Did you consider living in Russia?

[slim 1,514]

But, she has never had fresh Papaya; they do not have it in Russia at all. Ask your wife if she agrees.

Slim, maybe you and I could start a fresh Papaya importing and marketing business?

I'll ask. Sounds like we could be on to something here!

No, No, import Peanut Butter. They do not see it in Russia and everyone that tasted mine wanted some. I brought a case with me one trip; it was loved. It could be sold as a vendor or as import business to stores

Possibly. My wife tasted it here (I believe for the first time) and her reaction was "FOOOOOOooooooo. Greasy, nasty $#!t."

How about hot sauces? I couldn't find anything good when I was there.

I was good with the Mexikanski kechup. It's not hot sauce, but it'll do in a pinch.

Sounds like a niche market is developing here.

What about popcorn (NOT the nuked stuff)?

A big bowl of hot buttered corn a Baltika 6 and my sweetie beside me on the divan, nothing better than that.

So we're going to have a papaya, peanutbutter, hot sauce, popcorn stand. And since it's Russia, we'll have to sell Baltika (so we can get free signs and furniture!) and bootleg DVDs. Plus plane tickets, batteries, maps, etc. We'll also offer guided tours in English, apartment rentals, and have cab drivers on speed-dial. While we're at it, might as well offer VIP service at all the nightclubs. Man, this really could work!

But if you don't want to go into the food business (a lot of hassel bribing all the local thugs and government officials)

AHA! So that's why I don't have my "all-in-one" kiosk already set up. I guess I'll try teaching some English. Do I need a degree for that?

[Tnic 5]

So we're going to have a papaya, peanutbutter, hot sauce, popcorn stand. And since it's Russia, we'll have to sell Baltika (so we can get free signs and furniture!) and bootleg DVDs. Plus plane tickets, batteries, maps, etc. We'll also offer guided tours in English, apartment rentals, and have cab drivers on speed-dial. While we're at it, might as well offer VIP service at all the nightclubs. Man, this really could work!

We should set up close the Kvas stands. When we explain how thirsty people will get from the popcorn and peanut butter they'll jump on board fast.

[AKguy 1]

AHA! So that's why I don't have my "all-in-one" kiosk already set up. I guess I'll try teaching some English. Do I need a degree for that?

According to Anna's parents, when I "dress up" and have a clean shave on the head, I look like someone in Russian mafia.

So with that in mind, we all could set up the stand and I could come by once a day to extort us, in plain view, maybe make a scene or something, throw some maps on the ground and then take the money. If we're lucky they will think I have the kiosk covered and doubling up on extortion is bad for business

On a serious note, you don't need a degree to teach English, you don't even need to know Russian.

[eekee 182]

^Actually often they'll want someone with a BA.

[AKguy 1]

^Actually often they'll want someone with a BA.

Ok, I was just going off a website I read awhile back. And the more I think about it the more I seem to remember they prefer or require at least some type of degree.

[Tnic 5]

I thought I posted this earlier today, but don't see it now.

A friend of mine from RMP is teaching english there now. Here's what he told me when I asked about it.

There are many different courses you can take. I took a TESOL course, it is about 120 or so hours, not long. The school I work for also offers a course and then the first year you would be an intern. I think it is best to get a course from some where local and then get a job.

What area is you lady in? Language Link has many schools through out Russia. Here is the web site, http://jobs.languagelink.ru/

I'm actually thinking of doing a little private teaching if there are any people interested while we're there for the Summers.

[eekee 182]

I've taught at a few schools. You don't really need a certificate--although if you don't have a college degree, it could possibly serve as a substitute and would be a big help. I don't know anyone who has actually taken a teaching course and obtained a certificate. The only person I know who has a certificate needed it for a pretty elite job and found a place to get a fake one made.

Language Link does not pay as well as other schools. They're a good option if you want to get over there and need a visa and stuff before you get there, but I think that most people here would have better options.

Basically, you need to ask yourself if you consider yourself ready to sit there for two hours and field questions on the semantics and nuances of English grammar. Private English classes are expensive. You're going to be dealing with young professionals with high expectations as your students, not babushkas who are looking for a new hobby. They're studying English to further their careers. Native English speakers don't teach beginners, either. You would teach intermediate and up. Your students won't want to you how to say "Hi, how are you?"; they're going to be asking complicated questions. So again, if you're not all that confident about being able to explain complicated theoretical stuff about the English language, a ESL teaching course would help you understand what you're supposed to be teaching.

Knowing Russian helps, because knowing another's language's grammar and how it works helps you to understand your own. Plus, while there are some schools run by Americans or British people or whatever, most of them are run and owned by Russians. I never spoke in English to any of my bosses or people who worked in the offices. You're generally not supposed to use Russian with your students, but it's pretty essential for the non-teaching parts of the job. And it will help you understand how to explain stuff to the students, even if you're not speaking Russian to them, because you'll understand how the parallel construction works in Russian.

Edited June 12, 2009 by eekee

[PJB 0]

^Actually often they'll want someone with a BA.

I found that the jobs that required a BA and a "certificate" paid the worst and worked the teachers to death. I did private classes in my home and taught at a preschool for super rich kids. Although my degree is not in teaching, Russians hire nurses and psychologists all the time for teaching children. I also have the benefit of years of experience teaching kids in various American programs which really helped me in creating lesson plans. But teaching English requires more than just teaching phrases and quickie tourist conversations. It is essential that you have a good understanding of grammer and know enough Russian to be able to translate words and concepts correctly.

[AKguy 1]

I find the more I talk with Russians who speak English well that they understand the concepts better than most native English speakers... like myself.

