What could move you to try living in another country?
A home trade and staying free could make living overseas your reality. I received this offer from Spain for a year but had to decline. Is it your chance to live in another country?
That Nagging Dream: Life in Another Country
It’s crossed your mind, right? Okay, maybe it’s a pipe dream but you have thought about it: taking three or six months, maybe even a year, to live in another country. (Or maybe you’re retired now and have the luxury of time!)
Living in a house, living like a local. Learning the best markets to shop and the kinds of bread they eat. Picking up a bit of the language and exploring a different place every single weekend. In Europe, you could hit a different country every weekend!
The kids would learn what Siesta is. Sure, they’d mourn Kraft Dinner (pack a few boxes – it flies well!) but then again, maybe they’d soon be asking for paella instead. And, given the chance, they’d put your language skills to shame on day three.
Traditional Paella at el Balco de Calella restaurant ~ Calella de Palafrugell, Spain
Sabbatical. Relocation. Expat.
Those words belong to other people. The ones who get to try living in another country, because they’re lucky, right? Because they have the other kind of lives. The ones that just work seamlessly –effortlessly– with taking a year away.
Actually, they don’t. Their lives are usually pretty regular.
Until the moment.
Would the market become your local haunt? ~Girona, Spain
It’s the moment that they’re presented with an opportunity that they just can’t not take.
It’s the moment that they realize they can make it work if they really want to. Maybe not immediately, but sometime, and sooner than they thought (let’s face it: until then, they pretty much thought it would be never).
And then, they take it.
That’s when they become your envy. And mine.
But…
Could this be your moment?
What if someone said to you, “Here’s a lovely home in Spain. It’s free to you. It’s waiting for you, if you want to use it.” And yes, they’re looking for an exchange right now.
How could that change your plans, if you really wanted it to change your plans? Could it remove a lot of the reasons that experiencing life overseas was your pipe dream?
Well here it is. You wished it and it’s happening.
Here’s a home that maybe you could stay in. For free. In Spain. On a home trade. For a year (or they might wind up finding, for example, two six-month exchanges).
Waiting for a taker: a home trade in Spain
It’s such an incredible opportunity that I offered to share it with you.
Three bedrooms…
The exchange home master bedroom ~Spain
…and two baths.
A luxury bath in the swap home ~Zaragoza, Spain
So, who are these people? Well, there’s Mom and Dad and two boys, aged 8 and 11. Dad’s an architect and project manager, and now he wants to do a Masters program outside of Spain.
Here are more photos and details (if you’re asked, any email and password works to see the page). They’re interested in Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Wait!
Don’t live in one of those countries? You’ll find lots more on homeexchange.com (any email and password works), lovehomeswap.com and knok.com.
If you’re curious, I’ve shared this about how you can start home exchanging without committing (and pick the right website membership for you).
Not your moment?
I’m sorry to say it isn’t mine, either. I’ve taken the leap at moments like this before, this just won’t be one of them. But, I was in Spain six months ago so I know I’m missing a fantastic experience.
My Take
Opportunities like this are why I talk my friends’ ears off about home swapping.
Of course you need to plan for it, but once you pay for your transportation, you can live in –or visit or vacation in—a new place and in comfort like this. And I never stop pinching myself as I sit in a comfortable living room, in a foreign country, knowing I’m staying for free.
Questions? Leave me a Comment!
Your Take
Have you tried living in another country? Would you like to? What would it take to move you?
