Stepping back

[ezik]

Dear friends,

Our forum is like a playground. We're all kids, shouting things, sometimes having a quarrel. From 2007 I have tried to be a Nanny on this forum. I enjoyed every minute of it. I have had great assistence by some very good moderators and attentive site members.

Lately, I have not been able to spend enough time monitoring the forums. This is bad, because our moderators do lots of good work, and I am not there to support them. But they do well without me, anyway. For me, it is ackward to be listed as a forum leader when in fact I am not able to fullfill expectations. It's not good for you, it is not good for me.

So "Ezik" is leaving the building.

Within the next few days, I will get rid of my admin priviliges and I think I will delete the Ezik account, too.

I will leave you in the capable hands of our Super-Moderators, some of them will be promoted to admins.

I want to thank all moderators and all active posters on this site. You have criticized me, thanked me, and always gave me support.

Expat.ru will be a great site as it is and I am not saying goodbye to the site. But I need to redefine my added value and the reality for now is that I am not adding value.

Love you all, please stick around!!!

[penka]

Dear friends,

Our forum is like a playground. We're all kids, shouting things, sometimes having a quarrel. From 2007 I have tried to be a Nanny on this forum. I enjoyed every minute of it. I have had great assistence by some very good moderators and attentive site members.

Lately, I have not been able to spend enough time monitoring the forums. This is bad, because our moderators do lots of good work, and I am not there to support them. But they do well without me, anyway. For me, it is ackward to be listed as a forum leader when in fact I am not able to fullfill expectations. It's not good for you, it is not good for me.

So "Ezik" is leaving the building.

Within the next few days, I will get rid of my admin priviliges and I think I will delete the Ezik account, too.

I will leave you in the capable hands of our Super-Moderators, some of them will be promoted to admins.

I want to thank all moderators and all active posters on this site. You have criticized me, thanked me, and always gave me support.

Expat.ru will be a great site as it is and I am not saying goodbye to the site. But I need to redefine my added value and the reality for now is that I am not adding value.

Love you all, please stick around!!!

Oh... That's sad you are leaving... One can hope, you'll be popping in now and then... Till then - take care and good luck!

/ Hugs

[Hans.KK]

Within the next few days, I will get rid of my admin priviliges and I think I will delete the Ezik account, too.

Rethink that part, maybe it is better just to lock the account, deleting accounts in forums may have unwanted side effects on the post you have made with that account.

[rubyrussia]

Thanks Ezik for all your hard work. You endured the threats and a lot of BS. If possible, on your way out, could you delete my account as well? I'd like to erase as best as possible my history on the forums.

[penka]

Thanks Ezik for all your hard work. You endured the threats and a lot of BS. If possible, on your way out, could you delete my account as well? I'd like to erase as best as possible my history on the forums.

Why do you want to leave????

[TolkoRaz]

Yozhik, Many many many thanks for all your hard work over the years - When I next see you, the beers will be on me

[rubyrussia]

Why do you want to leave????

Mostly personal reasons. 90% of my interaction on this forum has been of no help towards other people. Instead, I've participated in debates and argued with people. As we are, none of us change our minds about much of anything.

If I had taken that time to do some charity work, learned a new skill or trade, etc, where would I be now?

My presence on this forum still isn't much compared to some of our members there are more interesting members so I shouldn't me missed too much if at all really!

Anyway, Ezik. If you could do me this parting favor, I would be greatly appreciated. I'll be leaving for sure anyway. This time for good. I just hope that I could do so without leaving a trail behind.

[penka]

Mostly personal reasons. 90% of my interaction on this forum has been of no help towards other people. Instead, I've participated in debates and argued with people. As we are, none of us change our minds about much of anything.

If I had taken that time to do some charity work, learned a new skill or trade, etc, where would I be now?

My presence on this forum still isn't much compared to some of our members there are more interesting members so I shouldn't me missed too much if at all really!

Anyway, Ezik. If you could do me this parting favor, I would be greatly appreciated. I'll be leaving for sure anyway. This time for good. I just hope that I could do so without leaving a trail behind.

Oh, I'm sorry you are feeling that way...

