What’s the most interesting job your homeowner does? So far I have had 2 educators, and my spouse and I are also educators (online), I wonder if that is the trend.
However, so far the most interesting job a homeowner for one of my sits has shared, is that they are both Marine Archeologists, and they need a sitter while they travel to investigate a 2,500 year old shipwreck!
Incidentally, they and we were worried 2 month trip would get canceled due the geopolitical uncertainty happening, but their trip has been green-lit!
Great question! We did a local sit for a fellow who was an entrepreneur contestant on the “Dragons Den” show. Also, did a sit for a Parisian Chef and his designer husband who had a renowned French restaurant and catering business in California where they had the likes of Brad Pitt and other actors as clients. They’ve since moved on to operating a luxury resort in Costa Rica.
A woman I sat for several years back was an artist whose main business specialized in making molds of a certain male body part that she turned into all sorts of products for the clients and their partners, such as a particular type of ‘toy’ , sculpture, candle,etc…
We’ve come across quite a mix over time, although I suspect there probably is some clustering around professions that allow flexibility, remote work, sabbaticals, research travel, or extended leave. Educators definitely seem common.
A few that stood out for us:
A wildlife documentary sound recordist who spent months at a time in very remote locations.
A conservator working with museum collections and restoration projects.
An airline training captain whose schedule changed almost weekly.
A couple involved in marine conservation research… although your 2,500-year-old shipwreck investigation probably wins on cinematic value
What’s interesting is not always the “headline” profession itself, but how people live around it. Some homeowners have incredibly ordinary-sounding jobs but very unusual lifestyles, routines, or travel patterns.
I also think certain professions may gravitate toward THS because they already have:
high trust expectations,
internationally minded lifestyles,
pets they’re deeply attached to,
and homes that sit empty for meaningful stretches.
Marine archaeologists investigating an ancient shipwreck definitely sets a high bar for this thread though
About common professions for hosts: I often end up sitting for people who also work in tech (all ages) or have done that before retiring. The ones who still work also telecommute and have shared their home offices with me.
I figure there’s an element of self-selection, once they see what I do for a living when applying. When we overlap at handoff, they often want to discuss our career experiences.
My most recent THS sit, the host-wife said she immediately contacted me, because a startup I helped build was one she respected and the nonprofit she ran before retiring constantly used what we’d produced to help the nonprofit’s clients.
Two archaeologists - Canadian & American but living in Germany. One who studied the behaviour and movement of Mongolian reindeer herds and another who knew everything about the construction of ancient castles across the globe. Utterly fascinating people & brilliant dinner company. #lifesrichtapestry
A couple of authors. One author had a series of books made into a TV series. His wife is a radio presenter on a well known channel.
The owners of a restored sugar plantation in the Bahamas where they ran bone fishing holidays. I had never even heard of bone fishing.
Two separate wine merchants, one by Appointment to His Majesty the King
A music promoter.
A lady who devotes her life to gorilla conservation.
We didn’t know any of these facts before we accepted the sits.
These are just a few that spring to mind, As you can image we have had some fascinating conversations around the pre-sit dinner table (and some very good wine).
I sat for a Senator of our Federal Government in Australia. Filthiest house I have ever had the displeasure of staying in. Position certainly doesn’t mean pride!
