I got my first pay today. While I had little doubt it would happen, it just makes it official to me in a weird sort of way. Now we see if I can live on what I make when all is said and done.

Love the job and the students. On average, they’re younger than I thought they would be, but that’s fine. Sometimes they are shy, but they are slowly coming out of their shells. I had one student who did little more than blush and smile, but last night, she was the only one who showed up…and to my surprise, she talked my ear off. I guess not having the classmates around helped for her…that’s great.

Also, my sleeping situation has improved. I sleep on an old pull-out sofa which should be considered cruel and unusual punishment. There’s a wooden bar that has been digging into my ribs, so I had to put the sofa back together and just sleep on that. Last weekend, however, I found a roll-up mattress. Placing that on top of the pull-out bed is just what the doctor ordered. I’ve slept like a baby ever since. Problem solved.

More to come soon. Sorry I haven’t posted in a while, but I’ve been staying busy with work and exploring the city.

Here are some pictures of my apartment here in Togliatti. It’s a pretty nice little place…a one room as they call it. I’ve been told to tape up the windows when winter comes and maybe buy a space heater (which is about $20), but it’s cozy with a heavy steel door and an old lady in the office at the front entrance, so it’s plenty secure. It’s on the first floor, so no dealing with stairs or elevators (unlike every other place I have to go). The TV gets about 9 Russian channels, but little or no sports, so I go to the English pub called the Bookhouse down the street to watch hockey and soccer. The gang down at the pub speaks English of varying levels and they’ve taken to me…it’s like Cheers in a way and the Heineken is reasonably priced (the Russian beer I tried was pretty nasty). I need to get a few things for the place like a DVD player, microwave and a few kitchen items…but I want to wait until next month after my trial period. I’m not too worried about the 30 day trial as most of my students are very positive about me. I haven’t had any absences so far. They are having me do some public relations and are marketing me as the new native English speaking teacher. That has gone of fairly well so far and it actually kind of fun. I met with a group of about 10 ladies the other night who wanted to talk about everything from baseball to cooking and food to politics. Most of the people here say they hope the “black man” wins next month. People here are very nice and hospitable. Even the clerks at the supermarket remember me by now. More pics to come…I’m waiting for a sunny day (which could be a while).

Well, I made it. Because of the mix up with my visa, I decided to travel by train from Frankfurt, Germany. It took about 45 hours by rail, but it wasn’t so bad. The only bad part was when I got to the Belorussian border and was turned back because I didn’t have a transit visa. Looking back after all of the smoke has cleared, it was actually pretty funny (but kind of expensive). I do like traveling by rail even though it takes more time. It’s quiet, comfortable and actually kind of relaxing (if you have the time to spare). You get to see some beautiful countryside that you can’t from that tiny airplane window and you’re not all stuffed in.

Here are some pics of the journey…including my apartment building here in Togliatti. More to come!

15 days to go. Still no certain word regarding the city in which I’ll work, but I’m getting ready and getting excited. What is driving me crazy is the lackadaisical attitude they have about getting my invitation letter to me so I can apply for my visa. They tell me not to worry about it and that it will get here on time, but I guess they don’t care that the price of the visa will almost double if I have to expedite the processing…which I most likely will.

I’ve been told by another teacher who works for them that they are extremely laid back, so this can be a good thing and a bad at the same time. Maybe this will mean they will be patient with my development as a teacher…understanding that I won’t come there and be a brilliant ESL genius right off the bat. At the same time, does this mean that they will be slow in getting me paychecks and other support they claim they’ll provide? I guess time will tell.

Either way, I am chomping at the bit to get over there and begin the next chapter of my life. I wish I had thought of this a decade ago!

While here, I am looking forward to going to Minnesota this weekend to visit family. I’m meeting my father up there and surprising my grandmother with a visit before I go. I think it will be nice to see the state in which I grew up one more time before leaving as well. My mother is coming out the last week I’ll be here and it will be good to see her as well. She hasn’t been to Colorado since she moved to Washington more than 10 years ago.

Sorting through my possessions is an interesting trip. It’s amazing how much stuff we collect over the years. Some stuff for a reason and other stuff because we moved in a hurry and just packed it up and took it along.

A friend and I were talking about going through things from our childhood. Old photos, Pine Wood Derby ribbons, karate trophies, etc… It’s depressing in how my view of the world has changed since those days. So much hope and promise now replaced by just trying to survive. So many ambitions replaced by others.

When I was young, I don’t think I ever thought about being a world traveler or an ESL teacher. At the same time, I spent the first 10 years or so out of high school without any real direction. Something about that first trip to Latvia in 1999 turned a switch on…thank you Marina. While things didn’t turn out as I hoped, I saw something there and said “I could live here”. Well, maybe not Latvia, but in the Old World. The second trip I took 9 months later led me to believe this was very do-able. From then until now, I have been planning and scheming a way to get over there. This has been a kind of evolution.

