Welcome back to Russian Classroom Chronicles and joining us today is Chris who is a veteran ESL teacher here in Moscow. He joins us today to discuss his experience of living in Moscow and working for one of the most elite schools in Russia.
* Chris asked us to withhold the name of his school. In order to preserve his privacy we will refer to it as Elite School.
Bryan: Chris thank you for joining me for this interview. We met through a common friend a few years back but this is the first time we get to discuss this topic.
Chris: Hi Bryan, this is an honor to be part of this project and I am happy to answer all your questions. Well maybe most… (laughing).
Let’s start off with where you are from and when you came to Russia?
A proud Canadian here (laughing), I am from a small town outside Toronto. I came to Moscow in the late summer of 2016 to start a teaching job. Before coming to Moscow, I worked as an ESL teacher and actor and in Europe.
What brought you to Russia to teach? Why not some country in Asia for example?
To be honest, I don’t know much about Asia and I can’t say that its’ culture is something that really attracts me. Growing up in an immigrant town in Canada, I had a couple Russian friends in school and I was always fascinated by the culture. I have to admit that they allure of dating Russian women attracted me too!
Laughing. Yes, that’s certainly an aspect that attracts many men to Russia. How did you find your teaching position in Moscow at that time?
I applied to a couple schools on Dave’s ESL cafe website and got two job offers after the interview. The first school I liked more as they provided housing, visa support, and all that jazz. It ended up being a great choice because I made a bunch of new friends in that company and it was like a spring board to my long term stay in Moscow.
You have since moved on from that school? Where do you work now?
Yes, after about 3 years I left my first teaching position to work at my current school. I work in the Elite School in Rubleovka. It’s where the children of the richest, most important people in Russia go to school.
For our readers, what exactly is Rubleovka?
It the richest VIP residential area just west of Moscow. There are only houses and luxury villas here, not like most of Moscow which has the tall apartment blocks.
What did you like about living in Moscow more than Toronto?
Everything! (Laughing) Really, it was such a breath of fresh air to get away from those crazy liberal, bisexual, transgender opinionated people. I found Russian people much more real and down to earth. The cost of living was and is much lower. The nightlife scene, the culture and architecture are on a different level. And don’t get me started about the women…
Was it easy to adapt to Russian culture and way of life? Did you experience any culture shock?
You know, it was remarkably easy. Russian culture is not that different from North American or European so I had no problems settling in. I quickly made some Russian friends at the gym and started going to lots of cultural and meet-up events. There is also a good mix of expats in Moscow and with lots of events depending on what your interests are.
What do you think is the biggest challenge a new teacher in Moscow would face now?
I think finding a place to live. The apartment rental process is really difficult if you don’t have the help of your school or some Russian friends. Its difficult to negotiate with the agents and landlords if you don’t speak Russian well and, on top of that, many are very reluctant to rent to foreigners. Having a proper work visa and registration is really important and will be hard to solve on your own.
So what advice would you give to new teachers coming to Moscow in 2025?
I would say that for your first year you should 100% get a job with a reputable school that will provide you with work visa support, registration, and housing. That way you can settle in much easier, find your way around the city and not stressing about documents and a place to live.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with me today Chris. I hope you enjoy the rest of the school year and I hope to see you in person soon.
This has been fun and I look forward to meeting up soon!
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