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Author Topic: The Russian Dream..  (Read 15187 times)

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Online andrewfi

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #50 on: August 11, 2016, 05:28:17 AM »
Not suggesting that the words are not true but they are what every university case study group uses in their presentations. :)


https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22dynamic%20fast%20paced%20technology%20company%22

9,940 results for exactly the same text

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22creating+interactive+multi+platform%22

2,120 results for exactly the same text

Worse yet - 534 cases of exactly the same text "dynamic fast paced technology company creating interactive multi platform":
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22dynamic+fast+paced+technology+company+creating+interactive+multi+platform%22&rlz=1C1SAVS_enEE543EE545&oq=%22dynamic+fast+paced+technology+company+creating+interactive+multi+platform%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.294171j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I bet that you'd also claim your business was unique, yes?
So, your keystone claims also need to be unique.

A potential client or investor seeing your words will take away, possibly incorrectly, the idea that your business is not as unique as you claim when he reads words he has read five times already that morning. :)

Perhaps your copywriter saw this page: http://www.snap-interactive.com/ :)
...everything ends always well; if it’s still bad, then it’s not the end!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #51 on: August 11, 2016, 05:44:57 AM »
Not suggesting that the words are not true but they are what every university case study group uses in their presentations. :)


https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22dynamic%20fast%20paced%20technology%20company%22

9,940 results for exactly the same text

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22creating+interactive+multi+platform%22

2,120 results for exactly the same text

Worse yet - 534 cases of exactly the same text "dynamic fast paced technology company creating interactive multi platform":
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22dynamic+fast+paced+technology+company+creating+interactive+multi+platform%22&rlz=1C1SAVS_enEE543EE545&oq=%22dynamic+fast+paced+technology+company+creating+interactive+multi+platform%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.294171j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I bet that you'd also claim your business was unique, yes?
So, your keystone claims also need to be unique.

A potential client or investor seeing your words will take away, possibly incorrectly, the idea that your business is not as unique as you claim when he reads words he has read five times already that morning. :)

Perhaps your copywriter saw this page: http://www.snap-interactive.com/ :)

Perhaps your copywriter saw this page:

I do all design and graphics myself. Nearly every every design/internet company uses some ideas from another company.  :hidechair:

What I can tell you for 100% is remember these words "In less than four years time we will have one of the largest global niche dating networks"

But more importantly all our members will have the safest online dating experience possible. Where we will be different is there truly will be NO scammers on any of our sites.. all sites will be protected by "CupidGuard" all coming soon. Im two years behind due to certain things out of my control :(

But were catching up now and very very close to rolling lots of new products out..
I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #52 on: August 11, 2016, 05:57:27 AM »
Not suggesting that the words are not true but they are what every university case study group uses in their presentations. :)


https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22dynamic%20fast%20paced%20technology%20company%22

9,940 results for exactly the same text

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22creating+interactive+multi+platform%22

2,120 results for exactly the same text

Worse yet - 534 cases of exactly the same text "dynamic fast paced technology company creating interactive multi platform":
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22dynamic+fast+paced+technology+company+creating+interactive+multi+platform%22&rlz=1C1SAVS_enEE543EE545&oq=%22dynamic+fast+paced+technology+company+creating+interactive+multi+platform%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.294171j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I bet that you'd also claim your business was unique, yes?
So, your keystone claims also need to be unique.

A potential client or investor seeing your words will take away, possibly incorrectly, the idea that your business is not as unique as you claim when he reads words he has read five times already that morning. :)

Perhaps your copywriter saw this page: http://www.snap-interactive.com/ :)

For me being unique in the design side of thing really doesn't matter. I could go to any seaside resort and find 20 fish and chip stalls , probably all looking exactly the same. Its very hard to come up with a unique design.

The one that would be most important is the stall that has 90% customer retention and double the sales of any of its competitors just a few yards away , that is what I would call unique. ;D

I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!


Online andrewfi

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #53 on: August 11, 2016, 08:01:18 AM »
Is always your choice, however the link I shared with you from Snap-Interactive is also in the same niche as you: interactive online dating. Thing is they have all the good rankings for the terms you share. Your site will always be the second site that people find using the words that you have chosen to share with them. :(

There's loads of fish and chip shops and they are mostly identical. The one that does the best though is the one that stands out from the crowd.

