Trepidatiously Moscow Bound....

[Jerash]

Good luck, Jerash

I must confess, I did not read your visa situation, properly

I would have gone for a  RU m/entry biz visa and sought a work one - while within Russia  - even if it meant leaving for a few days

Why? I'm getting the work visa now.


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[Jerash]

Have a safe journey and hope the time zone adjustment will go smoothly. 

Thanks!

You're welcome.  You mention Manitoba in a previous post.  That reminds me of a long lost Aunt who lived in Winnipeg back in the 1930s. Her mother was French Canadian and moved back to Canada after the onset of the Great Depression.  They were in Minnesota previously (I think she was born there).

It's a small world. There is a small French population in Manitoba, although I think mostly Metis.

[msmoby]

Why? I'm getting the work visa now.
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Hopefully, and it time for your train   I meant to alleviate the stress factor!

[Gipsy]

Good luck, Jerash

I must confess, I did not read your visa situation, properly

I would have gone for a  RU m/entry biz visa and sought a work one - while within Russia  - even if it meant leaving for a few days

That would be against the RU law, doing what Jerash is planning...

[Contrarian]

Good luck, Jerash

I must confess, I did not read your visa situation, properly

I would have gone for a  RU m/entry biz visa and sought a work one - while within Russia  - even if it meant leaving for a few days

That would be against the RU law, doing what Jerash is planning...

Clearly the mohabism's of the World only like laws which suit their agendas. 

[msmoby]

That would be against the RU law, doing what Jerash is planning...

I'm sure - given you keep tell me I'm 'breaking the law'

Paddock Pass for Sochi Grand Prix sorted ...

[Jerash]

The eagle has landed). Given that there was two connections from the middle of North America, I'm pretty happy to be here in about 18.5 hours flat. Lingo Taxi worked again exactly as advertised from Borispol. I was surprised that even at Borispol passport control the girl was friendly with me and we were joking a bit about my passport photo. She didn't ask me any questions and it was straight through.

I've settled into my hotel and relieved that I have all my luggage here with me. The girl here doesn't speak any English, so I'm already getting lots of practice with trying to communicate and understand in Russian.

Ever since I got to the waiting lounge for the Kiev flight in London, I couldn't help but notice the devushka factor. So many pretty girls everywhere!  And it just gets better in Kiev)). This is great!

The view from my hotel room:






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[Dogsoldier]

The eagle has landed). Given that there was two connections from the middle of North America, I'm pretty happy to be here in about 18.5 hours flat. Lingo Taxi worked again exactly as advertised from Borispol. I was surprised that even at Borispol passport control the girl was friendly with me and we were joking a bit about my passport photo. She didn't ask me any questions and it was straight through.

I've settled into my hotel and relieved that I have all my luggage here with me. The girl here doesn't speak any English, so I'm already getting lots of practice with trying to communicate and understand in Russian.

Ever since I got to the waiting lounge for the Kiev flight in London, I couldn't help but notice the devushka factor. So many pretty girls everywhere!  And it just gets better in Kiev)). This is great!

The view from my hotel room:






.

Thats not from a hotel. Its all apartments in that block. There was an Ukrainian restaurant at ground level. Not sure its still there. Could be a seafood place now.

[Jerash]

The eagle has landed). Given that there was two connections from the middle of North America, I'm pretty happy to be here in about 18.5 hours flat. Lingo Taxi worked again exactly as advertised from Borispol. I was surprised that even at Borispol passport control the girl was friendly with me and we were joking a bit about my passport photo. She didn't ask me any questions and it was straight through.

I've settled into my hotel and relieved that I have all my luggage here with me. The girl here doesn't speak any English, so I'm already getting lots of practice with trying to communicate and understand in Russian.

Ever since I got to the waiting lounge for the Kiev flight in London, I couldn't help but notice the devushka factor. So many pretty girls everywhere!  And it just gets better in Kiev)). This is great!

The view from my hotel room:






.

Thats not from a hotel. Its all apartments in that block. There was an Ukrainian restaurant at ground level. Not sure its still there. Could be a seafood place now.

You are right, it is not a "hotel" in the pure sense of the word.  But the top floor (or part of it) has been converted into a "mini-hotel".  There's still a restaurant down stairs, not sure what though. Might be called "Opera".


