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Home Swap NewsletterJune through August
Feature Article From Robert Burns poem "To a Mouse" The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry The unexpected can and does happen. It is always best to have back up arrangements in mind—just in case. During the school term we have high school students from Germany and Brazil stay with us. On three occasions we have taken our students with us on short distance exchanges without a problem. Last year we arranged a home exchange to nearby Seattle Washington. We had no problem arranging an exchange and soon we were on our way. We got to the US Canada border and were stopped by US customs and immigration. Seems our Brazilian student needed a visa to enter the country. He didn't have one. To make a long wait at the border a short story, we were denied entry into the US and had to return to Canada. Not being able to get across the border was something that had never crossed our minds. We had an obligation to our student so our part of the exchange was cancelled and we sought emergency hotel accommodation in Vancouver. Our exchange partner from Washington was now in our home and we weren't about to ask her to leave. So instead of spending 5 days in Seattle with free accommodations, we improvised and enjoyed our short holiday in Vancouver at $300 a night for two hotel rooms.
Hotel Surcharges
Here is another reason why a home exchange is a bargain. Please read this USA Today article on hotel surcharges
Travel Oddities
The Chinese symbol which looks like two women standing in one house means "trouble." When you travel in Europe, be careful about water faucets. In Spain the word for hot is caliente, in France hot is chaud, and in Italy you say caldo when you mean hot. Therefore, the hot water faucets are marked with 'C'. Nights in the tropics are warm because moist air retains heat well. Desert nights get cold rapidly because dry air does not hold heat to the same degree. There is a house in Massachusetts which is made entirely from newspapers. The floors, walls, even the furniture is made from newspaper.
UK Home Exchanges
Attention UK Home exchangers: We have hundreds of members that are open to a short term home swap to England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many of our UK members are getting swamped with offers for exchange from Global members and from visitors to our site and our affiliate partner sites. If you live in the UK and are looking for a home swap to Australia, Canada, the USA or other areas of Europe, we guarantee that you will find a home exchange.
We also have members from Australia, Europe, the USA and Canada that are seeking long term home swaps, 3 weeks to a year to the UK and other countries. We warmly invite you to visit our our long term home swap listings and our worldwide home exchange listings by country.
Home Exchange Travel Quiz:
Answers are near the bottom. NO CHEATING
1. You visit Perth Australia on a home swap. A neighbour invites you to a "chook" barbie and asks you to "bring a plate" He also hopes the "Fremantle Doctor" will be there.
What is a chook? a) a kind of lizard b) tropical fruit c) chicken d) a small mammal similar to a badger
What does "bring a plate" mean? a) bring a plate, beverage containers and cutlery for each person in your family b) bring a snack c) bring something to eat for each member of your family d) bring something to sit on
What is or who is the Fremantle Doctor? a) a cool summer breeze off the Indian Ocean b) a well known politician c) the only doctor in Fremantle d) a person who is an expert barbeque cook
2. Your off to a winter home exchange in Calgary Alberta Canada. You here on the radio that there is a chance of a "chinook" arriving today. What is a "Chinook"
a) a snow storm, watch out white out conditions are possible b) a warm wind that can raise the temperature from -20 to + 10 in a couple of hours c) the famed Alberta Chinook biker gang from Edmonton d) a large Canadian aircraft that lands with skis on the polar ice.
3. Your are in Spain and want to make dinner reservations at a popular restaurant. What would be the most popular time to make them for?
a) 4pm (1600 hr) b) 6pm (1800 hr) c) 8 pm (2000 hr) d) 9 pm (2100 hr)
The answers:
A chook is a chicken, bring a plate: bring something to eat for each member of your family, Fremantle Doctor is a cool summer breeze that is much appreciated on hot days, a Chinook is a warm wind, and a popular dinner reservation time in Spain is 9:00 p.m. (2100 hr)
How did you do out of six? 1 to 3 correct. You need to go on several home exchanges. Sign up for membership today 4 or 5 correct. You are quite knowledgeable and would be a perfect candidate for a home exchange. Sign up to be a member today 6 correct. You already appreciate the benefits and cost saving of a home exchange. If you haven't already done so, sign up for a home exchange membership today.
Test your reasoning skills against some of the top professional minds from around the world.
Question #1: How do you put a giraffe in a fridge?
Correct answer: Open the fridge, put the giraffe in, and close the door. This question was a test of whether or not you have a tendency to do simple things in a needlessly complicated way.
Question #2: How do you put an elephant in a fridge?
Incorrect answer: Open the fridge, put the elephant in, and close the fridge. Correct answer: Open the fridge, take the giraffe out, put the elephant in, and close the fridge. This question was a test of your ability to understand the consequences of your actions (i.e. the giraffe filling the fridge, and therefore having to be removed before the elephant could be put in).
Question #3: The Lion, King of the animals, has called a conference of animals. All the animals are expected to attend. Which animal will not be attending?
Correct answer: The elephant. Why? The elephant is still in the fridge. This question was a test of your memory.
Question #4: There is a river which you have to cross. However, the waters are crocodile infested. How will you cross?
Correct answer: Swim across. Why? The crocodiles are at the animal conference. This question was a test of your ability to learn from your mistakes.
According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, approximately 90% of professionals tested answered all the questions incorrectly. However, most of the children below school age answered at least some of the questions correctly. Anderson Consulting disputes the logical conclusion from this information that the ideal profession would have the mental age of a 4-year-old child.
When I get old and feeble
The following was sent to us by Pat, a travel agent from Edmonton Alberta Canada
When
I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. 1. Gratuities, which will only be $10 per day.
6.
I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days. 7.
T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress
replaced? No Problem!
8.
Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for
them.
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