u/SoldiersRage_AOT

I've been teaching Swahili on italki for about 11 months now. I'm a university student, so tutoring is currently my main source of work, and I'm really grateful to the two students who have stayed with me consistently.

But I'd love to understand the learner side a little better.

I've participated in the italki community, changed my introduction video a few times, experimented with my headline, etc., but I'm still trying to figure out what actually makes a learner choose one Swahili tutor over another.

So, for those of you learning Swahili:

• What made you choose your current tutor?
• What do you look for when browsing Swahili teachers?
• Do you prefer structured lessons, conversational practice, grammar, cultural discussions, or something else?
• What makes a tutor's profile/video stand out to you?
• And if you've tried different Swahili tutors, what made you stay with one?

I'm genuinely curious because sometimes I feel like tutors focus on what we think learners want, rather than what learners actually want. 😅

I'd really appreciate hearing your perspectives!

I have been on italki for 11 months. i have two consistent students who am really grateful for. But i want more students because this is like the only thing i'm doing right now. ( I'm a uni student)
I have participated in the community, changed my video several times, my headline and nothing seems to work. I tutor Swahili.
Are there any more tips i can use?

I was in a trio friendship in high school. I was the quiet introverted one, therefore the two girls would share secrets and had a really good bond, (Girls C and E). I had been friends with C then the other came, but they got along well because they had the same personality.
I felt left out, and i told E that i want out of the friendship. I don't remember what she said.

After high school C and E became even closer because i rarely went out. They would meet and post online. After some time i stopped following what they did, but E kept my number and she continued viewing my posts without us ever speaking.
After 5 years, I asked E if we could reconnnect again and rekindle our friendship, and i also added that it would be okay if she didn't want to.

She accepted. And I planned how we will meet. I found out through her that C had gone abroad to further her career. I didn't ask much.
The first encounter went well, we ate, talked, and said that we will be consistent with this friendship.
After that encounter, i invited her to my agricultural project, and later on to my graduation party. All of those while she hasn't invited me to anything yet.

I brought it up and asked why she hasn't invited me to anything and i don't want it to look like it's one sided? She said that it was because she is trying to start going out again, that her and C used to go out but now that she left for abroad she stopped. I told her to take her time. And she sure did!

But after i brought that issue up, she said she will invite me to swimming. but we didn't go cause of the weather so I invited her to bike riding instead. During that activity she also mentioned she will look up painting so that we go together. Several weeks passed and I texted her to follow up on the painting activity, she said she forgot about it, she then said she will look it up again. it is now 2 weeks later, she has not said anything.

I feel disappointed, i feel regretful that i rekindled this friendship thinking it will work, but no. I don't know if i should tell her that I don't want this friendship anymore or just wait until she does something IDK!
Help!

I was in a trio friendship in high school. I was the quiet introverted one, therefore the two girls would share secrets and had a really good bond, (Girls C and E). I had been friends with C then the other came, but they got along well because they had the same personality.
I felt left out, and i told E that i want out of the friendship. I don't remember what she said.

After high school C and E became even closer because i rarely went out. They would meet and post online. After some time i stopped following what they did, but E kept my number and she continued viewing my posts without us ever speaking.
After 5 years, I asked E if we could reconnnect again and rekindle our friendship, and i also added that it would be okay if she didn't want to.

She accepted. And I planned how we will meet. I found out through her that C had gone abroad to further her career. I didn't ask much.
The first encounter went well, we ate, talked, and said that we will be consistent with this friendship.
After that encounter, i invited her to my agricultural project, and later on to my graduation party. All of those while she hasn't invited me to anything yet.

I brought it up and asked why she hasn't invited me to anything and i don't want it to look like it's one sided? She said that it was because she is trying to start going out again, that her and C used to go out but now that she left for abroad she stopped. I told her to take her time. And she sure did!

But after i brought that issue up, she said she will invite me to swimming. but we didn't go cause of the weather so I invited her to bike riding instead. During that activity she also mentioned she will look up painting so that we go together. Several weeks passed and I texted her to follow up on the painting activity, she said she forgot about it, she then said she will look it up again. it is now 2 weeks later, she has not said anything.

I feel disappointed, i feel regretful that i rekindled this friendship thinking it will work, but no. I don't know if i should tell her that I don't want this friendship anymore or just wait until she does something IDK!
Help!

It was my first ever trial lesson on preply. I was excited and nervous about meeting this student. He hadn't shared anything prior to the class. When the lesson began, the student had sat on a couch and placed his laptop on a table which was low. He had to lean forward to be close to his laptop hence this made him show his waist downwards. He was wearing a short.
I didn't pay any mind to how he was dressed my mind was focused on making the trial a success. The conversation flowed, sometimes became awkward and it was when the class was 15-10 minutes to the end that i noticed his penis was out.
He hadn't removed his shorts but he had spread his legs so that it was coming out using the spaces where the legs go through.
I didn't say anything to him because i thought that he might notice that something is wrong. He didn't. He actually kept on fidgeting on his seat and swinging sideways. I was uncomfortable and i didn't know what to say.
After the lesson i wondered if it was a mistake or if he was intentional? Why was he acting so normal?
Would I have told him to adjust his camera angle? I remember I left the class in a hurry, when I mentioned I have gotten his goals and where we will start next time. I left.
I was really glad he didn't subscribe because IDK how i would have brought it up.