Moving to Russia - Looking for Feedback

[RoadWarrior]

Turkey.. yeah that's where I would go considering your criteria.

Turkey is a Muslim country. I have a feeling that Muslim girls would have very little interest in dating me.

[BC]

I think you would be pleasantly surprised.  In many places more skirts than scarves, more of a western mentality than China or India for sure.  Boatloads of tourists from all over on the southern coast.. why go to one country when women from all over come to you 

Nice weather
Relatively cheap
Beautiful, nice women
Broadband internet available most places
Friendly, hospitable population
Lots of culture
Immigration probably doable

.. certainly worth a second look.

Croatia?

[Gator]

Costa Rica - women tend to be short and have a big booty, but great nature and very friendly to gringos.

Argentina - women are European looking and one of the least expensive developed countries.

Brazil - wild!

Don't know about the internet.

[krimster]

Ah Chivo!

Oh my! You have to do all this?

>$200 - residency card good for 6 months
>$300 visa
>$145 invitation for 3 month double entry visa w/2 free registrations
>$160 - round trip train ticket Moscow-Kiev no hotel/apt needed
>$25 - Miscellanous expenses
>-$500 paid by company

Me, here in the USA, I don' need no stinkin' visa (unless it's a credit card!)

What's all this about 'corporate America' and Enron?  Such things don't happen in Russia, really?
BTW, it's not written in stone that you HAVE to work for 'some corporation' in the USA, more than 13% of the American workforce is self-employed.  I've been self-employed for 13 years.

Well, "been there, done that" in the FSU, the glow of being a stranger in a strange land, wore off after about 6 months of being there, that's about all you have to look forward to.  Where did you live in the USA?  Moscow weather would really be a downer for me.  Today, I'm outside gardening in a short sleeve shirt, Moscow is freezing right now.

Do you own your own place in Moscow?  No, you're just renting?  Oh, I see.  Do you have a car there, no, oh I see.  OK.  Well too bad you're not over here, I'm going fishing in the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow morning, I would love to have you along.  My wife would put some shrimp on the BBQ for you when we got back, Tomorrow night the movie "300" about the Spartans will be on HBO and we can watch in HD.  Like to read?  For a Christmas present I got a "Kindle" E-Book reader from Amazon, let's me read almost any book I want to - instantly! Too bad it doesn't work in Russia!  Hey speaking of Hi-Tek in Russia, do they still arrest people with GPS equipment?

I'd be interested in knowing what you do there that's so attractive?

[groovlstk]

RW,

You could live very comfortably in Russia or Ukraine on a high-5-figure salary. Like NYC and Chicago, once you look 30 mins. from the city center the cost of living drops sharply. In Russia, at least in my experience, it drops off even much sharper on the outskirts of cities like Moscow and SPB.

If I were still single I'd kill for an opportunity to work for a few years or more in Russia.

I think you'll find very sharp differences in contentment among expats who are married and living in Russia and those who are single. I know I'd be much more tolerant and be willing to roll with whatever punches came my way while living there if I was single...

[krimster]

I've been a visitor/resident in the FSU since 1996.  In that time I've seen a familiar pattern.
About 90% of the foreigners who move there generally do so for one of four reasons.

1. Pursuit of women
2. Cheap place to live
3. Recover from divorce
4. Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All I have to say to all of you is, have you all been saved?

[Misha]

I've been a visitor/resident in the FSU since 1996.  In that time I've seen a familiar pattern.
About 90% of the foreigners who move there generally do so for one of four reasons.

1. Pursuit of women
2. Cheap place to live
3. Recover from divorce
4. Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

All I have to say to all of you is, have you all been saved?

For the most part, I agree with the 4 reasons put forward, but even these are quickly coming to an end.

There was a boom where certain Western professionals could get very well paying jobs in Moscow in the 1990's, but that is quickly coming to an end as companies are hiring Russians, many of them trained in the West. In one of Putin's speeches (just before the visa rules were changed), he told the large companies that they should hire local Russians instead of relying on Westerners. Anybody thinking of moving to Russia an earning a 5 or 6 figure salary simply because they are a Westerner is going to be sorely disappointed.

Even the cheap place to live is no longer true. Rents in Moscow are higher than most cities in Europe or North America. Even the cost of living in smaller cities in Russia has escalated in the last few years: my wife and I compared the cost of food and other services in her hometown (a small regional city), and we concluded that the cost of food and other basic necessities were either the same price or much more expensive in her city than in our home in Canada. Don't think about moving to Russia, if you want to save money or live cheaply. It would be easier for you to find a small plot of land in your home country and grow potatoes there instead of moving to Russia, as living in a village with a garden growing potatoes and raising a goat are about the only way you would now have a cheaper cost of living in Russia.

