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tbarnes
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 10
Location: New York, NY
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 Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject: Moscow vs. St. Petersburg |
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| Does anyone care to way in on teaching English in Moscow vs. in St. Petersburg? I'm deliberating between the two, and I can't decide to save my life. St. Petersburg to me seems slightly more Western, and I equate it with the 19th century and literary Russia. Moscow is bigger, scarier, and more political. But I wonder if maybe it just has more energy? I know its more expensive. Any thoughts? |
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mediashark
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Joined: 04 Nov 2004
Posts: 1599
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| Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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I have not been in SPb, but I think Moscow may be easier to start off as there are lots of foreigners there, large expat community etc. More energy--probably.
Anyway if you can have a go at both cities... sometimes it just boils down to personal preferences, or some other little reason. |
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tbarnes
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 10
Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I'm from New York, so I like things frenetic, fast-paced, and fun. sounds like Moscow is probably more up my alley (and I'm used to expensive cities besides). Thanks. |
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MrSpice
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Joined: 14 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 12:18 am Post subject: |
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| tbarnes wrote: | | Yeah, I'm from New York, so I like things frenetic, fast-paced, and fun. sounds like Moscow is probably more up my alley (and I'm used to expensive cities besides). Thanks. |
I am originally from St Petersburg, but have lived in New York for 11 years.
Remember that a busy city in Russia means terrible air quality (in both St Petersburg and Moscow, but more so in Moscow) and huge traffic jams.
Moscow is more developed, people make more money, everything is more expensive in Moscow than in the rest of Russia, including St Petersburg. The weather in Moscow is better in the summer (mostly dry), but it's much colder there in the winter than in St Petersburg where winters are mostly mild with ocassional low temperatures. St Petersburg is smaller obviously. But it's no ordinary city by American standards. There are still 5 million residents in St Petersburg. And unlike the US, most people actually in the city.
I think in a way if we assume that you can have the same standard of living in both cities, I would choose St Petersburg. Police won't stop you as often to check your documents. The traffic is not as bad. The city is more manageable and the metro is not as overcrowded as Moscow's. And the air is mostly cleaner. And the suburbs are close to the center of the city where you can go and relax by the lake. |
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tbarnes
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 10
Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 12:26 am Post subject: |
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| hmm, intriguing. thanks for the advice. Say, do you know any hip English language magazines or similar in St. Petersburg? I'm a freelance writer too and I may be able to get some work at Element in Moscow. But if I could also find similar type work in St. Petersburg, I just might defect. Any thoughts appreciated (anyone written for any English language papers/rags in Russia?) |
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MrSpice
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Joined: 14 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:43 am Post subject: |
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| tbarnes wrote: | | hmm, intriguing. thanks for the advice. Say, do you know any hip English language magazines or similar in St. Petersburg? I'm a freelance writer too and I may be able to get some work at Element in Moscow. But if I could also find similar type work in St. Petersburg, I just might defect. Any thoughts appreciated (anyone written for any English language papers/rags in Russia?) |
I don't know any English-language magazine in St Petersburh except St. Petersburg Times. I would think that your ability to get work would be better in Moscow. I would think that someone who is a business writer - can create financial documents, etc. - would be in a better positon to find this kind of job. But I know very little about it. Overall, very few people speak English in Russia, so I cannot imagine there would be a serious demand for English journalist. But Moscow would certainly provide better career opportunities than any other city. It's like a country in itself. Real estate is often twice as expensive as in St Petersburg... |
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greg222
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Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 599
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| Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I wrote for element last year. It's okay as a hobby (ie. as long as you don't care about the money). They pay 6c a word and often couldn't even manage to pay me for that - constantly late, a little bit short and it took me three months to get my final pay. On the bright side you learn a lot about Moscow through the work. I just got sick of their incompetence in the end. But there's a new editor now so maybe things have gotten better.
You'd be much better off trying for the Moscow Times cultural/lifestyle sections though. The work is less frequent but it's operated professionally and you're working for experienced people there.
As for Moscow vs St Petersburg, I haven't lived in St Petersburg and imagine if I did I would encounter many of the same frustrations as I do in Moscow. But just going there as a tourist it's a much more peaceful, relaxed and beautiful city. But I enjoy the energy and opportunity of Moscow. And if you don't go outside the garden ring and turn a blind eye to every fourth building or so, then Moscow's quite pretty as well. |
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overseas_expat
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Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 741
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:00 am Post subject: Re: Moscow vs. St. Petersburg |
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| tbarnes wrote: | | Does anyone care to way in on teaching English in Moscow vs. in St. Petersburg? ...... Any thoughts? |
I think you need to review your own English before you find your "way in" teaching others.  |
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