English Dad In Moscow

Moscow's eccentricities

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:26:38 PST

Eccentricities make life interesting, Moscow is rich in eccentricity. You will find many eccentricities within other posts on this blog but here are some of the main ones. I define eccentricity as meaning different and unusual to the expected norm. Eccentricity can be normality to one man and eccentric to another and is based on personal experience. Today, I saw a man on the metro carrying a very long length of wood and a builders club hammer, he was wearing a suite, perhaps he was going...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Children & the home in Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:40:26 PST

I have not offered any advice on looking after children and domestic issues in Moscow. This is a bit ironic, since that has been my world since moving to Moscow. I can only offer advice, based on my own opinion and I am only a simple, knuckle dragging hairy man, who only just broke free from his dark damp cave some million years ago but I do have good experience here. My advice is special and from a man's perspective. Sites and guide books won't generally give very much real or useful...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Credit cards welcome - Having a baby in Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:48:25 PST

In the spirit of a make believe and a helpful expatriate community that few people inhabit, I thought I would offer a review of the main baby hospital in Moscow, as used by insurance rich expats and by middle class Russian's. If I am honest, this post is really aimed at anyone who has just moved to Moscow or who is thinking of moving to Moscow and currently expecting a child. I know that having a child abroad, can be scary but if I am honest, I felt more relaxed about having a baby...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Out of my comfort zone

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:36:52 PST

This English dad in Moscow has been making a few coins teaching other peoples kids English. Moscow is an expensive city and we are not rich, so every ruble helps with living costs here. It gets me out the flat and gives me a purpose and a use in life. These last few weeks, I have been teaching two twins, they are very young and don't speak any English. Teaching young kids a different set of skills to teaching a teenager or an adult. I now think that in order to teach children, a...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Poor little rich girls

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:30:25 PST

I've been teaching two non identical twin sisters for about a year now. We meet once a week at their flat, in a popular central area of Moscow, populated by wealthy expatriates and by wealthy Russians. We meet for ninety minutes and they pay me well. Their flat is on the top floor of an old restored pre-revolutionary building. The flat is massive and about 290 square meters in size. It has dark hard wood polished floors, high ceilings, a coffee table the size of a my flat and expensive...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Through the keyhole

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:48:49 PST

Happy New year, in this my first post in 2012. Teaching in peoples homes, in a foreign country and in a country so alien to your own, is a wonderful sociological voyeuristic experiment that I recommend to any gossip queen or amateur sociologist. You can see how other people live, how other people function and how other people decorate their homes. I always used to like watching a TV program in the late 1990's, in the United Kingdom called "Through the keyhole", it was a bad cheap show, that...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

The end of a year and

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:57:49 PST

So we reach the end of another year. This is our 3rd Christmas in sunny Moscow. This year has been family busy, yet a slow one for me in my current role. I have changed nappies, taught Oligarch brats and had chronic Bronchitis. In Moscow, we had a terrorist bomb attack on the metro, we had a few fatal Russian air crashes, an airport bomb and a rigged Russian election. World wide, we have suffered floods, hurricanes, earth quakes, the end of dictatorships and the start of new ones,...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Countdown to a baby

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:42:35 PST

Just when I thought I could run for the hills and be free from baby poo and dribble, another baby is due to touch down, this time on planet Moscow. The last kid was born in Slovakia and I must say the birth experience was easy and not stressful. As my wife lay in hospital, I sat at home, feet up, shoes off, beers and crisps within easy reach on the sofa, while I watched movies at home all day. This is not entirely true but more of a fantasy than a reality for me. The truth is, I was...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Your pension & red tape when abroad

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 02:55:11 PST

For anyone moving abroad, red tape bureaucracy is unavoidable. We all hate it but It's vital to be able to correspond with your bank, insurance company and pension organization so that you have what you need now or when you retire. I can only offer suggestions in relation to my own country the United Kingdom (UK) with particular reference to the UK state pension. In the UK we pay national insurance (NI) contributions directly from our monthly or weekly pay. If you move abroad with...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Not my fight Mr Путин

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:49:09 PST

I was recently contacted by a radio show asking me to give my opinion on the Russian protests that have been all over the international news this last week. Although I was flattered, I declined their offer and told them the only opinion I have is sourced from what I have read and seen in the international and local media. I told them that I try to avoid being political on the world wide web. However on reflection, no blog like this, would be totally complete without making some comment on...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Miss X and a gun

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:27:08 PST

I went to meet a new student last week. It was my first paid work since losing fat boy and child X (see related stories below). I was given the usual Russian directions and told to take the middle wagon (carriage) and to turn left at the platform, go up the steps and turn left and wait outside for a black Mercedes. The reality was slightly different to the directions. I arrived at the platform, turned left, went up the steps only to be given the option of taking a tunnel in three...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Expatriate Christmas gift ideas

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:30:44 PST

Ask auntie Olga With Christmas coming soon, auntie Olga has kindly decided to offer some more pearls of wisdom and advice on Christmas gifts ideas for expatriates living in Moscow and for anyone else in living abroad in other countries. Being a mother of ten children, she knows all about buying Christmas presents. Olga is also an expert on beauty tips and can offer the ladies some secret tips for maintaining their looks. When you are an expatriate abroad, away from your extended family of...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Ask auntie Olga

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:41:16 PST

Welcome to a new feature on this blog. A new feature to English Dad In Moscow is this section called ask auntie Olga. She is here as an agony aunt to help you with any problems or questions that are related to some of life's headaches, she is also an expert on many things and an oracle to life's questions. She will take over with from me with regular articles. Auntie Olga will do her best to help you and you can post a question under comments at the end of this post and be ...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