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[dcguyusa]

Thanks for the photos.  It looks deserted, so must be in the very late night hours.  Reminds me of those movies where all humans were eliminated and nothing left except empty structures (ignoring the artificial lighting).   

[Jerash]

Thanks for the photos.  It looks deserted, so must be in the very late night hours.  Reminds me of those movies where all humans were eliminated and nothing left except empty structures (ignoring the artificial lighting).   

I was thinking about how lucky I was to have the whole square of the Ukrainian National Opera House to myself. Actually, when I took that photo it was only 10 or 11 pm on a Friday night, go figure. Things look a bit different this morning with 4-5 inches of fresh snow overnight. And it's still snowing.

Here's a few more:




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[Jerash]

Damn, this city is cold!

On the recommendation of Gipsy, I contacted a visa agent in Moscow, who advised me to go to Kiev for my Russian work visa. I arrived there last Friday and got myself settled into my little hotel, which was great value for money. Nothing special, pretty simple, but a warm, private room with tv and private shower and toilet, and really friendly non-English speaking staff in a prime location for $35CAD/night.

I had the weekend to find some places to eat (I'm a big fan of Puzata Hata), tour the city a bit, and scout out everything for showtime on Monday. Spent awhile at the train station on Sunday to familiarize myself.

Monday arrived. I went to the office of the agent's agent. All I had to do was bring my passport. Everything else I was able to provide beforehand by email, including images of the previous application I had filled out. So I dropped off my passport a little after 10am with instructions to come back at 2pm. Went and got something to eat and went somewhere else for a pint of beer.

Arrived back at the agent at 2:30. Was handed my passport back with a Russian work visa!!!! Fair price and easy as pie in the end. Thank you to Gipsy for pointing me in the right direction. I would not hesitate to recommend Vadim to anyone who may need his services in the future.

Very pleased with everything, I hopped the metro to the train station. There were so many different windows there that I feel I lucked out going to the correct window on the first try. Adding to that, the very little English the woman at the window knew, she made up for with a desire to be helpful. I used my lines that Danchik suggested. All went well. By going to the train station to buy the ticket, I was made aware of other trains going to Moscow as well and also saved a few bucks on the price.  With my coupe ticket in hand, I got back on the metro towards the hotel. Had some dinner before near the hotel before going to collect my luggage and have a cab called.

Getting the cab to the train station turned out to be the one part of this day that almost went wrong. As the hotel was relatively close to the train station (about 30 minutes by foot), no one wanted to bother to actually come get me. I got to the hotel about 90 minutes before the train and ended up worrying I was going to miss it. Finally, a cab driver was found that was willing to come get me. But it snowed 4-5 inches overnight and once I was in the cab, we had difficulties getting out of the uncleared parking lane and back into traffic. In the end we managed that too, but the car I was in was in rough shape and I still wondered if we would actually make it!  To give you an idea, the car stalled at least once while coasting!  Luckily we arrived intact and on time and the chap was more than happy to help me get my bags to the station entrance after I made sure to give him a proper tip for coming to get me.

Once in the station, I got my provisions for the journey, changed the rest of my grivna for roubles, and boarded the waiting train.

I shared the compartment with one girl up until the border and then after that I had the cabin all to my lonesome. I have to say, the train was an older one and not as clean as I had expected. Nonetheless, I enjoyed some good sleep on either side of the Ukrainian exit and Russian entry activities. Honestly, the export and import controls were a bit of a joke - Ukrainians got me to lift the bench where my suitcases were and asked me if it was just clothes in there. Da da. Russians had me open one pocket of my backpack and looked inside my toiletries bag.

Russians were interested in me because of stamps in my passport - one from the embassy and one from the embassy in Kiev overcoming the other stamp. I had my documents checked twice, but everything was going my way. Soon I was in Russia with a valid work visa, all stresses deflated and I slept rather well....

Forgetting the one hour time change and my iPhone only remembering this at the last moment, we pulled into the Kievskaya Station, with me thinking there was an hour to go!   Well, I scrambled and made a hasty departure from the train and there was my Lingo Taxi driver waiting for me on the platform with a signboard, like clockwork.