If you have the money and the time (i.e. no job or flexible job), point three is still valid.

As for point 4, I would say that has pretty much dried up as well. Everybody who could be converted probably has been converted by now.

Point 1 is probably still valid, but I sometimes wonder how long that will be possible. If Russia continues on the same trajectory, they are likely going to make it more difficult at some point for people to leave the country. 

[krimster]

Hey gabaub!

Yes, things are changing.  In Russia you also have to contend with an appreciating Ruble.
Up to about 4 years ago there were at least some Europeans/Americans exploring the idea of relocating
to the FSU, after Putin, zabut Russia, and after the rapid rise in real estate prices the "cheap place to live" crowd
disappeared as well.  The FSU real estate market is more expensive than almost anywhere as you noted, but what you
get for the money is not really architecture, it's "bunkitecture", just a rectangular concrete box with the cheapest possible
interior that's already crumbling before it's even finished.   

[chivo]

Ah Chivo!

Oh my! You have to do all this?

Well I said it would be my last post in this thread. Yes, just goes to show you should never say never.

Yes unfortunately my current visa expires before I get my work visa. Life can be difficult here as you know. I wish I had no problems to deal with like you and all other Americans, but its the price I pay for living in "hell".

>$200 - residency card good for 6 months
>$300 visa
>$145 invitation for 3 month double entry visa w/2 free registrations
>$160 - round trip train ticket Moscow-Kiev no hotel/apt needed
>$25 - Miscellanous expenses
>-$500 paid by company

Me, here in the USA, I don' need no stinkin' visa (unless it's a credit
card!)

You must be an American, congratulations.

I have 5 credit cards and 3 of them work here. Unfortunately I also had 50k+ of credit debt that I've managed to whittle down to under 20 since I've been here, go figure.

What's all this about 'corporate America' and Enron?  Such things don't happen in Russia, really?

No, just pointing out that any crap you find here can be found in America, thats all.

BTW, it's not written in stone that you HAVE to work for 'some corporation' in the USA, more than 13% of the American workforce is self-employed.  I've been self-employed for 13 years.

That means 87% don't. I like to enjoy life, not work at it till I die.

I also would most likely end up back in corporate America for a few reasons. I'd rather live here in this "hellhole". BTW, I'm semi -self employed here, and have really no one to answer to at my other job as long as I show up.

Well, "been there, done that" in the FSU, the glow of being a stranger in a strange land, wore off after about 6 months of being there, that's about all you have to look forward to.  Where did you live in the USA?  Moscow weather would really be a downer for me.  Today, I'm outside gardening in a short sleeve shirt, Moscow is freezing right now.

No, that was all YOU had to look forward to. Again to each his own.

I'm from LA so I imagine when I'm there, or was living there, I could be an ass about the weather to almost any place in the world, including the "swamp" you live in. Going fishing in the Gulf er ya, call me in the summer.

Oh, and the weather in Moscow the last 2 years has been much warmer than normal, but I do spend about a month or so in LA during the slow period in Moscow/Russia of January, early February. You see I can do this and the winters just don't seen so bad here to me after that.

Do you own your own place in Moscow? no. oh i see.

No, I have a house in LA.

No, you're just renting?

Yes, for less than I lease my house. 

Do you have a car there, no, oh I see.

No, its by design. If there's one thing I really don't miss, its driving. I get most places by metro, hows the transit system in your area BTW?

If I need a car I hire a driver or flag a ride, much cheaper and I don't have a car note of $400+, escalating insurance payments, deal with the police, and any other headache like dealing with traffic, worries about theft (I'm sure they don't steal cars in America, right?). Traffic in Moscow is terrible for sure, well, almost as bad as LA.

OK. Well too bad you're not over here, I'm going fishing in the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow morning, I would love to have you along.

While I do enjoy being out in the open sea, fishing doesn't do it for me, and I've done it already more than I care for...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (lived in Houston for 5 years and had a house in Texas City to boot). Anyway, I get the feeling one of us would end up overboard .

Plus, I couldn't anyway, I'm going ice staking with a beautiful RW, and afterward we'll have a nice romantic dinner, with the snow falling outside...oh, sorry, i was just imagining tonight,... enjoy the smell of your catfish. 

My wife would put some shrimp on the BBQ for you when we got back,

hmmmm, shrimp, I do love shrimp, will we shower together too.

Tomorrow night the movie "300" about the Spartans will be on HBO and we can watch in HD.

