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strictly_nicky
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 25
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 Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| Can't speak of the OP, but I'm CELTA cert'd, education major and four years exp with children; however, I have no teaching experience. |
In your case it makes much more sense, then. |
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mozzar
Joined: 16 May 2009
Posts: 339
Location: France
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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| akmoler wrote: |
/em shrugs
Can't speak of the OP, but I'm CELTA cert'd, education major and four years exp with children; however, I have no teaching experience. |
 What were you doing with them?[/b] |
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impsythealmighty
Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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Well I continued talking to them just to see where it goes. Looks like it's no good. They'd sent me a contract, which of course sounded fantastic, and I said that sounds great and asked for more info, and they said I couldn't sign it until I was "with the board of directors" at the school. They showed me different flights and the prices on them and said I'd need to pay half of the price to "the agency" which would then be refunded once I got to the school. I asked if there was any way the school could just pay for it and I could reimburse them once I received proof of the flight, or if I could sign the contract here instead. Here's the response I got:
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Thanks for letting us understand your nervous situation regarding the plane ticket payment arrangement.. We extremely understand with you.. lots of bad activities on the internets that is true.. But we do like to confirm and re-assured you that this is a real school and we are not into any untrusted activities..
More also, we would like you to know that this opportunity is very limited and you should be glad to have been among the few selected candidates.. Lots of application was received and were turned down..So kindly understand that we are only assisting you in order for you to secure the opportunity and not for you to be skeptical at this stage.. You don;t tend to lose anything should you at any point, change your mind from accepting the job.. The part payment made by you will be refunded back to you fully.. The contract agreement was forwarded to you, for you to know that the offer is real.. It was just for you to read and review to see if the job conditions is suitable enough for you.. An official copy of the contract will be provided when you arrive and you will have to sign together with the school board of directors. There is no way to finalize the contract until you sign in the presence of the directors..I want you to know that the school is also trying to secure their part by allowing the teachers to pay part of the payment for the flight before they arrive due to some past experience with some foreign teachers.. I believe you do understand.
How ever, you are very free to decline the job offer at any time should you feel uncomfortable with the arranagement.. Just give us the notice and we will pick another qualified candidate. But, I will advise you to follow through with the processing and you will be glad you did when you arrive to the school.. Svenska Skolan Pa Mallorca is a great and reputable school to work with, so hold on to the opportunity and you won't regret. We will communicate with you more soonest. Thanks |
So I can't sign anything ahead of time which I could hold them to, I can't get proof of the flight, and I can't get any solid info, but they're wanting me to send money. Looks like a scam! Fortunately I have another offer in China I'm probably going to take, so I can get some more experience and it'll all be cool.  Thanks for all the advice guys! |
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akmoler
Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 1:15 am Post subject: |
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| Good to know. They still haven't mentioned anything of the sort to me. I'll probably give the school a ring tomorrow. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:12 am Post subject: |
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| I also doubt that any reputable Scandinavian-based school would use the poor English in the extract above. Their formal English is usually stronger than that - particularly in standard, public written texts. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| Screams scam from start to finish. I too will be eating hat if legit... |
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mozzar
Joined: 16 May 2009
Posts: 339
Location: France
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| Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:22 am Post subject: |
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| Were all their emails that badly written? Seemed like a pretty big give away. And why did they always use two fullstops? Crazy scammers. |
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sarjourn
Joined: 18 Nov 2009
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:38 am Post subject: Also offered contract there |
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Hello all,
This string has been really helpful. I have also received a contract to teach at this school. Mr. Michael Jeremy sent the contract and referred to a Alvez Justovus as the immigration expert supposedly helping me get a visa. I have had my reservations. My TEFL institute looked at the contract and said it was a scam...mostly based on this thread.
However, I have been in touch with the US Embassy in Mallorca and they seem to pass as a legitmiate school. I also asked to speak with a teacher. A teacher by the name of Helen Zielinski sent me an email saying the school was legit and good to their teachers. Apparently she has been there for 12 months and will be renewing her contract. She is Swedish.
Does anyone have anything to add? |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:52 am Post subject: |
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Scammers have been known to use the name of a real school.
However, they obviously have no actual connection to the school, and of course can't really get you a visa or a contract. |
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Moore
Joined: 25 Aug 2004
Posts: 730
Location: Madrid
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| Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 10:26 am Post subject: |
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The other thing to do of course would be to look up the school in the Yellow Pages (Paginas Amarillas) or Google and call them directly to ask: any language school worth its salt will have someone who speaks enough English to help you.
A Google search for "colegio sueco mallorca"...
( http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q=colegio+sueco+mallorca&btnG=Google+Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=colegio+sueco+mallorca&fp=a45608d49d23d8db )
...comes up with a fixed phone line and a Google maps location implying a real address at least.
Then again, if something feels like it's too good to be true, then it probably is!
_________________________________________________________________________
...Jobs and language exchanges in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com
...send your c.v. around ALL the schools in Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Rome, Lisbon, Porto and Buenos Aires... www.lingobongo.com/cvsender/ |
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