GALLERY: Albertonian in prison for visa mishap

MADRI Strydom van der Heever, a qualified Alberton teacher, thought that she would have the experience of a lifetime in China, but it was not meant to be.

She was recruited by a so-called top international kindergarten in Beijing with an American as chief principal and foreign shareholders, marketed as a brand new campus of a successful chain of kindergartens.

“My husband, Ettiene, and I needed to know everything was done legally because we would be taking our two-year-old son, Benji, to China with us. We were assured that we have nothing to be concerned about. Everything was in order with our visas as well.

They arrived in Beijing on August 10, 2017.

“We fell in love with the culture, the people, the country, the lifestyle and the freedom. I taught at a stunning school with the very best of everything. We loved our new life and were ecstatic because we could give Benji only the best and that is what he deserves,” Madri said.

“Life was perfect. What could possibly go wrong?”

Then came the day of her arrest.

“I hope my story will spare others the terror that myself and my American colleague (Jasmine) had to endure,” she said.

Working illegally

On April 24 the Chaoyang police arrived at the school and rounded up the foreign teachers. They collected their passports and asked them if they knew whether the school had a licence.

At about 11am foreign teachers were loaded into a police van.

“We were transported to the Chaoyang Police Station and were kept in the holding area for 45 minutes to an hour before interrogation started.

“Jasmine and I were called in first. We were questioned about every person at Imagine Beiyuan, including HR, owners and management. About our income, how long we’ve been there, whether we knew our work visas were for another campus in Beijing, and if we knew we’ve been working illegally for eight months,” Madri said.

Madri was told it was a routine enquiry while Jasmine was told they would be punished for five to 10 days in a detention centre, and then be deported.

The other foreign teachers were allowed to leave just before 5pm.

“Ettienne went to fetch Benji at school and returned to the police station to wait for me. One of the other teachers took care of Benji. Then they took our phones. We had no means of communication with anyone outside. At around 10pm the policeman came into the holding area and said: ‘I’m sorry to tell you this, but you will be taken to a detention centre for punishment’,” said Madri.

They were told that their work visas were not for Beiyuan and that they’ve been working illegally for eight months. “He also said that he knows we didn’t know we were working illegally, but that we had to be punished.

“There we were, two innocent people who had never been in any kind of trouble, in a police station being treated like criminals.”

Time in prison

The next day they were transferred to a detention centre in Daxing, strangely enough, the place where their visas were legally registered for, for 10 days.

“Shortly after that, Jasmine and I were loaded into the police van again. We clung to each other, we were petrified. When we arrived we were taken into a room and were told to change into prison uniforms and shoes.

“All our belongings were taken, labeled and stored in a room filled with bags. We had to pay 50 RMB (approximately R100) for a bag with tissues, a small toothbrush and small toothpaste, five tiny sachets of shampoo, a plastic cup, soap and a facecloth. We were handed over to the prison police.

“Jasmine and I were taken to separate cells. The cell is 10m long and about three meters wide with nine steel frames with a wooden plank surface on which we had to sleep, with a little passage of about 60cm besides the ‘beds’. Blankets were covered in blood and God knows what else, the room itself was filthy.

“We had to sit on small plastic stools with bumps on the sitting surface the entire day, every day. We were only allowed to stand up to use the toilet which is a hole in the ground. We were allowed to shower in the evenings. The shower is a hose attached to a tap. You have no towel. You have to dry yourself with the same wet facecloth you used to wash with and comb our hair with our toothbrushes.”

Going home

The guards came to the cells on May 9 to take orders of things they would like to buy.

“As soon as the guards slammed the steel door shut a Chinese woman jumped up and told me the guards said I would be out soon. This could have meant anything, but gave me hope that I would be getting out.”

About 15 minutes later, the door opened again and Madri’s name was yelled.

“The only clue I had was from the Chinese woman. I was getting out. Everyone jumped up, hugged me and cheered for me. It was an emotional moment, knowing I’m getting out and so many Chinese and foreigners were being left behind for God knows how long.”

Police took her to the airport. She lost six kilograms in 16 days.

“I was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. When Benji and Ettienne arrived my heart was shattered. Benji treated me like a stranger. But at least I was reunited with the great loves of my life,” she told the RECORD.

“We still love China and would return in a heartbeat. It is not China that wronged us. It is the dishonest owners who ruined our future in China. They have taken so much from us. They stole 16 days of my life with my husband and child. We didn’t get to say goodbye to our best friend Jasmine who was deported after 24 days. But they were not able to take our dignity and beautiful memories we have made with our Chinese friends who treated us like family.

“I am so thankful for everything. The lesson I’ve learned is that you should not take life for granted, it can change in a blink of an eye,” she said.

Madri and her family are currently on vacation.

Also Read:

Young South African teachers stuck in China for two months released

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