You mean that over dramatized Hollywood version, seen it already in HD BTW. We have it here in Moscow if you didn't know. Oh and I saw it about 6 months ago, where have you been?

Bluetooth, high speed internet w/satellite TV, iphones, blackberries are due out this month, etc., its all here. We even have toilet paper, can you imagine. When's the last time you've been here?

Like to read? 
Yes, but not just anything. Here's an intesterting article though. See any hypocrisy in it? Maybe we all just see what we want to see.
http://www.exile.ru/articles/detail.php?ARTICLE_ID=17180&IBLOCK_ID=35

For a Christmas present I got a "Kindle" E-Book reader from Amazon, let's me read almost any book I want to - instantly! Too bad it doesn't work in Russia!  Hey speaking of Hi-Tek in Russia, do they still arrest people with GPS equipment?

I thought you knew, they don't arrest people who can afford GPS equipment.

Well, anyway you are my hero, thats for sure.

Funny, but I don't lack for much here. Anything I want is here, really...OK, except for my "kindle" e-book reader. Remember this is Moscow, not Shitferopol.

Just a question or two. In between trying to save the world from itself, did you manage to visit Moscow at all? When was the last time you were here in Moscow?

You see this town has changed dramatically over the last few years. Some might say for the worse, but growth always is accompanied by pain and resistance to change.

I'd be interested in knowing what you do there that's so attractive?

Enjoy life.

chivo

[Phil dAmore]

bunkitecture

Great word.   Very accurate!

[chivo]

RW,

You could live very comfortably in Russia or Ukraine on a high-5-figure salary. Like NYC and Chicago, once you look 30 mins. from the city center the cost of living drops sharply. In Russia, at least in my experience, it drops off even much sharper on the outskirts of cities like Moscow and SPB.

I was going to say the same, but I think for some reason he prefers smaller towns. Don't know exactly why, but I could show him Moscow unlike most people, and I'm sure he'd like it. But,...

If I were still single I'd kill for an opportunity to work for a few years or more in Russia.

I do, and didn't have to kill anyone  . Thanks for confirming my thoughts exactly.

I think you'll find very sharp differences in contentment among expats who are married and living in Russia and those who are single. I know I'd be much more tolerant and be willing to roll with whatever punches came my way while living there if I was single...

Excellent point, and very true. My experiences have been that the punches are not so difficult to roll with. Others might see it differently. I can only judge my life.

It doesn't matter where you live, life will throw some curves at you. If you don't like it here, don't live here, period.

If you like where you live and are happy, wherever that may be, then you're doing better than the majority of people in this world.

are you happy? thats the bottom line. If not, find your place in the sun (or snow ) and enjoy.

chivo

[Kuna]

Quote from: krimster on Today at 06:17:44
Ah Chivo!

Oh my! You have to do all this?

Well I said it would be my last post in this thread. Yes, just goes to show you should never say never.

Yes unfortunately my current visa expires before I get my work visa. Life can be difficult here as you know. I wish I had no problems to deal with like you and all other Americans, but its the price I pay for living in "hell".

>$200 - residency card good for 6 months
>$300 visa
>$145 invitation for 3 month double entry visa w/2 free registrations
>$160 - round trip train ticket Moscow-Kiev no hotel/apt needed
>$25 - Miscellanous expenses
>-$500 paid by company

Me, here in the USA, I don' need no stinkin' visa (unless it's a credit
card!)

You must be an American, congratulations.

I have 5 credit cards and 3 of them work here. Unfortunately I also had 50k+ of credit debt that I've managed to whittle down to under 20 since I've been here, go figure.

What's all this about 'corporate America' and Enron?  Such things don't happen in Russia, really?

No, just pointing out that any crap you find here can be found in America, thats all.

BTW, it's not written in stone that you HAVE to work for 'some corporation' in the USA, more than 13% of the American workforce is self-employed.  I've been self-employed for 13 years.

That means 87% don't. I like to enjoy life, not work at it till I die.

I also would most likely end up back in corporate America for a few reasons. I'd rather live here in this "hellhole". BTW, I'm semi -self employed here, and have really no one to answer to at my other job as long as I show up.

Well, "been there, done that" in the FSU, the glow of being a stranger in a strange land, wore off after about 6 months of being there, that's about all you have to look forward to.  Where did you live in the USA?  Moscow weather would really be a downer for me.  Today, I'm outside gardening in a short sleeve shirt, Moscow is freezing right now.

No, that was all YOU had to look forward to. Again to each his own.

