On June 18th of this year, I received an email from my virtual friend, blogger and artist Peta Kaplan of Green Global Trek. The message read “Had to forward you this, because, well, yeah DUH! Good luck!” and was followed by the link https://www.airbnb.com/d/liveanywhere. Well, that encouragement sounded intriguing enough, so upon checking out what the link was about, I was enthralled.
The company Airbnb was giving 12 individuals (and up to three companions each) the opportunity to live around the world – anywhere – for an entire ten months for free, including traveling to and living in listings on Airbnb. They were looking for candidates resembling remote workers, creatives, empty nesters, young families, staycationers, and digital nomads. This contest had our name on it! Especially since Mark and I didn’t have much luck finding a used pick-up truck, the program would start in the summer, and departure was planned early September. Perfect!
So, at some point, when life slowed down a bit, I crafted an appealing answer to the main question “Why do you want to live anywhere on Airbnb for a year, and what excites you most about the opportunity to live nomadically and potentially inform the future of the Airbnb product?” (500 words). The deadline was June 30th. Mark didn’t think he had any chance of winning, so he didn’t fill out an application. Our biggest worry was Maya. Would Airbnb allow dogs to participate? Could Maya be a valid “companion”?
I decided to make clear that our dog would be part of our travel team. It was all or nothing. I hit the “send” button on the application five minutes before I rushed out the door to Boston airport and my subsequent flight to Belgium, as I knew I wouldn’t have time to work on my contribution there. The selection process would be quick. We would know if we got picked by the time we returned to the US, at which point we would either prepare for an Airbnb adventure, or keep hunting for that pick-up truck…
Our trip to Belgium came and went – we didn’t hear anything from the Airbnb contest organizers. Oh well. We didn’t win. Must have to do with Maya, we thought. Or, my answer wasn’t convincing, unique, engaging, or creative enough.
At some point in July, Peta checked in with us. They had both applied and Ben had made the second round. I kept my fingers crossed. Via Facebook messages, she kept me somewhat up to date about the process, which involved creating a short film and having a few video interviews. Then, silence.
Peta and Ben – blog photo
If you are followers of the Green Global Trek website or Instagram page, you already know the story – the rest is history. Our friends won!!!!! They were among the 12 selected candidates – out of an insane number of 300,000 participants – to start this unique journey. I was beyond excited for and proud of them (and a tad envious) and am determined to follow this chapter of their already fascinating life. They left their last temporary home base in Mexico for this Airbnb stint on September 1st, 2021.
To see which people were selected for the Live Anywhere on Airbnb program, have a look here.
Meet the 12 participants chosen to Live Anywhere on Airbnb
By Airbnb · August 3, 2021 · Community, Company
Twelve inspiring individuals have been selected from over 314,000 applicants from around the world to Live Anywhere on Airbnb for approximately one year. The final 12 participants, all with diverse backgrounds from 9 countries, share an adventurous spirit and the desire to help shape the future of flexible living. Participants will share their experiences with us along the way to help inform future product upgrades and innovations on the platform to better accommodate nomadic living.
Participants will be given the unique opportunity to choose their own adventure for the next 10 months – whether that’s staying close and rediscovering their hometown or criss-crossing the globe.* Hailing from places all over the world, including Argentina, Canada, UK, France, United States, Russia, Singapore, and South Africa, the participants have a diverse range of backgrounds and unique perspectives to share.
From a staycationer pursuing a master’s program to empty nesters embracing the nomadic lifestyle, young families looking for new cultural experiences, a multi-generational family passionate about accessibility advocacy, entrepreneurs, a medical researcher, a world cyclist, and more, these individuals will be instrumental in helping pave the way for the future of travel and living on Airbnb.
Without further ado, let’s meet the 12 individuals who will be living in listings on Airbnb for the next year**.
Ben and Peta standing in front of a tiled wall. Ben is wearing a gray t-shirt and colorful scarf, Peta is wearing a fedora with flowy blue top and green pants.
