Emanuela, Rome
Emanuela brought to Open, where we met her for this shooting, her first-hand experience with the Rome Home Sharing Club, leading a workshop addressed to those who are willing to commit in order to add value to their local community. Originally from Caserta, with a law degree, she has a contagious smile and very clear ideas. The home sharing experience, some years ago, changed her in many ways: now she is someone who knows how to turn a house into a cozy home, she carefully studies Rome’s neighborhood to give the best tips to her guests and goes out of her way to make them happy, even involving family members, always ready to help. She gives their guests maps to get around easily, and provider them with restaurant tips to eat the best carbonara in town. She thinks the hosts have a challenging and beautiful responsibility: to honor the Italian culture and its infinite, local traditions. That’s why she is a fan of networking among hosts, because it is a civic mission.
“Guests check-in usually takes an hour and half. It’s important for them, and for me, because I hope that, thanks to my help, they get the feeling they have arrived in the most beautiful city on Earth. I want them to leave Italy already planning the next trip back here. I really put a lot of effort into this. Our guests are the ambassadors of our Country to the world, and we are the ones who should make their experience memorable. I work hard to create a bond since the very beginning. And then there is the offline experience. You have to make them feel involved in your life. As hosts we have a great power, which is key to improve Rome and to convey its beauty. Even its most hidden gems. We, the hosts, have to know them, like the Musei Capitolini or the street art in Tor Marancia. The community is the future of the home sharing.”
