A New Testimonial -- this one from Bath, England!

Having been Orthodox from the cradle, I've been exposed to the wonderful feeling of being able to offer and to receive hospitality from friends far away, planned ahead of time or on the spur of the moment, and it is this feeling of true homes from home that Egeria offers.

Among the many places I've had the joy of being entertained and taken into the houses of Orthodox people who I didn't know before I left home are Romania, Greece, South Korea, the USA, Canada, Germany and Montenegro, all of which are memorable experiences with images flooding back to me as I write.

And, as to how well Egeria would work, I can offer one example: Earlier this year, after Jenny had already started thinking about proposals for Egeria, she had a call from a friend of a friend who was coming to the UK. She put me and several other people in touch with them, and they threaded an itinerary between these contacts (luckily we all live in picturesque places).

So when it turned out that I was away for over half the time that Maximus was in Bath, it was no problem. We arranged to meet up when I was there, but before that, because I'd spoken to him plenty beforehand, I was able to call people in my church and make sure he was encouraged to stay for a meal afterwards, as well as encouraging him to myself, and I think that introduction really made a great difference to him and his party's stay.

There are so many other anecdotes I could add, but I think that for the sake of brevity I'd better end there. The possibilities of the Egeria network are pretty much endless, and with Jenny's wit, humanity and graphic design underlying it, I can only be sure that it will reach its potentials.

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Thank you, Ambrose!

Nearly There!

Well, it's June. How did that happen.

I just got back from an amazing week studying Byzantine Chant at St Nicholas Ranch in Dunlap, California. The course is put on by John Michael Boyer (Protopsaltis of the San Francisco Metropolia) and his crack team of teachers and guest lecturers. We're talking about Fr Ephraim Lash, Dr Constantine Kokenes, the sublime Stelios Kontakiotis (who came all the way from the island of Tinos to demonstrate what happens when, as my fellow student and friend Fr Kosta put it, you "cram an angel down your throat") and newly-minted PhD Dr Alex Khalil. It was a jam-packed week, with two services and three classes every day. As JMB says, you don't go there to catch up on your sleep. No indeed. But my brain was buzzing very happily despite the sleep deprivation, and despite learning of the existence of INVISIBLE NEUMES, which, as we all know, are just not fair.

Alright, in Egeria news. Things are really cooking now. Our awesome web developer Robert is going full tilt to have the site basically completed in early July, and then we will do a round of beta testing. Basically this means that we will ask a bunch of folks to log on to the Egeria site as though they were customers and proceed to navigate through the site so that we can ensure that everything works properly. This will take up part of July, then it's over to Robert again for fine tuning. Then we launch the site and open our virtual doors for business in late August -- or allowing for Ortho-flex time, September.

Now a big question when you're setting up a home exchange is, of course, how do you get started? How or why does anyone become a member if there are no other members to exchange with yet?

What we're doing is offering free memberships to friends, family -- and pretty much anyone else who asks -- for a limited period of time, or up to a certain number of listings, say about the first 300. That way by the time people are paying the (small) fee for the membership, there is actually something there worth paying for. Then as more and more people join, the usefulness of the site and the value to each member goes up. There will probably be a period of time after that when new memberships are good for three years for the price of one year. In any case the memberships are guaranteed -- if you cannot find a match within the term of your membership, it will be extended one year for free.

Well, I'm getting bleary-eyed as it is rather late, so I'll stop typing now. I created a Facebook group for Egeria tonight, so feel free to hop over and chack that out too -- I'll post news as it comes up. Look for Egeria to be open for business this September!

Second Testimonial!

The word is spreading, folks! Here is another positive blurb, this time from the God-protected shores of Scotland:

I live in Scotland and, like many Scots, have connections with Canada. I'd love to visit Jasper, the Okanagan, and especially Victoria ! So when I heard about Egeria I was really excited; I was being offered a different type of travel experience. I could exchange my traditional, much loved Scottish house for a home abroad, and be able to visit places I've always wanted to see. I'm really looking forward to making my first booking ! I probably won't get the chance to meet my exchange family, but I'll be sure to do everything I can to make them comfortable here.

Liz C, near St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Thanks for sending that in, Liz!

We're at a crossroads with this project once again. On May 12 we received a full and final estimate of the cost for building the site. It is higher than we anticipated due to the technical sophistication required, but we're not deterred. It will just mean some extra steps to secure funding to have the job done. We meet with the developer next week, and we'll see whether how he feels about beginning the work knowing that we're scrambling a bit to make sure he is paid at the end of the project!

If any one reading/ following has ideas for partners, investors, or angels -- of the business variety! -- who might be interested in this project, please do contact us. We have no doubt that Egeria will be very successful, and indeed overall the setup costs are very low compared to the return we expect in the long run. It will also generate significant funds for our partner charities. We just need to get this horse out of the starting gate!

And as always, your prayers, good wishes, blurbs from around the world and comments are most appreciated. Keep in touch! Kalo Pascha!

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!