Search found 1167 matches

by Heliotrope
Sat Sep 17, 2022 2:38 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Search Associates Salary Confusion
Replies: 5
Views: 6289

Re: Search Associates Salary Confusion

In my experience, the schools that will actually negotiate with you (other than maybe giving you an extra step if you sort of deserve it) aren't usually the kind of school you'd want to work at. The school I work at now and the last two schools I worked at before would definitely not negotiate - there's a pay scale (at my current school it's public) that applies to every teachers, and no exceptions are made.
But then again, if you can negotiate a very good salary it might matter less to you whether or not the school is well-run.
Also, from what I've heard, schools that tell you not to discuss your salary with others are rarely pleasant places to work.
by Heliotrope
Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:02 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Comment

PsyGuy wrote:
> Who wouldnt have expected we'd end up disagreeing?

Indeed.
by Heliotrope
Sat Sep 03, 2022 5:55 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Reply

PsyGuy wrote:
> @Heliotrope
>
> No there isnt the not large amount is the small amount. Theres 6g and under
> and everything over that. Theres no classification of "significant
> amount" in article 228. Its not there because it doesnt exist.
>
> Ill take the data in the actual wording of the regulation of that of
> @Heliotrope.
>
> As stated, the sentence of 14 years is within range of allowable sentencing
> as defined by the regulation.


I trust legal experts familiar with Russian law who have looked at similar cases, rather than take your word that it doesn't exist.

We disagree.
by Heliotrope
Fri Sep 02, 2022 6:22 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Reply

If he indeed carried more than 100 grams, you would be right.
As you say, "there's only large and not large" (although not entirely true: there's 'a small amount' which is up to 6 grams, anything between 6-100 grams is classified as a 'significant amount', and then there's a 'large amount' for 100 grams or more), so the fact that 'large amount' is not specified in this article simply means that that's codified elsewhere.
If legal experts in articles commenting on this case for the BBC and other outlets say that Russia's threshold for 'large quantity' is 100 grams, I'll take their word for it, rather than yours. And as said, this sentence is grossly disproportionate to sentences imposed by Russian courts in similar cases involving similar amounts of marijuana and even exceeds sentences imposed by Russian courts on major drug traffickers and murderers, according to attorneys familiar with the Russian legal system.

So again: Fogel says it was 17 grams, Russia says it was more.
You're of course welcome to believe who you want. It's not that I automatically believe Fogel, but You need only to read the news to take what Russia says with a grain of salt.
by Heliotrope
Thu Sep 01, 2022 7:14 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Reply

As said, the sentence he received was one that fits a quantity of 100 grams or more.

The Russian court released a statement saying that Fogel committed 'large-scale drugs smuggling' by crossing the Russian border, as well as 'large-scale illegal storage of drugs without a commercial purpose', meaning a quantity that Russian law defines to be 100 grams or more. Anything between 6-100 grams is classified as a 'significant amount', the possession of which carries a much shorter jail sentence and, in some cases, the punishment is reduced to a fine.
This sentence is grossly disproportionate to sentences imposed by Russian courts in similar cases involving similar amounts of marijuana and even exceeds sentences imposed by Russian courts on major drug traffickers and murderers, according to attorneys familiar with the Russian legal system.

I say the Russian government lies about the quantity, you say Marc Fogel lies about the quantity.
Neither of us can be sure, we're just guessing.
by Heliotrope
Tue Aug 30, 2022 8:15 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Reply

As I said before I agree that he broke the law. My point is that it's not unlikely that he was punished more severely because of the war.

They are accusing him of bringing in a "large amount", which Russian law defines as at least 100 grams. He said he was carrying 17 grams. If that is correct the sentence he got was way too high.
Him being a criminal doesn't mean he's not also a pawn. You yourself mention that he did this "during a time with very poor political relations". For a just sentence the poor political relations shouldn't matter. Your comment show you realize the sentence might have been influenced by current events.

