Our first swap partners, Naomi and Terry, were planning to exchange with a couple who had never before done a home exchange. They had suggested these new exchangers contact families who had used their homes before, and they had done so.
Naomi and Terry had sold their business and exquisite historic home in the Southern United States a few years back. The goal was to pursue a life-long dream of living in Paris. They had retained an apartment in the South but just after they moved, a serious natural disaster decimated the area. Now their Paris apartment was their main home.
I first exchanged with them back when I was still living in California in 1992. They were such good guests we had offered them the use of our various homes several times over the years, and used their place in return.
The last time we were in Paris we visited them in their new digs. They seemed really settled in and happy.
These are great exchangers and we felt very comfortable writing them an excellent reference. I also think it's important to mention negatives about the experience, even hunting for some if none stand out. The reason is no one can trust a recommendation that is completely gushing. Every situation has pluses and at least some minuses. If I read a review that says everything is perfect I assume it was written by the grandmother of the person being assessed.
Luckily there was one area where this home was less than ideal for all home exchangers: it was rather small. When I thought about what to write as a home exchange reference, here is what else came to mind:
* They seemed to have a particularly good relationship with their landlord and community. This would be significant to me if I were swapping with them because meeting exchangers' friends can be the best part of a home exchange vacation.
* Their apartment is a normal size for a major city, i.e. small. It is a pre-war one-bedroom place with high ceilings. Two adults would be fine there, but they shouldn't expect to get lost between the East Wing and the West Wing.
* When we arrived at their home we always found champagne and an easy gourmet meal waiting for us.
* After the swap our place was always in perfect shape with a nice note and thoughtful gift to welcome us home.
It can be hard to create a good letter of reference. Giving the new swappers a clear picture of what to expect from these veteran exchangers was proving to be a challenge.
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