Strange request -In exchange of?

Question

Hi dear teachers,I ask you to advise the best way I could make a "strange"request to an American guy who lives here in my town.I met this guy at the school where I teach Italian language. I would like to ask him if it is possible to have private English conversations in exchange of (right?!) Italian lessons. He is a teacher.How could I do? Can you advise a nice way to ask this?Thank youb in advancePamela

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Yes you should ask that guy. If you really has the zeal to learn than you should opt for any possible way and moreover talking to a native English speaker is really going to help.

Pamela81 · Answer

Hi Anonymous,

this is not of help, you did not answer.

Regards

Pamela81 · Answer

Hi dear teachers,

could you please suggest a nice way to make this request?

Thanks

Pamela

KJinCali79 · Answer

Maybe something like, "I understand that you are an English teacher.  I teach Italian here, and I was wondering if you would be open to the possibility of giving me private English lessons in exchange for receiving Italian lessons from me?"

Pamela81 · Answer

KJinCali79Maybe something like, "I understand that you are an English teacher. I teach Italian here, and I was wondering if you would be open to the possibility of giving me private English lessons in exchange for receiving Italian lessons from me?"

Thank you very very much !!! Finally I got a good suggestion. I´ll try to ask this way, I have a very bad pronunciation so I believe that I could improve if speaking with an American guy.

Thank you KJinCali79

Pamela81 · Answer

Hi,

I´ve made my request as you have suggested but I am afraid that this person has "misuderstood"it.
He said that he will be very glad to have these private conversations and that he doesn´t have interest in learning Italian but that he would like to have a different type of repay..................................................

How can I explain him that I do not have interest in these kind of repay?

I am sad I cannot have these private conversations with him

CalifJim · Answer

Pamela81How can I explain him that I do not have interest in these kind of repay?

repayment.

Just say that you're 'not interested' or 'not interested in that kind of repayment' or say "I'm afraid that that arrangement wouldn't work for me" or "Sorry, but I'm not comfortable with that kind of arrangement".

I once tried something like that. It didn't work. It's too hard trying to coordinate who teaches what when. One person is always stronger than the other in language and eventually you end up speaking only in one language.

If you can afford it, it's better just to hire a tutor and do a lesson once a week for a specified price. And make sure you end up in a situation where there's no opportunity for romance to interfere with your learning. Save the romance for other situations.

CJ

Pamela81 · Answer

Hi CJ,

thank you so much for your suggestions, I hope it will work. I´ll try it although I am at little bit disappointed by his request, I didn´t expect it and I maybe wouldn´t feel comfortable during our lessons because of this.
You know, for a woman is not that easy when having to do with private lessons, I also teach Italian at home and I had to refuse some students (always men) that apparently seemed to have interest in learning this language but then I realized that they had completely different aims.
I don´t know why men use these kind of expedients just to pick up girls?!

Anyway I will try and let you know how it ended :-)

Thank you once again.

P.S

Repayment: OK . thank you for the correction.

Strange request -In exchange of?

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