[Festival] Me and my house: this is my way of hosting

[Sybe]

This article is part of the Community Center's Festival of Hospitality 2022 . The original topic was posted in the Italian-speaking Community Center by @Maria-Rossella0, and we have translated it below.

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Good morning everyone! This is me. My business, which started years ago, not even a month after I really retired because I continued to work with VAT ID the first year as I had to train the newcomers. 

Once I retired, I found myself bored and decided to start my own Airbnb: an Airbnb conducted in strictly the old-fashioned way, like how things used to be: I host in the same place I live, and I have a lot of fun doing so...

I've found a way to travel without leaving my home, and I've learned so many new things. I've made many friends all over the world who would gladly host me at short notice! I already knew French, and now I can get by with English as well (although my husband is always here, and speaks it so fluently and expeditiously that I feel completely superfluous!)

And our house is a little bit special, somewhat American in style (New York aunt...), a little bit Old English. The walls are filled with souvenirs that take our guests on journeys across the world just by looking at them!

Here you can cook, study, read, rest in the garden, do your laundry, hang it out, iron it, in short, everything you can do at home, as well as visit countless spots and locations on the Riviera by the sea or in the hills immediately behind the house.

Rental in Genoa (Liguria, Northwest Italy, for those reading from afar).

I help my guests with many brochures on many topics made by me and translated into as many as six languages...

And last but absolutely not least, Rex is the real host here. We are only his helpers!

Rex is almost eight years old, and for the past four years, he has lived and been loved as one of our children. Rex is a German Shepherd (born and bred!) who lived his first four years in the province of Lecce. He was mistreated: tied to a tree with a short chain around his neck (resulting in a deep injury that went untreated and became infected). He had never gone on a walk and occasionally received a bit of plain pasta with nothing else and some water: but not every day, and when he barked, he was repeatedly beaten. At our place, it was six months before we heard him bark for the first time... we thought he was mute...

A real Angel (a girl from Genoa) managed to get the owners to hand him over (politely, for the most part, and eventually with the threat of having the Carabinieri intervene) and took him away, and we, who had lost our previous beloved dog one month before to an illness, took him and nursed him back to health (he weighed 14 kilos, now he weighs 33!), spending a fortune on him and adoring him.

Now he goes for real walks on a leash (with a harness, not a collar), takes the stairs, rides in elevators, enjoys playing with everyone, loves to ride in the car, and visit stores and restaurants. He's a dandy. He loves everyone, especially youngsters. He gets super jealous; we give him lots of cuddles. He's become the main Host: he greets, he sniffs luggage, and enjoys a bit of pampering (but not with everyone... if he doesn't thoroughly like someone, he sniffs them but then sets off to his doghouse). He doesn't accept food, and after proper introductions, he absolutely never enters the rooms again unless invited to do so!

We absolutely love what we do. As long as we are still able to, hosting with Airbnb will be our pleasure and work we are proud of!

Honestly, I couldn't put together a video... I wanted to, but I would have had to go into the guest rooms. I've never done that before, and I think I never will... unless they ask for something specific!

[Laurelle3]

@Sybe and @Maria-Rossella0 your enjoyment of Airbnbing comes out in what you have written. We have travelled using Airbnb in people's homes, sharing their kitchens  meeting and getting to know the hosts and their families which we are considering doing again because of costs. Rex seems to bring love to your home.  home  

[Maria-Rossella0]

 @Laurelle3 Grazie per quanto hai scritto e...sì, sono d'accordo con te, le vacanze vanno fatte con Airbnb....è sempre una sorpresa e si può scegliere qualsiasi sistemazione!

Thanks for what you wrote and ... yes, I agree with you, holidays must be done with Airbnb .... it's always a surprise and you can choose any accommodation!

[Clara116 · Accepted solution]

@Maria-Rossella0 I love you because of what you did for REX.....I grew up with a German Shepard that protected us as children.. Dutchess slept under my bed and had a litter of puppies under there.....and I have a deep love for dogs. 

So happy REX was given you folks to save him and give him a wonderful life. Your place sounds lovely and I'd love to come visit you but I have to say mostly REX.

I wish you all the best in your retirement and wonderful life.

Clara

[Maria-Rossella0]

@Clara116 E' vero Clara...tutti i cani sono meravigliosi ma per noi i pastori tedeschi hanno "una marcia in più": l'averli conosciuti da bambini (avevo 8 anni quando mi sono ammalata di morbillo, allora si doveva stare a letto sempre e io l'ho fatto con Wotan e Frida sempre con me, anche nel mio stesso letto.....a turno, ovvio!!!) lascia in noi una traccia indelebile!

All the best con simpatia anche per te!

It's true Clara ... all dogs are wonderful but for us German shepherds have "an extra gear": having known them as children (I was 8 years old when I got sick with measles, so we had to stay at always read and I did it with Wotan and Frida always with me, even in my own bed ..... in turn, of course !!!) leaves an indelible trace in us!

All the best with sympathy for you too!

[Clara116]

@Maria-Rossella0  How lovely! Thanks for sharing your childhood even more - indeed, we have those deep bonds that are so etched into our minds and hearts forever.

Best of everything to you, peace. Clara

[Maria-Rossella0]

😊🥰🤗🤩🤩🤩

[Huma0]

@Maria-Rossella0 

How lovely to hear that Rex now has a happy life after his previous mistreatment. I also adopted a stray (a cat though, not a dog) and I know how appreciative they can be for the love and care that you give them. You are a are gift to them but they are also a gift to you! 

Rex is very handsome by the way. My father was a big fan of German shepherds and we had one (called Maggie) when I was young. She was a very sweet dog.

[Maria-Rossella0]

@Huma0 Grazie Huma.....è vero, per lui è stata la salvezza e per noi un dono magnifico..... Non abbiamo mai viziato così tanto i nostri cani, ma con lui lo facciamo....lo so, è vergognoso😉, ma quando il pensiero va ai suoi primi quattro anni .....i vizi, le coccole e tutto quanto è possibile sono inarrestabili e siamo felicissimi di farlo!!!!!

Buon lavoro e buona continuazione!!! 🤗😘

[Bridget130]

ciao@Maria-rossella0  sei una grande ! é da un paio di sere che mi sono data a leggere tutte le varie storie del festival .....una per una ! E proprio ora ho letto la tua ! Bellissima ! REX è il number ONE ! E voi siete meravigliosi !Gli avete fatto dimenticare il suo brutto passato....si ci sono troppi cani maltrattati ..che bastardi che sono ! sono situazioni da prendere con le pinze ! complimenti per tutto con affetto Bri

[Maria-Rossella0]

ciao @Bridget130 che dirti se non....😍🥰😍🥰😍? Un carissimo, ma proprio carissimo, saluto!!!!!!!