady. 

[felix8787]

Slinger

You would be an "idiot" if you went to barnes and noble and spent that outrageous amount on rosetta stone! I got a dictionary and cd set i could send you if you want it and I could also download and send you the damn program!

felix8787

[felix8787]

I'm excited and terrified...

Of what?

[GQBlues]

Blues Fairy, one of the compensations will be a free company apartment (the company maintains several 1 bedroom apartments for visits of U.S. upper management and worker relo purposes.)  From what I've been told, these are fairly new, and are expensive and kept up very well.  I would be allowed a per diem for food and other expenses, and the apartments are a two-block walk to the office complex.

Too easy. I would post a 'Want Ad' right now for a young, tall, busty, blue-eyed blonde to be my personal chef and interpreter/guide for 1,000 rubles/day. Chances are good you'll have takers. In Russia, it isn't a crime to specify that the ugly ones need not apply. Just the interview session aone will be enough to make your eyes water with excitement, I bet.

Depending which state you're from, I believe meals & expenses per diem average in Kali is around $50.00/day. You'll have enough spare money to buy her a nice perfume she can wear around the house. I'll negotiate an increase on that PD and ask for $80.00/day minimum. Cite language difficulty as the reason (ha-ha). Then you can have some serious reserve for additional contingencies.  

[I/O]

Too easy. I would post a 'Want Ad' right now for a young, tall, busty, blue-eyed blonde to be my personal chef and interpreter/guide for 1,000 rubles/day. Chances are good you'll have takers. In Russia, it isn't a crime to specify that the ugly ones need not apply.

LOL

Just the interview session

...........where the criteria is as follows. The Dyev must stand up, place her hands behind her head with her elbows in front, walk towards the nearest wall and if her elbows touch the wall first she is NOT hired.  :rulez:

[GQBlues]

The Dyev must stand up, place her hands behind her head with her elbows in front, walk towards the nearest wall and if her elbows touch the wall first she is NOT hired. 

LOL...or just a few jumping jacks facing front, then on the sides may be enough for me. 

[I/O]

Of what?

Red heads?

[ECOCKS]

Good that we're shifting from child abuse to sexual harassment now....

[chivo]

The only negative I see is the travel. 2 weeks in Russia, 2 weeks in the states will get old quickly, well unless you have something to return to and I'm not talking about work. Even still, your body will be put through the ringer mentally and physically and that's not taking into account what a RW will do to you if you hook up with one .

As far as the language goes, I wouldn't worry so much about trying to learn anything until you get here, except maybe a few greeetings and such as you'll not understand anything said to you anyhow. Unless your Russian lessons are 3-6 hrs a day, I also wouldn't put to much stock in learning much even though it wouldn't hurt to get better acquainted with the language. Just don't expect much progress given your timeframes, especially if most of what you'll be doing will be in English.

Working for a western company will put you in an envious position to meet many people, which would of course include women. Most if not all the single men on this board would jump at the chance. The women in Russia will put the "hogs" in Little Rock to shame, with all due respect to the hogs there

What else do you have going as far as female action right now? The adventure alone will be worth its weight in gold. Sounds like a no-brainer to me if you can handle the travel.