I'm from LA so I imagine when I'm there, or was living there, I could be an ass about the weather to almost any place in the world, including the "swamp" you live in. Going fishing in the Gulf er ya, call me in the summer.

Oh, and the weather in Moscow the last 2 years has been much warmer than normal, but I do spend about a month or so in LA during the slow period in Moscow/Russia of January, early February. You see I can do this and the winters just don't seen so bad here to me after that.

Do you own your own place in Moscow? no. oh i see.

No, I have a house in LA.

No, you're just renting?

Yes, for less than I lease my house.

Do you have a car there, no, oh I see.

No, its by design. If there's one thing I really don't miss, its driving. I get most places by metro, hows the transit system in your area BTW?

If I need a car I hire a driver or flag a ride, much cheaper and I don't have a car note of $400+, escalating insurance payments, deal with the police, and any other headache like dealing with traffic, worries about theft (I'm sure they don't steal cars in America, right?). Traffic in Moscow is terrible for sure, well, almost as bad as LA.

OK. Well too bad you're not over here, I'm going fishing in the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow morning, I would love to have you along.

While I do enjoy being out in the open sea, fishing doesn't do it for me, and I've done it already more than I care for...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (lived in Houston for 5 years and had a house in Texas City to boot). Anyway, I get the feeling one of us would end up overboard Tongue.

Plus, I couldn't anyway, I'm going ice staking with a beautiful RW, and afterward we'll have a nice romantic dinner, with the snow falling outside...oh, sorry, i was just imagining tonight,... enjoy the smell of your catfish.

My wife would put some shrimp on the BBQ for you when we got back,

hmmmm, shrimp, I do love shrimp, will we shower together too.

Tomorrow night the movie "300" about the Spartans will be on HBO and we can watch in HD.

You mean that over dramatized Hollywood version, seen it already in HD BTW. We have it here in Moscow if you didn't know. Oh and I saw it about 6 months ago, where have you been?

Bluetooth, high speed internet w/satellite TV, iphones, blackberries are due out this month, etc., its all here. We even have toilet paper, can you imagine. When's the last time you've been here?

Like to read?
Yes, but not just anything. Here's an intesterting article though. See any hypocrisy in it? Maybe we all just see what we want to see.
http://www.exile.ru/artic...ID=17180&IBLOCK_ID=35

For a Christmas present I got a "Kindle" E-Book reader from Amazon, let's me read almost any book I want to - instantly! Too bad it doesn't work in Russia!  Hey speaking of Hi-Tek in Russia, do they still arrest people with GPS equipment?

I thought you knew, they don't arrest people who can afford GPS equipment.

Well, anyway you are my hero, thats for sure.

Funny, but I don't lack for much here. Anything I want is here, really...OK, except for my "kindle" e-book reader. Remember this is Moscow, not *snip*feropol.

Just a question or two. In between trying to save the world from itself, did you manage to visit Moscow at all? When was the last time you were here in Moscow?

You see this town has changed dramatically over the last few years. Some might say for the worse, but growth always is accompanied by pain and resistance to change.

I'd be interested in knowing what you do there that's so attractive?

Enjoy life.

chivo

Chivo,

Great response and a nice dose of perspective for those that don't hate FSU... Thank you...

Kuna

[Bruce]

I have always had my own 5 reasons why Westerners go to Russia:

1.  Single Men Looking for Fun, Adventure and Possibly a Wife, or specifically for a wife.
2.   Those looking to spread the word of the lord.
3.  Childless couples looking to adopt
4.   Businessmen
5.  Government types on "official" business.

Not that Westerners will be hauled off, but it can and sometimes does happen.  For the most part they like the money.  In Russia a Westerner has no rights.  Always remember that. 

Chivo, appreciate your posts.  You do fulfill two and for all I know three of my five reasons for going to and living in Russia.  More power to you.  Still, for the average single guy it is just too far a stretch. 

[krimster]

Ah Chivo!

>I have 5 credit cards and 3 of them work here. Unfortunately I also had 50k+ of credit debt that
 >I've managed to whittle down to under 20 since I've been here, go figure.

Chivo, you claim to own a house, why didn't you get a home equity loan to pay off your credit card debt, the interest rate is less than half, almost a third of what the credit card interest rate is, maybe you'd have paid it off by now!

>Well, "been there, done that" in the FSU, the glow of being a stranger in a strange land, wore off
>after about 6 months of being there, that's about all you have to look forward to.  Where did you
> live in the USA?  Moscow weather would really be a downer for me.  Today, I'm outside
>gardening in a short sleeve shirt, Moscow is freezing right now.
>No, that was all YOU had to look forward to. Again to each his own.

