Val
People who ask for free teaching
Recently I have seen a lot of discussions here where people ask for free teaching like 'teach me English', they even don't offer language exchange. I am wondering what is it: ignorance, tradition, education, impudence, lack of maturity, new trend?  Maybe I don't understand the traditions of some countries in which asking others for free teaching is normal? Please share your opinion.

May 11, 2019 6:17 AM
Comments · 23
17

I am from latin america but I live in Africa. I'm a university professor and I see many people from poor countries asking not only classes but a lot of things for free.

I must tell you that is not their fault, is the fault of the people and NGOs that actually give them this things for free because they are "poor". 

Experience has taught them that when they raise their hands, they will eventually receive.

Developed countries people are used to give free of charge several things, sometimes with the name of charity but do not know where they go what they give away.

In these countries if something is received it is re-sold and sometimes it is not even received, the government is the one who seizes it.

Do not get me wrong, I'm not against charity, but we need to worry about where that charity goes for real, there are some organizations that do a great job distributing it.

Here in Africa, being white is synonymous of having money and everyone asks for a lot of things. Some people really need them and some people simply do not want to work or strive to achieve it, because a Mzungu (white man in swahili) is going to give it to him for free because he will sorry about him.

Sorry if I made a mistake with my English, I still learning....

May 11, 2019
12
Well there is a theory that we have a generation amongst us now where everything is about "me, me, me".

Teach me!

Help me!

Spend all your time assisting ME!

I am the centre if the universe!

Why doesn't every native English speaker line up to tutor me for 5 hours every single day in my timezone and the exact way that I want it.. so that I reach C1 in 12 weeks or less!!

May 11, 2019
10
It also could be that they don't know how to write a polite request in English yet. "Teach my English" and "Could you help me learn English please?" are very similar sentences, but one sounds much more entitled than the other.
May 11, 2019
10
From my perspective as a guy that lives in Latin America, I think is because they hate to pay for things, it's a cultural thing, they tend to not value others and try to get everything in the easy way. Maybe that's because of poverty or just pure ignorance. I think a mix of both.
May 11, 2019
8
Indeed, Val, it boggles the mind. I’m almost 100% certain none of them will bother to comment on this discussion, so it will probably remain an eternal mystery….

May 11, 2019
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