Lara Vapnyar has a fine short story related to Russia in the current issue of the New Yorker. The following is the first paragraph, click through to read the rest.

The ad read, “CINDERELLA SCHOOL. Learn English to find your dream. Fast, affordable, flexible hours.” And, in smaller letters, “Russian-speaking English teacher wanted. English teacher’s diploma required.” I found it in Our Brooklyn, the thickest and the trashiest of all the Russian newspapers. I scrambled out of bed, dug up my diploma from the Moscow State Pedagogical University, and, without giving it much thought, carefully printed “and English” next to the words certifying that I could teach Russian language and literature.