Who would have thought that I could be so audacious (or mad even?) to mention Christmas in March. But at GTI Home exchange I have always been keen to encourage people to plan their holidays well in advance, especially if it involves long-haul travel and more than once in past issues of the GTI Newsletter have I emphasised that it is the 'early bird' that catches not the 'worm' but the exceptional home exchange opportunity. 
So, when GTI Home Exchange member, Bruno, HE17670, renewed his membership today mentioning "Our aim in this home exchange is for our family to have another Northern Hemisphere Christmas in a new and interesting area", I thought that it was time to make the point again. If you're looking to spend Christmas in warmer climes or perhaps meet up with family in Perth, Western Australia, do take a look at this fantastic offer. Only 269 days to go and counting!!!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Who's seeking a Home Exchange at Christmas?
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
GTI Spring Newsletter
The Spring issue of the Green Theme International on-line Newsletter is now available. The GTI ezine is published to keep current and recent members, enquirers, Newsletter subscribers and journalists informed of developments on the GTI Home Exchange web-site.
We are publishing just a few days later than the official commencement of Spring. This is quite an achievement as we have just moved back into our home after a six months absence with all the re-organisation that this entails. It is amazing how much you can accumulate and have to find new homes for in so short a time.
In this issue:
.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Swap Homes, Cars and Wild Birds?!!
Yes, I am talking about the feathered variety. For the last six months we exchanged our home in mid South-West France for a cottage high up on Cartmel Fell in the English Lake District. The cottage was just above the cottage in which Arthur Ransome lived and wrote his children’s books, the most famous of which is Swallows and Amazons. It was easy to see where Mr Ransome got his inspiration as the view from the top of the Tor just behind our cottage, on a good day, was incredible.
But as autumn faded into winter and the wet weather prevailed the mists closed in and we were often lucky if we could see more than ten yards ahead.
Surrounded on the Fell by sheep, bullocks, badgers, pheasants, the odd hare or two, and many other creatures, we soon discovered that a very handsome pheasant, although nervous of us at first, seemed to think that this was his territory. As the weather deteriorated poor Frederick as we named him would appear looking very forlorn and bedraggled. It wasn’t long before we took pity on him and offered a few titbits, nuts, seeds, and homemade bread. Obviously to his liking he began to makea daily visit to see what was on offer, becoming so bold as to eat out of our hands, a particular favourite of his being cold chips. He would even enter the cottage if the door was left inadvertently open.
Well, I know that dogs are very intelligent animals, and cats even more so judging by the way that they are able to twist their owners round their little paws, but when Frederick took to visiting three times a day at breakfast, lunch and tea-time, knocking on the door with his beak to let us know he wanted feeding, or jumping up on the windowsill and croaking to attract attention, we were amazed! Were we really at the 'peck and call' of a pheasant?! (Excuse the pun!)
When the time came for us finally to leave the cottage, we were happy that it was almost the first day of spring, as we felt that Fred should have a relatively easy time fending for himself and we comforted ourselves with the thought that the new residents would surely respond to his forthright requests should the need arise!
Monday, March 05, 2007
Accessible travel the Home Exchange Way
As regular readers of the GTI Home Exchange blog will be aware, we have illustrated before how home exchange can make the world more accessible for people with limited mobility or other disabilities. In the past members have written telling us how well they coped when undertaking significant journeys such as between UK and Australia, or Canada, accompanied by their scooters, confident in the knowledge that when they arrived at their destination they would find a home that met their specialist needs.
It is always gratifying to learn that the word about home exchange is spreading, and particularly so when it reaches those people with special requirements to whom it can make such a difference and perhaps allow them to take that trip or holiday they have always dreamed of. We were therefore delighted to learn that an article about home exchange appeared in the March issue of the French magazine Faire Face, published by the French Association for the Paralysed, which selected GTI Home Exchange as being one of the most helpful to paraplegic exchangers seeking accommodation with compatible exchange partners. Nos lecteurs français peuvent lire l'article dans le magazine Faire Face, "Séjours: pretez-vous à l'échange?".
Homes which are accessible for disabled people are indicated in the GTI Home Exchange listings with a wheelchair pictogram. Advanced Search criteria allow the listings for homes with Disabled Access/Facilities to be found, and a Free text search can be used for more specific criteria such as 'wheelchair', 'ramp' 'hoist' etc. So please, if you are listing a home which has very specialised equipment to offer, be sure to include as much detail as possible in either the 'Description of the exchange property' or 'Information on the exchange party' fields when completing the membership registration form so that others who are seeking an accessible home are aware of what it has to offer.
GTI Home Exchange can help you take that dream holiday, stay longer, spend less and live like a local! Overseas accessible travel with no surprises...
the way you imagined it should be.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Learning your Home Exchange Partner's Language
Learn to speak the Language to make the most of your Home Exchange
GTI Home Exchange takes pride in being a multi-lingual home exchange agency and encourages members to use their language skills when communicating with each other. If you are prepared to make an effort and can learn just a little of your exchange partner's language, it will make all the difference to the rapport that you can build up whilst getting to know them and making your home exchange arrangements. The BBC provides some excellent on-line language learning videos with methods and materials which not only rapidly improve your language skills, but what's more, actually make learning a language fun. The courses include videos, quizzes, games whilst at the same time helping you to improve your vocabulary and grammar along the way. Take a look!
