Spend a month in FSU

[Ward_Cleaver]

I think I would like to spend a month or so next summer in either Russia or Ukraine.  I don't want to do a "tour" or a "vacation".  I don't want a woman or women to be the purpose of the trip.  I would just like to live and work there for a while.  What kind of work?  I don't know.  I guess I am willing to do almost anything that would be useful to someone.  I enjoy being "purposeful".  My "normal" job is engineering and I wouldn't be opposed to doing something along those lines but it seems unreasonable to me that I could be useful to anyone as an engineer for only a month with the language barrier.  Besides, I don't want to be "special" or "important".  I would just like something that would allow me to live along side common Slavic people and be immersed in their society, their language, and their culture.  It seems more reasonable to me that I could find satisfaction doing menial labor, maybe something agricultural in one of those "little villages" so many FSUW look down upon.  What do you think?

[andrewfi]

How good is your Russian/Ukrainian?

To give you an idea of what you might be capable of with no qualifications, no language skills, need to be paid under the table, whatever work you do needs no training or experience, and you're only willing to work for an unspecified but very short term, try thinking about what you'd be reasonably able to pick up in your home town in that situation.

Next, think about where you might live with all the circumstances above. Again, who will want to offer you accommodation on that basis?

If you want to do something like this then don't think about what you might want but rather look at what you have to offer. As you will know from answering the points above, you don't really have a lot to offer - not in the context you've outlined.

My best guess?
You might hit lucky approaching bars, restaurants etc who primarily deal with English speaking tourists and expats but, of course, they will already have made sure to be staffed up for the tourist season. But you might hit lucky. As for accommodation, look at hostels used by the travelling poor. You might find some English speaking Ukrainians or Russians.

To be honest, your entire posts smacks of you wanting to be special - becasue the only circumstances under which you are likely to attain your stated goals will be to find an environment where you are treated as 'special' or 'important'!

[Steveboy]

I think I would like to spend a month or so next summer in either Russia or Ukraine.  I don't want to do a "tour" or a "vacation".  I don't want a woman or women to be the purpose of the trip.  I would just like to live and work there for a while.  What kind of work?  I don't know.  I guess I am willing to do almost anything that would be useful to someone.  I enjoy being "purposeful".  My "normal" job is engineering and I wouldn't be opposed to doing something along those lines but it seems unreasonable to me that I could be useful to anyone as an engineer for only a month with the language barrier.  Besides, I don't want to be "special" or "important".  I would just like something that would allow me to live along side common Slavic people and be immersed in their society, their language, and their culture.  It seems more reasonable to me that I could find satisfaction doing menial labor, maybe something agricultural in one of those "little villages" so many FSUW look down upon.  What do you think?

It ain't really even worth planning working for a month.. what can you do in a month..even if you arrived at some US firm where they all spoke English.. by the time you get in and make yourself at home its time to leave!

Better just to spend a month enjoying yourself , relaxing and who knows.. You can rent a nice studio in St Petersburg for less than $350 for the month, all nice and comfy in a new block.. with Wi Fi.. All you need do is sign up to Tinder and you got yourself a date every night ..

[andrewfi]

Steve's plan is sensible, actionable and probably better matches what you really want from your trip.

[AvHdB]

I would contact some NGA (Non Government Agencies) and see if they need someone for a short period in some development region/project.

[Ward_Cleaver]

It seems more reasonable to me that I could find satisfaction doing menial labor, maybe something agricultural in one of those "little villages" so many FSUW look down upon.  What do you think?

I have a hard be believing that there isn't someone in Ukraine/Russia would couldn't use some free help doing something.  Feeding the cows.  Carrying heavy things up stairs.  Sweeping the floors.  Splitting firewood.  I like to work.  Here where I live there are always Mexicans standing outside of the local Home Depot willing to work for money.  I am willing to work for free and pay my own way.  Maybe I just don't understand Russia/Ukraine?

[AvHdB]

It seems more reasonable to me that I could find satisfaction doing menial labor, maybe something agricultural in one of those "little villages" so many FSUW look down upon.  What do you think?

I have a hard be believing that there isn't someone in Ukraine/Russia would couldn't use some free help doing something.  Feeding the cows.  Carrying heavy things up stairs.  Sweeping the floors.  Splitting firewood.  I like to work.  Here where I live there are always Mexicans standing outside of the local Home Depot willing to work for money.  I am willing to work for free and pay my own way.  Maybe I just don't understand Russia/Ukraine?