OK, so tell me then what YOU look forward to in Moscow?

>I'm from LA so I imagine when I'm there, or was living there, I could be an ass about the weather
>to almost any place in the world, including the "swamp" you live in. Going fishing in the Gulf er
>ya, call me in the summer.

It's painfully humid here for about three months.  During this period I do all yard and gardening work early in the morning.  The weather is quite pleasant during this time period.  About a third of the people in my neighborhood myself included have their own swimming pool, we enjoy it immensely, and this makes the humidity not a problem along with central air conditioning

>Oh, and the weather in Moscow the last 2 years has been much warmer than normal, but I do
>spend about a month or so in LA during the slow period in Moscow/Russia of January, early
>February. You see I can do this and the winters just don't seen so bad here to me after that.

Yes, when I was living in Ukraine I could see the weather maps on TV  which included Moscow, you guys got the bad weather earlier, and the good weather later, and yes not as cold as it used to be, not Murmansk cold that is. 

So to help you cope, you just leave? I totally agree with that!  We left every 6 months, sometimes every 3, we did a HUGE amount of traveling, loved it!

>Do you own your own place in Moscow? no. oh i see.
>No, I have a house in LA.
>No, you're just renting?
>Yes, for less than I lease my house.

Did you remember to include mortgage payment, insurance, property tax?  Also by not having this house as your primary residence, don't you lose the tax benefit?  Oh, you're not telling the IRS.  So you're making house payments on a house you don't live in and enjoy, and losing money on it too boot!!!  This is OK with you?

>Do you have a car there, no, oh I see.
>No, its by design. If there's one thing I really don't miss, its driving. I get most places by metro,
>hows the transit system in your area BTW?

Here, everyone has a car, even teenagers, this IS the transit system.  Go when you want, no need to go to a bus stop, don't worry about sitting next to someone who's sick, and I can sure carry a whole lot more than you can carry holding in your arms sittin' on a bus

>If I need a car I hire a driver or flag a ride, much cheaper and I don't have a car note of $400+,
>escalating insurance payments, deal with the police, and any other headache like dealing with
>traffic, worries about theft (I'm sure they don't steal cars in America, right?). Traffic in Moscow is >terrible for sure, well, almost as bad as LA.

If I need a car, I just walk into the garage and get one, by the time you've "made all the arrangements" I've already arrived at my destination.  Theft, is much less of a problem here, and NO, I'm not "worried" about it.  I also had a car in Ukraine.

>While I do enjoy being out in the open sea, fishing doesn't do it for me, and I've done it already >
>more than I care for...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (lived in Houston for 5 years and had a house in Texas City
>to boot). Anyway, I get the feeling one of us would end up overboard Tongue.

Yeah, I enjoy the open sea as well, don't care about how many fish I catch, it's just an excuse.  If you end up overboard, I'll fetch ya out, don't worry...

>Plus, I couldn't anyway, I'm going ice staking with a beautiful RW, and afterward we'll have a nice >romantic dinner, with the snow falling outside...oh, sorry, i was just imagining tonight,... enjoy the >smell of your catfish.

Well, that's SWEET!  I enjoy dinner with my beautiful RW every night as well, see we have something in common.  Catfish?  You a city boy, aintcha?  Ain't no catfish in the Gulf boy, we's talkin' 'bout yellow fin tuna, and them's good eatin'!


>My wife would put some shrimp on the BBQ for you when we got back,
>hmmmm, shrimp, I do love shrimp, will we shower together too.
Ah, no Chivo WE WILL NOT SHOWER TOGETHER!  YOU JUST PUT THOSE KINDA THOUGHTS OUTTA YOUR MIND YOUNG MAN!  Ah, you did say RW and not RM, right?

>You mean that over dramatized Hollywood version, seen it already in HD BTW. We have it here
>in Moscow if you didn't know. Oh and I saw it about 6 months ago, where have you been?
I'm not talkin' about movie theater or pirated DVD, I'm talkin cable, you got the ENGLISH version of "300" on cable?  No, I didn't think so!

>Bluetooth, high speed internet w/satellite TV, iphones, blackberries are due out this month, etc., its >all here. We even have toilet paper, can you imagine. When's the last time you've been here?

Due out this month???/  It's been here fer years!!!!

Well, my big trip to Moscow was in '98, it was interestin', liked St. Petersburg MUCH more, kinda hard to compete with the Hermitage, actually I even liked Tula more than Moscow.  I was in Moscow for one day on a transit visa two yrs ago, traffic to Sheremetyevo was hideous, almost as bad as treatment inside the airport itself, somehow I resisted the urge to want to move there!


