Hello Everybody:

I've just been offered a post a Volga Centre. Having read Kruhoeffer's various tips on accepting a contract in Russia and other near-disaster experiences of other ESL teachers in Moscow, I decided to seek further advices from the "experts" in this field. Wink Here's the deal I got:

-25hr/week, $450/month, from Sep. to June
-12hr/week, $250/month, during summer (a red flag?)
-$4/hr for overtime (another red flag?)
-10-12 month contract (which translates that I'll have to teach at least for one month in summer? for $250?)
-furnished private flat (bathroom & kitchen shared?)
-most classes are in the evening (is this the normal hours for learning English in Russia?)

If anyone knows of any contact at Volga Centre or has any past dealings with this school, please post the feedback. (could be positive, though) Rolling Eyes

Is it normal that you only get paid "partially" for your flight upon the completion of the contract? ($500 in my case) (In East Asia, they usually pay to the full!)

There was no paid vacation mentioned. Sad (for a 10-12 month contract) I hope I won't just work 10 months, or worse, 12 months straight. (with some odd statutory holidays here and there notwithstanding)

And final catch: no mention on reimbursing the working visa fee, which is $200US for multiple (12 months)! Again, in East Asia, this sort of fee is usually reimbursed.

If Linguamir and Volga Centre were one and the same, how could the employment contract have diverged so much over the last 3 years? (assuming that Kruhoeffer does have all the perks he claims

If anyone has some insights about the differences between Samara and Togliatti (life, people, etc), I'll be gratefully enlightened. Picking one over the other is virtually a matter of a toss-up for me at the moment.

Good news