Wednesday, January 18, 2012


Home Exchange is for heroic people

The other day I listened to an interview of a psychologist who was asked why he thought so many  passengers on the cruise ship "Costa Concordia", including its captain,   pushed aside even children and the elderly, concerned with only saving themselves and why so few were able to be heroic, thinking of others first.  He offered an interesting suggestion:  perhaps most people going on a cruise were not the adventurous types,  looking to be fed, entertained and pampered but unwilling to risk and venture into the unknown.

Recently, I have found that when trying to explain the concept of Home Exchange, I get this dazed look from people, as if it's something so strange and alien that they could never think of themselves doing it.  The most common reaction is: "Are you not afraid that someone is going to walk away with your possessions?"  They just can't conceive the idea of some stranger coming into their home and living there for a while.   What they forget, of course, is the fact that they are, likewise, strangers to the other people.  

The point is:  some people are just not the types to ever consider the idea of a Home Exchange.  They would rather sit on a cruise ship where everything is arranged for their entertainment and appetite.  Happily, there are many others who have that sense of adventure that allows them to believe that the trust that is expected of them is also given to them by others.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for your comment. I checked your website and it too is very interesting. As one who travels a lot, India is still forbidding because it is such a large and diverse area to visit, so exotic and unfamiliar - I think you offer a valuable service for people like me who want individually directed travel but still not direction and guidance.

    ReplyDelete