The following is a symbiotic story from Michelle, a Simbi member currently living in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Michelle has over 20 years of experience with tarot card reading, and holds degrees in both Psychology and Journalism. Her goal on Simbi is to reach others who need her help and inspiration.
Beep.
My laptop screen flashed with a link from an old friend. A site with the name Simbi popped up and asked me for my skills.
At first, I was hesitant. What services could I possibly offer? After some thinking, I posted my first skill- tarot reading, a personal hobby that I’d been cultivating on the side for 20 years. After typing up my bio, I decided to create another service on a whim. An experienced counselor, I was eager to lend an ear to anyone who needed a listening buddy.
By now, I had earned a hefty sum of simbi. My next challenge was choosing how to spend it! Then, an idea occured to me.
Last Christmas, I went to my new in-laws’ place to eat a family meal. Because they were from Latin America, they only spoke Spanish, and as a result, I spent most of the dinner trying to read their facial cues. I felt terrible- here I was, face-to-face with my in-laws for the first time, and I couldn’t even make small talk! My husband tried to translate, but everyone was busy with their own conversations. When we were about to leave, the family noted that they would study English to include me more next year.
I wanted to surprise them by showing off some new Spanish skills!
That night, I marched downstairs and grabbed my laptop. Rain or shine, I was going to get my groove on. This was easier said than done- I struggled with program after program, unable to grasp basic concepts. Completely lost, I turned to my husband for help, but even he had difficulty explaining the grammar rules of the language he was born with.
Frustrated, I turned to Simbi. Living on Social Security, I had no money for a tutor. Instead, I traded a service for a Spanish teacher.
Click.
I entered a request with the title, “Yo No Hablo Español.” Soon enough, a friendly guy named Cam sent me a message, asking for a tarot reading. Excited, I immediately replied. We set up a schedule to meet on Skype, and a friendship blossom. He helped me conjugate complicated verbs, and I helped him sort out his relationships. I even felt confident enough to drop some Spanish jokes without an interpreter.
Not just that, I also gained an important friendship. I realized that Simbi was so much more than a simple trade. Talent is currency, but people are priceless.
Simbiotic Stories are real anecdotes told by you and other Simbi community members. Tell us about your Simbi deals and experiences with other members. If your story is published, we’ll credit your account with 150 simbi. Submit your entries by starting a conversation with us via this link.
