The International School of Moscow

Living & Working in Moscow

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MOSCOW

LIVING AND WORKING IN MOSCOW

If you’re in your mid thirties or older, Moscow may conjure up images in your mind of a cold war era with military parades in Red Square and grim, Soviet life. If you’re a little younger Moscow may be more about a rapidly changing society with a communist hangover surrendering to a capitalist world. These days, Russia seems to be a lot about newly found wealth and ultra rich people for whom Moscow is just one of many homes.

Moscow is really a blend of all these things and more; a complex and vibrant city under transformation and place where you can experience on a daily basis the reconciliation of its unique past and its promising future. Below is a brief idea of what this all means for an expat living in Moscow.

The CityContrary to its infamous reputation, Moscow is similar to any other major city; though having an open mind to local particularities is obviously important. You might be surprised to know that Moscow is quite a safe city, and if one is careful and takes the normal precautions necessary for any large metropolis then your stay will be a safe and memorable one.

Moscow is continues to experience a growing expatriate community and a relatively strong economy. The city offers all the shopping and dining options you would expect to find in a major European city, with a fantastic array of cultural events and Tourist

sites on offer. Prices can be expensive, particularly when sampling the famed nightlife and top-end restaurants. However, cultural events and concerts can be enjoyed at a much lower cost than many European cities.

One definitely feels the backdrop of soviet times, and at a street level Muscovites might initially come across as unfriendly (some even rude). However, once a personal contact is made, and the stance from the hectic city life is dropped, Russians can be very warm, outgoing and helpful. There is also a very active social life in the city, with cafes, bars and restaurants often being full throughout the day and night.

Moscow can be rather dirty, especially during the winter months, with temperatures falling well below freezing. From an architectural standpoint, the city is a mesh of truly impressive buildings, old-style soviet apartment blocks, wide streets (in some cases extremely wide) and underground walkways. The Moscow River winds its way through the urban landscape providing some attractive views.

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THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MOSCOW

Teachers would expect to move around by “Metro” or underground, which in itself is not only a tourist attraction, but also an extremely efficient means of transport. Traffic is a problem at peak-hours, and official taxis are non-existent. (In place of taxis are individual car owners who are happy to provide a ride for a price, you just stand on the side of the road and wave your arm about until one of them spots you.) The closest underground stop to the school is a good 20 minutes walk, and thus the school

provides a mini-bus service to shuttle staff to and from the metro station.

As you might expect, winter months in Moscow are very cold and snowy so a variety of winter sports and activities are available as well as some great scenery. Fortunately heating also works extremely well, so there is always indoor refugee. Spring and summer months on the other hand are especially pleasant and lively and the city transforms itself with good weather.

There are a number of flea markets and museums, parks and art galleries and lots of cultural shows such as opera or ballet at reasonable prices. You can also explore the amazing forests and nature that surrounds the city or even travel to other locations in Russia such as St. Petersburg that is only 1 hour away by plane.

In short, Moscow is an exciting and exotic city, with many of the advantages and disadvantages you would expect from any major metropolis.

HousingMoscow has very few new developments, which has resulted in a big rise in real-estate prices in recent years. Most apartments on offer are not located in modern or new buildings, and in typical soviet tradition, most have basic and poorly maintained common areas (i.e. entrances, lifts and corridors). However, once inside, one finds that most flats have been recently refurbished and offer modern amenities, kitchen and toilet facilities (cable TV and broad-band internet can be easily installed as well). So leaving aside the often poor aesthetics of the exterior and common-areas of buildings, staff can expect to live in comfortable, refurbished and well equipped apartments.

ISM provides housing for staff in the first year of the contract making settling in to the city quicker and easier. After the first year you can chose between remaining in the apartment provided or taking the substantial housing allowance and finding a new place of your own. There are lots of agents with English–speakers that can assist with this.

Health CareThe school provides staff with an excellent health insurance policy, which will cover the majority of medical expenses. Moscow has a number of clinics and hospitals that offer international standard treatment. The coverage is international which means that you are covered during trips abroad during the school breaks.

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THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MOSCOW

Living CostsMoscow is not a cheap city. However, due to the attractive package on offer, our teachers are able to enjoy living in the city, travelling during holidays and can also save.

Of course the lifestyle chosen and the amount saved are very individual. However, if one expects costs to be similar to living in London, you will not be surprised by living costs in Moscow. Of course with no accommodation costs to consider the amount of disposable income is much greater.

The inside viewPerhaps it is best to consider the opinions of a member of staff that joined our team last year when considering your move to Moscow.

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I joined the International School of Moscow in August of this year and although my stint to date has not been overly lengthy – what a few months it has been. The moving process (including Visa applications, housing, bank accounts etc.) was dealt with entirely by the school and its amazing staff. Ever outreaching hands ensured my experience was hassle free and as personal as possible – they even met me at the airport, welcomed me to my new home and then helped me with my first food shop!

Moscow is like any other leading city in terms of the culture it has to offer you. Be it ballet, theatre, exhibitions, night clubs or indeed shopping (don’t be frightened by the disappearance of your trusty M&S – we have them here too!) you can be certain that you’ll continue to discover and fall in love with this city throughout your placement here.

There are obvious barriers that may make you think twice about moving to Moscow – like the language difference for example. There is no fooling anyone in how difficult it actually is but I assure you that with a little confidence and a grasp of the Cyrillic alphabet you will soon realise that it’s all part of the experience.

Personally, having never lived and worked abroad before, the opportunity for me to join ISM was both exciting and daunting. My decision to move here was made a lot easier with the package incentive of city-centre accommodation, which eradicated the worry of where I would lay my hat – and believe me, come winter, you will need one of those!

Elizabeth Salter Year 3 Teacher and ISM Golf coordinator

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MOSCOW

FURTHER INFORMATION

We hope this summary has been helpful, but indeed we encourage you read more about us and Moscow through the internet, below are some sites that might be useful. We feel confident that working for ISM and living in Moscow will be an enriching and enjoyable experience.

Useful websites

www.internationalschool.ru

Other schools in the British Schools Group

www.bsn.org.cn!www.bsg.org.cnwww.bskl.org.mlwww.bsm.org.eswww.bsn.org.eswww.britishschool.uz

Moscow expat sites:

www.expat.ru (general info)www.themoscowtimes.com (English language newspaper)www.bwcmoscow.co.uk (British Women’s Club)

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THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MOSCOW

Buildings 5 & 6, Krylatskaya Street 12,Krylatskoe, Moscow 121552