KTO VY?

[noelscot]

KTO TY?


(I'll try to edit this if the BBcode is out of whack.)





This is a re-introduction of sorts-more thorough. I’d like to encourage others to post more robust introductions as well, re-telling their story. (You could do so in this thread for simplicity’s sake.) As the title of the thread says, “Who are you?” Tell us what you do to make a living, where you came from, your disposition, how your travels have changed your perspective, and so forth. I tried to keep this post from being mawkish, nostalgic, or stream of consciousness, for what it’s worth.


My name is Noel. Only close friends call me Scotty. I’m 34 years old. I was born in Birmingham, Alabama. I was raised in St. Clair Springs (a village), Alabama. It’s an area that has mineral springs. Affluent people used to visit there in the summers and there was a huge hotel that burned down.  Now the only claim to fame for St. Clair Springs is a maximum security prison and a Wally World. In the early 80s there was a huge prison riot out there, and that’s one of my earliest memories from childhood. I never felt scared, despite this riot. My second earliest childhood memory is seeing an article in the newspaper about Catherine the Great and becoming obsessed with Russian autocracy and autarky. I like the literature and music, too, but the art never quite escaped this oppressive historical background. Shostakovich and Andrei Tarkosky are two of my favorite Russian artists, and I admire them for putting out deeply personal art under the watch of a collectivist regime. (I became interested in Russian history, in short. THE BLACK BOOK OF COMMUNISM is great bedside reading, albeit terribly morbid. The movie KATYN also shows the lighter side of FDR’s buddy Uncle Joe. You couldn’t find a nicer bunch of folks than Churchill, FDR, and Stalin. I also enjoyed Henry Troyat’s books on Russian history, which were recommended to me by a penpal from Moskva.)


In summers I would spend months with my grandparents in Gulf Shores, Alabama. My grandfather and I would fish religiously every morning to keep the freezer full of fish. That’s where most of our food came from. I absolutely despise people who “sport fish” and “catch and release.” It just seems absurd to a person who fished to keep from going hungry. I never used artificial lures, either. We used baby squid from the Foley DelChamp’s seafood department that they were selling as cut bait or live croaker fish that we would catch with nets. Usually, we fished for white trout. Back then the red drum fad had not caught on, and they were still considered trash fish, although not on par with crevalle jack, which are not even considered table fare.   

Above a white trout.


......I love the ocean, and fishing is one of my fondest memories. I also grew up gardening and hunting. I’m pretty rough around the edges, but I can be refined to get what I need. My natural disposition, though, is that I’m a country boy.





(By the way, I’ve never met any FSUW who would tolerate country music.)


No surprise then, that my best friend in Ukraine is a village girl. While in Kyiv, we were crossing a street going down Kreshatyk to the McDonald’s (which is near the Metro, stop #120 on the redline, if I recall), and simultaneously remarked that we hate the city. Not Kyiv specifically, ALL cities..........





When I was about 10 years old my parents divorced and my mother and I moved back to Birmingham. Birmingham was a culture shock for me. School was one long series of fights. I saw stabbing but no shootings, though I did see a student carry a .45 to school and was threatened with a gun. I didn’t appreciate it any too well and seriously questioned whether or not we could “all get along.”  I was a hellion (an understatement) during my teenage years, and it is a wonder that my parents did not send me to military school or disown me.


I finished my schooling in Birmingham, then attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). I graduated in 2006 with a B.A. in English. Shortly thereafter in 2007, I started working for a pharmacy. My job is called quality control. We make parenteral solutions for hospitals. I’m not rich, but I live in an apartment in a rich neighborhood. (The lease runs out in June, and I’m trying to buy a house in Tuscaloosa County. It won’t kill me to stay here, because at this point the only person I need to impress is myself. I’m centrally located in English Village and within walking distance of “life,” as Jack would say.)


In 2009, for whatever reasons, I got it in my head that I was going to look for international women online and try to meet with them. I was not very serious about it and did not have much luck. In 2011, I thought I had finally connected with a lady who I’d like to meet in real life, but she and I were/are too much alike. We’re both too erratic. (Ironically, I met her at the end of my March 2012 trip to Ukraine, and it was the most pleasant meeting, though I don’t feel anything will develop between us other than a long distance friendship.)  In 2012, I renewed the whole process, established contact with a lady from Sevastopol, jumped on a plane to Kyiv, and had a bad WOVO trip. It is what it is. You can read my trip report, but I wouldn't waste the time.

