Stepping Stones
How Home Exchanging Builds a Lifetime Wall of Friendships
Corinne et Jef
Jul 23, 2026 · 4 min read
"We start as names on a screen, become guests in each other's lives, and end up as fixtures in each other's hearts."
When people first discover home exchanging, they usually look at the practicalities: the money saved on accommodation, the comfort of a fully equipped kitchen, or the luxury of staying in a real neighbourhood rather than a sterile hotel room. But for those who have crossed that threshold, we quickly realise that the true currency of home exchanging isn't financial at all. It is profoundly human.
Every home exchange is a leap of faith that quickly transforms into something beautiful. It acts as a stepping stone, a foundational block that, year after year, exchange after exchange, builds a sturdy, warm, and unbreakable wall of international friendships.
The First Stone: Trust and Thoughtfulness
The journey begins long before the suitcases are packed. It starts with a conversation, a shared vulnerability. You are opening your front door, leaving your plants, your beloved pets, and your personal history in the hands of someone else. In return, they do exactly the same for you.
This mutual trust instantly bridges the distance between strangers. When you arrive, you don't find a concierge; you find a piece of them. It's in the welcome note on the counter, the local bottle of wine left on the dining table, or the handwritten guide listing the best hidden bakeries and secret walking paths. Through these small, thoughtful gestures, you aren't just visiting a place. You are learning to love it through their eyes.
From Travel Partners to Chosen Family
The real magic, however, happens when these stepping stones align to create permanent fixtures in our lives. What starts as a simple home exchange frequently blossoms into a deep, lifelong connection.
Take our dear friends from Montana. We first crossed paths through an exchange back in 2022, and what could have been a one-time vacation crossover became an annual tradition. We have since met up in England, travelled to see them in Helena, and welcomed them back into our home. Our bond has grown so strong that they are flying across the Atlantic next year just to celebrate our daughter's graduation. They are no longer people we swapped keys with. They are family.
And they are not alone on this wall of memories. We think of Klaas, who drove miles just to share a morning breakfast and a warm conversation with us during an exchange in Belgium. We think of Hilde and Folke, whom we make a point to see every single year whenever our travels take us north toward the Netherlands. These aren't fleeting holiday acquaintances. They are deliberate, cherished relationships.
The Wall That Outlasts the Journey
Even when the suitcases are stored away and the normal routine resumes, the connections refuse to fade. The physical journey might end, but the digital doorstep remains wide open. All over the world, lively WhatsApp groups created for a temporary vacation stay remain joyfully active years later. We share life updates, joke around, and send photos of our gardens.
Beyond the traditional home exchange, there is another, gentler kind of stone we place along the path: hospitality. There are those unique moments when we open our doors not to leave our home behind, but to share it side by side. To the wonderful souls who have stayed with us under the banner of hospitality, you know who you are ❤️, a quiet and profound link was forged between us. Those shared moments under our roof have left an indelible mark, instantly calling for future reunions, promises of catching up, and a beautiful understanding that our doors remain permanently unlocked for one another. You didn't just visit; you wove your stories into the very fabric of our home.
So…
If you are standing on the edge, hesitant to take that first step, remember this: you aren't just looking for a cheaper way to see the world. You are standing before a path of stepping stones. Each exchange is an invitation to add another brick to a magnificent, protective wall of global friendships, one that will keep you connected, inspired, and feeling at home anywhere in the world.
Now I know what my mind was trying to tell me…
Happy swaps!
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Comments (32)
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That was perfect, Corinne. Fantastic photo of you two as well!
Corinne, this is all so true and the warmth and friendliness you and Jef share with others make us all want to come and see you again!
Bravo pour ce commentaire que j'aurai pu écrire car tout cela me ressemble. Depuis 21 ans d'échanges et 18 mois de maladie j'avoue que c'est plus compliqué. Mon appartement d'Annecy est vide alors qu'il est disponible les 2 mois d'été, car les demandes ne correspondent pas. On me demande 1 nuit ou 1 week-end du jour au lendemain ce qui ne peut pas être possible. J'ai besoin de temps pour m'organiser, je ne suis pas sur place. Heureusement j'ai eu un super échange et l'amitié est née car ce couple vient habiter à Annecy dès début août pour 1 an. Je m'en réjouis. Bonne continuation et peut-être à bientôt. Bises
Beautifully written. When I talk to potential exchangers, I emphasize that it’s not about the free accommodations but more about the wonderful people you meet and even become friends with.
