Hi Neighbour,
Now, that we’re beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, after COVID-19, maybe some of you are thinking of how you’ll be able to take a holiday. Will you still have to spend 2 weeks in quarantine, in Canada or in the country you want to visit? Will you have the savings to pay for a holiday in 2021?
Well, I have a suggestion for planning a low-cost holiday, in Canada or elsewhere. I’ve arranged home exchanges in a few countries, alone or with a friend. At first, I went to the website https://homelink.ca to learn how it all works. There are about 20 representatives, worldwide, who handle exchanges in 60 countries. Membership is $150 for a year (actually, 14 months, now). The representative for Canada is Leanne Graber, who lives in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver. With COVID changes, many Canadians are deciding to vacation in Canada — it’ll be less complicated. The first thing some people think of is that it might not be safe. How do you protect your special things from being broken or taken? That’s a reasonable question. I dealt with it by putting my special things out of sight, in a locked room or at a friend’s home.
Home exchangers really don’t want to raid someone else’s home. They want to be out on the town most of the day, so what they really need is a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom. As a member, you can look at photos of available places, by country and city — all online. Initially, it took me weeks to get used to the shorthand used to describe the homes and the services nearby. Then I had to list my home and compose a letter to prospective exchangers, and that took time to create. Then, when I saw an inviting place, I researched the address, the city and the dates available.
For my first exchange, it took me about 6 months to prepare to go to to Europe — Paris and Munich, 3 weeks each. It all happened online, but I also wanted to talk to the people whom I was considering for a home exchange. I learned about their family and their house, and they learned about mine. I had a big dog that lived on the back porch, but needed a walk every day. I offered my car, if they wanted to use it — which was not part of a home exchange, so we had to arrange it separately. I created a Home Exchange binder with details about anything that visitors might need to know: instructions for various appliances and for the dog’s care; contact information of key people in the neighbourhood; emergency numbers and procedures; maps and diagrams; and what to do with the car, if necessary.
So my accommodations for 6 weeks cost me nothing. But prep took a lot of time — well worth it!
Bon Voyage!
Fiona