Many of you may remember Riz...a member who was a frequent poster, but suddenly dropped out of sight.
Well, seems he's in a bit of a jam. He got caught up in a visa clamp, apparently, and had to return home to Pakistan.
Northern Pakistan.
War-Zone Northern Pakistan.
Seems he needs about $500 to get the hell out of there and back to China, and he's asking us to help if possible. If you're so inclined, please PM me for contact info. Otherwise, it's between you, him, and God.
Here's his original message...
I have a terrible tale that I want to share. I am in Pakistan and I am from here. I finished my contract with that training school in changsha, china, i could not find a new job so i had to return to pakistan. 10th of feb, i reached islamabad which was my last date. my home is about 5 hours drive from the capital. i reached home safe and sound.
i had already applied for a job in pakistan oline and i joined this high school here in islamabad after one month. my monthly salary is about 200 dollars and i have to teach my ass off. 4 examination classes everyday, each has 31 students. i am gonna lave this job since it's not a secure here. there are so many uniformed security people walking around everywhere in the country and schools are more vulnerable to terrorism. i barely live now. i share an apartment with 4 odd guys and sleep on ground. they have power-shortage in pakistan and it goes off 12 hours a day sometimes and we burn ourselves in heat. the temp is 42-45.degree. a water bottle is 25 rupees which is very expensive compare to the local income. mosquitoes are in abundance in the capital of pakistan and they bite all night if the power is out. we sweat and use those hand-fans to get some air. i have received two salaries until now. i walk to a place very often, carrying a plastic can to bring drinkable water because i can't afford to buy it. people are strange and everyone tries to rip you off. taxi fares are not fixed and local buses or vans are stuffed with people who, many times, are seen standing outside metal frame of the bus. my room-mate stole money from my wallet as well but i did not talk about that to him because i am not sure who has done it. there are 4.
i went to the chinese embassy which is located in a remote area where all the embassies are. one has to deposite cell-phones, bags and take a special bus to get to a particular embassy. they charged 500 rupees for going and coming back. it's too much money. a visa seeker must pay that bus fare. they refused to give me a visa. i had an invitation from a private company owned by my friend who's a chinese. they require a govt operated company's invitation as they said. that was a paki-guy dealing with the people and he was not nice. he was a rude son of a bitch. later i found a travel agent who can get me a visit visa to china but i have to pay him lots. i have paid him half and i can manage half later when i get my visa.
my plan is to get a job immediately once i am in china and i am contacting employers. i have a hope that i will be hired by some school when i am there in person.
my objective to write this email is to ask you get me out of this place because it's suffocating. i remember folks from saloon helped Maulana ( that's perhaps her name) who was a canadian and she needed help due certain habits. i had met that lady in person in yuayang. plz tell me is it appropriate to ask friends in forum to chip in and help me out? it costs 500 USD only from islamabad to urumqi which is only 1.5 hours flight from islamabad. i am not sure what i am typing but it's all desperation and chaotic around. thanks for your patience reading my boring and long email. it's only an appeal for help. visit pakistan for two days sometime in life and you will know what it means to be here bro.
regards.
Riz.