The Airbnb Crisis: A Special (but Lovely) Guest
Savitaipale, February 5, 2018.
With all the excitement around chasing the northern lights, we ended up going to bed past one in the morning. Not the best idea, considering we had to wake up early today. Usually, we have staggered shifts, with some starting at 9, others at 9:30, and others at 10. But with two colleagues on vacation, the rest of us had to start at 9.
Starting the Morning…
Today has been nothing short of chaotic. A couple of days ago, the owner’s sister brought a trailer full of boxes for the flea market. This means we’ve had to sort, clean, measure, label, and prepare all these items for sale.
I started my day watering the indoor plants and getting the shop ready to open. I swept the floors, cleaned the rugs, and made sure everything was well-organized and displayed. At first, I thought the rugs would be cleaned with a brush or vacuum. Not quite! Here, they’re hung outside on a raised platform over the snow and beaten with a stick to shake out the dirt.
Browsing the Flea Market
While tidying the shop, I took the chance to browse through the items. The sheer variety is impressive, but what stands out to me the most is the massive shelf filled with glasses. There are glasses of every shape and style, and no two are alike.
Oh, and remember the ancient German fridge I mentioned on my first day? Today, I finally finished cleaning it! It was a battle to remove the old, stubborn label stuck to it, but after much scrubbing and experimenting, I got it done. One task checked off!
I have to admit, I don’t feel very skilled at these hands-on tasks yet. But I think it’s just a matter of practice. As I get used to them, I’ll figure out what I’m better at.
The Airbnb Crisis
If the morning was already hectic, things escalated at lunchtime.
One of the rooms in the house we live in doubles as an Airbnb rental. It also happened to be the room I was staying in, as all the other beds had been occupied until a few days ago. We only found out about the new guest half an hour before check-in—and the house was a complete mess.
We quickly got to work, clearing out the room and tidying up the house to make it presentable. First, I moved all my things from the private room to a shared one. Then, my housemates and I scrubbed, swept, and polished every corner. By the time we were done, the place looked completely transformed. Between this and my cleaning spree at the flea market, I’m realizing just how powerful some soap and water can be.
Afterward, we had lunch and returned to our respective tasks. Mine involved unloading a cart of items into the shop. This can be tricky because space is limited, and items need to be displayed in a way that catches the customer’s eye. It requires a bit of creativity to make everything fit.
A Special Airbnb Guest
In the evening, we finally met our Airbnb guest—a Finnish opera singer who travels the country performing concerts. She told us about her career and even sang us a piece! She also offered to give us singing lessons in a few months if we’re still in Finland. I don’t know if I’ll still be here, but just in case, I gave her my contact information. You never know!
She shared a touching story about a young man who dreamed of singing a Christmas carol to his mother, even though he couldn’t sing. The carol held a special meaning for them. He practiced with her for an entire year and eventually managed to sing it to his mother.
After the whirlwind of the Airbnb crisis, the rest of the day felt pretty calm. Tomorrow, we’re supposed to start practicing yoga (yes, I convinced my housemates to join me). At least it’ll give us some exercise since going outside in this freezing weather is out of the question.
P.S.
I know this might sound a bit nerdy, but tonight was the finale of Operación Triunfo, and I couldn’t miss it! Watching TVE from outside Spain was tricky because my IP blocked access. I managed to find a workaround, but it wasn’t ideal. If anyone knows how to watch Spanish national television from abroad, please let me know. Thanks in advance!
