Since the purpose of HE to exchange homes, GPs are a way of Jane going to Don’s, Don going to Javier’s, Javier going to Anil’s, and Anil going to Jane’s. But since GPs are assigned based on number it can sleep and location, it becomes more transactional which seems to both confuse newbies and make it less of just exchanging one house for another regardless of size.
I suggest that GPs be scrapped and replaced with Night Credits. So Don could pay Jane 7 night credits if he stays for a week, and Jane uses those credits for a week at Javier’s, etc.
Night Credits can be waived if the host wants. So if Jane and Don are doing reciprocal exchange but a different number of nights, they can discuss whether to charge Night Credits for the difference or waive them.
Hello Kindssquirrel,
I have to admit that sometimes I thought the same, but then I realized that the real spirit of HE is not counting the nights, but exchange the house, no matter if the periods are different.
GP is a new and useful option for travelling, but the spirit at the base of HE is exchange experiences, welcome and altruism.
In the past (GP is a relatively new and clever introduction of the previous Guesttoguest) there were only sim and non sim exchanges in HE.
Then came the “balloon” with no number of nights to give to the people the possibility to go to NY even if their house was in a tiny place in the middle of nowhere (not the faboulus cottage of “The Holiday” where every HE wants to go once in life).
GP is a new way of “Ballonn” but didn’t change the aim.
A lot of time I have been hosted by people that didn’t come to my place and viceversa. I remember those exchangers for the generosity of the people as well as those with big rich houses that made me feel a star (sometimes even more because welcome is not a matter of money and luxury).
This long writing is not for you only, but for all the new members that want to know the aim of this way of travelling and be a real part of it,
Ciao and … have a lot and nice swapts!