The absolute Bellydance Hell !!!!

Maria_Aya · 08-02-2006, 02:23 PM

Hi mates.
This story is exactly what happened to 2 greek bellydancers and friends of mind and students the last couple of days.

Sunday:
They phone me that they got an offer for job at Cyprus, at Pafos area, so they are leaving and canceling the lessons we had for the next 3 weeks.
I ask them: Do you know the place you are gonna go and dance? What is the name of it? Where are you gonna stay? under what conditions? etc.
They failed to anwser me in all: a) they didnt knew the name of the place, they only knew that they will dance at a Club, and with all expenses payed they are gonna take 3.600 euro each for 20 days work.
Damn, the city Pafos was already worrying, since I know the place and there are nummerus strip-clubs, anyway told them NOT to give their passports to anyone, and be vary carefull. In any case, i have a good family friend at Pafos and he could help them.
We met on Monday to say goodbuy etc and asked them more but couldnt answer again

Yesterday, Thusday they took the plane, 1,5 hour flight to Pafos.
1.40 midnight they call me !!!!!!!!!!
When they arrived at the airport the "manager" took them and went to a hotel, where they were LOCKED in the same room with 4 more russian girls (the russians without passports!!!), at 12 they leaded them to the "Club" ofcourse it was a strip club.
Now I have to clear this:
Strip-club at Cyprus mean, the girls go and sit with the customers while they drink, and they have to follow them after !!!!!!!!!!! at their hotel !!!
At 1.40 anyway they escaped, and went to the Fire - Station, they spent their night there !!! at morning my friend went and took them from there, had a huge fight with the owner of the club, took their things and left for the airport which wasnt the local, because they didnt had plane to Athens today, but the Larnaca one 200 km away from Pafos.
They have to pay their ticket back with own money, and thank God my friend had day off and drove them to Larnaca, cause in Cyprus, buses are a luxury, and the taxi wanted 250 $ !!!!!!!!!!
Now they are in the plane coming back.
I'm gonna see them tonight and trust me, i'm gonna kick them BOTH.
And after hug and cry.

In anycase and this is a good ending story
Girls be VERY CAREFULL when making contracts aboard for dance!!!

Maria Aya

Moon · 08-02-2006, 02:36 PM

OMG Maria Aya that is awful!!!!
I hope they are all ok now. And they are very lucky to know you and your friend came to help them. I don't want to think of what could have happened.
This is a very good example to illustrate that you indeed have to be very carefull when making contracts. I hope they think about it next time they make a contract.

maariku · 08-02-2006, 03:41 PM

Gosh, this is a horrible story. I am glad it ended well though! It was good they let you know about their plans - even if they didn't listen to your warnings, you were still more-or-less aware where they were and could help them. This is why I appreciate the dance community so much - we share stories and warn each other about scams...

Michelle · 08-02-2006, 04:08 PM

Maria, I feel terrible that your friends had to go through this. I know most of you ladies have been dancing pro for a while and you know the ropes already. But let this be a lesson in caution to some of the younger, newer dancers out there. This is a good example of why checking and verifying all the information you are given is never redundant. Check, Check and Re-check everything, girls! If there is something that you are not clear about, don't be afraid to be a pain in the ass and ask again. This kind of thing can happen anywhere! Luckily, Maria's friends were not hurt physically in this ordeal.....

Demelza · 08-02-2006, 04:48 PM

Sorry to hear that Maria, a similar thing happened to a friend of mine once in Turkey. Glad to hear that they are ok. It'll be a good lesson for them !!
Demelza x

Mouse · 08-02-2006, 04:58 PM

OMG! What a horrible, terrifying ordeal. They are so lucky they managed to get out!

chryssanthi sahar · 08-03-2006, 03:08 AM

Goodness:eek: How one can be so stupid and go to a place abroad without having any information about the place and the contractor? They were really very lucky, that you could help them through your friend down there. At least, they told you about their plans. But did your friend inform the police about those criminal guys? What about the poor Russian girls who were locked in the hotel room? The police must be informed about this case.

Maria_Aya · 08-03-2006, 06:14 AM

Dear Chryssanthi and all.
Trafficing (i think this is the term for selling/rending women for various reasons) IS one of the major European Union problems since the fall of Russia

and the other east communist countries.
Over 100.000 women live in Europe under these conditions and they are lucky if they go back home after 2 year, of "hard work".
About Pafos, to get how much the dirtyness goes.
Pafos is a small city with permanent people living not over 10.000 people on winter time, and over 50.000 at summer (high touristic area). An ancient city with 3.000 years history, even the historical birth place for Goddess Aphrodite.
Now in such a small place OF COURSE the police knows !!!! but hey

Yes they were lucky, but also they were very good tricked, after i got the details.
Actually the manager of the place was here and met her, and she was a modest old fashioned woman around 50. So they felt her like a mother image. So this means that it was in the trick, to make anyone that accept trust her.

Anyway they are back, and today we have a 4 hour punishment with tabla teqnics lol

Maria Aya

Mariyam · 08-03-2006, 06:38 AM

I am shocked :eek: and awed :eek: at their story, Maria :eek:

Thank goodness your friend could help them out, I don't want to think what might have happend.......

Maria_Aya · 08-03-2006, 07:02 AM

What could happen is what happens to the other of the 1.000 russian girls that are trapped there:
Holding their passports, living in a hotel room 6 together, locked all day, going night at the "Club", leaving with customers for a quick one, and after back to hotel !!!
Now the shocking part is that these 2 girls are citizens of United Europe, which means that the things are going uncontroled and we all must be very carefull.

