Job Discussion Forums

[GotoRussia]

man get outta there! Sounds too typical though..no respect for teachers.

And it's never easy in a foreign country where you don't know the rules.

Keep us updated and hope this resolves soon.

[Foma87]

Assuming you only have one mark on your record, you shouldn't have any problems getting back into Russia once you leave. If you signed more than one paper acknowledging your "guilt" (BTW NEVER sign papers that look like that) and/or paid more than one fine, you'll probably be banned for three years.
Although you gave very little info, I can't believe you got the police involved. That was a BIG mistake. The police are something to be avoided at all cost. This has probably created a much bigger problem than the one you had with your boss/company.
It seems like the guy/company committed various administrative, civil and possibly (in the case of withholding your passport) criminal offenses. Threatening a lawsuit probably would have been enough to get your passport back as well as pay. But this would have involved the help of a lawyer and some knowledge of the language/laws. Nevertheless, unless you find yourself in a life or death situation, NEVER get the police involved.
I'm very sorry for your situation. Good luck.

[maruss]

unless you have a personal contact in the police in Russia I would not advise anyone to go to them for help,especially for problems of this kind.It is difficult for foreigners there when things go wrong there, although a couple of years ago an American girl did successfully sue BKC after they fired her for being away on sick leave and her case was posted on this site.But it took a lot of time and determination to get a lawyer etc. and few people bother to go to that length.
Getting banned from Russia is a different ball-game and it depends on the reason and which authority made the decision?I found out-luckily-after I had already returned home that I had been placed on the 'no-visa' list and after extensive efforts to find out why through using contacts in Moscow, I learned that it was the FSB's decision but have never found out why and of course nobody has officially informed me of the reason.Russian friends can only surmise that it was because of my contacts with certain people there,including a very well-known journalist who was not liked by the Kremlin because of her reporting on sensitive issues.She was murdered in the autumn of 2006 and the case is known internationally.The FSB has absolute authority so presumably their ban on me is at their discretion as to when it might be lifted?But persons who are banned for visa violations etc. by the ministry of Interior can usually get back in again after a certain time period has passed so if you are still determined to go back there I wouldn't give up on it for the future?

[teacher X]

[maruss]

Most of their ordinary employees are so thick and it would be an insult for anyone to suggest I might be one of them!In my case one of their operatives probably noted that I visited the journalist in question who they very likely had under surveillance anyway, and when his report filtered through the system, someone higher-up just issued orders to black-list me?They apparently do this quite often to people and sometimes for petty and stupid reasons,according to what my Russian friends have told me!But getting your name removed from the list is much more difficult....

[ihateokroshka]

Hi all, I just wanted to chime in, seeing as how I also worked at International English Club in Ufa for 13 months. The boss there certainly is crazy, although things weren't quite so bad for me, I think. I had lived in the city before and I already had friends there. Also, I was his first teacher there, so he was probably a little nicer and more easygoing with me.

The problem was, that he often lied, while at the same time accusing me of lying and trying to find dishonesty anywhere he could. He lied in the beginning, telling me that they had tons of students and corporate clients waiting to take classes with me, and he use the word 'WE' when referring to his organization, telling me he was discussing things with his team etc.... In fact, when I arrived, I discovered there was no team, it was just him and me, sharing a two room flat. And there were no students or clients as he had promised.

Anyway, I could go on and on about this for a long time, but the long and short of it is, don't do it. I'm sure he is advertising for the position here on Daves ESL Cafe - don't be fooled. He won't deliver what the job ad promises and you'll end up in a predicament with a crazy Russian fool in a little known city quite far from Europe.

[GotoRussia]

that situation sounds worse and worse... how many teachers has he swindled in Ufa. sad really. par for the course. did keepit real get out alive?!!??!

[GotoRussia]

hey any updates keepreal? you get your passport back or what happened man.

[keepreal]

Yo I'm ok now, sorry took so long to respond, forgot. The guy wouldn't give back my passport even after I confronted him with ..... I think he threw away my passport. I got a new passport but because he didn't register and I couldn't get my visa and registration in time, they sent me to a detention center for 7 weeks. They were gonna deport me but they didn't have enough fund to do so, but I had a friend who appealed my case. I got out and got a transit visa and my parents bought a ticket out. Man, my time was tough in that center... Didn't really have much access to internet there except when my inmates had smuggled phones.

[keepreal]

[Partizan]

[Partizan]

[maruss]

No doubt all produced by R.T. t.v!!