Ben and Peta from France and South Africa
With a passion for sustainable travel and art, and respective roots in South Africa and France, Ben & Peta have been nomads for the last 14 years after raising their four sons in Chicago. They are hoping to explore developing countries and towns off the beaten path around the world to further Ben’s eco-focused work and glean inspiration for Peta’s artistic pursuits.
Continue reading this article here.
To follow Peta and Ben’s experiences during their ten months traveling to, living in, and exploring from their Airbnb accommodations, check out their blog here, their Instagram account here, and their brand-new YouTube channel here.
Have fun, you two! We are joining you virtually. And, hopefully we manage to meet up one day as well. 😊
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September 16, 2021 at 14:30
I was like you, so excited for Peta and Ben, but a tad (well, maybe more than a tad) envious. Paul and I were one of the 300,000 to send in an application. I had already thought about where we might go 🙂 I’m glad you wrote about their adventure and encouraged others to follow along.
September 16, 2021 at 14:33
Hi Janis! I noticed in your comment on Peta and Ben’s blog that you applied as well (and left you a quick reply there whenever I realized you made an attempt as well). I’m sorry you two (and us two) didn’t make it. I had no clue that so many people applied. That tells you something about the future of nomads, long-term travel, and Airbnb!!! Maybe we should buy stock??? I hope more people follow their adventures – they have a very exciting and fascinating life! 🙂
September 16, 2021 at 14:32
This is amazing!
September 16, 2021 at 14:34
Had you heard about this initiative? I hadn’t until our friend told us about it. Karma helped them win! 🙂
September 16, 2021 at 16:21
Hi Liesbet, I have been following Peta and Ben for a few years and it was no surprise to me when they won this opportunity. They are both highly skilled writers and artists and just like you two, they live interesting lives. It will be fun to ride along as they explore their various destinations. Sorry you guys didn’t make it, but now you have an adventure of your very own design just around the corner. I wonder if any of the folks who did will be traveling with pets? I’m thinking that might have been a consideration.
September 16, 2021 at 22:45
Suzanne, thank you for such a lovely compliment! Peta
September 22, 2021 at 14:15
🙂
September 18, 2021 at 16:40
Hi Suzanne! I’m excited about following Ben and Peta’s AirBnB journeys. And, yes, I’m super excited to start our own new adventure as well. Similar to the last one on Zesty for now, but we have real excitement ahead. 🙂
None of the selected candidates have dogs with them and Peta and Ben didn’t take theirs. I have a feeling pets were a no-no. So, it wouldn’t have worked for us, regardless. Maybe in the future, when they promote traveling with dogs…
September 18, 2021 at 20:44
If we were traveling within Mexico where our home base is, then yes we would have taken Esco with us. I don’t think Airbnb would have minded, as long as we chose places that allowed pets For international flights I think that would just be too stressful for everyone all around.
September 22, 2021 at 14:29
You are right about the stress involved when traveling (by plane) with pets. Mark and I briefly talked about staying in North America and driving to every Airbnb if we would win, hoping the allocated travel money could go to gas instead of flights, but where’s the fun in that? It wouldn’t be much different than what we are doing now, except for the free fuel and accommodations (which would come with some obligations, creativity, and time involvement). None of the guidelines for the Live Anywhere on Airbnb contest mentioned anything about pets, so you’re probably right that people would be able to bring them, since they would have to take the responsibility of traveling with their pets and picking the right accommodations.
September 16, 2021 at 18:08
That is so darn exciting, Liesbet! I’m sorry you didn’t win but thrilled for your friends. It will be fun to follow their experiences.
September 18, 2021 at 16:43
Living in Airbnbs is a very different experience than our way of travel. Part of me would really love that comfort, peace, extra time, and immersion, but I also like to retain my freedom and not plan a year out… It’s all good. 🙂
September 16, 2021 at 19:27
I have only stayed in one Air bnb, getting ready for my third visit there next month and loved it. I too am sorry you did not win, and agree it will be interesting following Peta and Ben on this adventure. And looking forward to your new adventure as well. Best, Michele
September 18, 2021 at 16:48
Thanks, Michele. Mark and I have stayed in Airbnbs a few times for one or two nights (in New Zealand, Canada, and Mexico) and really enjoyed it. But, it’s too pricey for us. And we usually have our own means of accommodation with us when we travel. Our friends are used to AirBnB travel and it fits their travel style. For us, they would be a perfect break from the road.
