10 People Who Made Long-Lasting Friendships By Home Exchanging

One of the benefits of home exchanging is that you stay in real homes and receive warmer welcomes. You have the opportunity to live like a local and form relationships with the locals, too. Rather than having an impersonal tourist experience, you can become part of the community.

Here are 10 HomeExchange members who cherish the friendships they have made through their home swaps.

HomeExchange has been an amazing way for us to see so many different areas of the world. What a great way to experience different environments, cultures, customs and make friends with others around the globe! It’s so great to be able to stay in a home rather than a hotel! I highly recommend HomeExchange!
-Amy, 13 exchanges

This is a wonderful way to travel. Not only can you travel more economically, you get to make friends, and live where residents live, outside of the tourist areas, and get the guidance of a local. Home exchanges for the win!
-Teri, 6 exchanges

Yet again (this must have been our ninth or tenth international exchange) HomeExchange delivered the goods. Over the past 8 years or so we have met and made friends with some very pleasant people and had the rewarding experience of sharing comfortable and attractive homes in places we would never have discovered without the help of home exchange. Go for it— you will be well rewarded.
-Ian, 19 exchanges

The best part of this exchange is our new friendship with Xabi. He met with us in Bilbao for an afternoon (later in our trip) and we learned so much from him about Basque Country. He is warm, kind, and funny. We feel really lucky to have met Xabi and shared his family's home.
-Sarah, 9 exchanges

We have enjoyed many home exchanges since we joined, some with our extended family. We enjoy feeling a part of the community when we stay in a home exchange and have friendships that began with our HomeExchange stays.
-Kathleen, 7 exchanges

HomeExchange is the incredible and life-changing forum that makes international and national long and short travel possible and affordable while helping form beautiful bonds of friendship.
-Cathy, 25 exchanges

HomeExchange offers a beautiful formula for discovering other corners of the world and forging good friendships.
-Dany and Michel, 17 exchanges

There would have been no other way for us to spend two months in Ireland; one month each in Italy, England or the Pacific Northwest.  The most unexpected part of this partnership with HomeExchange has been the lasting friendships we have cultivated with many of our exchange partners.  It is a community of like-minded individuals who love travel and who exhibit respect and trust for each other.
-Kerry, 31 exchanges

HomeExchange is the best way to explore places and people. It gives you the opportunity to make new friends and even friendships among people who are open to others. However, it is absolutely necessary to trust each other, respect private space and respect established rules. This is a special way that gives a chance to get to know real life, from the perspective of a typical citizen, rather than an accidental tourist.
-Edyta, 17 exchanges

HomeExchange is the only way to travel. When we exchange homes we've had the opportunity to engage in authentic cultural experiences.  As a result of exchanging homes, we have made lasting friendships from around the world.  It has been marvelous!
-Jan, 38 exchanges