How to Spend Three Months in Italy for Free
Tired of 9 to 5 classes? Lucky you.
Airbnb is sending four travelers on a three-month trip to Italy, where a select few will spend time “at work,” covering all housing and living expenses (up to about $ 1,000 a month).
Partnering with local nonprofit Wonder Grottole , Airbnb is giving these winners the chance to settle in the southern Italian village of Grottole, where they will host other visitors and introduce them to their homes on Airbnb. The winners will introduce visitors to exciting local events such as olive oil production, pasta making and vegetable growing. No, they don’t need to know the language, and we’re not entirely sure how the hosts will learn more about Italian customs, but they will probably learn a thing or two during their stay there. Hosts can also take cooking and language classes on their weekends and “enjoy an aperitif with the local community”.
“Our dream is to repopulate the historic center,” said Silvio Donadio, co-founder of Wonder Grottole, in a statement . “In ten years time, we would like to see a village full of people from different cultures, perfectly integrated with the local community.”
They hope the experience will help revitalize tourism and perhaps even encourage people to move to a small village about 265 miles outside Rome. According to AirBnB in a statement , the city has only 300 residents and about 600 empty houses.
About 75,000 applicants have already been submitted to Airbnb since the contest launched, so please try to submit your application by the February 17 deadline. The winners of the competition will be announced on March 29, and the sabbatical will take place in the summer. If you would like to apply (and should) enter here .