random question

[Keith Goeringer]

Greetings, SEELANGERs.

Our graduate assistant has asked me to ask the greater Slavic community if
anyone has any information or has had any dealings with a study-abroad
organization called East-West Exchange.  I am including the information we
got from someone who is concerned this organization has made off with a
deposit s/he sent them:

>>Dear Friends,
>>I am a Russian teacher certification student at the University of
>>Colorado at Boulder.  I received information on the following
>>exchange program from our Russian department:
>>     East-West Exchange
>>     PO BOX 12262
>>     Gainesville FL  32604
>>     rep: Robert Mann
>>After sending a $400 deposit, visa application, and personal info to
>>this program four months ago, and having heard nothing since, I
>>called to see what was up.  The number is to some woman in her house
>>(904-373-1098).

>>Needless to say, I'm beginning to feel I have been duped.  The only
>>communication I have received from them was the initial application,
>>postmarked Oakland CA, 28 Feb 94.

>>Does anybody know anything about this program or Mann individual?  Is
>>there a change of address I am not aware of?
>>I would appreciate any assistance you can provide.

He apparently contacted us (Berkeley) because we are close to Oakland, and
our undergrad assistant said the name of this organization sounded familiar
to her.

If you have any info on this outfit, please e-mail me with it.  Whatever I
find out, assuming it's of importance one way or the other, I will post a
summary to the list -- whether it's that there was a simple
misunderstanding, or that others have had similar problems with this place.
(I am not posting personal info on the person who wrote to us since I
don't have permission to do so -- but I will forward the info to our grad
assistant, who will forward it on to him.)

Thanks,
Keith

Keith Goeringer
UC Berkeley
Slavic Languages & Literatures
keg at violet.berkeley.edu