Bright Week

I hope everyone had a marvellous, restful Bright Week! Things around here were busy as always, but the joy of Pascha always seems to transcend whatever details are happening in life at the time.

We are still very busy building up Egeria -- nagging friends around the globe for comments about the idea (you know who you are, unless I haven't nagged you yet, and then you will know who you are. . .), planning every detail of the site with our awesome web consultant Michael Linehan, writing content, and converting this blog into Wordpress -- so we can be fancy schmancy and get our info organised into something other than one looong page. Or whatever is happening here.

As of yet we still don't have a launch date -- the site is still under construction, but moving ever forward. I think I can safely say you will be able to use Egeria to plan your 2010 vacation or other travel; possibly not your 2009 ;-)

I am looking for a few good quotations to include in the official site, so if you have anything you would like to say about Egeria and your plans to use it when it goes live, please do drop me a line! Put something in the comments and I'll let you know where to send a longer piece, or just write a few lines AS a comment, and let me know that I can use it. Please remember to include your first name, city and country! Remember, it doesn't matter where you are -- somebody wants to go there.

Thanks, and as always I'll keep you posted as to our expected launch dates. Christos Aneste!

Jenny

PS The photo is me a couple of weeks ago in fun, funky Fan Tan Alley here in Victoria. Our Chinatown is older than yours, Vancouver! Nyah nyah!

Christ is Risen!

Indeed, He is Risen!

A joyous Paschaltide to all our Orthodox brothers and sisters. Kali Anastasi!

My First Testimonial!

Egeria Home Exchange has its very first testimonial!

What's that you say -- I thought Egeria was still being built. How can you already have a testimonial?

Well, the fact is that I had a wonderful human guinea pig named Constantin to practise on late last year when I was hatching this idea. Costel was going to Princeton from Victoria to do some research, and he didn't know a soul. As most of us would do under the circumstances, he started to look into booking a hotel.

I could just feel it in my bones that although I didn't know anyone in Princeton either, someone I knew must. I asked Costel if he would wait on booking the hotel while I asked around. Well, I did a little digging and sure enough, among my friends from St Vladimir's Seminary was the 'someone'. I got in touch with our mutual friend in Princeton, and we landed Costel a great place to stay, with friendly fellow Romanians, home cooking and daily transportation to the university library into the bargain!

Now, of course, not every Egeria member will have this amount of interference from me -- this was exceptional; a prototype, if you will. The arranging of home or hospitality exchanges will be up to the members to do for themselves, since there will be a searchable database for that. But the benefits will be very much the same: free or almost-free accommodation, plenty of space, local contacts, and a lasting friendships.

Now, Constantin in his own words:

March 2009

I am writing this letter in support of Jenny Hainsworth's venture, Egeria Orthodox Home and Hospitality Exchange. I am one of the first people to have benefited from Ms. Hainsworth's excellent idea.

I am currently a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria, History Department. In fall 2008 I was organizing a research trip to Princeton University, which was an essential requirement of my PhD program. Even though my trip was going to be supported financially by a research grant offered by Princeton University, I found it difficult to support the cost of accommodation in Princeton.

After conducting extensive research on the accommodation in the area I realized that I was facing two main issues: the high price of accommodation and the difficulty in getting to the university campus. It was at this moment when I talked to Ms. Hainsworth who told me about her idea of Orthodox hospitality exchange. By using her extensive connections, Ms. Hainsworth put me in contact with an extremely welcoming family who offered me not only accommodation but, also, daily transportation to the university campus, since the lady was a librarian who drove every day to the campus.

With Ms. Hainsworth’s help I was able to connect with a hospitable family who made me part of their social events, such as parties and dinners with friends. In addition to fulfilling the initial purpose of my trip, namely conducting research, I was able to meet new people, exchange ideas and, not unimportantly, to avoid three weeks of isolation, as would have been the case in a hotel room.

My experience proves that Ms. Hainsworth’s venture, Egeria Orthodox Home and Hospitality Exchange, is not only feasible but also unique, realistic and extremely useful. The support and information that I received from Ms. Hainsworth demonstrates that she posses the knowledge and the connections which will allow her to successfully put into practice her endeavour. Furthermore, her ability to plan and organize, spirit of initiative, industriousness and, not lastly, commitment can only guarantee the success of her venture.

Sincerely,

Constantin Chira-Pascanut

So WHEN is this happenening?

Hello friends;

yes, it's been a while since I posted. That's party because I have been working so hard to get Egeria going, but I cannot neglect the blog any longer!

So here are a few tidbits of what is happening and stuff.

1) I am a couple of days from hiring a local web design company to complete the building of the Egeria site. I have interviewed a couple of firms, and I'm honing in on what I think is the best option. The site is pretty heavy on the technology, and we'll need to be readily expandable, so I have to proceed with caution.