This is not design, it is language, it is words, it is how we search for stuff on the Internets.

I doubt that Snap copied your words. :)
...everything ends always well; if it’s still bad, then it’s not the end!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #54 on: August 11, 2016, 08:24:05 AM »
My friend recently had a new home site designed by a top firm in Chicago , he found most of their text had been taken from other sites. Im not saying that is the thing to do but its pretty normal. VK copied Facebook and Facebook took their idea from another site. Its pretty well the same for many sites. I don't think it is possible to make your site stand out from the crowd so much that it will make a difference.

More important for me is financials, customer retention and reputation. If you have a great reputation on the net it doesn't take long for the word to spread..I want members to sign up and have no reason whatsoever to leave or try anywhere else until they find what they are looking for.  :)

Anyway time will tell..
I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #55 on: August 16, 2016, 10:31:24 PM »
I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Jerash

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #56 on: August 16, 2016, 11:22:45 PM »
Thank you. I was still looking for some, just to reassure :) , but I think it's going to happen.


.

Offline Jerash

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #57 on: August 16, 2016, 11:24:22 PM »
I've got more than 50 pounds Steve, but it's not like if be going over with a fat bank account or anything.


.

Offline Jerash

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #58 on: August 16, 2016, 11:31:32 PM »
Of course you had a girl to come to and she would house you. I don't have anything like that. I'd be going in cold without really m/any contacts other than the RUA Forum. I want to save up for a few months more before taking the plunge. It seems crazy to come over there in January, but that's how the timing looks best.

Seems like a lot of people my age are making changes so it's not just me. It's time to do something different, so yes I'm serious about this.

I was thinking to go to Moscow. It seems the most obvious. Any reasons that I should consider something else?


.

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #59 on: August 17, 2016, 04:28:59 PM »
Of course you had a girl to come to and she would house you. I don't have anything like that. I'd be going in cold without really m/any contacts other than the RUA Forum. I want to save up for a few months more before taking the plunge. It seems crazy to come over there in January, but that's how the timing looks best.

Seems like a lot of people my age are making changes so it's not just me. It's time to do something different, so yes I'm serious about this.

I was thinking to go to Moscow. It seems the most obvious. Any reasons that I should consider something else?


.

No Moscow is as good as any place as any to start..Every thing in life is there for the taking, if you want something just take it.. As James T Kirk often said when asking Hikaru Sulu to hit the accelerator "Make it happen"

I would advise to have more than £50 in your pocket.. Im sure Moscow is full of nice women who would love a foreign guy to move in with her.. :)

Yes I had a girls house to move into but I spent about 5 years doing Moscow on the cheap and same often in St Petersburg.. £15 London to Riga, £12 bus Riga to St Petersburg  :(  I would of been happy to hitch also. Had to economise so I could afford to go out, its not cheap to party in Russia.

For me wether I left the UK and moved in with my girl didn't really matter. I was leaving the UK anyway, if I left and slept in a tent for 6 months I would of done that! I made many scarifies to be able to leave the UK and Im 100% sure most would never do the same. I also had to suffer much  :)

But Im happy now all payed off. I live pretty comfortably , can do what I want , travel where I want when I want. And more importantly Im answerable to none..





I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #60 on: August 18, 2016, 07:07:31 AM »
Is always your choice, however the link I shared with you from Snap-Interactive is also in the same niche as you: interactive online dating. Thing is they have all the good rankings for the terms you share. Your site will always be the second site that people find using the words that you have chosen to share with them. :(

There's loads of fish and chip shops and they are mostly identical. The one that does the best though is the one that stands out from the crowd.

This is not design, it is language, it is words, it is how we search for stuff on the Internets.

I doubt that Snap copied your words. :)


I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #61 on: August 18, 2016, 07:08:18 AM »
Is always your choice, however the link I shared with you from Snap-Interactive is also in the same niche as you: interactive online dating. Thing is they have all the good rankings for the terms you share. Your site will always be the second site that people find using the words that you have chosen to share with them. :(

There's loads of fish and chip shops and they are mostly identical. The one that does the best though is the one that stands out from the crowd.

This is not design, it is language, it is words, it is how we search for stuff on the Internets.