I was conveyed to my Airbnb in a Stalinist block of flats spitting distance from Metro Universitet. The driver helped me up with my bags all the way to the door of the flat where I'd be staying a few days. He was a standup guy who came here ten years ago from Tajikistan.

The flat is nice, the room spacious, and the hosts hospitable. I thought I'd be staying with a young Muscovite who speaks good English, but it turns out I'm staying with his parents. It's a good experience and his mother makes me feel very welcome and is very patient as we communicate in Russian (with a little bit of English thrown in).

I met the girl today who is renting a room at Ulitsa 1905 Goda today and await news on whether she'll rent to me. It's a bit more than I want to spend at this point to be honest, but I don't really have a lot of options.

Got myself a SIM card and a Russian number today.

Last night I slept normal hours for the first time since leaving the heart of Canada.

I'm home!




.

[Jerash]

One thing I wanted to add is, having been in Istanbul during the east European cold snap last month, something I like about cold places is they know how to heat and keep indoors warm!

Another note, I'm finding my knowledge of Polish to be both a blessing and a curse!




.

[Jerash]

Well this speech keeps coming to my mind . The only place I can find it is in this song, which is where I heard it first anyways. Good song, but the speech starts at around 3:07:

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[Gipsy]

One thing I wanted to add is, having been in Istanbul during the east European cold snap last month, something I like about cold places is they know how to heat and keep indoors warm!

Another note, I'm finding my knowledge of Polish to be both a blessing and a curse!




.

One wishes you the very best of luck and success in your new venture..   

One also hopes that you will continue to write here about all of your upcoming trials and tribulations, inc female ones of course.. 

Such tales about real life encounters and experience will obviously demand that the reads question you, make fun of you, support you, and possibly learn something from you.. 

[Gipsy]

Damn, this city is cold!

On the recommendation of Gipsy, I contacted a visa agent in Moscow, who advised me to go to Kiev for my Russian work visa. I arrived there last Friday and got myself settled into my little hotel, which was great value for money. Nothing special, pretty simple, but a warm, private room with tv and private shower and toilet, and really friendly non-English speaking staff in a prime location for $35CAD/night.

I had the weekend to find some places to eat (I'm a big fan of Puzata Hata), tour the city a bit, and scout out everything for showtime on Monday. Spent awhile at the train station on Sunday to familiarize myself.

Monday arrived. I went to the office of the agent's agent. All I had to do was bring my passport. Everything else I was able to provide beforehand by email, including images of the previous application I had filled out. So I dropped off my passport a little after 10am with instructions to come back at 2pm. Went and got something to eat and went somewhere else for a pint of beer.

Arrived back at the agent at 2:30. Was handed my passport back with a Russian work visa!!!! Fair price and easy as pie in the end. Thank you to Gipsy for pointing me in the right direction. I would not hesitate to recommend Vadim to anyone who may need his services in the future.

Very pleased with everything, I hopped the metro to the train station. There were so many different windows there that I feel I lucked out going to the correct window on the first try. Adding to that, the very little English the woman at the window knew, she made up for with a desire to be helpful. I used my lines that Danchik suggested. All went well. By going to the train station to buy the ticket, I was made aware of other trains going to Moscow as well and also saved a few bucks on the price.  With my coupe ticket in hand, I got back on the metro towards the hotel. Had some dinner before near the hotel before going to collect my luggage and have a cab called.

Getting the cab to the train station turned out to be the one part of this day that almost went wrong. As the hotel was relatively close to the train station (about 30 minutes by foot), no one wanted to bother to actually come get me. I got to the hotel about 90 minutes before the train and ended up worrying I was going to miss it. Finally, a cab driver was found that was willing to come get me. But it snowed 4-5 inches overnight and once I was in the cab, we had difficulties getting out of the uncleared parking lane and back into traffic. In the end we managed that too, but the car I was in was in rough shape and I still wondered if we would actually make it!  To give you an idea, the car stalled at least once while coasting!  Luckily we arrived intact and on time and the chap was more than happy to help me get my bags to the station entrance after I made sure to give him a proper tip for coming to get me.