September 16, 2021 at 21:04
This sounds like the Russian Roulette of roaming adventures. The fact that you are thrilled for your friends Ben and Peta shows the level of your loyalty. Some day it may be Mark and Liesbet and Maya, if pets are included. 😀
September 18, 2021 at 16:50
Hello Marian! While it would have been cool (very cool!) to travel the world for free, we would never leave Maya behind. The alternative – roaming about in our truck camper – is pretty cool too. 🙂
September 16, 2021 at 21:38
Hey Liesbet! I am not surprised in the least to see that you applied for the Live Anywhere gig. Yes, Thom and I did too although I only submitted one (maybe two was the trick?). Would love to read your friend’s letter. Is it on their blog? We also know another couple that I thought were far more likely to be picked and they didn’t get it either–although I read through all the “winners” and decided that Airbnb did a good job of diversifying the crowd. The good thing is, as some of your other commenters mentioned, you and Mark and Maya are already on an “adventure” so even though you didn’t win you will still be doing something you love and are good at. It’s the same for Thom and I. While it would have been an interesting experiment, it won’t stop us from living our adventures. ~Kathy
September 22, 2021 at 14:11
Hi Kathy!
I had no idea that you (and Janis and Paul) applied for the Airbnb gig as well. I wouldn’t think people who owned a house would be willing/able to leave for ten months…
From the moment I found out Ben was selected for the next round, I asked to see his application “letter,” as I write these things in Word and save them, before pasting them into forms to submit. But, Ben didn’t do this. He just filled out the question online and sent it off. He has no record of it anywhere. 🙁
Yes, we will all keep living our adventures. At the time, we mostly looked forward to winning because we hadn’t found a truck yet – the pivotal piece to this new set-up. I do think it would have been hard with Maya, though. And, of course, none of us won… Over 314,000 submissions and we all seem to know at least a few who tried. It would have been a fun diversion and experience, though.
Keep living your own adventures! 🙂
September 16, 2021 at 22:44
Liesbet, what a fun surprise to open up your latest blog post and find ourselves featured!!! And thank you for sharing our social media links so that others who might be interested can subscribe to our vlog and follow our adventures!
The genesis of all this started with an email with the link to the competition from our friend Debby, whom we first met via home exchange, who then started to read our blog and whom we became friends with. We stayed in their homes in San Francisco and France and they stayed in our home in Sri Lanka and we got to meet in two of those locations. She wrote “You and Ben are perfect for this!” At the time, we had no plans for global travel. I passed the link along to you and a few other friends whom I thought might be interested in applying. And then I filled it out and urged Ben to do the same and the rest is prologue.
Janis, Liesbet, Kathy, so wish we ALL could have been selected for this program. Hopefully we will do a good job of representing the blogging nomadic crew!
Thanks again Liesbet for the encouragement and hope we get to meet soon! In person!
Peta
September 22, 2021 at 14:15
Hi Peta! You are very welcome. I am so excited for you two to have won and to embark on this journey that I hope others will be equally intrigued and enthralled to follow your adventures. I had no idea someone contacted you about this contest as well. I thought because you’ve done so many Airbnbs that maybe there was a newsletter in which this opportunity was posted. I wonder how Airbnb actually advertised this? And, yes to meeting soon in Chicago!!!! Hopefully. We are still meandering through New York state at the moment, currently waiting out a few days of rain.
September 17, 2021 at 08:48
Congratulations to your friends! That is amazing they won.