How much was he really carrying? I don't know for sure, you don't know for sure.
It simply depends on if you believe the Russian government or if you believe Marc Fogel. The track record of the Russian government makes me doubt their version of events at least.

You and I both don't have data to support our doubts.
These are indeed just things @Heliotrope and @PsyGuy are thinking.
by Heliotrope
Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:39 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Reply

PsyGuy wrote:
> Do you have any other data besides the word of a drug smuggler or the drug
> smugglers family it wasnt over 100g?

Do you have any other data besides the word of an autocratic and corrupt government that it was?
We disagree.


> Or when you state "demonstrably and repeatedly
> lying about a variety of things" do you mean Putin lying about the
> Ukraine invasion? When you state authorities do you mean the entirety of
> the Russian government in all matters of Putin in conjunction with the
> conflict in Ukraine? Can we not separate the political theater of armed
> conflict from the rest of a countries business.

I'm saying this is part of the war. A war is more than just tanks, grenades and guns. I very much doubt Marc Fogel would have received the same sentence before the war in Ukraine, and before the US started supplying Ukraine with arms.
That's not saying the Russian government hasn't been lying about a variety of other subjects before the war started.
If you're saying the Russian government doesn't regularly and purposefully lies for political gain, we disagree.


> We disagree.

I agree.
by Heliotrope
Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:41 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Reply

They are accusing him of bringing in a "large amount", which Russian law defines as at least 100 grams, which is likely untrue.
My rational for believing Fogel over the Russian authorities is simply that the Russian authorities have been demonstrably and repeatedly lying about a variety of things, including in many high-profile criminal cases, whereas Fogel does not have that track record.
I do think possessing weed (medical or recreational) shouldn't be a crime, but since it is a crime in Russia my opinion on the matter is irrelevant. So as said I agree he broke the law and shouldn't be surprised he has to answer for it. However the severity of the punishment seems politically motivated, which is what I take issue with. Russia has a bad track record of politically motivated sentencing, and I'm suggesting the severity and timing of this sentence fits that pattern.
You disagree, and that's of course fine.
by Heliotrope
Sun Aug 21, 2022 6:51 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: Comment

PsyGuy wrote:
> Dont do the crime if you cant do the time.

That's the problem. It seems the time (14 years of hard labor) doesn't fit the actual crime (smuggling 17 grams into the country). I don't think anyone would be outraged if he got 1 year in prison, and the amount he claimed to have smuggled is under normal circumstances sometimes punished by only a fine.
It's likely this draconian sentence is related to the US support of Ukraine, and therein lies the injustice.

But we're all operating under assumptions here.
Some believe Marc Fogel when he claims it was 17 grams and it was for self-consumption, other believe the Russian government when they claim it was a 'large amount' (which would mean over 100 grams) and was meant to be sold to students.
The Russian criminal courts have a reported conviction rate of 99%, which makes me believe justice isn't always served in Russia. Also, they are continuously lying about the war in Ukraine (or 'special operation' for those that prefer that desciption).
by Heliotrope
Sun Aug 21, 2022 3:11 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!
Replies: 46
Views: 141278

Re: International teacher Marc Fogel in Russian prison - please help!

@lhoiseth

If you want to reach more people, it's better to post it on forum 1: viewforum.php?f=1
This forum (forum 2) gets almost no traffic, so very few people will see this post.

It's a ridiculously long sentence. 14 years of hard labor at his age means it's likely he won't survive this.
Fogel has reported it was 17 grams, and anything between 6-100 grams is classified as a 'significant amount', the possession of which generally carries a much shorter jail sentence and, in some cases the punishment is reduced to a fine. The Russians of course claim it was over a 100 grams. Either way it wasn't smart, but either way he doesn't doesn't deserve 14 years of hard labor.

I hope his sentence will be severely shortened or commuted entirely. I happen to know a former colleague of his, and they spoke very highly of him as a teacher and as a human being.
by Heliotrope
Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:42 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Update From a Recuirter Regarding China
Replies: 22
Views: 37511

Re: Reply

PsyGuy wrote:
> "Bound for China" being the operative term. Your claim is
> equivalent to stating everyone finished the race when you were only at the
> finish line and dont know how many started.


