« How to behave »

Be polite

The good point with courtesy is that it’s not only to abide by the respect for abstract rules of “savoir-vivre”, but an efficient way to transform the daily life in something easy and warm, and to pacify relationships. In home exchange activity, courtesy start at the very beginning, when you publish your listing.

Publish your listing: Being polite with those who are going to read your listing means first of all trying to avoid coming out with mistakes. It will help you to have a good image in the community. A listing with faults will give the impression that the person who has writen it is not someone careful, in his way of speaking, but maybe also in his way of taking care of a house…

Discussion with other members: Don’t forget to use polite phrases when you contact or when you answer someone. But courtesy is not only a question of formula. We strongly recommend to answer every request, even if you aren’t interested. Most of the clubs on line propose automatic answers, but a personnal word is always nicer to read.

When the contact has been established with someone: When you are in a discussion with another member of a home exchange club, aiming at making a deal, don’t delay answering a question which has been asked. Keep yourself available, be generous in helping your contact in any possible way. This attitude will open to you the doors of  houses that you couldn’t ever dream of.

When you tell other members that you are going to do something, just do it !

When the time of the exchange has come:

Various situation are possible:

• You meet the other party at your place: you organize a lunch, at home or in a restaurant nearby. If you are generous with your new friends, they will take good care of your home.

• You meet at their place: be helpful. First, because it’s nice, but also because your friends will be confirmed in your capacity to take care of their home.

• You never meet physically: in this case think to leave, in addition to practical informations, a small letter just dedicated to welcome the new comer and maybe leave a present (bottle, flower). If you have kids, tell them to make a drawing for the other family’s kids.

After the exchange: Back home after the holidays, everything have been perfect. You already dream of the next exchange. Before that, just think of sending a nice e-mail to your hosts. You never know. You may meet them again some day.

The week-end courtesy: Last thing. Those recommandations are also useful for short time exchanges, like a week-end. It’s not because the deal is easier that smart attitude is useless.