Journalled on Tuesday, 28th of March 2023 | Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 28 degrees, hot, sunny, and slightly cloudy.
It is still early in the week, but it looks like Wednesday evening or Thursday. This month, I reorganised my finances by renegotiating my class fees with my pupils.
It has been exactly a year since I last increased my fees, but other factors make it difficult to do so again. I depend on these fees to pay my bills, but, more importantly, to support my ex-wife. My ex-wife, or more specifically, Yasmin’s mother, is a simple person who earns a low salary as a cook.
When we were married, I tried to encourage her to study, but she never showed interest until now. Now that we have been separated for almost six years, she is beginning to take an interest in her studies and profession, and I am happy for her.
However, because she earns a low salary and I pay the rent for her and Yasmin to live in Rio’s South Zone, it would be impossible for them to live there on her salary alone. I pay so that Yasmin has a reasonable to good standard of living in the South Zone of Rio.
Because I have this monthly financial obligation, losing any pupil at any time weighs heavily on my budget. I’m concerned about approaching my pupils to adjust the fees.
Losing my pupils could devastate my accounts at any moment. Besides that, living in Brazil feels like constant insecurity. I have been living in Brazil for almost 34 years, and there are constant political scandals, corruption, and imbalances. I have concluded that Brazilian politicians intentionally create conflicts among themselves to control the population.
They do this by continuously presenting one scandal after another. Instead of focusing on resolving issues that would improve people’s lives and advance the country, they prefer to create an atmosphere of chaos and unrest.
This approach destroys any sense of balance, justice, and serenity in Brazil, so nothing positive can grow in such an environment. The population has become a hostage to the situation that the politicians have created, leading to a society of injustice and complete inequality.
Therefore, when I approach my pupils to discuss increasing class fees, it is hard for them to accept an increase when there is no peace in the country. While many things are devalued in Brazil, education is one of them, especially English.
Sometimes, some pupils pay with a certain air of arrogance, insinuating that they are doing me a favour and that I should be thankful for the little money I receive.
Like most countries around the world, Brazil also has a phenomenon of influence, whether positive or negative, that starts at the top and trickles down to other social classes. When the president and his circle believe they are superior and can do whatever they want, as in Brazil, other social classes tend to adopt the same attitude. I have frequently observed this behaviour among the Brazilian middle class, particularly among civil servants.
As I have grown older, I have become less tolerant of people who show disrespect or don’t appreciate the quality of my teaching services. Over the past six months, I have removed certain pupils from my schedule when I feel they are not a good fit for my time and effort.
This includes students who don’t value my classes and who may feel they are doing me a favour by paying for my services. In some cases, it may be a combination of both. I’m choosing to focus on students who are genuinely interested in learning and appreciate my expertise.
It is pretty amusing when a teacher politely and cordially decides to stop teaching a particular pupil or person. The sudden change can make it feel as if their world has just crumbled beneath them.
As I mentioned before, I am exhausted and no longer have the patience to deal with the toxicity. In situations like this, it’s crucial to set boundaries and maintain self-respect.
I wrote this diary entry at the end of the month, and it has motivated me to resolve my pending financial issues. Since April is my birthday month, I deserve to address these issues as a gift to myself. Starting my new year with a little more money will be really helpful.
I am tired of being poor and broke in Brazil. It must stop now.
In bed by 9:30 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
