How to Surprise Your Guests

Dear HomeExchangers,

As you may have noticed, the HomeExchange experience is not limited to a simple home exchange, it is much more than that ... it is the chance to be able to share and discover new destinations, cultures and ways of life along with the big HomeExchange family! The team is very fond of your testimonials and we love getting your feedback on the exciting experiences you have lived through your exchanges. So today we are going to share one of the best aspects of home exchange with you and let you discover some of our Members’ most unexpected experiences! And when we talk about unexpected experiences, they don’t necessarily have to do with the destinations, but rather the magic moments that our Members share with each other.

"When I left for Marrakech, our hosts offered us a taxi from the airport to their home and they had prepared a tagine for our first meal, thank you Fred!"

- Marie-France, 13 exchanges

"My guests planted a pink flower in one of my empty pots because they noticed that I really like flowers. Now every time I water my plants I think of them. ”

- Mireille, 24 exchanges

“During an exchange in Copenhagen, our host left us post-it notes all over the city to show us the way to his house. What’s incredible is that for several days no one took them down. It says a lot about how people behave there! ”

- Cecilia, 11 exchanges

These incredible stories are true! They show that some people’s generosity and creativity can be limitless.

“I went on an exchange to Toulouse several years ago. My wonderful exchange partners had left me a basket of regional specialties with wine, local pasta, homemade sweets from the region. It was incredibly nice of them. The exchange was punctuated with lots of little touches, it went so well that we became friends and now they live in my city”

- Wendy

“I have an anecdote: In 2008, I was in contact with Canadians to finalize an exchange during the summer. During the 9 months we talked, I told them that I was looking forward to testing the "Carnation" brand of chocolate because we could not find it in France. I had already tried this brand in Madrid and I really liked it. And one morning, I was surprised to receive a package ... with a box filled with chocolate that I could go ahead and taste ... I was really really touched!!"

- Aurélie, 81 exchanges

This adventure is also very enriching for our Members’ children. It’s an opportunity for them to experience a different and fun way of traveling, punctuated by meetings, discoveries, and learning. Some of our hosts like to be involved in their own way in the many adventures that their guests, even the youngest ones, can experience!

“Our host in California had prepared surfing equipment for our three children according to their ages, along with small instructions and tips to help them progress.”

- Martine, 73 exchanges

“We always have treasures in our backyard for the kids to find throughout the year. Gold coins, fake jewelry, etc ... This treasure hunt appeals to our visitors as much as it does to my own children and gives them the thrill of finding treasures over and over and then hiding them again."

- Meagan, 11 exchanges

“We got two tickets to Legoland! Personally, I usually leave salted caramel that I make myself and a bottle of local apple juice.”

- Nadine, 79 exchanges