Наш ответ Чемберлену
Под катом лежит мой ответ Джеймсу Барбуру. Наш диалог, мне кажется, становится конструктивным. Это может помочь в поиске работающих решений. И еще раз я благодарю своего английского коллегу за готовность к диалогу.
Dear James, I awfully write on English in spite of the fact that went to school in America, Toledo, Sylvania Southew.
First of all, thanks for friendly answer.
Sorry, I did not answer you long - just been out of town. Your offer to build relations anew I accept with pleasure.
Certainly, I am free for coffee on Monday. I suggest to make it after 13-00. I still have filled yesterday in the second time the appication in the visa centre. Appoitment - 14-00. We have translated today papers into English. Tomorrow my editor-in-chief will sign them. In 10 mornings on Monday my bank is ready to give out me the inquiry on the income and an extract from the account in English. It means, from 11-00 till on Monday I can quite go to the visa centre, as facility the client. I have written in the application about refusal and have specified its reason. It is not assured that I have correctly put the refusal code number - there not clearly where it to look.
I would ask you very much would to specify in a facility paper date on April, 27-28th. Well, as a last resort, on May, 29th. Since on May, 2nd flies jet friends on which I should be in time, and on May, 3rd - event. (By the way, jet I have already passed two - one took off 18.04, the second has departed today:)) It means, if I hand over documents in 11 mornings from 12 o'clock we can quite have a drink coffee. Near to the visa-centre there is a Bistro restaurant. There good coffee and excellent sorbets. If the first part of day we can look for a gap in your schedule.
My one is: at 17-00 I should be on radio the Megapolis. I there the weekly speaker - the program. An aether from 19-00 till. To leave the centre to reach in other centre it is necessary at 16-00. So, a gap from 11-30 till 16-00 and further, from 20-00. Is it OK for you?
I will write you the second part of the letter, the answer to your answer:)) it seems To me, dialogue becomes constructive, it should be continued. It can help to find a consensus in the general situation not only with me, but also with other journalists. And in any case, it will help our beginning cooperation.
Part I
Here that I had in view of payment. After failure in system many demands were gone. Instead of fairly admitting an error and to suggest people to repeat applications, it began to splash in passports refusal. Thus money did not come back. Normally, if by fair consideration of documents money does not return. But when documents do not consider because of failure and not to admit it and not to return cash, splash refusal, here it already fraud.
Part II
Further, I was touched so much by your sincere the offer to arrive and admire greatness of England. In my passport - 4 ended English visas. 6 months, 12 months, 12 months and 2 years. In 2007 I have spent in London more than 100 days. In 2008 it is less - about 50 days. I was after leg surgery, so, this interrupted my visits in UK. In 2007 I had more than 15 entrances in UK. England is my favorite country for a long time. London - my most favourite city on the wourld. I know the centre of London and Notting Hill not worse, than Moscow. In due time your great country has given a political asylum to my boyfriend - he worked in YUKOS. Of course, I would never forget it. I combined work with private life, wrote about England much and consequently went to London two times a month. 2008 Year I have met in London. All the August long 2007 we traveled across Scotland. Several days we lived in a LightHouse in Stranraer. I told about this amazing travel to my friends, so, they took the yacht and steped our ruts, but on the seaway.
For two years we were in Cumbria, the Wales, Lowland, HighLand. The picture of highlind cuttles still on my worktable. We had many times a rest in Hampshire Сhewton Gleen. We have travelled all Surrey. We saw Edinburgh and Glasgow. I told about all travel in this LJ.
http://becky-sharpe.livejournal.com/2007/09/03 / http://becky-sharpe.livejournal.com/2007/10/05 /
If you look through this LJ, you will see interesting photos. The report on a trip to Cumbria
http://becky-sharpe.livejournal.com/2007/10/19
Till the end of my life I will keep the great impressions of your country - Ullswater and Hyde Park roses, landscapes New Forest and meadows of Scotland, Else's Creeg in North Chanal and the Tea Palace in Westbourne Grove. Ohhhh.. the Organic Lavender Tea.... I'm still mising it.
So, not nessesary to show me how great you are - am already fall in love with Great Britain. I sincerely was going to work in London. Last weeks there was four events. A match of Chelsea the Arsenal and a party, a forum and a banquet, performance of the friend at book session.
I not only itself have been loved in your country. I tried to abuse by my passion my readers of Izvestia and the blog. For last five years I wrote about English events more than 30 articles in News and in glossys. I covered all English-Russian party in UK, and also I wrote about Embassy evening on the Sofijskaya quay house, about birthday of the Queen in embassy, about royal briding on Askot - even before repair on a hippodrome I there was. I gave interview to the description of favourite places in London. In Moscow they consider as the angloman. Three years ago I have drived on Five-o-cloke tea my editor-in-chief. In Ritz in London I was very well known by Umberto, and it has made to us a little table as a compliment personally to me.