I doubt that Snap copied your words. :)


Snap are nothing special.. actually sales are down for them.

http://www.onlinepersonalswatch.com/news/2016/08/snap-q2-results-revenue-down-18-yoy.html

I plan to create websites (These will up and running very very soon) that members "cannot live without" if members "Love" your web site small things don't really matter. There are few if any niche dating sites that do this. Its where I plan to be unique  :)
I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Danchik

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #62 on: August 20, 2016, 01:37:09 AM »
Over the years I have received emails from various people asking me questions about relocating. I thought I'd just post "my" answers to the board in a general sense and not address things personally in emails. Should anyone have questions, please feel free to ask them here. I'll start with some basics:

Not everyone is cutout to live in another country. Are you someone who is flexible and can deal with issues that while easy at home, become much more problematic living in another country?

Are you outgoing yet not gullible? Meeting locals will be key to your adjustment period as well as moving forward for any length of time. While networking is always important, I can't overemphasize its importance once you've landed in your new country. Without a good local network you're simply going to have major problems.

Do you think you have all the answers? You don’t!

One of the most overlooked aspects of moving to another country is the person's personality. Living in another country is not for everyone. This is especially true when factoring in another language.

While more and more people are indeed moving to another country, the numbers remain small relatively speaking.

If you are someone who cannot remain flexible, find it hard to deal with situations that would be considered small in your country but much bigger in your "new" country, or you are introverted to the point where you find it hard to get out and meet new people; best to stay home. You should be moving to your new country, not running away from your situation.

It should go without saying that you should have most of your loose ends tied up. This mean emotionally, physically, financially and legally. These suggestions are also not for anyone transferring with your company as much of the hassle of moving will be handled by your company.

Where are you going? Sounds obvious I know, but it's a great big world out there and choosing the right place for you may not be as easy as it sounds. This is why I suggest living in the place of your choice before pulling the trigger. I had been to Moscow half a dozen times and spent about 4 months living "like a local" before deciding to move.

I spent a month and a half in Moscow right before my move, and when I returned to the States spent 2 months tying up any loose end before I made the move.

Money? Even though I had a lot of credit card debt at the time, I also had about $10k in cash from selling a few things in the interim. I have a home in LA and was able to secure about $900 a month positive cash flow from it after renting my place which allowed me to offset my credit card debt and focus my remaining money on my transition.

My suggestion here is to have at least $10k in funds before making the move, ideally without any debt hanging over your head of course. I also put a limit on my time in my new country (1-year) where if things didn't work out I would return home, regroup and continue on with my life.

Unless you already have a steady stream of income, you will go backwards before you move forward (which might happen even with a steady stream of income). To give you an idea, it took me about 1 1/2 years to earn the same amount of money I was spending at the time and start to move forward. YMMV..

I also don't subscribe to the "it will cost you more to live in another country than your own" paradigm. It costs me less to live in Moscow than LA, period. I live the same lifestyle and want for nothing. The main reasons for this is no mortgage (paid for by my tenants), and no car. It is also more expensive to rent an apt. in LA than Moscow, especially now. Mortgages can be optional, but in America, and especially in LA, a car is a necessity; Moscow it is not.

Not having a car saves me close to a grand a month in payments, gas, insurance and maintenance. I have broken down the cost of living metrics many times before between LA and Moscow so save your argument if anyone has one.

Staying in country? One of the biggest hurdles to moving to a FSU country is how to stay in country year round. I always suggest teaching. Why? Well, first of all any school that hires you will provide you with a year round work visa. Simple.

There are other advantages hiring on as a teacher. First, you can still have outside sources of income through the internet, for instance, and teaching won't take you away from that. But, probably the most important thing teaching will provide is the chance to network through all the students you will be meeting, which is invaluable. It will also make your transition much, much easier.

I hired on after a little more than a month living in Moscow and started meeting people by the droves. Not only did it provide me with a wonderful pipeline of locals whom could help me with any situation, the normal culture shock and loneliness of moving to a place where you know no one, and don't speak the language was virtually nonexistent.

You will not make much money at first teaching, but if you're the type of person the meshes well with all types of people and are fairly intelligent, your income can easily afford you a decent lifestyle.

More to come...




When it is dark enough, men see the stars.

Offline Omega1982

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #63 on: August 20, 2016, 07:51:45 PM »
Great post Dan.  I wish we had more posts like this.   

What are you doing for health insurance, retirement contributions such as social security and 401k. 

