Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 26oC, hottish, sunny, clear, and slightly cloudy later.
Friday was a lucky day; my 7 am class was cancelled, and I pushed my 8 am class back one hour to 9 am, so now I am free from when I get up until nine. This means I can do a hard workout and do my things without rushing.
When I arrive home, nobody will be there, so I can arrange the flat to my liking for the rest of the day, which is heaven on earth. Working and living in an environment that makes us feel good is everything. Where I am living now is not the ideal place for me; however, if it can be arranged to be good for me and, in turn, help me to be happier, more efficient and more productive, it is perfect.
So, after a tough workout in the park and two coffees in the baker’s, the flat is clean and tidy.
All the dishes have been washed and put away, everything is in its rightful place, the floor has been swept, and a damp cloth passed over it, the washing machine is on and running, and there is no dirty laundry in the basket—heaven on earth.
After a nice shower and trimmed beard, I’m ready to take on the rest of the day. The day was relatively light; Friday, in comparison to the other days, is usually a light day as it is the odd day of the week for giving classes.
However, besides providing regular prearranged classes, it is a day to replace or give extra classes.
As a teacher, I like to give extra classes to my pupils when I can, depending on my and their agenda. It is a way to help the pupil further his or her studies or even accelerate their studies in some way, and it is also a way of keeping the pupil.
In theory, the more classes a student takes, the faster they should improve due to increased exposure to the language and teacher. Besides this, if the pupil pays for two classes a week and receives three or eight classes a month and receives nine, ten, or even eleven, then they are obviously receiving more than what they had paid for.
One of the fundamental rules of good business is to make customers feel like they are receiving more value than what they are paying for. This is a precious secret to good business sense. I have always been available and willing to help my pupils, both now and before I had the school.
Being a good teacher or professor, and a good one, is a responsibility to yourself and your pupils or students. As it is a noble profession, you are, in turn, cleaning your soul, which means that you usually age less than other people in other professions, especially ones with higher levels of stress or conflict. I am now fifty-seven.
However, many people have commented that I do not look my age. Part of this is working with education and helping people improve themselves. The fundamental priority of a teacher or a professor is for others first, never him or herself and the ego.
My proposal has always been to teach people and indirectly help them in other parts of their lives. Everybody, including myself, is winging it. And if somebody denies it, they are lying. This has paid off for me many times, and I am very grateful for it. Unfortunately, I am not rich, but this is down to my own limitations.
Yasmin had been on a day trip with the school, and the coach arrived back from their outing at about 6.30 in the evening. Nalva was also arriving from work, so I went to pick up Yasmin from her school. Nalva was there, too, so we all came back together.
Sometimes, I am surprised by how I have had a decent relationship with my ex-wife. It has not always been like this, as it is always very complicated at the beginning of any separation or divorce, but now it is good. Time helps a lot; it helps resolve almost everything.
Nalva cooked up something simple that was very good; it is always good. I washed the dishes and was in bed by 10 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