2) I have been reading about a couple of the more 'out there' uses of home exchange. One was an article in Wikipedia about how home exchanges are being arranged by some folks to escape violence in war-torn areas, eg Iraq, the Mideast etc. Lord, have mercy. The idea is that if you are a Shia living in a predominantly Sunni area, and a family you know are the opposite, you switch homes so that you will be surrounded by more of your 'own', and therefore safer. It's sad, but it's a good idea while things are not going well in the peace and brotherly love department.

The other was about how, given the dire economy, some ingenious people are already arranging permanent home exchanges when they can't sell their houses for a good price! George wants to move to Chicago, Ringo wants to move to NY; they somehow find each other , ascertain that their homes are comparable -- and switch!

It's funny -- the idea is so intuitive on one hand, and so new and radical on the other. I don't know whether this is happening in other places; so far I have only heard about it in the States.
If you're in a pickle trying to sell your house so you can move to another city, you may want to give this option some thought! I imagine agencies for permanent house exchanges are popping up as we speak. In fact, I think I will Google that phrase and see what comes up, out of curiosity.

I will post back to keep you updated about the timeline for launching Egeria. Once we meet with our web developers in a serious way we will have a better picture about when we can expect to go live and accept memberships!

Thanks for reading and for sticking with us -- Egeria really will happen!

I Remember a House

Here is an spellbinding poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins. I chose it for the theme of agapic love and hospitality. It is one I have known and loved for many years, and when I read it it helps me call to mind friends past and present who have shared their homes and their lives over the years.

There is one home in particular I think of, and its inhabitants will always be as a second family to me.

In the Valley of the Elwy

I remember a house where all were good
To me, God knows, deserving no such thing:
Comforting smell breathed at very entering,
Fetched fresh, as I suppose, off some sweet wood.

That cordial air made those kind people a hood
All over, as a bevy of eggs the mothering wing
Will, or mild nights the new morsels of Spring:
Why, it seemed of course; seemed of right it should.

Lovely the woods, waters, meadows, combes, vales,
All the air things wear that build this world of Wales;
Only the inmate does not correspond:

God, lover of souls, swaying considerate scales,
Complete thy creature dear O where it fails,
Being mighty a master, being a father and fond.

Who's in Your Corner?

Hey friends. I posted this photo of our icon corner -- well, because I like it -- and I thought I would ask all you visitors and 'followers' (still can't use that word without scare quotes -- it's so creepy):

Who's in your corner? Comment on this post and tell us which saints are there & why. If you have originals, who painted them? What other little relics do you have, who gave them to you, and where you were when you received them? Do you use candles, oil lamps, incense -- what do you love to use, and where do you get it?

Perhaps on the Egeria website (which is looking FINE, by the way! we have been working feverishly on it every day for the last two weeks) we will have a page for your pilgrimage photos and stories, as well as your just-for-fun trips with Egeria Home and Hospitality Exchange.

Thanks for visiting, and don't forget to tell us about your icon corner

See also Owl-light Studio blog (link to the right) for a different (hmm-- more intimate?) post about our home icon corner. . .

Specific is Beautiful: Tips for Building your Egeria Profile

Tips for Building your Egeria Profile

Here are a few great ideas to help you attract enquiries to your Egeria profile:

Photos: A Window to Your World
It all starts with a picture. Even if your place isn't all that picturesque, it's extremely important to have some photos on your profile because they:

* Are more pleasing to the eye than text alone
* Reassure the viewer that something really is there
* Provide details that you may not think to write about
* Offer a fascinating glimpse into your world

You can include pictures of your street or local scenery too -- it doesn't just have to be rooms in your home. What about pictures of your icon corner, your parish church, and your favourite local shops and cafes? Have fun with it!

Be Creative
Don't be shy! Your writing can be as creative, funny and offbeat as you like, as long as your information is clear and accurate.

Be Honest
Your place is small? Say so. It can still be charming. In a featureless cul-de-sac? Sing out. Maybe your reader only cares that the showers are hot enough. You have nothing to lose from being as truthful and accurate as you can. Your visitors will have a much better time if they arrive equipped with the facts -- warts and all!

Think Like a Visitor
Try to see your city, town or countryside with fresh eyes. If you were seeing it for the first time, what would you find interesting? Answer that question, and your profile writes itself.

What's Possible?
Your potential visitors may not have a feel for distances or geography in your area -- you need to tell them stuff! What can they do as a short trip while based at your home?
For example: if you live in Vancouver, point out that Whistler, Seattle and Victoria are close enough to visit, too. If you live in England, astonish your North American readers with the short travel times to France, Spain, the Netherlands, etc! (We can never quite believe it.)

Pilgrimage Sites
Please make special mention of any Orthodox churches, seminaries, monasteries or pilgrimage sites within a couple of days' journey from your home, as this is will be of particular interest for Egeria members. And if you are not from North America, you should know that Americans and Canadians are usually not afraid to cover what you consider vast distances!