[eekee 182]

^Actually often they'll want someone with a BA.

I found that the jobs that required a BA and a "certificate" paid the worst and worked the teachers to death. I did private classes in my home and taught at a preschool for super rich kids. Although my degree is not in teaching, Russians hire nurses and psychologists all the time for teaching children. I also have the benefit of years of experience teaching kids in various American programs which really helped me in creating lesson plans. But teaching English requires more than just teaching phrases and quickie tourist conversations. It is essential that you have a good understanding of grammer and know enough Russian to be able to translate words and concepts correctly.

This is true: ones which require a certificate are generally bad and farm you out to state schools (Language Link etc). But good ones like to see a BA anyway, I think, although they have no problems hiring people who are currently students at a Russian university. All schools say they want certificates, but only the bad ones make you take a course and get a certificate. If you present yourself as having an excellent grasp on the language and a solid understanding of grammar, they will hire you, no problem. Plus my BA is in Russian, so I think that helped me out somewhat, too, because I probably spent 20% of my undergraduate work just doing grammar.

Just knowing English, as you said, is really not enough to keep you employed. And a lot of Americans don't even have a basic grasp on English grammar themselves.

Were you in SPb? I seem to remember that... I was also offered a job at a preschool for rich kids there and it was probably the same one, but I turned it down because I don't work well with children.

Edited June 12, 2009 by eekee

[slim 1,514]

According to Anna's parents, when I "dress up" and have a clean shave on the head, I look like someone in Russian mafia.

So with that in mind, we all could set up the stand and I could come by once a day to extort us, in plain view, maybe make a scene or something, throw some maps on the ground and then take the money. If we're lucky they will think I have the kiosk covered and doubling up on extortion is bad for business

Or you could get shot for invading someone else's turf!

I too have the clean shave on top and I'm a little bigger than your average Russian okranik. When I throw on the leather jacket and earpiece, it's a done deal. If the two of us just "hung out" all day sitting on the green plastic Carlsburg chairs sipping on some Balitka then maybe we'd scare off the competition...... or maybe we'd get a drive-by pulled on us. I don't think those green plastic tables would stop 7.62 rounds like they do in the movies.

[PJB 0]

^Actually often they'll want someone with a BA.

I found that the jobs that required a BA and a "certificate" paid the worst and worked the teachers to death. I did private classes in my home and taught at a preschool for super rich kids. Although my degree is not in teaching, Russians hire nurses and psychologists all the time for teaching children. I also have the benefit of years of experience teaching kids in various American programs which really helped me in creating lesson plans. But teaching English requires more than just teaching phrases and quickie tourist conversations. It is essential that you have a good understanding of grammer and know enough Russian to be able to translate words and concepts correctly.

This is true: ones which require a certificate are generally bad and farm you out to state schools (Language Link etc). But good ones like to see a BA anyway, I think, although they have no problems hiring people who are currently students at a Russian university. All schools say they want certificates, but only the bad ones make you take a course and get a certificate. If you present yourself as having an excellent grasp on the language and a solid understanding of grammar, they will hire you, no problem. Plus my BA is in Russian, so I think that helped me out somewhat, too, because I probably spent 20% of my undergraduate work just doing grammar.

Just knowing English, as you said, is really not enough to keep you employed. And a lot of Americans don't even have a basic grasp on English grammar themselves.

Were you in SPb? I seem to remember that... I was also offered a job at a preschool for rich kids there and it was probably the same one, but I turned it down because I don't work well with children.

I worked in Moscow but lived in Dmitrov (1 1/2 hours north by electrichka). I taught at a preschool near the Indian Embassy. My American coworkers who lived in the city were making $100 an hour (2 hour minimum lesson) doing private teaching for the rich kids at their homes. I lived too far away and had too many private students in Dmitrov to be able to take private students in Moscow. But I was paid $36 an hour for my time at school so I did quite well anyway.

[AKguy 1]

Or you could get shot for invading someone else's turf!

I too have the clean shave on top and I'm a little bigger than your average Russian okranik. When I throw on the leather jacket and earpiece, it's a done deal. If the two of us just "hung out" all day sitting on the green plastic Carlsburg chairs sipping on some Balitka then maybe we'd scare off the competition...... or maybe we'd get a drive-by pulled on us. I don't think those green plastic tables would stop 7.62 rounds like they do in the movies.

And I suppose it would look odd if we sat behind bullet resistant glass too... Not that it would stop them from using an RPG.

[mox 298]

Or one of these!

(take that, zombies!)

[slim 1,514]

Rocket propelled chainsaws are a dime a dozen in places like papaya/peanutbutter/popcorn/hotsauce stands (henceforth redesignated as the 3PHS) but....... what I've never seen before is a rocket propelled chainsaw with electronic start.

Is that a push button on there? I was just getting ready to ask if the chainsaw flew through the air in standby mode and then started via wire like a TOW or if it had a proximity start or maybe if it utilized the fins to spin it a certain number of times before it started, kind of like what the 40mm grenades use to arm. I was moving around the schematic and trying to figure it out when I came upon the push button. OUTSTANDING! This should really be on Future Weapons.

It's definitely not Russian though as the Russian model would have you pulling a cord several times, shouldering it with the whole thing constantly heating up inside the tube, 5 liters of benzine right next to your head, and then requiring the operator to fire before the whole thing exploded.

However, every Russian conscript would volunteer for RPC duty because it would be so easy to black market the benzine, refill the tank with vodka, and then bribe all the sergeants. No Grozny for me!

I bet if this was deployed by SOCOM, it'd have an ACOG on it. Leave it to those boys to mount a thousand dollar optic on a single-use MANPZD weapons system.