(That’s me above, freezing my ass off in Kyiv. )


When I got back to the USA, I’d reached the conclusion that this MOB stuff was stupid, I had been stupid, and that I was wasting too much time on internet foolishness. Ukraine made me realize that I needed to be hungry (metaphorically) like an immigrant in the land of opportunity. I’d been sitting on my laurels too much and had become complacent. So I mulled it over and came to the conclusion that I really liked traveling but needed to have a trade to do contract work abroad. I touched base with Ed on RWD and he shared his expertise about teaching/living in Ukraine. Teaching is an idea I’d been sitting on for a while, and the whole Ukraine trip was the catalyst for implementing it. I don't want to teach Americans, and that'd always stopped me in the past from teaching. With a quickness I got into grad school at UAB for the ESL International Track. So far I’ve been volunteering in the conversational English classes and meeting lots of foreigners to get my practicum credits (I need 100 hours). In 2014 I’ll have my M.A., then I can start applying for jobs. Russia will be the first place on my list (I don’t romanticize the FSU, so need to tell me it’s not heaven on earth). I have itchy feet, always have, and now I know how I can afford to see the world and meet new people.   

[ECOCKS]

Welcome!

Okay folks, fresh meat, line up!

[noelscot]

LOL!


I wish I was still fresh meat.

[Aloe]

(By the way, I’ve never met any FSUW who would tolerate country music.)

whaaaaaaa! i like country music, its fun Nothing like riding ur bike in GTA shooting up some gangstas while listening to K-rose (the in-game country radio station)     Or just riding in the rain with k-rose haha.
Some songs from there:







 

[Eduard]

Welcome!

Okay folks, fresh meat, line up!

fresh meat??? Are you kidding me? he's been at it for years! Practically an expert by now!
I don't know Scotty, I hope all these years invested are worth the effort. You would have been having your second child by now if you gave ole' uncle Ed about 3 or 4 months of your time back then when we talked.    But if you get your credentials and move to Russia I'm sure you'll have plenty of choices of wonderful women there.

[Slumba]

whaaaaaaa! i like country music, its fun Nothing like riding ur bike in GTA shooting up some gangstas while listening to K-rose (the in-game country radio station)

Must be tough to play GTA and keep the butterfly on your nose at the same time, Aloe!

[ECOCKS]

fresh meat??? Are you kidding me? he's been at it for years! Practically an expert by now!
I don't know Scotty, I hope all these years invested are worth the effort. You would have been having your second child by now if you gave ole' uncle Ed about 3 or 4 months of your time back then when we talked.    But if you get your credentials and move to Russia I'm sure you'll have plenty of choices of wonderful women there.

He's fresh meat with this post and his declaration of what his plans are......

[Muzh]

LOL!


I wish I was still fresh meat.

No spring chicken, eh? 

[noelscot]

fresh meat??? Are you kidding me? he's been at it for years! Practically an expert by now!
I don't know Scotty, I hope all these years invested are worth the effort. You would have been having your second child by now if you gave ole' uncle Ed about 3 or 4 months of your time back then when we talked.    But if you get your credentials and move to Russia I'm sure you'll have plenty of choices of wonderful women there.

I told you I wanted Maria Sharapova and you couldn't deliver, dude. You had your chance and blew it. lol.

[ECOCKS]

For Scotty.......

[Eduard]

I told you I wanted Maria Sharapova and you couldn't deliver, dude. You had your chance and blew it. lol.

come on now, your memory is failing you! I arranged with Maria's mother (Elena) to meet you and I at Maria's house on Long Boat Key here, but you cancelled at the last minute because you were like 20 bucks short to get the air ticket! 

[chivo]

I finished my schooling in Birmingham, then attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). I graduated in 2006 with a B.A. in English. Shortly thereafter in 2007,

 
In 2014 I’ll have my M.A., then I can start applying for jobs. Russia will be the first place on my list (I don’t romanticize the FSU, so need to tell me it’s not heaven on earth). I have itchy feet, always have, and now I know how I can afford to see the world and meet new people.

Actually, Russia is not so bad at all. You do have to like a certain amount of chaos though .
 
Noel, my question is why go through grad school? If it is something you want to finish for personal reasons I completely understand. But, you could get a job very easily in Russia with the education you have now.
 
I guess depending on your situation, and how itchy your feet really are, August would be a great time to look into offers in Russia. Just a FYI.

[noelscot]

Actually, Russia is not so bad at all. You do have to like a certain amount of chaos though .
 
Noel, my question is why go through grad school? If it is something you want to finish for personal reasons I completely understand. But, you could get a job very easily in Russia with the education you have now.
 
