When I opened my home in 2017 I had no idea that in just five short years I would host artists, musicians, and professionals from over ten countries.
Oh, it hasn’t always been easy. I’ve had my share of struggles with the differences in cultures. There was a male guest from Asia who walked through the house in his underwear. He is the reason my listing requires guests to be fully clothed in shared areas. And a female artist from Russia who struggled with my West Virginia dialect but asked many questions of the house, the animals, and the area.
The guest room is upstairs, across from mine. It is modestly furnished with a simple full-sized bed, with a memory foam mattress, and iron head and footboards. There is a four drawer chest, and closet space for those staying more than a day or so. An antique dresser serves as a desk for a laptop or tablet. A small television is connected to an attic antenna to give guests a taste of local news and shows.
The downstairs shared bathroom is exactly what you would expect from a 1920’s era home. The claw-foot tub was cast in 1918. The sink, also cast in 1918, has dual faucets; one for hot water, one for cold water. Many of our younger guests are often taken aback by the idea of running a bowlful of water to wash with. The Wedgewood blue and white wainscotting on the walls, and the black and white hexagonal tiles complete the vintage look.
Within these walls we share with our guests a little of the history of the local area, and how our families came to live here. One young college student, working on a film project for his degree, sat up with us until 2:00 a.m. as we shared information on the Mine Wars of 1912-13, and how families not far from here were attacked with machine guns from coal trains passing by a tent city of families evicted from their company houses. Our history in West Virginia, United States of America, is a difficult one.
Most of our guests are just passing through on their way north or south. One and two night stays are the norm. We have had the occasional week long guest, and we hosted a travel nurse for a couple months back in the summer.
I was SuperHost for many years, until that international travel issue in 2020. Once I reopened my calendar I earned that status again. There have been guests who gave five stars, and those who gave three. Some rave about the homemade breads and jellies, others complain about location or the stairs.All-in-all I wouldn’t trade it for the world, because the world came to my door.
---> That's how I look at most guests, like cousins. And you know, some of those cousins are kooks.
