Qui nous sommes, et pourquoi nous faisons cela
Une introduction amicale pour les nouveaux membres et un doux rappel pour ceux qui sont ici depuis un moment
Drew
17 juin 2026 · 3 min de lecture
Il y a quelque chose à dire sur le fait de s’arrêter de temps en temps pour se demander quel type de voyage vous souhaitez vraiment le plus. Pas seulement où aller ensuite, mais comment tu veux en faire l’expérience. Qui tu veux être une fois là-bas.
Si vous avez récemment découvert People Like Us, bienvenue. Nous sommes contents que vous nous ayez trouvés. Et pour nos membres qui sont là depuis un moment : celle-ci est aussi pour vous.
Tout a commencé simplement
PLU n’est pas né d’une grande stratégie ni d’un pitch deck. Tout a commencé avec deux personnes – Kathy et moi – qui aimaient voyager, voulaient en faire plus, et ont découvert que l’échange à domicile n’était pas seulement un moyen de réduire les coûts. C’était une toute autre façon de vivre le monde.
Ce qu’ils pensaient au départ comme quelque chose qui pourrait aider quelques amis à voyager plus facilement est devenu quelque chose auquel aucun d’entre nous ne s’attendait vraiment : une communauté de personnes partageant une véritable croyance en la confiance, la générosité et la véritable curiosité... Sur les lieux, oui, mais surtout sur les gens.
Qu’est-ce qui rend PLU différent
Lorsque vous échangez votre logement avec un autre membre, vous ne résolvez pas seulement le problème du logement. Tu interviens dans la vie de quelqu’un d’autre pour un moment. Tu prends le café où ils vont le samedi matin. Le voisin qui fait signe. Le raccourci à travers le parc. Le restaurant qui n’a pas de panneau mais qui a toujours une file d’attente.
C’est un autre type de voyage. Et cela a tendance à laisser une impression différente.
La partie qui se passe après
La connexion ne s’arrête pas quand le voyage s’arrête. Les membres reviennent partager ce qu’ils ont trouvé. Ils se donnent des conseils, échangent des recommandations, et parfois se forment des amitiés qui durent de plusieurs années après l’échange. Ce qui commence comme un plan de voyage devient souvent partie intégrante d’une histoire plus longue.
PLU fonctionne parce que nos membres sont généreux, non seulement avec leur domicile, mais aussi avec leur temps, leurs connaissances et leur volonté de faire suffisamment confiance à un inconnu pour lui remettre la clé de la porte d’entrée.
Un voyage plus calme
Il ne manque pas de contenu de voyage. Plateformes, classements, recommandations – tout est optimisé pour les clics. PLU a toujours été quelque chose de plus calme. Un endroit où les meilleurs conseils viennent de quelqu’un qui est vraiment passé par là, qui est resté correctement, et qui veut vous dire honnêtement ce que c’était.
Moins sur le fait de consommer des voyages. Plus sur le fait de le vivre.
Où que tu ailles
Que vous fassiez partie de cette communauté depuis des années ou que vous débutiez, ceci est un doux rappel de ce pour quoi nous sommes là : voyager avec réflexion, se connecter honnêtement, et explorer avec un esprit ouvert et des portes ouvertes.
Nous sommes vraiment contents que tu sois là. 🏡
Le nouveau flux PLU est là — et c’est le nôtre
SuivantJ’ai rencontré un membre de la PLU sur un quai de train. J’aimerais la retrouver
Commentaires (28)
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I'm very excited to see what comes from this international roll of the dice and new field of interaction....What a great concept! Lots of gratitude for the company visionaries that began this...and for all of you who have been doing this and have brought it to where it is today! Thank YOU!!
Thank you, Catherine!
Wonderfully said! This is the vibe we picked up when we started following the PLU Facebook page. It felt warm and welcoming, so we took the plunge and joined. We’re so glad we did!
It’s really a unique community. For example, we are going to Montreal for the jazz festival. Our PLU host had no plans to not be at their home. However, when they got my request, they made arrangements to be away so they could accommodate our requests. So much is accomplished with just friendly communications and PLU family generosity. Thanks Drew and Kathy for creating this community.
Tout a été dit dans les commentaires précédents avec lesquels je suis en parfaite accord. Quoi dire de plus qu’un GROS MERCI grand comme l’univers. à Drew et Kathy ❤️
We have been PLU members since the early days. We have only completed one simultaneous exchange, and a 2nd family will be staying in our home next week. We had planned to travel much more, but life got in the way. I still value being part of this amazing community, and I know our time will come. I can't wait to exchange more, be part of a meet-up, and contribute more too! Thanks for everything all of our members do to take care of each other during disasters, wars, AND good times too.