[Uncle Wally]

Mostly personal reasons. 90% of my interaction on this forum has been of no help towards other people. Instead, I've participated in debates and argued with people. As we are, none of us change our minds about much of anything.

If I had taken that time to do some charity work, learned a new skill or trade, etc, where would I be now?

My presence on this forum still isn't much compared to some of our members there are more interesting members so I shouldn't me missed too much if at all really!

Anyway, Ezik. If you could do me this parting favor, I would be greatly appreciated. I'll be leaving for sure anyway. This time for good. I just hope that I could do so without leaving a trail behind.

What good would it do by deleting your account? The forum will still be here so you could always just sign up again. When and if you do go you may find some reason or another to use the forum. Ask a question? Need to know something? You never know when and how you could help someone else. I seem to meet people new to Russia a lot and I always try to help. It's come back to bite me but I keep trying.


I hear you on the waste of time thing. If you're young this is not the place to hang out a lot. But it could be a place to find something else to do or find a place to meet others. I understand if you're stuck here for work and don't know many people and maybe don't really fit in with Russians or they don't seem to understand you and you feel a need for friends, well this could be a good place for that. Maybe think about it more take some time off but deleting yourself is a bit much.

[Judge]

Eric, sorry to hear you are leaving the site.
On behalf of the(your ) site, thanks for all the hard work you have put in down the years, hope to see you back one day.

[rusmeister]

Mostly personal reasons. 90% of my interaction on this forum has been of no help towards other people. Instead, I've participated in debates and argued with people. As we are, none of us change our minds about much of anything.

If I had taken that time to do some charity work, learned a new skill or trade, etc, where would I be now?

Charity work is good, so are skills.

Speaking only for myself, I am pretty isolated. If I speak English, I nearly always have to do it in "teaching English" mode, to my own kids or at school, or with adults that want English practice. I can hardly ever "let go" and talk without editing my speech for foreigners, adjusting to their level of English. That need won't be met, even at a charity.

And I figured out, quite some time ago, that I'm not going to change people's minds. But for some, even if only a few, I think seeds are planted. When a thing is true, it will always come up, and maybe a few people will get that I was never trying to put them down or shame them or whatever, that I was trying to help them along to things I have found to be true. Someday. Not now, maybe not even soon or in my lifetime. And sometimes people say things that I find helpful. You never know where you'll find little nuggets of truth.

So I don't think this will all have been a complete waste of time.

[penka]

Charity work is good, so are skills.

Speaking only for myself, I am pretty isolated. If I speak English, I nearly always have to do it in "teaching English" mode, to my own kids or at school, or with adults that want English practice. I can hardly ever "let go" and talk without editing my speech for foreigners, adjusting to their level of English. That need won't be met, even at a charity.

And I figured out, quite some time ago, that I'm not going to change people's minds. But for some, even if only a few, I think seeds are planted. When a thing is true, it will always come up, and maybe a few people will get that I was never trying to put them down or shame them or whatever, that I was trying to help them along to things I have found to be true. Someday. Not now, maybe not even soon or in my lifetime. And sometimes people say things that I find helpful. You never know where you'll find little nuggets of truth.

So I don't think this will all have been a complete waste of time.

Rus, you ever get any chance/ will/ possibility to socialise with expats?...

[rusmeister]

Rus, you ever get any chance/ will/ possibility to socialise with expats?...

Not really, no. 3 jobs, 4 kids, 3 of them still young. I don't even see my Russian friends all that often.
Had one acquaintance from another forum come and visit recently. It was the first time ever.

[penka]

Not really, no. 3 jobs, 4 kids, 3 of them still young. I don't even see my Russian friends all that often.
Had one acquaintance from another forum come and visit recently. It was the first time ever.

Then it must not that easy to find time... Again, Skype is a great invention, frankly.

[ezik]

Dear all,
My stepping back is for the reasons mentioned and speculating about any other reasons is, as the word suggests, speculation.
By my knowledge, Expat.ru is not under any legal attacks and I would be one of the first to know if this was the case.
I will make sure that my old posts will be there. My username will be shown, but it won't be available for contact. I'll find some technical way for it.
"Leaving the building" doesn't mean I am done with Expat.ru. I love Expat.ru, always have, always will. I simply cannot devote enough time right now to be a proper caretaker.