>I thought you knew, they don't arrest people who can afford GPS equipment.

Not true, see here:http://vladivostok.usconsulate.gov/wwwhacsgps.html

>Well, anyway you are my hero, thats for sure.

Aww shucks...

Funny, but I don't lack for much here. Anything I want is here, really...OK, except for my "kindle" e-book reader. Remember this is Moscow, not *snip*feropol.

Well, in *snip*feropol, I lived just 300 meters from a nice beach on the 'chorny moira', also just 300 meters from Chersonesos.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chersonesos, having seen*snip*feropol and some of the suburbs in Moscow, I can't see all that many differences, so if it's *snip* in one, it's sure gotta be *snip* in another!

>Just a question or two. In between trying to save the world from itself, did you manage to visit
>Moscow at all? When was the last time you were here in Moscow?

Extensively visit was 10 yr ago. Wasn't married.  LOVED the women I met there, had a great time, total BARDAK!  Would NEVER want to live there though!

>Enjoy life.

I am, thank you!

[krimster]

Chivo,
   I plum forgot, here's a picture for ya

http://worldfrontpage.com/moscow_air/


Which smokestack do you live by?

[chivo]

Ah Chivo!

Chivo, you claim to own a house, why didn't you get a home equity loan to pay off your credit card debt, the interest rate is less than half, almost a third of what the credit card interest rate is, maybe you'd have paid it off by now!

I pay 3.99% on the life of the debt, can you beat that with an equity loan?

>OK, so tell me then what YOU look forward to in Moscow?

Everyday.

It's painfully humid here for about three months.  During this period I do all yard and gardening work early in the morning.  The weather is quite pleasant during this time period.  About a third of the people in my neighborhood myself included have their own swimming pool, we enjoy it immensely, and this makes the humidity not a problem along with central air conditioning.

So you stay indoors basically for 3 months, I lived in Houston remember.

>Oh, and the weather in Moscow the last 2 years has been much warmer than normal, but I do
>spend about a month or so in LA during the slow period in Moscow/Russia of January, early
>February. You see I can do this and the winters just don't seen so bad here to me after that.

Yes, when I was living in Ukraine I could see the weather maps on TV  which included Moscow, you guys got the bad weather earlier, and the good weather later, and yes not as cold as it used to be, not Murmansk cold that is. 

So to help you cope, you just leave? I totally agree with that!  We left every 6 months, sometimes every 3, we did a HUGE amount of traveling, loved it!

No I visit family and friends. I don't "cope" with anything. I control my moods, not the weather. You might be surprised to know that I actually like cold weather being that i'm from SoCal. I used to spend mucho time in Lake Tahoe during the winter when I live in the states. Truckee typically records the coldest temperature in the states each year.

I/we enjoy the travelling here too. But yes, 5 months in a row is a bit too much, so I, like many a Russian, get out of dodge, and Jan/Feb can be brutal sometimes agreed.

I bet we could share some interesting stories.

Did you remember to include mortgage payment, insurance, property tax?  Also by not having this house as your primary residence, don't you lose the tax benefit?  Oh, you're not telling the IRS.  So you're making house payments on a house you don't live in and enjoy, and losing money on it too boot!!!  This is OK with you?

Of course, just paid my insurance on Friday matter of fact, both property tax/insurance run me about $250 a month. No I don't lose the tax benefit. My house is still worth twice what a paid despite the downturn (and losing about 70k of appreciation), its LA not hickville.

My tenants pay my mortgage, and I get a very small positive cash flow from it.

Here, everyone has a car, even teenagers, this IS the transit system.  Go when you want, no need to go to a bus stop, don't worry about sitting next to someone who's sick, and I can sure carry a whole lot more than you can carry holding in your arms sittin' on a bus


If I need a car, I just walk into the garage and get one, by the time you've "made all the arrangements" I've already arrived at my destination.  Theft, is much less of a problem here, and NO, I'm not "worried" about it.  I also had a car in Ukraine.

If I need a car I go out on the street and get a ride before your car is warmed up. I do however carry my groceries home, but its not as bad as it seems. Again, I use the metro and walk (which I like), if I'm not with my lady who has a car.

No buses, except for the one Volvo sends to pick me up at the metro. It's quite nice, like a tour bus w/stereo even. Many/most of my other clients send their personal driver to pick me up at the metro too. Makes me feel kinda important, ya know  .

BTW care to match our physiques? The smart money here says, from all the walking I do, I can run you into the ground, no problem.

