It’s been a busy week and there wasn’t much time to write a few lines here. One of the things that’s kept me busy was the small matter of payment… When you work on your own (in Portuguese we call it “liberal professional”… weird, right? As opposed to conservative professional?) you are not supported by any law or union or anything, you’re on your own; if you don’t work, you don’t get paid; “calling in sick” is something non-existent; and when clients don’t pay you, you’ve got yourself a hell of a pickle.
I’ve got a few students that have been taking me for a ride for a while now… One is still having classes and every time I mention the non-payment, he’s like ‘oh yeah… I haven’t paid you yet,’ the same way he must say ‘oh yeah… I haven’t washed the dishes yet’ or ‘oh yeah… it’s time to get a haircut.’ I’m sure when this person gets a haircut, he doesn’t leave the place without paying.
The other one hasn’t come back after the summer break yet, and I’m not sure she will. Even though she’s sent emails saying she’s been travelling on business and will be back in early April, she hasn’t acknowledged two messages I’ve sent her about a payment regarding classes in JANUARY that add up to almost 500 reais. Hey, I know it might not sound as a lot, but imagine if everybody has the same idea and decides not to pay me for two months?
All hope is lost about the third one. She’s owed me since last September… The amount isn’t so much, but I worked for that. I didn’t sit in front of her house and begged for money, I prepared a lesson and used my time (but now I think I wasted it…) to teach her. If she decided not to continue for whatever reason, I’m fine with that, but before going she should have PAID me because, you know, we live in a capitalist system and I provided a service.
But I tell you that it is hard to charge people. Even though the pay days have been agreed before classes started and I have the right to do it, it’s not a comfortable position for me. People are all friendly and whatnot, but when it comes to being billed, friendliness disappear.
-- Never too many beers -- 