Overall, the arrangement worked out perfectly for both of us. We each had free places to stay in countries we wanted to visit, and it was lovely to reconnect with a friend I hadn't seen in years.
I asked Rho for their thoughts, as well. They told me that it was "extremely grounding" to stay in someone's home while traveling, and helped them feel less anxious about being in a new place.
"It's also just so much better than staying in a hotel or feeling like you don't have an actual home base somewhere," they said.
I couldn't agree more.
If I'm fortunate enough to do this again with another friend, I'll make an extra effort to ensure that we're both as prepared as possible for any potential complications and know who to contact if something needs to be fixed.
I don't think I would feel comfortable swapping apartments with a complete stranger like Iris and Amanda in "The Holiday," but I would definitely do it again with someone I know and trust.