September 22, 2021 at 14:17
Hi Alex! I had no idea so many people applied. For some reason, I thought only nomads would be interested in this opportunity and therefore that we had a chance. Super about our friends being chosen out of over 314,000 applicants. They deserve it and I can’t wait to follow along. 🙂
September 17, 2021 at 14:55
HI, Liesbet – I think that you, Mark and Maya would also have been perfect for this competition. I hadn’t heard about it until I read Peta and Ben’s blog post and saw that they had been among the 12 couples selected. I agree with you that they were a good choice. How much fun would it have been if you had both been selected, along with Janis/Paul and Kathy/Thom. 😀 Those blog posts would be COMPLETELY AMAZING and I would be even more jealous than I already am.
I look foward to following your ocntinued adventures as well as Peta and Ben’s.
September 22, 2021 at 14:19
Hi Donna! No way more than one person we actually know would have won this Airbnb contest. As it is, I am impressed, psyched, and excited to know one of the twelve couples. Next up: meeting them in person, so I can really say I know them. 🙂 Always happy to have you along for the ride. I am behind with posts, photos, SM, and updates, but I need a few days of peace first after this hectic summer.
September 18, 2021 at 11:27
I have followed Peta and Ben’s blog for many years and was thrilled to hear that they had been selected.
Such a shame you and Mark have not been selected, but in any case you are soon to start your great adventure. I think you would have been great candidates, but I can imagine that competition is tough for these things.
I must check out the other candidates, it all sounds very exciting.
September 22, 2021 at 14:24
Hi Gilda! I have seen you around Green Global Trek (and on SM) – there must have been so many of us being thrilled to learn that they won! They will do (and are doing) an amazing job sharing their Airbnb adventures and taking us along. I love it! Yes, if you have a chance to read the profiles of the other winning candidates, do so. I was impressed. After reading them, I understood why we hadn’t been picked. Happy Camino trails!!
September 19, 2021 at 06:58
How wonderful that your friends won, but congratulations for entering the competition too, Leisbet. After all, you only have a chance of winning it, if you enter it. In the meantime, keep on trying.
September 22, 2021 at 14:30
If you don’t try, you’ll never get a chance to win anything. This counts for so many things in life, Hugh! I certainly have an attitude of “what do we have to lose”? Thanks for weighing in!!
September 19, 2021 at 22:35
well I really think you should have been chosen (but I bet the pet was a huge factor because there are so many folks who do not want pets at their sites)
anyhow, we will follow along with your friends and look forward to this
September 22, 2021 at 14:34
Hi Yvette! Thank you for being so supportive. As Peta pointed out earlier, we would have to pick pet-friendly Airbnb accommodations, which would have restricted us hugely. Also, Maya has separation anxiety, so flying her in a cage to multiple destinations wouldn’t have been ideal. I guess I felt like I didn’t have anything to lose by submitting an application and I was going to deal with the consequences afterwards. This is pretty much how I seem to live. Which you know already. 🙂
Thank you for following along in their adventures. You’ll enjoy their YouTube channel!
September 22, 2021 at 14:50
Well my saying is you ha e to be in to get it – and so you surely did the right thing by submitting
And I had another thought
The folks at Airbnb missed out by but having someone with a pet be selected because it can model and advertise that so many places are fur-baby friendly (extra cleaning fees of course) but I’d say keep applying if they keep doing this because it would be clever to have a couple with a pet highlight more options
And I just saw an ad
For a site similar to Airbnb and so they might have some competition in the coming years
–
They already have some competition with the hotels that offer last minute comparable prices and well – maybe another year
–
Hope you have a great rest of the week and ttys
September 22, 2021 at 14:54
Good point about Airbnb being interested in travelers with pets. That’s why, when I applied, I made it clear from the start that we had a dog. It was the “all or nothing” approach I went for. In my opinion. It would have been cool to have a furry companion in the mix and – for them – to have first-hand information about Airbnb-ing with pets. Their loss, indeed, haha. Since this is their first year of doing this contest, maybe we have another chance next year. We will see. A lot can happen in a year, though, and we have great hopes to make it into South America by then. 🙂
September 20, 2021 at 21:04
Oh wow Liesbet! I was sureeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee this story was going to end with you guys winning! Congrats to your friends! And didn’t you say winners are allowed to bring 3 more people? How close of friends are you guys? Lol 🙂 <3
September 22, 2021 at 14:37
Probably not that close of friends to be sharing Airbnb rooms, but we can try… 🙂
Haha, not all stories have a good ending. Actually few do – it’s why I often struggle with reporting everything that is going on. I like closure and I like reaching my goals, so some topics/adventures I only write about when they are complete.