Once in the station, I got my provisions for the journey, changed the rest of my grivna for roubles, and boarded the waiting train.

I shared the compartment with one girl up until the border and then after that I had the cabin all to my lonesome. I have to say, the train was an older one and not as clean as I had expected. Nonetheless, I enjoyed some good sleep on either side of the Ukrainian exit and Russian entry activities. Honestly, the export and import controls were a bit of a joke - Ukrainians got me to lift the bench where my suitcases were and asked me if it was just clothes in there. Da da. Russians had me open one pocket of my backpack and looked inside my toiletries bag.

Russians were interested in me because of stamps in my passport - one from the embassy and one from the embassy in Kiev overcoming the other stamp. I had my documents checked twice, but everything was going my way. Soon I was in Russia with a valid work visa, all stresses deflated and I slept rather well....

Forgetting the one hour time change and my iPhone only remembering this at the last moment, we pulled into the Kievskaya Station, with me thinking there was an hour to go!   Well, I scrambled and made a hasty departure from the train and there was my Lingo Taxi driver waiting for me on the platform with a signboard, like clockwork.

I was conveyed to my Airbnb in a Stalinist block of flats spitting distance from Metro Universitet. The driver helped me up with my bags all the way to the door of the flat where I'd be staying a few days. He was a standup guy who came here ten years ago from Tajikistan.

The flat is nice, the room spacious, and the hosts hospitable. I thought I'd be staying with a young Muscovite who speaks good English, but it turns out I'm staying with his parents. It's a good experience and his mother makes me feel very welcome and is very patient as we communicate in Russian (with a little bit of English thrown in).

I met the girl today who is renting a room at Ulitsa 1905 Goda today and await news on whether she'll rent to me. It's a bit more than I want to spend at this point to be honest, but I don't really have a lot of options.

Got myself a SIM card and a Russian number today.

Last night I slept normal hours for the first time since leaving the heart of Canada.

I'm home!




.

Don't forget to register where you are/will be living, you have 7 working days to do this from the day after your arrival.
If you are staying in a hotel at this time, they should register you, however, if you get a room somewhere soon, you should register there, its also possible that the school in which you will be doing your training will also register you.
If you are to be fully legal, the school should help you register at a local tax office, and get you your tax number, also same at the pension office.
You will be required to pay 30% tax on all of your "Official" earnings for your first 6 months in Russia, thereafter, you will pay 13%, anytime after the first 6 months, you can claim the excess tax (Difference between 13 & 30% = 17%) back, though the school may not register you as a tax payer, if they don't, then be extremely careful and quiet about it..

[Jerash]

One thing I wanted to add is, having been in Istanbul during the east European cold snap last month, something I like about cold places is they know how to heat and keep indoors warm!

Another note, I'm finding my knowledge of Polish to be both a blessing and a curse!




.

One wishes you the very best of luck and success in your new venture..   

One also hopes that you will continue to write here about all of your upcoming trials and tribulations, inc female ones of course.. 

Such tales about real life encounters and experience will obviously demand that the reads question you, make fun of you, support you, and possibly learn something from you.. 

Hi Gipsy - I'll be back to post more of my experiences. At the moment, I've been busy developing my sea legs as it were. My top priority at the moment is finding a place to live. Still looking and I am somewhat limited by my lack of Russian. Hopefully I'll find something soon.


.

[Gipsy]

One thing I wanted to add is, having been in Istanbul during the east European cold snap last month, something I like about cold places is they know how to heat and keep indoors warm!

Another note, I'm finding my knowledge of Polish to be both a blessing and a curse!




.

One wishes you the very best of luck and success in your new venture..   

One also hopes that you will continue to write here about all of your upcoming trials and tribulations, inc female ones of course.. 

Such tales about real life encounters and experience will obviously demand that the reads question you, make fun of you, support you, and possibly learn something from you.. 

Hi Gipsy - I'll be back to post more of my experiences. At the moment, I've been busy developing my sea legs as it were. My top priority at the moment is finding a place to live. Still looking and I am somewhat limited by my lack of Russian. Hopefully I'll find something soon.


.

 

[AvHdB]

Jerash,

Yes cold be good description of Kiev and Moscow at this time of the year.