So, that why the refusal and indifferents were so insulting for me, - after all I England not another's sounded.
Part III
Now I answer a question why I did not search for friendship with you before the saga with the visa. Russia, as well as England the country very much hierarchical. At you it is ancient families. At us - celebritys. Prison terminology is very indicative. There are people "in the law", "in authority", and there are beginners. As well in army. There are grandfathers, and is - "salagi". It is Russian slang, designating the neophyte. When you have come to work in embassy, I already was "in authority". Behind me there was a set of articles about England and the English-Russian events, my face on a cover of magazine MINI, shooting in L'Oficiele, articles in Tatler GQ. Aethers on RTR, NTV, 1 Ch and others. Street popularity, for example. Honestly, and in the Russian hierarchical system it is not accepted, that "grandfather" or, "grandmother" is more exact:) ) searched friendship with the neophyte. I believed that beginners should come and do homage.
At my place in Petersburg there lives the fine English doggie corgi. I have fallen in love with this breed to England and have bought to its my mum. My dog - Fest Hauer Strike, son Warrenhouse Crispe. It very obedient, it is easy to agree with him, but the dog rights, nevertheless, our corgi defends very rigidly. It does not gnaw anything, but the rug before a door is its territory. And all attempts to take away a rug will lead to scandal. Also the English bulldog of my friend also behaves. The bulldog very much nice, but the right of 15 minutes after a breakfast to do two circles on an estate with the owner it defends resolutely. As I told you, - Englishs are people of the rules :))
It is a lot of years the journalists connected with England, there was a right to submit on the visa on the special channel. The Press Secretary gave to all journalists, whose activity has been connected with trips to England, the special note of support. For us there was a separate window. Even when there was a visa centre about consulate, for me there were special conditions: no transfers of papers from the bank, no any inconveniences. All knew, who I am. And my right to any visa was conclusive. 30 minutes, 3 hours to a start, - I always knew that the embassy of England will support me entirely. The main things of the editor, their deputy, the well-known sportsmen and show business used the same privileges.
And voila, the new embassador Ann Pringl. At the first meeting with editors-in-chief this lady refuses to patronazed the visa of someone the editor-in-chief." "We have the good visa centre, you can go and receive the visa without me". Once again I remind: Russia the country with hierarchy. The person who does not show respect to "grandfathers in authority ", be it three times the ambassador, takes the risk. If such person will make some mistake, it would never be forgiven. Moreover also it is found out that the visa centre very much not good. What occurs? Clouds of adverse public opinion start to be condensed over the diplomat. Yes here also two Olympic champions got the refusal because of failure in system. And then - to the well-known boxer on competitions not to leave. So the extremely negative opinion on activity of the ambassador is formed. Though the ambassador also is not guilty. But it has encroached on sacred - on hierarchy, the VIP people has not considered as the important problem reception of visas. Russian journalists, like english corgis, protect their priority, that's why the UKBA and consulat mistakes was underlined. I hope, you are not shoked by my frankness?
The final Part
And it is still very important. You say that I have not brought translation of any paper. Yes, I have got used that at me special conditions. But after all both the visa centre, and embassy did errors: This ugly behaviour of Jeniffer Jouns, (she promised to help but did not pick up the phone and not answer letters Eventica's director), this unwillingness of embassy and consulate to help joint Roadshow, it is couching manner to talk m-me Berdnikova and her mentor tone. These are not received visas of sportsmen and journalists. Refusals because of the lost demands. A bucket of errors.
I realy uppreciate that you confirmed that here a lot of bads in the work. Thaks you very much for your intention to fix it.
I asume, here is some important points on the way of fixing. For the small error I have paid refusal in the passport, and now I will have big problems. And here embassy, UKBA in any way for the errors do not pay. I have submitted documents on April, 14th, but to be in time by April, 20th, to Roadshow and you have not helped me. My chief has handed over documents for a long time, but also was not in time by April, 20th. No delays can justify absence of office visas to the journalist. But the consul has not wanted to recognise fault UKVA and personally to give out visas for us. And so, after all yours "faux pas" it was possible to shut eyes to absence of tranlations, to call me and to ask to inform personally a paper or at least not to spoil my passport with refusal? You as though reserve the right to itself for an error concerning a considerable quantity of people and do not offer, that the consulate and UKBA has washed away guilt before them. It is obvious that there is a fault before many, including, and before News. And instead of though somehow it to smooth down, to me spoil the passport and carp at absence of transfer. Here that me excites most of all. Consulat & UKBA are very indulgent to itself and it is similar, do not think to make expiation gesture before our citizens. I would be great if you can convince your collegues to make some tangible apologies. See you soon. Bozhena