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I have traveled overseas, extensively. I've lived overseas. It isn't that expensive to make a short phone call. Really...it just isn't.
Guess our definition of "expensive" doesn't match up
In addition, with time zones it can be tough to find a good time to schedule a call. The people I know who are overseas prefer skyping, but even that is not always very convenient.
Honestly, a conversation like this might be more productive in writing. That way each friend can take their time to respond to the other and be sure to percisely explain their thoughts on the matter
Guess our definition of "expensive" doesn't match up
In addition, with time zones it can be tough to find a good time to schedule a call. The people I know who are overseas prefer skyping, but even that is not always very convenient.
Honestly, a conversation like this might be more productive in writing. That way each friend can take their time to respond to the other and be sure to percisely explain their thoughts on the matter
If the time is that off, then certainly she could explain things quite well in an email, I agree. But she chose to do neither, and I just find that odd...especially if there was such a close-at-one-time friendship. But....that's just me.
Funny, my Mother asked around her other B&B owner friends and sent me this:
"sadly this says this seems the end of a very nice relationship. there appears to be no winners. Oh dear. What they are saying is you are customers and not friends.* We all agree you would have to pay for food and drinks, but room NO.""
!
Wow...what this message says to me is that money is more important to you than their friendship. Because you'd let it get in the way. I know it's ironic because it seems to you like they value money over your friendship, but equating friendship with automatic freebies is a little odd to me.
I have traveled overseas, extensively. I've lived overseas. It isn't that expensive to make a short phone call. Really...it just isn't.
Agreed. My parents have worked in a third world (emerging) country with NO MAIL for the last 10 years and we have no trouble getting a hold of each other.
Yes, I can see how being inundated with free guests when trying to build a business would be difficult.
I haven't decided what to do yet but it has affected the way I view the friendship whether rightly or wrongly. I don't want friends who I have to pay every time I see them. Wouldn't matter if we still lived close by, but we don't so in effect it means that to see them we now have to pay, plus drive for 7 odd hours. Doesn't sound like friendship to me, it sounds like business.
Ah well.
It sounds like your "friends" are better off without you.
As my father used to say, if you canèt make money from friends and realtives you shouldnt be in business. I have always used that motto in my different ventures. Of course a few things also come into the equation. You supply a superior service at a discounted rate for these customers.
Since this is your first visit I would be happy with a 40% discount and go there with a few ideas in mind. You say that you really like this couple and that in itself is worth a lot. Now, I know that there is always a lot of things to do around an inn and while you are there you might explore the possibility of coming in the future for a friendship and project holiday. An example of this would be going to the inn for 3 days and spending one day building a garden or painting a room or any of hundreds of possibilities. In return you would get your room for free. This could really cement your friendship, create some really good memories and just be a lot of fun and sense of accomplishment. Even when I go to a friends cottage for a few days I always like to get something done that either fixes a problem or creates something new. I get a lot of enjoyment on later visits knowing that. Hey I built that or made that or fixed that.
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