Le secret de mon séjour de rêve à New York : HomeExchange

At HomeExchange, we like to give a voice to those best qualified to speak about this issue: our members. This testimonial comes from photographer, photo tour organizer and HomeExchange member Sergio, who tells us how he discovered the world through HomeExchange.

How does HomeExchange work?

Home exchange as a means of transportation

My name is Sergio Arias, I am a professional photographer who specializes in organizing photography trips. In particular, I started traveling the world thanks to one very simple thing: house swapping. It allowed me to discover incredible places in the local area, which was absolutely crucial in organizing my stay properly.

Plus, do you know where most of our travel budget goes? meal? No, flights? It depends on the destination, but in general, not really. So what’s going on? stay! Yes, accommodation: hotel, country house, apartment, hostel, campervan, it doesn’t matter, the longer you stay the more expensive it becomes, almost exponentially.

At the same time, who has never dreamed of traveling through time? three weeks in new york ? However, do you know the hotel prices there? If nothing else, it’s expensive, very expensive, and you can save a kidney and even an extra salary or two!

That’s why, when I decided to travel and take photos a long time ago, I quickly understood that it would take days to immerse yourself in a place and take stunning photos. But I don’t want to stay just for a week I want time. This is where I found the miraculous solution: home exchange.

Trust others and increase communication

on Monday The first exchange was in 2012. At the time I was just a photography enthusiast trying to make up for lost time while traveling.

This concept is not rooted in Spain at all. My friends always say to me: “Seriously, are you going to leave a stranger at home alone?” I answer them: “Yes, how can they leave me at home alone! »

It’s crazy how suspicious we are by nature. However, we do not hesitate to ask others to trust us. From 2012 to 2023, I conducted a series of exchanges :Venice, Dolomites, Canada, Normandy, Paris, Rome, Prague (twice) and many more… Of course, New York !

House exchange: Manhattan – Enrique Houses – New York County/United States – HomeExchange

My apartment is in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It consists of a small bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living area

a waking dream in new york

i went there three whole weeks. A true waking dream. But be careful, it’s not easy! I’m not talking about the price, but the hassle of finding a home. Or rather, a house. Because New York is the most popular trading city in the world. For this, I’m lucky: I managed to Connect two properties and spend three weeks there to enjoy the city like a real person New Yorker.

And not just anywhere, please! Just next to Central Park.

Picture this: you are at home, looking out the window, and what you see is central park. Broad avenues, famous yellow taxis, dazzling skyscrapers, steam escaping from manholes… Wow!

Having so much time makes such a difference in what you experience.

I went there without pressure and at my own pace, I returned to my favorite places often, I discovered new places, I shopped, and I even lived out my dream of watching a baseball game live.

The apartment was great: enough for me, well located and had everything I needed.

What I love about house swapping is that when you go to your local supermarket you encounter “his neighbor”.

Sign up and prepare for your first exchange!

Spend an unforgettable time in New York

The time I spent in New York allowed me to take some great photos, some even the best in my portfolio. I’m only showing you two, but I’ve made thousands of them.

You imagine yourself making one two hours long exposure Capturing the movement of the moon over Manhattan? (Yes, that path you see is the path the moon took in two hours of illumination.)

or, observation helicopter Which one passes in front of the moon? You have to be patient, that’s the quality of a great photographer. I’m very lucky. Can you imagine being there and thinking, “It would be great if a helicopter flew in front of the moon,” and then it happens? The only problem is that I considered Avant-garde Preparing my gear. I found myself a bit silly, having my wish come true but not having time to take pictures! So, I said to myself, “Well, maybe he’ll come back.” That’s how I took this photo.

Just like that, by exchanging my house, I was able to explore in depth the destinations I now organize photography tours to.

Live your passion with HomeExchange

As I told you at the beginning, my job is to travel, but not just any way. I’ll travel around the world teach photography To those who come with me. how so?

In fact, I organize photography stop All over the world. The idea is that people discover the most beautiful corners of the earth, While learning to take photos.

The destinations where I have done exchanges and currently organize photography tours include: Iceland, Canada, Normandy and Brittany, New York, Dolomites, Slovenia, Rome, Venice, Prague, Amsterdam, etc.

But specifically, what is photo travel?

It’s very simple. Imagine a photography course in your city where you go out and practice while instructing. Now imagine doing the same thing while exploring big apple. Or, in Iceland, get into the heart of nature and learn to immortalize it. Northern Lights. Even if you have very little knowledge, you will learn a lot in a week (approximately how long).

Thanks to the house exchange, I really started my career. It saves me a lot of money because, I repeat, Accommodation is by far the most expensiveright in New York, I saved over 5,000 euros !

If you want to travel without breaking the bank, home exchange is the solution. If you want to travel, enjoy incredible experiences while soaking up the local culture.

Join HomeExchange!