Do you have another job besides teaching? 

It really sounds like you have everything in order.  A good central apartment, a job, good friends, connections, unlimited access to the local dating scene.  Moscow is a great city.  I've been there 3 times and absolutely love it. 

Dorogaya maya stalitsa! 

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #64 on: August 21, 2016, 01:31:41 AM »
When I came to Russia I had no health insurance whatsoever never have at any time even when visiting..If anything should happen, well I guess it would be a bed in a Russian hospital with the locals.  :)
Next year I plan to take some kind of medical insurance out for all of us already looking for something at the moment.

I have no retirement contributions, no pension or anything like..probably land up in a state run nursing home for the elderly later... :sick0012:
But we are buying an apartment here at the moment and all going to plan hope to start buying a place every year for the next few years.. I guess that will have to do.

Unless you have some highly paid corporate job or lots of cash in the bank I think short term, pensions, retirement funds and all that are put in the back burner as they say..more important to get your foot in the door..

I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Gipsy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #65 on: August 21, 2016, 02:36:47 AM »
When I came to Russia I had no health insurance whatsoever never have at any time even when visiting..If anything should happen, well I guess it would be a bed in a Russian hospital with the locals.  :)
Next year I plan to take some kind of medical insurance out for all of us already looking for something at the moment.

I have no retirement contributions, no pension or anything like..probably land up in a state run nursing home for the elderly later... :sick0012:
But we are buying an apartment here at the moment and all going to plan hope to start buying a place every year for the next few years.. I guess that will have to do.

Unless you have some highly paid corporate job or lots of cash in the bank I think short term, pensions, retirement funds and all that are put in the back burner as they say..more important to get your foot in the door..

Be very careful when choosing a health insurance plan, many do NOT cover serious health problems, or just refuse to pay claiming that false info was given at the policies issue.....

I pay for all of the treatment that I have had, I use my various specialists that I have found, and only use private medical facilities/clinics...

Many Russian hospitals/doctors can leave much to be desired....

If you are working in Russia, you should be paying your taxes and social contributions, this will cover many medical situations, and after paying into the pension fund for 7 years (currently, changing to 8 next year Jan), you will be entitled to a Russian pension...

HTH..
Bridge is a lot like sex, either you need a good partner, or a decent hand... Woody Allen

Offline Gipsy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #66 on: August 21, 2016, 02:44:31 AM »
Over the years I have received emails from various people asking me questions about relocating. I thought I'd just post "my" answers to the board in a general sense and not address things personally in emails. Should anyone have questions, please feel free to ask them here. I'll start with some basics:

Not everyone is cutout to live in another country. Are you someone who is flexible and can deal with issues that while easy at home, become much more problematic living in another country?

Are you outgoing yet not gullible? Meeting locals will be key to your adjustment period as well as moving forward for any length of time. While networking is always important, I can't overemphasize its importance once you've landed in your new country. Without a good local network you're simply going to have major problems.

Do you think you have all the answers? You don’t!

One of the most overlooked aspects of moving to another country is the person's personality. Living in another country is not for everyone. This is especially true when factoring in another language.

While more and more people are indeed moving to another country, the numbers remain small relatively speaking.

If you are someone who cannot remain flexible, find it hard to deal with situations that would be considered small in your country but much bigger in your "new" country, or you are introverted to the point where you find it hard to get out and meet new people; best to stay home. You should be moving to your new country, not running away from your situation.

It should go without saying that you should have most of your loose ends tied up. This mean emotionally, physically, financially and legally. These suggestions are also not for anyone transferring with your company as much of the hassle of moving will be handled by your company.

Where are you going? Sounds obvious I know, but it's a great big world out there and choosing the right place for you may not be as easy as it sounds. This is why I suggest living in the place of your choice before pulling the trigger. I had been to Moscow half a dozen times and spent about 4 months living "like a local" before deciding to move.

I spent a month and a half in Moscow right before my move, and when I returned to the States spent 2 months tying up any loose end before I made the move.

Money? Even though I had a lot of credit card debt at the time, I also had about $10k in cash from selling a few things in the interim. I have a home in LA and was able to secure about $900 a month positive cash flow from it after renting my place which allowed me to offset my credit card debt and focus my remaining money on my transition.

