Having to Lower My Rates

Dear All,

The exchange rate in the country of origin of most of my students is very bad against the dollar. That country had many interests in Ice Land and in the U.S. My goose is severely singed at this point. In the past ten days, I have lost two clients.

The ostensible reason for one was that the mother had to go back to the country of origin for medical treatment. She pointed to her belly; I don't think that she'd having a baby. Many people from her country eat a lot of fish which can cause stomach cancer. Stomach cancer is as common there as heart disease is here. From the gravity of their expressions, whatever it is is very serious. I am sad for her because she was trying to put on a brave face.

The other I lost "...because the uncertainty of the economy". I am worried that there might be more. So today, I texted the father and lowered my rates. I can only charge what the market will bear, and obviously the market will not bear what I was charging. I have not yet heard back from him. If he refuses, at least I will know that it was not actually because of the economy, but rather from some other reason, which is actually what I suspect.

The other possibility is that I am not doing as well tutoring teenage boys as I used to. We could have arranged sessions for the student with the sick mother if the family had really wanted them. This young person is very nice. I thought that we had a good working arrangement. The boy of the family where I lowered the rates for the father is a silent, unresponsive, often surly young man who smiles rarely. The two young men are friends. I have had a lot of trouble finding the surly one's level because I can't get him to talk to me.

I had suggested that perhaps they have sessions together. This met with no response what-so-ever from the father, who is dismissive and disrespectful toward me, and lectures me about English of which he is not a native speaker. Further, I am concerned for the children in the surly boy's family. I suspect that there may be some other things happening; apparently the father has quite a temper. From their journals, I know that this scares and bewilders the children. The family has now retained my services for the little girl only. I was hoping to provide them both with some support in this time of transition and of financial uncertainty, but I can't do this if I am not working with both of them.

I just wish that my clients weren't so ashamed of their circumstances. If they could tell me more about what's going on, I could help them better. Instead, as a result of these mysterious circumstances, they cut me off. Thus, for me times are tough and promise to get tougher before they get easier.

Sincerely,
Betsy