A train bound for somewhere can still derail or break down halfway there, or not even leave the terminal...

But let me rephrase it then so it's clear: everyone I know who was interested in China and interviewed for a job there was told there would be no problem getting their dependents in, and they did indeed get all their dependents in.
So everyone I know who started the race made it to the finish line.

Of course I can't speak for all the teachers I don't know, that's why I don't make any definitive statements about 'all teachers', just 'all teachers I know' (plus a good number of teachers sharing their successful experiences online).
by Heliotrope
Tue Aug 09, 2022 9:12 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Update From a Recuirter Regarding China
Replies: 22
Views: 37511

Re: Reply

All I can say is that of all the teachers I know that are bound for China with dependents I know (personally, and teacher friends of teacher friends), everyone got their dependents in without any problems. Also what I've read online from others are similar experiences.

And of course I don't know how many teachers I don't know - nobody does. That's why I don't make any definitive statements about 'all teachers', just 'all teachers I know' (plus a good number of teachers sharing their experiences online whom I don't know).

But hey, we can disagree - you're welcome to think it's still difficult to get dependents of international teachers into China. What I've read and heard recently tells a different story, but admittedly that's a small'ish sample size. If I read enough accounts to the contrary I'll happily change my opinion.
by Heliotrope
Fri Aug 05, 2022 1:31 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Update From a Recuirter Regarding China
Replies: 22
Views: 37511

Re: Discussion

PsyGuy wrote:
> Just heard first hand one family that was told hours ago the IS can get the
> spouse in with some ESL support position but the dependents cant travel
> with their parents, which sort of sounded more like the IS was canceling
> the contract, then a real discussion or plan on moving forward. The email
> was two lines long and came from an HR assistant.

You're right, this sounds more like a scummy way of cancelling the contract - everyone I know moving to China has gotten their dependents in without any problem.
by Heliotrope
Tue Jul 05, 2022 11:52 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Mortgage for overseas
Replies: 7
Views: 8333

Re: Mortgage for overseas

If I would know anything about mortgages for expats, I would have surely responded, as would many others on here I think.

All I know about mortgages for expats is that it's not very easy but that it is certainly possible (I once heard someone mention HSBC but I forgot who and also can't recall if their experience was positive), but beyond that I have no knowledge to share.
Also, I would be more wary to recommend a financial service than I would for example a moussaka recipe, since the impact it can have on someone is pretty huge - if someone follows my recipe the worst thing can that happen is that they eat a mediocre meal (although it's hard to mess up a moussaka), but if the financial service I recommend turns out to be bad it can impact someone's retirement.

You've probably already Googled it and are looking for first-hand experiences and recommendations here.
Perhaps try a large general expat group (so not specifically for teachers) on Facebook or Reddit instead and ask for suggestions there, as you might have more luck there with a bigger audience.
In my experience a lot of ITs put off buying a home because they haven't settled on where to retire, and of the ones that do own a house a sizeable share will have purchased it while still in their home country.

I suspect that I'm included in what you describe as the 'most vocal ones', but it's not chest thumping for me - it doesn't do anything for me what another anonymous person thinks of my anonymous forum persona. I'm honestly trying to help where I can, which is my main motivation, other than asking the occasional question myself.
My high post count (currently #6 in the number of posts-ranking) is unfortunately in large part due to me pushing back against some things that are posted by a certain forum member, things that I believe to be incorrect or (in my view) immoral, and I do this mostly because I don't want teachers new to the forum to think these things are true or normal. I strongly suspect members like @Thames Pirate or @Sid have the same reason for engaging.
I admit it does go on for far too long in a lot of threads (hard to deny really), but regret about engaging him often comes too late, since messages can't be deleted or edited a few minutes after posting. I do think untruths should be countered but there are smarter ways to do so without getting sucked into page-long debates that do little to help the OP.

I hope you find a way to finance a property.