My suggestion here is to have at least $10k in funds before making the move, ideally without any debt hanging over your head of course. I also put a limit on my time in my new country (1-year) where if things didn't work out I would return home, regroup and continue on with my life.

Unless you already have a steady stream of income, you will go backwards before you move forward (which might happen even with a steady stream of income). To give you an idea, it took me about 1 1/2 years to earn the same amount of money I was spending at the time and start to move forward. YMMV..

I also don't subscribe to the "it will cost you more to live in another country than your own" paradigm. It costs me less to live in Moscow than LA, period. I live the same lifestyle and want for nothing. The main reasons for this is no mortgage (paid for by my tenants), and no car. It is also more expensive to rent an apt. in LA than Moscow, especially now. Mortgages can be optional, but in America, and especially in LA, a car is a necessity; Moscow it is not.

Not having a car saves me close to a grand a month in payments, gas, insurance and maintenance. I have broken down the cost of living metrics many times before between LA and Moscow so save your argument if anyone has one.

Staying in country? One of the biggest hurdles to moving to a FSU country is how to stay in country year round. I always suggest teaching. Why? Well, first of all any school that hires you will provide you with a year round work visa. Simple.

There are other advantages hiring on as a teacher. First, you can still have outside sources of income through the internet, for instance, and teaching won't take you away from that. But, probably the most important thing teaching will provide is the chance to network through all the students you will be meeting, which is invaluable. It will also make your transition much, much easier.

I hired on after a little more than a month living in Moscow and started meeting people by the droves. Not only did it provide me with a wonderful pipeline of locals whom could help me with any situation, the normal culture shock and loneliness of moving to a place where you know no one, and don't speak the language was virtually nonexistent.

You will not make much money at first teaching, but if you're the type of person the meshes well with all types of people and are fairly intelligent, your income can easily afford you a decent lifestyle.

More to come...

A fairly accurate report, thank you, though I would say that living outside of Moscow, would be much cheaper and therefore less financial "back-up" is required, though one must accept that salaries will also be that much lower.....
Bridge is a lot like sex, either you need a good partner, or a decent hand... Woody Allen

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #67 on: August 21, 2016, 02:56:14 AM »
When I came to Russia I had no health insurance whatsoever never have at any time even when visiting..If anything should happen, well I guess it would be a bed in a Russian hospital with the locals.  :)
Next year I plan to take some kind of medical insurance out for all of us already looking for something at the moment.

I have no retirement contributions, no pension or anything like..probably land up in a state run nursing home for the elderly later... :sick0012:
But we are buying an apartment here at the moment and all going to plan hope to start buying a place every year for the next few years.. I guess that will have to do.

Unless you have some highly paid corporate job or lots of cash in the bank I think short term, pensions, retirement funds and all that are put in the back burner as they say..more important to get your foot in the door..

Be very careful when choosing a health insurance plan, many do NOT cover serious health problems, or just refuse to pay claiming that false info was given at the policies issue.....

I pay for all of the treatment that I have had, I use my various specialists that I have found, and only use private medical facilities/clinics...

Many Russian hospitals/doctors can leave much to be desired....

If you are working in Russia, you should be paying your taxes and social contributions, this will cover many medical situations, and after paying into the pension fund for 7 years (currently, changing to 8 next year Jan), you will be entitled to a Russian pension...

HTH..

I trust medical insurers as much as I trust financial advisors, estate agents and mobile phone shop assistants thats 0. I also don't trust any pensions/pension funds or any such thing. Bricks and mortar is all thats left to trust in this doggy world.


Im lucky touch wood I have never been to Hospital in my life and never had any problems as of yet. Anyway Im in the Uk now for a couple of weeks so should I get run over or something I can use the NHS  :)
I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Gipsy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #68 on: August 21, 2016, 03:45:24 AM »
And pray...... ;D
Bridge is a lot like sex, either you need a good partner, or a decent hand... Woody Allen

Offline Steveboy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #69 on: August 21, 2016, 03:50:42 AM »
And pray...... ;D

Yes probably right!  :chuckle:

I support no government anywhere, ever, never. No institution, No religion!!

Offline Danchik

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #70 on: August 21, 2016, 04:08:47 AM »
I have had insurance through work off and on, but don't have it now. I do think about it as well, but like Gipsy, pay for most matters myself at the moment. Fortunately, I use prevention as my main source of insurance and yes...pray :P.