For the love of their children

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:14:54 PST

Overseas Filipino Workers I recently interviewed a lady from the Philippines who is working in Moscow, to try to find out why people move here from a warm tropical paradise? I wanted to know how hard is to move here as an economic migrant, also known as a "OFW" (Overseas Filipino Worker) as I find it amazing that they move to a place like Moscow, to be so far away from home, in a country that has a climate and culture so alien to their own. The large expatriate and middle class Russian...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Fun & winter games

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:23:17 PST

The winter has arrived. Long, cold icy fingers have wrapped around Moscow while a schizophrenic snow falls down on the city, turning the streets to a watery slush. Frozen human spit sparkles on the ground like unpleasant diamonds in the hazy winter sun. The sickness season is with us in Moscow and with it comes cabin fever. When the long cold days arrive, most parents are stuck inside with only the four walls for company. Many people are sick with colds, flu and fevers, the medical...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

New arrivals to Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:54:19 PST

Below, you will find a basic list of general tips for expatriates moving to Moscow. For anyone who has not lived in Moscow before, some of the advice below may seem slightly exaggerated. Some advice below is definitely very exaggerated, while some of the advice is totally true. It's for you to decide what is true, false or exaggerated. You will only know the answer to this once you have actually lived in Moscow. All is written from an alpha males perspective. Hopefully a few points are...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Replaced by a personal trainer

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:15:38 PST

Recently, I have been freed from my SAHD (stay at home dad) shackles and I have been making some top dollar. However this is no more. On Sunday morning, I had a phone call from the cousin of my one remaining student. If you recall dear reader, I had been a "manny" (nanny) to child X but I was no longer a wanted toy and was thrown with the all the rubbish. Other than child X, I have been teaching English to a fat lazy boy who we will call child 'A'. I had two students, child A and formerly...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:37:15 PST

An acquired taste Liking Moscow is down to individual taste. If you like olives, heavy opera, vinegar, weird or kinky sex, smelly cheese, seafood, mega cities and concrete then the chances are you will probably like Moscow. Some people don't like Moscow while some think its a beautiful and exiting city. I mention these things, not because Moscow is known for any of these things but because Moscow is just different, like people who wear wooden clogs, naked sky divers or men with...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Warning signs - Safety first, hiring a nanny or manny

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:49:37 PST

Safety first When selecting a good nanny or 'manny' (male nanny) it's absolutely vital that your follow these basic checks. Many ex-pats abroad, have a nanny also known as a 'childminder'. The list below may seem obvious but surprisingly many people don't follow all of these basic checks and warnings. Hiring a manny or nanny who is not a loony or bad with kids, is vital for your child safety and for your peace of mind. Here are some of my recommendations, some of them are serious, some...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

A wind up toy in a wind up world

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:46:08 PST

The story so far I have been working as a male manny (nanny), tutor, surrogate father to a Russian oligarch child (see other links at the bottom of this section). My temporary role, as a wind up toy for child X, came to an end this week. Mrs X, mummy of child X, informed me today that I was to be thrown out with all the old toys, as the father of child X thought I was too expensive and a waste of money (although father is loaded). I am like all of child X's and child X's brothers toys,...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Caring for a baby abroad

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:49:53 PST

Baby In Moscow Looking after a baby alone at home, is scary and can be very scary for many men who are stay at home dads living abroad. I will give some rough suggestions and mainly mention Moscow, since that is where I am and where you may soon be. Women also find looking after a new baby frightening but usually have a support network of family via Skype and other women within an ex-pat community to turn to for help when they need it. I moved here to Moscow with a young baby and found ...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Men, women and children

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:12:54 PST

I was thinking today, as I occasionally do, about traditional roles within couples and looking after children. Alpha males, within the whole animal kingdom provide food but more often than not just fuck the female and then leaves. His quest for sex is fulfilled, he moves on to the next female and fights among other males to spread his seed to continue the species. In fact, many human males act in exactly the same way as their animal counterpart and I was happily once like that. I am not...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

The Russian aristocracy

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:29:25 PST

You can't keep a dog away from a bone, just as you can't keep me away from writing, so here I am again to share with you dear reader a snippet of another life. I went to look after my adopted child X today at the oligarch family where I am a part time hired hand. When I arrived the other day, child X was playing in the living room, a child's birthday, balloons covered the floor and child X was jumping up and down on a mini trampoline. Naturally, when writing about child X, I observe...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Stay and home dads and blogging

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:50:57 PST

Four of five years ago, I would have been horrified at the thought of writing a blog. I am a very private person and thought blogs were done for self publicity and for attention but I know this is not true. There are millions of blogs on the Internet, people blog about everything from sailing to sex. I only started this tiny blog because I love writing and I had nothing to do when I first arrived in Moscow. I thought a blog about being a full time father at home, looking after a baby in...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.

Costa del Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (- English Dad In Moscow -) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:23:32 PST

Our flat in Costa del Moscow, gets on my nerves. I call it Costa del Moscow to make it sound funnier than it is. We have a female landlord. She is the owner of our flat. We fixed the rent for three years and pay her in Euro. She comes round each month to the front door, to collect the rent in cash. We know she does not pay any tax on the rent. Bank transfer for rent payment is unusual in Moscow. She is a nice enough woman, although typically Soviet and Russian old school in attitude. She is...

Slowly having a breakdown..... A travel blog and diary of life in Moscow Russia and the daily routine of being a 'SAHD' stay at home dad and other such things. Join me on a tongue-in-cheek fun journey into another universe. Sponsored by: Baby wipes, keeping those parts moist and clean. Published now & then: Price: Free. Copyright 2010. Poo Vision inc.