I guess depending on your situation, and how itchy your feet really are, August would be a great time to look into offers in Russia. Just a FYI.

Short answer: I need to be better qualified and experienced to teach. I also need time to save money.
How did you end up in Russia? Are you making a good living there?


FYI, speaking of teaching, this movie was hilarious.

[Anotherkiwi]

Short answer: I need to be better qualified and experienced to teach. I also need time to save money.

Good response.

FYI, speaking of teaching, this movie was hilarious.

Somehow I doubt that you'll get the same reaction at a carwash, even in Russia...

[ghost of moon goddess]

Short answer: I need to be better qualified and experienced to teach.

Wise response, since "experienced" implies "learned to expect unexpected".
Especially when it comes to teaching the English language. 

[noelscot]

My favorite quote from the movie is when she has parent-teacher night. Some parents complain that she has been showing too many movies and the children are not getting a real education, and she argues that "Movies are the new books."
 
 

[noelscot]

whaaaaaaa! i like country music, its fun Nothing like riding ur bike in GTA shooting up some gangstas while listening to K-rose (the in-game country radio station)     Or just riding in the rain with k-rose haha.
Some songs from there:







 

Where have you been all my life? lol


You might like this musician, Michelle Branch. Dwight Yoakam is also in the song.

[chivo]

 

Wise response, since "experienced" implies "learned to expect unexpected".
Especially when it comes to teaching the English language. 

It's interesting that you got some responses to suggest it's better to get more experience.

Now these people are well meaning and I'm sure they have their reasons, but as someone who has first hand knowledge I'm going to disagree with it being such a "wise response".
 
Here are my reasons for acting sooner than later. 1) the Russian economy is in decent shape at the moment which means plenty of people are interested in learning English, 2) The language schools in Russia have an incredibly hard time keeping up with the demand, especially the demand for native speakers, 3) most schools that you will have an opportunity to work for will train you without any experience and sponsor your work visa, 4) teaching English to Russians, for instance, is not the same as teaching English to Americans or Japanese, Chinese, Koreans and any other nationality you can think of, 5) You will spend 2 years preparing yourself to do this while in fact you could start earning right away, 6)  It will take you about 2 years to establish yourself so that you can earn 5K or more a month with any consistency (and that's after taxes), 7) it's not as hard as you think, but yes, it can be challenging, 8 ) who knows how long the good time lasts and with that in mind, you can survive in a down economy in Russia making decent money (4K or more a month) if you have an established clientele, 9) late August is the best time to act

I also need time to save money.

Now this is the only reason to postpone the inevitable, if indeed you want to teach in Russia.

You should have at least $5000 before you even consider this because you will go backwards with your money before you go forward.
 
There are ways to cut expenses and if you are serious about this, choosing the right city is also key. You're a country boy, so big cities might not be your thing. But, that is where the real money will be. And you will need that "real" money to live the lifestyle you're accustomed to.
 
 

 

[Boethius]

I'll disagree with you, chivo.

If noel intends on returning to the US at some time in the future, having an MA, particularly in ESL, will help him find a job.  Learning how to teach, which is, I assume, part of what his MA will be geared toward, will also make him a better teacher.  Teaching is not easy, not if you want to be good at it, and having the proper "tools" will make you better at your profession.

I know there are many expats with no teaching experience who work in the FSU as teachers.   That may be fine for someone very young, or who plans on living in the FSU full time.   But most expats do return home.

What if noel decides, in the end, that Russia is not for him?  He could work in Korea, China, or even the US teaching English as a second language if he has good accreditation.  The MA will stand him in good stead.

[Kunstkammer]

I'm an expat teaching English in SPb.  You know who really annoy me?  Native speakers that try to teach English with no teaching experience or training.  They tend to burn out quickly and often are complained about by students who are paying money to be taught English, but end up with someone who can't explain present perfect continuous other than "this is how we talk" or can't bother themselves to speak at the level of the class they are teaching, or attempt to teach grammar while breaking the rules they are teaching.


The climate is also changing here in regards to the attitude of "If you can speak English you can teach English."  The number of native speakers of English is increasing as are the numbers of Russians who are qualified to teach English.  And while students normally prefer a native speaker when possible, they are more apt now to ask (for private lessons especially) if the teacher has at least a TESOL certification, if not they would rather have a Russian with the training than say, an American university student looking for some party money.


I currently work full time at a language institute and have 3 long term private clients, if I didn't have the training or qualifications this would not be the case.  The private clients I have are the most lucrative and pay nearly 3 times my salary at the institute, and if I was just some guy who speaks English I certainly wouldn't have secured the accounts or kept them long term.