As far as investments go, it's all relative to the individual. I have a Roth IRA, rental property in LA, and a few other personal investments and I'm always looking for ways to supplement my salary with some sort of passive income.

I have also qualified for a Russian pension and some of the "benefits" from living and being registered in Moscow. Last Thursday was my 12 year anniversary in Moscow and I have been registered in this city for almost 10 years FWIW.

Another reason to consider a relocate ;D. Here's a video from a friend partying in Odessa last night. Seems it's business as usual as Ibiza:
https://www.facebook.com/vasily.chikinov/videos/10209692949377973/
When it is dark enough, men see the stars.

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #71 on: August 21, 2016, 04:12:20 AM »
A fairly accurate report, thank you, though I would say that living outside of Moscow, would be much cheaper and therefore less financial "back-up" is required, though one must accept that salaries will also be that much lower.....
Yes, it's more expensive living in Moscow, but as you mentioned, you make less money living elsewhere; as much as 50-80% less depending.

I also chose Moscow for the "potential" opportunities with regard to money. If you are transferred with a company to anywhere in the FSU, it's moot. But if you're thinking about teaching as I did, you will never even come close to having the same opportunities to work than you do in Moscow.
When it is dark enough, men see the stars.

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #72 on: August 21, 2016, 04:22:01 AM »
Great post Dan.  I wish we had more posts like this.   

What are you doing for health insurance, retirement contributions such as social security and 401k. 

Do you have another job besides teaching? 

It really sounds like you have everything in order.  A good central apartment, a job, good friends, connections, unlimited access to the local dating scene.  Moscow is a great city.  I've been there 3 times and absolutely love it. 

Dorogaya maya stalitsa!
Yes Omega, my life is not bad by any stretch of the imagination. After 12 years, you better have your "shit" together somewhat.

I have tried a few other things to make money here and there, e.g. import cars and provide certain services to both locals and foreigners, but I have also been able to sell my teaching services to affluent individuals and businesses; that's where the real money is.

Teachers come and go here, and most just don't have the skills, insight, or personality to pull it off, but if you know how to market yourself, and have the "personality" to work well with Russians, you can really live well off teaching income alone.

more to come...

When it is dark enough, men see the stars.

Offline Gipsy

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #73 on: August 21, 2016, 04:47:10 AM »
A fairly accurate report, thank you, though I would say that living outside of Moscow, would be much cheaper and therefore less financial "back-up" is required, though one must accept that salaries will also be that much lower.....
Yes, it's more expensive living in Moscow, but as you mentioned, you make less money; as much as 50-80% less depending.

I also chose Moscow for the "potential" opportunities with regard to money. If you are transferred with a company to anywhere in the FSU, it's moot. But if you're thinking about teaching as I did, you will never even come close to having the same opportunities to work than you do in Moscow.

That is questionable...
Maybe in the teaching profession, but I know people who have a salary of equal level to similar positions in the big 2 cities...( and the lower level salaries are also pretty much comparable)...
I also know people who manage to survive on about 15k/r/month... Don't ask me how they do it....
Property of course is that much cheaper...and probably do not increase in a similar manner...
Bridge is a lot like sex, either you need a good partner, or a decent hand... Woody Allen

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Re: The Russian Dream..
« Reply #74 on: August 21, 2016, 04:49:20 AM »
Great post Dan.  I wish we had more posts like this.   

What are you doing for health insurance, retirement contributions such as social security and 401k. 

Do you have another job besides teaching? 

It really sounds like you have everything in order.  A good central apartment, a job, good friends, connections, unlimited access to the local dating scene.  Moscow is a great city.  I've been there 3 times and absolutely love it. 

Dorogaya maya stalitsa!
Yes Omega, my life is not bad by any stretch of the imagination. After 12 years, you better have your "shit" together somewhat.

I have tried a few other things to make money here and there, e.g. import cars and provide certain services to both locals and foreigners, but I have also been able to sell my teaching services to affluent individuals and businesses; that's where the real money is.

Teachers come and go here, and most just don't have the skills, insight, or personality to pull it off, but if you know how to market yourself, and have the "personality" to work well with Russians, you can really live well off teaching income alone.

more to come...

 :thumbsup:
Bridge is a lot like sex, either you need a good partner, or a decent hand... Woody Allen


 

 

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