Hows your cholesterol rate?

Oh, I can easily afford to have a car of my own, just chose not to at this time.

Yeah, I enjoy the open sea as well, don't care about how many fish I catch, it's just an excuse.  If you end up overboard, I'll fetch ya out, don't worry...

Hopefully not with a pole.

Well, that's SWEET!  I enjoy dinner with my beautiful RW every night as well, see we have something in common.  Catfish?  You a city boy, aintcha?  Ain't no catfish in the Gulf boy, we's talkin' 'bout yellow fin tuna, and them's good eatin'!

Is LA a city? I actually lived out in the country when I was in Texas. On a lake no less. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. After 2 months I moved back to the city bored out of my mind. City boy all the way.

But, yes fishing for tuna is cool, gotta agree there, and it does taste good too.


Ah, no Chivo WE WILL NOT SHOWER TOGETHER!  YOU JUST PUT THOSE KINDA THOUGHTS OUTTA YOUR MIND YOUNG MAN!  Ah, you did say RW and not RM, right?

Nothing gets by you.

I'm not talkin' about movie theater or pirated DVD, I'm talkin cable, you got the ENGLISH version of "300" on cable?  No, I didn't think so!

Seeing it once was enough. I can buy the English version for 100ru., how much is your cable bill? When I was in America mine was about $62 a month, and I rarely used it. I mean how many times do you need to see the same movie?

I did/do miss the sopranos though. Some of the other shows I miss I can get on the internet.

>Bluetooth, high speed internet w/satellite TV, iphones, blackberries are due out this month, etc., its >all here. We even have toilet paper, can you imagine. When's the last time you've been here?

Due out this month???/  It's been here fer years!!!!

Do you have a bumper sticker on your car thats reads "the one with the most toys when he dies wins"?

Well, my big trip to Moscow was in '98, it was interestin', liked St. Petersburg MUCH more, kinda hard to compete with the Hermitage, actually I even liked Tula more than Moscow.  I was in Moscow for one day on a transit visa two yrs ago, traffic to Sheremetyevo was hideous, almost as bad as treatment inside the airport itself, somehow I resisted the urge to want to move there!

Tula, you are a glutton for punishment. We still miss you and your upbeat personality here though.


Well, in *snip*feropol, I lived just 300 meters from a nice beach on the 'chorny moira', also just 300 meters from Chersonesos.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chersonesos, having seen*snip*feropol and some of the suburbs in Moscow, I can't see all that many differences, so if it's *snip* in one, it's sure gotta be *snip* in another!

Saying nice things about Ukraine are ya? I guess its OK when it works to your advantage.

Believe me a Moscow - Simferopol comparasion really detracts from your credibility.

What city do you live in? I'm sure I can find some shit part of town there NO PROBLEM. I mean we are talking down south...aren't we?

Extensively visit was 10 yr ago. Wasn't married.  LOVED the women I met there, had a great time, total BARDAK!  Would NEVER want to live there though!

Glad to hear you had a good time. To each his own.

>Enjoy life.

I am, thank you!

Makes two of us then. Krimster, stop it already, you're killing me .
If you keep this up I might start to even like you  .

How about this, you win, is that better? Get the last word in if you must, but this is enough for me.

I enjoy what I'm doing, and you are doing the same. Isn't that what matters?

Oh, and tonight i'll be playing in a Texas Hold'em tournament (which I love to play) after which i'll watch the LA Lakers vs Dallas Mavs basketball game via satellite (I love roundball too). Wonderful to be alive, isn't it?

Take care

chivo

 

[Fashionista]

I grew up in Novosibirsk. Have nothing good to say about this city. Find something better.

[RoadWarrior]

This has been a very interesting and enlightening discussion. I've also had conversations with two other Russia expats during this time on other forums -- one from Krasnodar and another from Nizhniy Novgorod. Both love it there, but what's confusing me is that both have given me somewhat conflicting information.

The expat from Krasnodar painted a picture of Russia being extremely expensive, with decent apartments costing about $1,000 per month and food being very expensive.

On the other hand, the expat in Nizhniy Novgorod painted a picture of Russia not being that expensive, with nice apartments in the center of town costing $200 per month and kiosks all over with inexpensive and tasty roasted chicken, shawarmas and shashlik.

Different people paint such different pictures of life in Russia.

The one hurdle I know I'll have to overcome if I move there is the work permit issue. I'm trying to figure out whether or not I can obtain one with reasonable ease. I do work for a language services (translation) company, and my company would be willing to assist me in the process. I also have a legitimate business reason for being in Russia (recruiting Russian translators for projects).