Please keep us updated and when we have insights you will read them.

Av

[Jerash]

I've fully adjusted to the time difference now and so that aspect of my life is normal. Of course, very little else is normal and I find myself waaaaay outside my comfort zone. This is exactly what I was seeking. Just getting started here in Moscow, everyday brings new challenges in floods, but it is starting to settle down now.

One thing anyone who tries this has going for them, is immediate access to the powers of the internet on their phone. This never existed before and relocating/travelling is now easier than at any other time in human history. Also, instant translation apps aren't perfect, but are incredibly helpful to the newcomer.

It's good that I know the Russian alphabet and I'd recommend that anyone coming here take the necessary 30 minutes to learn it. It will make your life immeasurably easier. I already feel as though I must appear like a local in the metro system, casually scanning the different signs to see where I need to go, whether it's transferring to another line, or finding the best exit from the metro.

I haven't been on every metro in the world, but I've been in a few and I'm certain the Moscow Metro is one of the world's best, never mind that many of the stations are works of art. It is phenomenally easy to use and navigate and I didn't yet wait two minutes for a train. At times, I do feel like I'm spending half my life on the metro here, but I guess that is down to it being a premium form of transport and so I never feel reluctant to travel ANYWHERE in this city. It's just so easy, fast, convenient, etc etc.

The certification course started today. It's been awhile since I spent 8 hours in the classroom, so it was pretty exhausting. I'm counting on it getting easier and I know I won't regret having done it at the end.

I'm in a group of 12 for the next two months. Me and 11 Russians, so it's a good place for me to make friends, contacts, gather new information as I try to acculturate myself. It will help down the road as well career-wise as I already start to get a sense of my value as a native speaker. I don't yet really know what the range of "going rates" are in my new chosen profession, but once I do, I'll have a good sense of how to price my own services. Plus are can already take into account other things - Moscow is not as cheap as I imagined it would be. I can see that now.  I need to be more careful with my money than I thought I would, especially since I can't really count on making any money over the next two months.

Life back home is sorting itself out - the financials are resolving themselves and I am expecting the divorce certificate in the mail anytime. Still working on the right way to disentangle myself with my employment in Canada, but it's coming along. I know that I need to be free from that and be the one in the driver's seat.

A couple of days after arriving in Moscow, I got bored of being alone so I fired up my dormant Tinder account. It's too easy so I had to stop for a bit as my schedule in the immediate future is filled up   I've been busy making connections to this city and learning about different perspectives on life here. I've met a number of great women for coffee and dessert already and some of them I'm keeping in contact with and will see again.

I think I'm doing everything right and so far so good. The school is getting me registered and I'll definitely look at the taxation issues more closely when I start bringing in some money, as I want everything to be above board and every right to be here.


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[Steveboy]

Not sure if its of any use to you but Facebook have a page for expats in Moscow

https://www.facebook.com/groups/moscowexpats/?fref=nf


There are always people needing English teachers even for a few hours here and there amongst other things. But I would stay away from any Russians or anyone offering "Expat services"

[Jerash]

Steve, I hadn't seen this one. I just had a look and I think I'll find it very helpful! Thanks for sharing it!

They waste no time throwing us straight into the fire here!!! Tomorrow I have to give my first lesson

[andrewfi]

Steve, I hadn't seen this one. I just had a look and I think I'll find it very helpful! Thanks for sharing it!

They waste no time throwing us straight into the fire here!!! Tomorrow I have to give my first lesson

Good fortune! Don't let them see any trace of fear in you or they'll pounce and eat you alive!

[d672]

Steve, I hadn't seen this one. I just had a look and I think I'll find it very helpful! Thanks for sharing it!

They waste no time throwing us straight into the fire here!!! Tomorrow I have to give my first lesson

Good fortune! Don't let them see any trace of fear in you or they'll pounce and eat you alive!

 Good advice for when he starts dating there too!   

[Jerash]

Thanks Andrew. I'm pretty sure I nailed it. It seems I was the only one who knew I was nervous. They applauded at the end as it turns out so I guess that puts the pressure on for a follow up. Two Russian teachers taught as well. Their challenges are different than mine and they weren't applauded, although they are highly knowledgeable.


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