“I’ll go work as a janitor if they take me”
Syed Sanaullah is a native of Afghanistan, a graduate of the higher military school in Tyumen. Before the Taliban came to power (the Taliban is recognized as a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation), he had a prestigious job in a government department. In an instant, the guy lost everything – earnings, home, freedom. Syed managed to get to St. Petersburg – he told what ordeals he got to Russia with and why he had to get a job as a janitor.
Syed Sanaullah in Afghanistan Photo: From personal archive
Last fall, Syed, on behalf of Afghan students, appealed to the Russian Foreign Ministry with a request for evacuation. All the students that the young man asked for were taken out. But Syed himself did not get on the rescue flight. He had to get out of the country on his own.
Now Syed is in St. Petersburg. He remotely passed the exams and entered the Polytechnic University of Peter the Great.
Sanaulla is a graduate of the higher military school in Tyumen. He graduated from the university with honors, received the profession of a civil engineer. After graduation, he was given a prestigious job in Afghanistan in the law enforcement agency. After the Taliban came to power, it became dangerous for him to stay in his homeland. Syed decided to leave. Remotely passed exams at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. He entered the magistracy. Received a study visa to the Russian Federation.
But there were problems with moving from Afghanistan.
“The story of my return from Afghanistan to Russia is a long and sad one,” Syed began. – I received my study visa on November 15. Together with other students, he was waiting for an export flight from Russia to leave the country. Time passed, the plane did not arrive.
Some guys couldn’t stand it, went to Russia on their own, through Iran. They had money for a transit visa and air tickets. I didn’t have the funds to buy a ticket. I was waiting for an outbound flight from Russia in Kabul. I didn’t even go home to my parents to say goodbye. They live in the north of Afghanistan, where the highway is often blocked due to avalanches. I was afraid if I got stuck there, I would miss the evacuation.
In mid-December, Russia evacuated some students from Afghanistan. Syed didn’t get on the flight.
– I was not on the passenger lists, – the interlocutor continues. – But I was reassured that another flight is planned a little later. And I waited again. Soon, the Russian Embassy in Kabul published a second passenger list. And again I’m in the gap. Although even those students who had already left Afghanistan on their own by that time were included in the lists.
– My university put me on the list so that I would be allowed to cross the border of the Russian Federation.I don’t know why I wasn’t picked up. Maybe they just forgot? I have not received a specific answer. I decided to get out myself. I understood that it was necessary to act as soon as possible. But the catch is that I didn’t have money for a plane ticket.
– I decided to leave by land through Iran, it’s cheaper this way. It was necessary to issue a transit visa to Iran, pay for moving there and buy a plane ticket to Moscow. For everything about everything, 700-800 dollars came out.
There was no one to borrow money from in Afghanistan. A friend from Moscow, when he found out about my situation, transferred the necessary amount to me. Then the painful epic of obtaining an Iranian visa began. I have contacted the Iranian Embassy in Kabul three times. I was refused a visa. They explained that they only issue documents to those who fly by plane. I couldn’t afford the flight.
Then I went to Jalalabad, where the Iranian consulate was located. They sent me from there, too. They said that the residents of my province need to get a visa in another city.
I went to the opposite end of the country. I took 15 hours to get there by bus. I got a visa there. Returned to Kabul. A few days later I went to Herat province, which is located on the border with Iran. I traveled almost the whole of Afghanistan by bus, crossed 13 provinces. From there, I drove about three hours by car to the border. Then I walked for half an hour with my luggage to cross the border.
– The Taliban didn’t ask me much about anything. They just checked my luggage and asked if I had dollars with me. The fact is that they do not allow those who travel abroad to carry dollars with them. I confessed that I had $400 with me. They ordered them to be exchanged for Iranian currency. The exchange rate there is low, I lost $ 50 on the exchange – for me this is a significant amount. And in Iran, only citizens of the country can buy dollars. Well, one person agreed to change it for me. Then I drove to Mashhad, from there to Tehran.
Syed Sanaullah in Iran Photo: From his personal archive
Syed lived in Iran for more than a week. I took tests for coronavirus, booked tickets to Moscow.
– In Iran, I exhaled, felt safe, – the young man continues. – People live there normally. Although they also complain about small incomes and large taxes. I told them they found something to complain about, the main thing is that you live in peace. Whereas in Afghanistan, crowds of starving people sit on the streets with their hand outstretched.
– I wouldn’t say. First I booked a Qatari airline ticket to Moscow. 7 hours before departure, I received a call from the airline and was informed that they would not give me permission to fly, they would not release me from Moscow airport, because my data is not on the Public Services website. I canceled the flight.
