Our comfortable 1920s home was completely renovated in 2009. It has four bedrooms (two with queen-sized beds, one with a twin-sized bed and one with a crib) and three bathrooms. We also have a sofabed in the finished basement, if additional sleeping space is needed. The covered front porch is a wonderful place to dine and relax from late spring through autumn. A sunny backyard has a paved stone patio with a gas BBQ grill. We grow a variety of vegetables and have a collection of blueberry and raspberry bushes. Our home has a high efficiency washer and dryer in the bath on the main floor, wireless internet connection, TV with DVD, etc. We have two children (a four year old son and infant daughter). Consequently, we have many, many toys, books and gear to entertain youngsters.

Our home is in Alameda, a quiet and desirable neighborhood a short distance to downtown Portland. Most of the houses in the neighborhood were built in the 1920s, and it remains one of the most pedestrian-friendly areas of the city. We live 5 blocks (400m) from the busline. To downtown, it is 15 minutes by bus and less than 10 minutes by car.

It is a 5 minute walk from our home to the organic grocery store, small neighborhood library and a handful of cafes and restaurants. Many parks and playgrounds are within walking distance. We live in an area of Portland with some of the city’s finest restaurants for any budget. Two bikes are available for exploration of surrounding neighborhoods.

Portland, Oregon is blessed with a temperate climate and unrivaled location. The stunning Columbia Gorge is 30 minutes away, skiing (winter AND summer) and hiking (summer) on Mt. Hood is only 1.5 hours away, and the Oregon coast is a 2 hour drive. Numerous festivals dominate the summer season. Portland public transit system is excellent, but we have a Subaru Outback wagon for possible exchange.

We are non-smokers and kindly ask that you do not smoke in our home. We own a lovable dog (a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix), but he will be elsewhere during your stay.

Because Hilary teaches at the university, we generally travel according to the academic calendar (June – September, late March and late December). We also are open to weekend exchanges involving locations within driving distance.

Open to suggestions.

We are a family of four (five, if you include our dog). Hilary teaches English as a Second Language at the local university, and David is a lawyer with a Danish company. Our son is four years old, and our daugther is less than a year. Between us, we have lived in the US, UK, Egypt, France, Thailand, Micronesia and Taiwan.

We are avid hikers, and enjoy the mountains and coast equally. We also enjoy exploring and re-exploring cities around the world.

English, Français, Thai