HomeExchange for Teachers: “It felt so great to share our home with somebody.”

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Chellie and her husband are both teachers from Minneapolis, MN living with their 19-year-old son. With over 20 exchanges on HomeExchange, they make the most of their school breaks by traveling around the world without breaking the bank.‌

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What drew you to try HomeExchange rather than more traditional travel accommodations?

“We’re teachers, so we are always aware of our budget. We first heard about HomeExchange when we were planning a trip to Iceland which is a pretty pricey place to travel.” Trip expenses can add up quickly, especially during summer vacation for teachers, but “HomeExchange seemed like a really budget-friendly way to travel.”

Did you have any fears when you first joined HomeExchange as a teacher?

Chellie recalls being “a little nervous” for the first exchange, but says after the exchange, they “got such a nice warm note from the family and a little plant and it felt so great to share our home with somebody.”

“We also have a guest suite in our basement that is its own little unit and we have let people come and stay with us, but while we’re here. And that’s been a really rewarding experience. We actually then get to know the people that are traveling here. We've made some nice friends through that that we’ve kept in touch with.”

“It’s a special type of person that enjoys this. And I think If you’re willing to travel in this way, you’re more open to meeting other people and having that more personal connection.”

Would you mind sharing a favorite memory from a HomeExchange vacation?

Chellie recalls a specific exchange during their trip to Europe for summer vacation where they had 5 exchanges during the month of June.

“One of the great ones was in Harlem, Netherlands just outside of Amsterdam. It turned out to be such a cute little town and the home itself we stayed in was so comfortable and they had a cat. We’re big cat fans so we took care of their cat while we were there. And we were close to the ocean since we were outside of the city so we could check out the North Sea”

Editor's note: HomeExchange has the option for you to have guests water your plants or feed your animals while they stay in your home. This is a great alternative to a traditional pet sitter because, as Chellie puts it: “We’ve cared for other people’s pets which makes the home even cozier. We would always take our cat to someone else's home until we realized it was an option and we could leave her there without disrupting her would too much.”
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