Post date: 17-Feb-2009 01:35:27
Well...frustration continues to wage the battle for our patience.
We've poured many hours into hunting and searching through too many different home exchange websites and posts. We're finding that it is really difficult no matter where you choose to go to in the world. But, topping the list of difficulty is Asia. China and Japan just don't have too many people advertising their homes and the people we do contact usually aren't interested in the end. The Philippines is another matter completely.....and by that, I mean that I can count the total numbers of advertisements for home exchanges on one hand - very option limiting.
To date, we've sent out 67 emails to potential home exchange people. We've received replies from 27 people...but the good news is that we've had 2 positive replies...kinda. We have had someone in Beijing, China offer to let us stay at their place for free while they are also still living there. We'll be their guests for the duration of the trip. We've also had someone in Lake Garda, Italy offer the same thing.
When we think about it, the Beijing offer is really a blessing. We have no idea what to do in China, except see the great wall, of course. Other than that, we're out of luck. Even if we did know what to see and do....well, we're in China, right?!? How would we do it on our own anyway. I know, we'd manage...but it is sure nice to know that we'll be able to hang out with some people that we know while we're there.
With Italy, it's almost completely opposite. We're only going to be staying with the family for 1 week. this is because the other week is when we'll be motorbiking across the country. But =the short duration may prove to be a good thing. You see...they don't really speak English...at all, really. Even the google translation they gave us was pretty bad. We're really looking forward to this, though. It just seems perfect to be staying with a true Italian family while we're in the region. I can picture the dinners out on the veranda and the broken conversations full of smiles and laughter and we both mess up what we're trying to mean. Easily, this will prove to be a highlight of the trip.
We have one more ave-in-the-hole that has yet to pan out. Our hopes were elevated high early on in our search when someone from the Philippines contacted us. Apparently, the guy has a 7 bedroom mansion that sits empty most of the time and he's willing to let us just stay there for free for the month that we're in Manila. Talking to some friends over there lead me to find out that it's in a quite wealthy neighborhood and we're really quite lucky. Unfortunately...you knew it was coming, right?... unfortunately, the guy hasn't gotten back to us yet. I've emailed him a couple times telling him that we're interested and that I want him to contact me and make some more concrete plans, but he has yet to write me. We'll see how this goes...since it's really our only option in Manila. If this doesn't work out, we'll be looking to rent a furnished apartment....oh the fun that will be.
So, now we wait. And send out some more home exchange requests here and there. Why do I get the feeling that our "home exchange vacation" will end up being completed without actually exchanging homes with one person?