I didn’t know it back then, but life in the suburbs, a wife and kids and a life of consumerism was just not for me. I was never really interested, but never knew of any viable alternative (we all can’t be rock stars). Now I do and now I’m making it happen.

Come on school!!! Get me my invitation and put the final piece of the puzzle on the table. Don’t make me spend a ton more in visa fees and changed airline tickets just to make this dream happen!!!

I guess if I’m to be successful (or at least survive) in the ESL teaching world, I best be flexible. I just go word from the school I’m going to work for that instead of Kazan, Russia, I’m going to be teaching in either Togliatti or Syzran. Both cities are in the Samara region, so I bought my ticket today. Of course, the price of the ticket went up $200 from yesterday, but that’s fine…it’s about what I expected to send.

I’m really looking forward to the move and am very motivated to get things going. Unemployment has given me the chance to get plenty of sleep, but I’m bored out of my mind. That boredom sometimes works against me in the motivation department, but it’s getting close.

I depart on September 25, so 21 days to go!!!

Thank you rubber shoe company for making cuts right before I was going to quit. You took care of me. You are giving me the time to prepare properly. A friend of mine says it best…”People don’t prepare to fail, they fail to repair.”

I feel for my co-workers as this round of layoffs come at a time when there’s not a lot out there and I wish them all the best in getting back on track. I miss them even though it’s only been a week…these are people I’ve spent a lot of time with over the past 2 years plus. They are good people who deserve better than they got from the swines.

To the swine. I understand you made yours and want to move on, but do you really feel for any of us or are we just the means to an end? Swine…be careful…you may meet your end. Just remember, every person you stepped on en route on your trip to the top are the people you will have to deal with on your way down.

I hope there is a lesson in this for all of us. I hope people will begin to stand up to those who oppress us. It’s not the Russians, the terrorists, or the Chinese who are our biggest threat…it’s the swine and their time needs to come to an end.

To all of my friends and colleagues at my current job. I’m really sorry all of you have to go through such stress and anguish. The swine continues to blow smoke and treat humans as a means to an end. When asking about layoffs, they give you the general theory about layoffs and not a “yes” or “no” answer…and even their general theory neglects to admit that layoffs are, at least partially, the mother of all management fuck ups. Times are tight here at “Public Traded Company X”, so let’s hire on some more executive management level scum. As we all know, when times are tough, the smartest thing to do is add another 6 figure salary clown to the mix. Wow…that’s powerful stupid.

Isn’t it funny how they’re willing to let go of people who are barely making it when cutting their own pay would save the company more than enough. These fuckers value their own worth way too much.

So…are you going to take it??? or are you going to finally get mad enough to stand up to these people and say something to the extent of “I’m a human being goddammit! My life has value!!!!” (roughly quoted from Network)

…or are you going to bow your heads in fear? If you’re going to die…die with your proprietary closed cell resin shoes on! My anger about this comes from the fact that too many of you just refuse to get mad enough to do anything about it. The Jeffersons, Washingtons, Franklins and other founding fathers would be sick with anger…so why won’t you??? What do you really have to lose as you’re being handed pink slips?

May the swine choke on their own gluttony!!!

“We are turning into a nation of whimpering slaves to Fear—fear of war, fear of poverty, fear of random terrorism, fear of getting down-sized or fired because of the plunging economy, fear of getting evicted for bad debts or suddenly getting locked up in a military detention camp on vague charges of being a Terrorist sympathizer.”
—”Extreme Behavior in Aspen,” February 3, 2003

Surely not the last you’ll here of Hunter on this site…

I’m not counting the days quite yet, but I think I have about 6 more weeks of work. If anything, I can only hope that years of working in corporate America has adequately prepared me for anything the Russians can throw at me. Those vultures are picking my bones clean and have gotten their money’s worth (corporate America that is). I’ve faced lying, constantly changing expectations (with and without telling me ahead of time), back stabbing and every other form of selling me out and throwing me under the bus.

Now is the time to prepare. This is a huge project and many little ones all at the same time. The more I plan, the less I think I’ll take. Whatever fits in a suitcase and a really warm coat. I’ll leave it to the school to provide me with teaching materials and whatever they lack, I’m pretty sure I can find on the internet.

I’m scared and excited all at the same time. I believe I can figure out how to be an English teacher…the first year will be the real challenge. There will be a lot of first times and I’m sure plenty of corners to back into.

At the same time, days like I just had at work are why I’m going. I’m nothing more than a hired geek, a yes man and a paper pusher. Everything I do is for the glory of people who will make more than I ever will…the same people who could care less about my general well-being and personal growth. I’m not saying that it’s going to be all tits and champaign over there, but at least I’m doing what I want to do…regardless. While my job is a decent means to an end, I’m little more than a replaceable prisoner in a 6 by 6 cell who has given his all to the organization only to be constantly reminded that I’m going nowhere fast. This is something that will bring out the best in me and change who I am forever…all at the same time.

Here’s my first attempt to post a picture…