Does anyone have any feedback on this issue?

Also, my friend in NN says that Volga Telecom offers high-speed Internet with unlimited traffic (i.e. without a cap on traffic at which point surcharges apply).

[krimster]

Both descriptions might be correct, Kyiv had apartments for 3,000-4,000 USD mo, other cities 500 USD/mo.
Generally internet in the FSU is done through your cable company, on average your bill will be about 50 USD/mo
for measured traffic.  Quality varies quite a bit, but you have to get used to that

[Shadow]

Both descriptions might be correct, Kyiv had apartments for 3,000-4,000 USD mo, other cities 500 USD/mo.
Generally internet in the FSU is done through your cable company, on average your bill will be about 50 USD/mo
for measured traffic.  Quality varies quite a bit, but you have to get used to that

The bad city of Moscow had high-speed cable internet for $20 already 3 years ago...Prices go down in a hurry

[krimster]

Shadow,

Price depends on "usage" and is measured.  I haven't seen an unlimited plan in the FSU yet, the $20 is likely
the lowest bandwidth number...

[ScottinCrimea]

I pay $6 a month for high speed cable internet in Simferopol.  The bandwidth is decent and even though the usage is measured, I never went over the limit, even when I was on the computer all day.  There were occasional problems with connectivity, though.  There are unlimited plans but I don't recall the cost.

[Shadow]

Shadow,

Price depends on "usage" and is measured.  I haven't seen an unlimited plan in the FSU yet, the $20 is likely
the lowest bandwidth number...

The speed was high enough to play online games with a low ping

[Misha]

The speed was high enough to play online games with a low ping

Moscow does have cheaper and faster internet. It helps that it is one of the few places in Russia where there is actually competition. In other cities, where you have a monopoly, you will pay through the nose. The city where my wife is from had extremely overpriced internet (1500 roubles per month I believe for 256mb/s connection speed) and you had a ridiculously low amount of traffic allowed (250mb, maybe less, if memory serves me right) and you were then charged close to 2roubles per mb once you had surpassed your limit. I am not sure whether prices have gone down this last year. I doubt it.

[Phil dAmore]

This has been a very interesting and enlightening discussion. I've also had conversations with two other Russia expats during this time on other forums -- one from Krasnodar and another from Nizhniy Novgorod. Both love it there, but what's confusing me is that both have given me somewhat conflicting information.

Which is the first thing you must understand about life here.  Everything is open to interpretation and about the only constant is that somehow, somewhere it's going to cost you to get anything done.

The expat from Krasnodar painted a picture of Russia being extremely expensive, with decent apartments costing about $1,000 per month and food being very expensive.

On the other hand, the expat in Nizhniy Novgorod painted a picture of Russia not being that expensive, with nice apartments in the center of town costing $200 per month and kiosks all over with inexpensive and tasty roasted chicken, shawarmas and shashlik.

The cost of living here is directly proportional to your chosen level of lifestyle.  If you insist on living in Russia at the same standard of living you do in the West, it is going to cost you as much if not more than it would in your home.

However if you don't mind 'going native' and living like most of the regular Russian folk do, buying your food at the rynook where the meat may or may not be refrigerated and jockeying for postion in line with babushkas (not recommended, they are tougher than they appear!) then you can live here much cheaper.  It all depends on you.

By the way, that shawarma / shaverma?  I'm told that it's chicken... or maybe lamb.  But I don't know for sure. Whatever it is if you eat enough of it you will get fat in a big hurry.

The one hurdle I know I'll have to overcome if I move there is the work permit issue. I'm trying to figure out whether or not I can obtain one with reasonable ease.

Okay, one more time.. and PAY ATTENTION!!!:  NOTHING IS EASY OR SIMPLE HERE! At least not unless you are willing to grease the right palms... and finding those palms can be considerably more difficult than you may imagine

I do work for a language services (translation) company, and my company would be willing to assist me in the process. I also have a legitimate business reason for being in Russia (recruiting Russian translators for projects)

.

Which won't amount to a pile of turnips if you end up dealing with some petty bureaucrats who have an attitude about foreigners.  They will spend more time creating obstructions to keep you from getting that permit than if they would just (do their job) and issue the thing, thereby getting you out of their hair more quickly.

Also, my friend in NN says that Volga Telecom offers high-speed Internet with unlimited traffic (i.e. without a cap on traffic at which point surcharges apply).

We recently got unlimited broadband in St. Petersburg for around 390 rubles a month.  If it isn't in NN and other cities yet, it will be soon.