You are correct, you do not understand the mentality of the FSU. It is as foreign to them assisting an old woman to cross the street. I can so clearly remember doing something like that in L'viv that I was left perplexed.

Either connect with your skills to a NGO or perhaps a church group to build up some connections, BEFORE you head over there.

There is a further consideration many (not all) women will look down on you for your doing volunteer work. But I suspect it will a good way to separate the chaff from the wheat.

[Danchik]

There are no NGO's in Russia. Putin threw them all out as he believed them to be fronts for the CIA.

Ward, you need to choose a place to go first. Then you can see what's available there. Volunteer work is available in Moscow for sure. My friend Nadia spends most of her week having bake offs for different hospices around the city. Animal shelters also look for any help they can get.

You will also have the language barrier to deal with. You can use your phone to help to some extent, but it will grow tiresome for others.

I don't know of any women who would look down on you for doing volunteer work, but I guess there are some. I haven't met any.

There's plenty of work to do at babushka's dacha, but you have to meet her first.

The mentality here is different for sure, but the main thing to know is that when it comes to women here, good luck changing their minds. And you will rarely get a second chance with a woman if you "F" up unless you're already married to her and then you have another set of obstacles to overcome. Maybe you noticed this with your last marriage Ward?

One last thing, whatever plans you have will change, a lot will change within the first couple of weeks. Not sure if your giving yourself enough time to get a feel for the lay of the land. IOW, once you're here you'll have a much better feel for what you can and cannot do.

My "free" advice is to pick a place to go and research the place as much as possible. Making some contacts there beforehand is good advice. However, things won't be clear until you actually arrive.

One month might not be enough to figure things out and your plans can blow up in a minute. To give you an idea, I had a job offered to me before I arrived. I even left before my house in LA was fully renovated so I could rent it out (had a family member come and housesit for the final 10 days) only to be told that I wasn't qualified enough even though he knew my story/background through several conversations and said if I show up, the job is mine. Yeah, right.

So, no job, no place to stay and no people to turn to.

It took a month and a half to land some work after this, and this was in Moscow where you'll find the most opportunities for a foreigner. We haven't even mention what covid has done to the economy, travel and possible opportunities in both Ukraine and Russia.

Bottom line; pick a city, come to that city and start your hustle. See if there are English schools who will let you speak so you can make some connections. You can barter your English for some work after your establish yourself as someone who can be trusted.

All this takes time. If you're planning on coming for a month or 2, then I say enjoy your time there and make it an adventure and worry about doing some work if the chance arises. Just don't be discouraged if that opportunity never comes. The girls are still here.

[Guile]

Go to Moscow, offer language exchange for a super low price like 500 rubles/hour with a native English speaker.  Sign up on social media sites like VK and post away.  You could meet plenty of women this way.

I don't advise going to a small town.  First barely anyone will speak English to even a basic level and 2nd you're not gonna integrate well if you know no Russian. 

I've lived in both and remember how hard it was to get around when my Russian was very low.  It still isnt' great but now I can have simple conversations.  In Moscow you'll have so many opportunities.

[Steveboy]

It seems more reasonable to me that I could find satisfaction doing menial labor, maybe something agricultural in one of those "little villages" so many FSUW look down upon.  What do you think?

I have a hard be believing that there isn't someone in Ukraine/Russia would couldn't use some free help doing something.  Feeding the cows.  Carrying heavy things up stairs.  Sweeping the floors.  Splitting firewood.  I like to work.  Here where I live there are always Mexicans standing outside of the local Home Depot willing to work for money.  I am willing to work for free and pay my own way.  Maybe I just don't understand Russia/Ukraine?

I could give you a months work probably..Thats if you like working in a concentration camp..  let me know if you eventually decide to go for it, also got some friends with lots of real estate so if you need a place without being ripped off or any other shit .

But as usual in life there are the "Do'ers" and "Talkers"  Don't think! Do as Nike say..

[Ward_Cleaver]

... when it comes to women here, good luck changing their minds. And you will rarely get a second chance with a woman if you "F" up unless you're already married to her and then you have another set of obstacles to overcome. Maybe you noticed this with your last marriage Ward?

I would like to talk and learn more about this so I started a new discussion about it here.

[Ward_Cleaver]

You will also have the language barrier to deal with. You can use your phone to help to some extent, but it will grow tiresome for others.
...
One last thing, whatever plans you have will change, a lot will change within the first couple of weeks.
...
However, things won't be clear until you actually arrive.
...
your plans can blow up in a minute.
...
Just don't be discouraged if that opportunity never comes. The girls are still here.