Maria Aya

08-02-2006, 02:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Maria_Aya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 2,221	The absolute Bellydance Hell !!!! Hi mates. This story is exactly what happened to 2 greek bellydancers and friends of mind and students the last couple of days. Sunday: They phone me that they got an offer for job at Cyprus, at Pafos area, so they are leaving and canceling the lessons we had for the next 3 weeks. I ask them: Do you know the place you are gonna go and dance? What is the name of it? Where are you gonna stay? under what conditions? etc. They failed to anwser me in all: a) they didnt knew the name of the place, they only knew that they will dance at a Club, and with all expenses payed they are gonna take 3.600 euro each for 20 days work. Damn, the city Pafos was already worrying, since I know the place and there are nummerus strip-clubs, anyway told them NOT to give their passports to anyone, and be vary carefull. In any case, i have a good family friend at Pafos and he could help them. We met on Monday to say goodbuy etc and asked them more but couldnt answer again Yesterday, Thusday they took the plane, 1,5 hour flight to Pafos. 1.40 midnight they call me !!!!!!!!!! When they arrived at the airport the "manager" took them and went to a hotel, where they were LOCKED in the same room with 4 more russian girls (the russians without passports!!!), at 12 they leaded them to the "Club" ofcourse it was a strip club. Now I have to clear this: Strip-club at Cyprus mean, the girls go and sit with the customers while they drink, and they have to follow them after !!!!!!!!!!! at their hotel !!! At 1.40 anyway they escaped, and went to the Fire - Station, they spent their night there !!! at morning my friend went and took them from there, had a huge fight with the owner of the club, took their things and left for the airport which wasnt the local, because they didnt had plane to Athens today, but the Larnaca one 200 km away from Pafos. They have to pay their ticket back with own money, and thank God my friend had day off and drove them to Larnaca, cause in Cyprus, buses are a luxury, and the taxi wanted 250 $ !!!!!!!!!! Now they are in the plane coming back. I'm gonna see them tonight and trust me, i'm gonna kick them BOTH. And after hug and cry. In anycase and this is a good ending story Girls be VERY CAREFULL when making contracts aboard for dance!!! Maria Aya

08-03-2006, 03:08 AM	#7 (permalink)
chryssanthi sahar Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Posts: 1,482	Goodness:eek: How one can be so stupid and go to a place abroad without having any information about the place and the contractor? They were really very lucky, that you could help them through your friend down there. At least, they told you about their plans. But did your friend inform the police about those criminal guys? What about the poor Russian girls who were locked in the hotel room? The police must be informed about this case. __________________ Oriental dancer and instructor of Greek origin, living in Germany www.chryssanthi.com

08-02-2006, 02:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Moon V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 3,627	OMG Maria Aya that is awful!!!! I hope they are all ok now. And they are very lucky to know you and your friend came to help them. I don't want to think of what could have happened. This is a very good example to illustrate that you indeed have to be very carefull when making contracts. I hope they think about it next time they make a contract.

08-02-2006, 03:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
maariku Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Estonia Posts: 1,146	Gosh, this is a horrible story. I am glad it ended well though! It was good they let you know about their plans - even if they didn't listen to your warnings, you were still more-or-less aware where they were and could help them. This is why I appreciate the dance community so much - we share stories and warn each other about scams...

08-02-2006, 04:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
Michelle Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 146	Maria, I feel terrible that your friends had to go through this. I know most of you ladies have been dancing pro for a while and you know the ropes already. But let this be a lesson in caution to some of the younger, newer dancers out there. This is a good example of why checking and verifying all the information you are given is never redundant. Check, Check and Re-check everything, girls! If there is something that you are not clear about, don't be afraid to be a pain in the ass and ask again. This kind of thing can happen anywhere! Luckily, Maria's friends were not hurt physically in this ordeal.....

08-02-2006, 04:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
Demelza Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Nottingham, UK Posts: 417	Sorry to hear that Maria, a similar thing happened to a friend of mine once in Turkey. Glad to hear that they are ok. It'll be a good lesson for them !! Demelza x

08-02-2006, 04:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mouse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 514	OMG! What a horrible, terrifying ordeal. They are so lucky they managed to get out!

08-03-2006, 06:14 AM	#8 (permalink)
Maria_Aya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 2,221	Dear Chryssanthi and all. Trafficing (i think this is the term for selling/rending women for various reasons) IS one of the major European Union problems since the fall of Russia and the other east communist countries. Over 100.000 women live in Europe under these conditions and they are lucky if they go back home after 2 year, of "hard work". About Pafos, to get how much the dirtyness goes. Pafos is a small city with permanent people living not over 10.000 people on winter time, and over 50.000 at summer (high touristic area). An ancient city with 3.000 years history, even the historical birth place for Goddess Aphrodite. Now in such a small place OF COURSE the police knows !!!! but hey Yes they were lucky, but also they were very good tricked, after i got the details. Actually the manager of the place was here and met her, and she was a modest old fashioned woman around 50. So they felt her like a mother image. So this means that it was in the trick, to make anyone that accept trust her. Anyway they are back, and today we have a 4 hour punishment with tabla teqnics lol Maria Aya

08-03-2006, 06:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
Mariyam Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Leiden, the Netherlands Posts: 263	I am shocked :eek: and awed :eek: at their story, Maria :eek: Thank goodness your friend could help them out, I don't want to think what might have happend.......

08-03-2006, 07:02 AM	#10 (permalink)
Maria_Aya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 2,221	What could happen is what happens to the other of the 1.000 russian girls that are trapped there: Holding their passports, living in a hotel room 6 together, locked all day, going night at the "Club", leaving with customers for a quick one, and after back to hotel !!! Now the shocking part is that these 2 girls are citizens of United Europe, which means that the things are going uncontroled and we all must be very carefull. Maria Aya