I contacted the university – they had to solve these problems. It turned out that on December 20, the rector’s order was issued: due to the spread of a new strain of coronavirus “Omicron”, it is forbidden to add foreign students to the list of incoming students. I was in shock. Where should I go now? Back to Afghanistan – no way. Staying in Iran is also not an option.
He began to write to almost all employees of the university, including the rector and the head who deals with foreign students. I solved the problem for three days. Begged to help me. They heard me. I managed to rebook my ticket and flew to Moscow via Qatar. But, until I overcame the border control in Moscow, I was still nervous. I was afraid I might be deported back. The trip was hard.
– I stayed in the capital for two days. But I didn’t really have time to look at anything. A Russian friend, with whom we have known each other for three years, helped me with booking accommodation. I, in turn, helped one student from Afghanistan who entered the university in Blagoveshchensk. I sorted out the purchase of his air ticket, then escorted him toDomodedovo. The next day I finally bought myself a ticket for the St. Petersburg train and left. I used the map to get to the university dormitory. I’m sitting on self-isolation. I was placed alone in a room. It’s warm and nice here. Now the worst is over.
“I plan to eat once a day, I’m used to”
– There are 350 dollars left. I missed a lot, so I want to take an academic pass. I plan to start studying in September. Although the teachers offered me to pass the session now, they will forgive my omissions. But I don’t want to get marks out of pity. I need a proper education. When my documents are processed and I am registered in the hostel, I will start looking for a job. It doesn’t matter who. As a janitor or to clean the premises, if they take it. The main thing is to earn at least a little for yourself. Maybe the parents will be able to help.
– I don’t care now. We’ll have to survive somehow. Although I graduated from the former university with a red diploma. After the New Year I will try to apply for a residence permit. It seems there is a decree of the President of the Russian Federation that foreign students who have a diploma with honors are given a residence permit. If I get the status in 3-4 months, then I can find a normal job.
– Which embassy? My friends say there is no work there. Everyone stays at home.
– I haven’t studied this question yet. So far, I have downloaded a special application with vacancies. The choice is huge. The main thing is to be accepted. And then my friend, who recently came to study in Yekaterinburg, can’t get a job for three weeks. They don’t take him even for the simplest job. He comes for an interview, but they refuse him only because he is a foreigner and even more so from Afghanistan. They say they only need Russians.
Syed Sanaullah in St. Petersburg Photo: From the personal archive
– I think I’ll last a month and a half. I will save money. I plan to eat two, or even once a day. I’m used to it. I didn’t eat much in Afghanistan either. It doesn’t matter. I don’t think about it. The main thing is that I got here. And it won’t be any worse than it was.
– According to the first diploma, I am a civil engineer. Now I have chosen the direction of urban planning. I just don’t know what can be designed in Afghanistan now.
– Of course, I would like to, if everything is normalized there.
– Just a few people we met when we were applying for visas. They arrived on evacuation flights. Now they are also sitting on self-isolation.
– A little. Mom wanted to give me more things, but I said that I was driving cars all over Afghanistan, Iran, it was inconvenient to carry with me. I took a small suitcase, which contained a few things, documents and three books.
“We are not celebrating the New Year”
– They live in the village. They still have small stocks of potatoes and onions. Recently, our family has refused to use gas, it has risen in price five times. We can’t afford it. They heat the stove with firewood. We have trees growing there, they can be cut down. Cattle were sold, valuables too. Dad works as a teacher at a school. He was recently given a salary for two months. Not enough, of course. Only 6 thousand Afghani (4,200 Russian rubles). With this money, you can buy rice and butter for a month.
– The main products are rice, butter, flour. They make bread from flour themselves.
– Well, what kind of meat? It has long been forgotten about. Many are unable to buy the same flour, butter and rice. Most are limited to flour and sugar. Bread is made from flour, sugar is put in tea. That’s all the food. Humanitarian aid does not reach people particularly. In any case, there are many poor people in the northern provinces where my parents live – none of them received help. I’m worried about my parents. And you ask how I’m going to live here. Yes, great, compared to them.
– We have our own New Year according to the solar calendar, called “Navruz”. It is now the eleventh month of 1400. March 20-21 will be the new year, 1401. In Afghanistan, people do not understand who Santa Claus is and how the New Year is celebrated all over the world. And anyway, now there is such a situation in the country that people are not up to the holidays. If you are hungry, you have nothing to wear, none of this matters.