I think this is the kind of adventure I would enjoy.  When I went to Ukraine I was mostly there meeting people on my own without the help of any agency.  I met people.  I made friends.  I found a fencing school to attend.  I was a guest speaker for a high school English class.  I enjoyed going to the market and doing my best to purchase ingredients for meals to cook.  I invited people over dinner and people invited me into their homes.  I asked a pretty blonde girl to breakfast and ended up spending the day with her riding bicycles around an island.  I met a group of young people bungee jumping off a bridge and did that with them.  I met a girl who invited me to a "Alice in Wonderland" party where artists were sharing their artwork.  I got "married" to another girl I met at that event and ended up going home with a different group of people to play games.  I did all of this without any assistance from any agency.  It was amazing!

But I only spent one week in Lugansk and one week in Zaporozhye.  So I would like to spend an entire month in one area so that I can integrate more into the culture and way of life there.  I would like to give to the people in that area.

There's plenty of work to do at babushka's dacha, but you have to meet her first.

I really enjoyed helping at the dacha when I went to Novosibirsk to meet that parents.  I enjoyed chopping wood, weeding the garden, and picking strawberries.  They were hesitant and embarrassed (at first) to show me the dacha but that was the best part of my trip to Novosibirsk.  They were a bit "perplexed" that a rich American would enjoy such simple things.

We haven't even mention what covid has done to the economy, travel and possible opportunities in both Ukraine and Russia.

I'm hoping (and expecting) that this bullshit will be behind us by next summer.

[Ward_Cleaver]

Sign up on social media sites like VK and post away.

I am locked out of my VK account because I forgot my password and my phone number has changed. (They was to send a confirmation number to my old phone number.)  Any help with how to deal with this would be appriciated.

[Ward_Cleaver]

I could give you a months work probably..Thats if you like working in a concentration camp.. 

I'm curious.

[Contrarian]

I could give you a months work probably..Thats if you like working in a concentration camp.. 

I'm curious.

Don't be. He might try to hire you for his new gay S&M website. 

[Steveboy]

I could give you a months work probably..Thats if you like working in a concentration camp.. 

I'm curious.

Im sure I can find something for a month.. even part time mornings or something.. Im only going to be around June/July next year in the summer so if your interested let me know in advance, and that's for accommodation also.. of course its easy to find accommodation any where these days.. but always helps if you know who your staying with..anyway the offer is there.. I don't help many people..

[Steveboy]

I could give you a months work probably..Thats if you like working in a concentration camp.. 

I'm curious.

Don't be. He might try to hire you for his new gay S&M website. 

Dirty bugger!!!

[B.B.]

Go to Moscow, offer language exchange for a super low price like 500 rubles/hour with a native English speaker. 

A friend of mine who was born in Kiev but grew up in NY and is a fluent/native speaker of Eng, Rus and Ukr does precisely this (or did, pre-Covid).  He has some "conversation groups" with a few people in each, grouped by ability.

B/B

[Manny]

I could give you a months work probably..Thats if you like working in a concentration camp.. 

I'm curious.

That’s a good offer actually. If you want to spend a month sniffing about in Russia, an expat resident married to a local facilitating isn’t a bad place to start. In your shoes, I’d take Steve up on that. Get stuck in, make a few pals and contacts. That’s how it starts.

[Steveboy]

I could give you a months work probably..Thats if you like working in a concentration camp.. 

I'm curious.

That’s a good offer actually. If you want to spend a month sniffing about in Russia, an expat resident married to a local facilitating isn’t a bad place to start. In your shoes, I’d take Steve up on that. Get stuck in, make a few pals and contacts. That’s how it starts.

Yeah just let me know.. Im serious.. BUT I need plenty of notice ... when you decided and have a defo date for next summer just get in contact..

[Ward_Cleaver]

Yeah just let me know.. Im serious.. BUT I need plenty of notice ... when you decided and have a defo date for next summer just get in contact..

I thought I sent you a PM asking what kind of work and where you will be in July but I don't see any of my "sent" messages. 

[Manny]

Storing sent messages can be turned on in settings, doesn’t mean it wasn’t sent.

[Steveboy]

Yeah just let me know.. Im serious.. BUT I need plenty of notice ... when you decided and have a defo date for next summer just get in contact..

I thought I sent you a PM asking what kind of work and where you will be in July but I don't see any of my "sent" messages. 

No nothing.. but I replied anyway..