BIG congratulations to our friends. Yes, they technically have space for two more people in their traveling tribe. But, you had to indicate how many companions you were traveling with in your application and I’m sure Ben wrote “one companion.” If we could meet them in person one day – just like meeting you – I will be happy enough. 🙂
September 22, 2021 at 22:38
Aw you are so sweet. And I totally get your strategy – liking closure before writing about. That’s me. I’ll suck it all up and when something develops I’ll share, as I do on my blog.
So where are you guys off to first? Baja? Safe travels <3
September 22, 2021 at 22:47
Thanks. We are currently in the state of New York, resting up a bit and sitting out the weather (rain and wind) in a nice and free campground. Then, we’re heading towards Chicago to see three sets of friends. From there, I think we might have to head south as autumn has arrived. We’ve decided to take it slow, but just get to Baja before winter arrives in the southwest. 🙂
September 23, 2021 at 11:44
Woohoo. So happy for you guys. Do you think you’ll stay most winter in Baja? 🙂
September 25, 2021 at 11:03
No idea. First, we have to get there. 🙂 I think as of now, we might like to enter Mexico sometime in December and then, we will see how it goes. Maybe we’ll never leave again. 🙂
September 26, 2021 at 10:32
And I wouldn’t blame you one bit! Maybe we’ll both go to Mexico and never come back lol 🙂 xx
September 26, 2021 at 11:33
Haha! Yes, we could both become beach bums. Now that would be something! 🙂
September 22, 2021 at 13:32
Congrats to your friends and like many said, at least you tried. Funny how we can make plans then another opportunity knocks and the “what-ifs” begin. As for visiting AirB&Bs with dogs, it is challenging to find dog-friendly ones, at least ones I’ve researched. You are going to love (or maybe you already do) being on the road in your new camper and doing what you guys do best!
September 22, 2021 at 14:42
Hi Terry! I love to dive into potential adventures and see how it goes, making adjustments along the way and confronting challenges head on. It’s Ben and Peta who made me believe in karma more than anyone else, based on their travels, situations, and experiences. Things work out in the end, somehow. I do believe that it was not meant to be for us to win this Airbnb opportunity. Not with Maya. We have other means to travel and big aspirations about where to go and what to do in the next decade. And, yes, I LOVE being back on the road and having our lives back. It’s been a long and challenging summer! We are in New York state now, slowly heading back to the desert southwest, with a few detours. 🙂
October 8, 2021 at 12:48
What an amazing opportunity. So sorry you guys didn’t win. I imagine Maya was the reason why.
I have signed up to follow Peta and Ben’s blog in the past but I never get a notification. Of course I could always just check in on their blog occasionally but I have a lot of trouble just keeping up with one blog.
I wish them all the best and exciting adventures.
And now I think I’m all caught up with Roaming About!
October 8, 2021 at 16:13
I think we told you about our attempt to win this contest, right? It would have been interesting, but in a way more restrictive than what we are doing now. Peta thinks we could have joined with a dog – at the end of the day, it would be our responsibility to find pet-friendly AirBnB listings… And, nothing in the guidelines mentioned dogs – or the absence thereof.
You might want to try and subscribe to Green Global Trek again. They redid a few things on their website and even sent a test email out regarding their new subscription server or something like that. I’m getting their new posts, so far. I’m intrigued by their adventures and experiences, especially now that they will be on the move for an entire year. And, especially now that we finally met them in person. 🙂
Yes, you are caught up with Roaming About. A lot has been happening, but I don’t have time to keep writing and posting blogs, so this site will have a delay. I don’t really want to blog more than once a week, as it takes away precious time from other pursuits.