Basically, italki is a website wherein people who want to learn a language can connect to online language teachers. Teachers use this opportunity to learn different cultures and share their own. It just so happen that money is involved because being a teacher on italki is a "job". Time, experience, teaching materials, and knowledge are being used by teachers to help other students and honestly, these are not free. However, there are people on italki who are willing to help others to learn their native language for free, but you also have to help them with the language they are learning.