It’s good that you put up these little “why we do it” reminders every now and then. Helps us remember the big picture. It’s about people like us.
Thank you for creating and curating this safe space for exchanging our homes, and lives, with each other. I am proud to be among all of you, ambassadors of aloha. The more we trust, we more we receive. I am grateful!
Couldn’t be truer Kathy & Drew! It’s such a privilege to stay in someone’s home and for others to enjoy our home. We’re so pleased to have found PLU ❤️
I've really enjoyed this platform! Thank you for the thoughtful way you have approached it!
And so much more. A little bit of clothes detergent, a potato peeler, a tiny splash of oil, a café recommendation, a secret little beach, a comfy chair in a sunny spot. The trust we share, the love we feel … it’s all about the the personal touches❣️ And all this love and generosity and trust starts from the top. Thanks for sharing your dream Drew and Kathy❤️💛👏
And I am glad to be part of it. Thank you!
What a lovely message, Drew! We’re founding members too, and since joining PLU we’ve enjoyed so many wonderful swaps. Along the way, we’ve met some truly kind and caring people who have become real friends over the years. We stay in touch even when we don’t have a swap planned, simply because we enjoy sharing life’s happy moments together. To us, PLU feels like one big family — a family where everyone has a special place in someone else’s heart. Thank you for creating such a warm and amazing community!
After making connections years ago on PLU, there are faces in this photo that I’m still looking forward to meeting in person one day. Such a great community you’ve created Drew & Kathy
Great article and PLU has enabled us to meet some amazing friends in many places in the last 2 yrs. We’ve only done 2 actual home exchanges but have been grateful for local “tours”, meals, and the friendships in over 10 locations - just honest people all sharing their cities/towns little gems. Absolutely love the concept. PLU for the win. Now, if only I could retire and do more travel!!
Exactly as home exchange should be. Thanks Drew and Kathy. Our journey over 25 years of home exchanging is only enhanced by PLU.
Yes We are thankful for the opportunities that this community shares,. Really love the way people help others when there’s suddenly a problem. We even change /repair some things in our home , saying „ this will be good for our future guests „.
In the short time since we joined we’ve found exactly what you’ve highlighted Drew. Friendly, inclusive and trusting I will be recommending PLU far and wide. Well done, Tania and I are very grateful for this wonderful site
Well said Drew and Kathy! All true and meaningful. Something else I'd say is that a large piece of the experience is seeing your home and area through other people's eyes, the delight of sharing your life. It's not just enjoying your experience of living somewhere else. It's thinking about someone else sharing your place and what we have made for ourselves here
So glad you had the idea and ran with it all those years ago Drew and Kathy. PLU truly is unlike anything else out there and we are immensely grateful to be a part of it. Thank you
What a beautiful post! Reflects everything we feel about PLU and humanity at large. I suggest you guys be presented with the Nobel Peace Prize 🏆. Long live our noble Drew and Kathy!
Yes, all of the above. PLU has truly enriched our life. And about those friendships? Yes, we had a lovely meeting very recently, with three friends we made through exchanging, and within two weeks we'll have friends staying for the weekend. We exchanged with them in South Korea many years ago. What more proof does one need? So many that we still chat with, meet occasionally, are in touch with.
I've found PLU in th early days and jumped on board staight away. I'm a Founding member and though I was already on another platform, PLU is my Go To place. I've had amazing travel adventures, meet amazing people and gained invaluable friendships over the years. Travelling with home Exchange has change things fosr my in so many ways and as a mentor i'm happy to help new members of to a good start that will get them hooked in the same way I am. And no matter how ctazy a lot people think i am for opening my home, trust strangers etc. I honestly don't care, as home exchanging is such a rewarding way of life on all accounts <3 So am grateful for Drew and Kathys dream they dared to pursue and fullfill <3 <3 <3
So true about friendship that span years. I still regularly chat to past exchangers. They are still very much part of life . I'm immensely grateful for the enrichment PLU has brought.
PLU has changed the way we travel forever. I love stepping into someone’s world and making relationships for life. Thank you Drew & Kathy ❤️
So glad to be a part of this community. Here's to many more years of travel and friendships to come.
Love this and love being a part of this community! Thank you Drew, Kathy, and team!
So well said Drew and so very true ❤️