I recently started teaching online again on italki and Preply.
It's not great money. Not even enough to support myself. Students trickle in, and I can't charge too much, and the platforms take about 20%.
BUT, it's been the most enjoyable work I've done so far.
I get to meet people from all over the world and hear their stories.
Really what I'm doing is just listening to them, having a conversation, and correcting and explaining things here and there. Sometimes I feel like a therapist, or an online friend. But they pay me, and I'm grateful.
For me it's like traveling from my desk. I sit down and talk to someone in China, Latvia, Brazil, Mexico, New York City.
I hear their lives. I hear about their homes, family, work, travels, struggles, dreams.
And I get to see them improve. They come to me wanting practice with a native speaker. They want to travel or find better work. They have dreams that require speaking English.
All I have to do is let them talk, and encourage them. They become more and more confident. And that's the best.
They have busy lives. They work. They have families. And they take time every week to call some 29 year old American guy traveling in Japan to help them towards their goals.
It's a great privilege. All because I'm a native English speaker from the U.S. All of which was not my choice.
I'm super lucky.
To the blog.
To the podcast.
To my contact.
To the main page.
Enjoy!