Open Door Policy

Long before Airbnb launched, I was Couchsurfing and home swapping. I love the experience of seeing a snippet of someone else’s life and offering a stranger a bit of mine. Home-sharing gives me hope for humanity. We watch the news every day and become hateful and fearful of each other, and just when I start to believe that everyone is truly evil and out to hurt and take advantage of me, a new guest walks through my door and shows me the reality - nearly everyone is beautiful, kind and generous.

I have had genuinely amazing hosts - families who brought me contra dancing with them (that is square dancing with a bit more spinning and a lot more fun), couples who let me tag along to their Sunday barbecue and hang out with all of their friends (with whom I am still friends with to this day), and a group of siblings who wrote my sister a happy birthday song to sing after her birthday dinner (that they made for her).

I have hosted amazing people as well. Every one of my guests has taught me something, and some have completely changed my worldview. That’s the thing about opening your home and your life- it forces you to open your mind as well. I have so many amazing stories that it is hard to pick my most memorable but I think this is it.

When I moved to Berlin in 2016, I posted my apartment on Airbnb, as I do when I move to any new city. The very first guest I hosted was from Syria, from Aleppo. I asked him if his family was alright and what the war was really like on the ground. He told me his family was refusing to leave their home and they would likely give their lives in that decision. We spoke about war and commitment and loss for a long time. Towards the end of our conversation, he closed his eyes and explained to me in his near-perfect English what he thought of war. I will never forget what he shared.

He said, “individual people fight wars over issues they care deeply about; things they are willing to give their lives for. Those people are fighting for other individuals, or governments, who are not at all willing to die for those issues, they don’t even care. They are fighting for a different reason altogether. But we will die for them.”

Every time I host I become a bit more educated, tolerant and human. That is why my door will always be open. Come visit!