Tellement vrai et si bien exprimé Corinne. André et moi-même sommes heureux de vous avoir rencontré toi et Jef. À un petit « meet up » aux baleines de 3 jours à Tadoussac, il y a de ça plusieurs années, avec Sylvie Ing et son conjoint ainsi qu’Alexandra et François et leurs 2 enfants. Depuis, nous sommes toujours restés en contact avec toi et les 2 autres familles même si nous n’avons jamais échangé notre maison avec l’un ou l’autre. Nous vivons une expérience similaire avec une jeune famille de Larochelle reçue en hospitalité en 2014 qu’on revoit maintenant à tous les ans pendant le congé de Noël ou quand ils reviennent au Québec juste pour venir nous visiter. Le plus jeune avait 16 mois et l’autre 3 ans, on les voit grandir d’année en année. Nous sommes comme des grands-parents pour eux maintenant. Merci d’avoir si bien résumé le « feeling » de l’échange de maison. ❤️
How lovely, well written and so true. 💕
Corinne my dear friend, how you can find these beautiful words is beyond me!! Our lives have been so enriched by the PLU experience and especially by our friendship we have formed.with you and Jef. We are so glad to be a stepping stone in your lives. How lucky we are. See you next year in Romania!!! Can’t wait!!
Corine, creo que tu relato describe exactamente los valores que sostienen las plataformas de intercambio, confianza, hospitalidad y la amistad que surge cuando los encontramos en los autenticos anfitriones o huespedes de PLU. Gracias por reflejar el sentimiento de muchos PLUers
What a wonderful blog post Corrine. You have articulated so well what makes home exchanging different. I feel extremely fortunate to be part of this wonderful community and know that I’ve definitely made friends for life through my exchanges ❤️
So so true Corinne and so well written as always you have captured the essence of the blessings we are given time and time again as we exchange homes with new friends 🙏
Your words make me emotional Corinne, what you wrote beautifully mirrors what we have felt again and again along our numerous years of opening our hearts to fellow humans. Long live the spirit of hospitality, in Greek they say φιλοξενία, philoxenia meaning that you like foreigners as a principle and always want them to feel welcomed. 🩵 Warm greetings to all in the lovely family!
There is nothing more I could add. Beautiful written & heartfelt. You’ve captured what sharing your home is all about. Thank you.
Wow. That is by far the best description of how I feel as a home-exchanger, as I’ve ever read. So well articulated. Wonderful piece of writing. Every word is true! Thank you Corinne. Continued happy swaps to you too!
How beautiful!! Your words spoke to my heart and have given me more confidence to explore many places that we have wanted to visit. We have just completed our first exchange with our apartment in Perth, Australia with a beautiful couple from the USA and are at present exchanging (non-sim) in Queensland, Australia. Both wonderful experiences and lovely couples. PLU has opened up a new and more personal way of travelling and we are looking forward to many more in the future!!
Thankyou for for finding the words and putting them on paper. So True
What a beautiful piece of writing and what a wonderful experience! It's so lovely when things happen like this. I I wish you all wonderful exchanges.
So true, so you ❤️ ! I fact I have some of these little stones that you painted a few years ago in my entrance hall...
This was so beautifully written and described! Lovely words Corinne 💕
Love this Corinne! Glad to have shared some time with you in Winchcombe, England. In the times we are living in, when there is so much division, human connections bring hope ❤️
Beautifully written, my feelings exactly. Thanks for sharing.
Beautifully written Corinne. So many wonderful thoughts which you express so clearly. How could anyone not join PLU after reading that?!
What a wonderful article. It's truly touching, and I hope to create stories just as beautiful one day. Thank you for sharing it, Corinne.
This so eloquently summarises how we feel about home exchanging and our experiences. We now have friends internationally that we endeavour to meet whenever our paths cross 🥰
Beautifully written Corinne and your experiences are heartwarming and solidify the fact that I made the right decision to join, I hope to be a stone in your ever growing wall one day
What a sweet and moving post, Corinne. Your thoughtful and articulate sharing of what exchanging has been for you is a wonderful portrayal of the kind and generous spirit at the heart of PLU. Our community is all the better better with you in it.
Qué bonita narración Corinne!❤️
I have traveled and stayed in many 'once strangers' homes through my service travel work. We are working on our first PLU exchange and it is a little nerve wracking. Wondering about leaving our home to someone else and what we will truly find on the other side is curious. Thank you for this story of your experiences.
You are such an inspiration and when you reached out for a coffee while visiting Utrecht on a day trip various years ago, you became the first of many I openend my home for. It has been a delight to build up a network of people and some have become friends like this! Thanks for reaching out and thanks for always keeping in touch! Taking the first leap on the stones has helped me take many more!
So sweet, and so true. And so happy to be a stone in your wall, dear friends!
Qué precioso escrito Corinne!