For German travelers Elke Thau-Montgomery and Rudi Thau, and their American hosts Beth Ann Moon and Jennifer Steinberg, a calamitous Airbnb situation turned into a continent-spanning, enduring friendship.
When a huge plumbing disaster strikes, most Airbnb guests would pack their bags and demand their money back, while their hosts would glumly write off their profits and try to forget about it.
But what sealed the deal was the Volkswagen Beetle parked outside. The German couple figured anyone with a VW Beetle was likely to be on their wavelength.When Elke and Rudi presented their hosts with the gin, Beth went into the house and brought out another bottle from the same distillery, about double the size.The two couples ended up sitting outside all night, drinking and chatting.
"Most people, I think, that were at an Airbnb would demand their money back and demand that we get a hotel for them," says Jennifer."I didn't know what to expect. And the next thing I knew, they were in our backyard building us a fire pit." "We all kind of think the same about things -- politics, cultural things and stuff," says Elke."We connected and that was cool."Elke and Rudi were avid travelers who always greeted Airbnb hosts with warmth and friendliness. But they'd never bonded with anyone in the way they bonded with Jennifer and Beth.
The foursome parted as close friends. And once Rudi and Elke were back home in Germany, Beth and Jennifer refunded their stay.Her luggage was lost. Then a kind stranger came to her aidRudi and Elke have this maypole in their backyard. It's topped with an illustration of their loved ones, including Beth and Jennifer.Several months later, the two couples reunited in Germany like no time had passed. Jennifer and Beth loved seeing the country through the eyes of people who live there.
Five years on from their first meeting, the couples' loved ones have also met and bonded. Today, Rudi, Elke, Jennifer and Beth see themselves as one extended, cross-continental family.Rudi and Elke erected a homemade maypole in their yard in Bavaria, topped with a picture of their family. Naturally, Jennifer and Beth are included in the illustration.
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