Ximena Restrepo

I started teaching online months ago. I teach Spanish to foreigners, most of them un the U.S., most of them men. 

And I'll tell you what. Until May (ish) everything had been quite normal. Some of my students had become some of my closest friends (funny how that happens when you have scheduled time together three times a week) but I'd never been asked to do anything that seemed even slightly weird or inappropriate...

But Then...

But then, I received a message from a man who wanted to learn Spanish "the only way he knew how". By repeating one sentence over and over again for the duration of the hour while I watched.

Then, he said, I'd assign him a number of hours that he'd have to continue for the rest of the day and he'd pay me for those hours.

Strange, but not so bad. I accepted, but it never really happened, which was fine by me. 

Dude #2

Another man contacted me about a contract.

He said "I have a contract in Spanish that I need to understand very well"

I said ok. He said he'd send me the file. 

Instead, he sent me an email stating that the had gotten on a website that assured him he'd stop smoking by, essentially, being threatened. 

I've heard of the websites that make you bet on yourself. You set a deposit, set a goal, and if you reach it, you get your money back. This, of course, means they're betting against you. 

The website he was talking about allegedly paired you with a partner who set the rules for your bet. In his case, he said, he was paired with a woman who said if he didn't reach his goal he'd have to devote his life to her, living far below his means and taking up another job to give all his extra income to her for the rest of their lives.

Smokers, am I right?

I was still willing to help with his contract, I'm not here to judge...

Until He Threw Me A Curveball

All of a sudden he said that the woman had since become pregnant "by a man she didn't like" and things got complicated and "did I know anyone who'd be willing to fill in for her?"

Clearly, this was a huge waste of time and seemingly a ploy to get someone to do what he wanted all along.

Finally...

Last but not least, I had a "Korean family living in London" contact me to please let them know if I'd like to move in with them for a year and a half to teach them English and Spanish in exchange for food, accommodation, and 5,000 pounds per month. 

Am I about to be sex trafficked?

I think I'll pass either way. Never a dull moment on the internet I suppose. Anyone had a similar experience? Let me know in the comments.