Home swap: The Millers
Our 'Home Swap' this month concentrates on the Keane family from England, and the Miller family from South Carolina, USA. As usual, our families had a two-week holiday in each other's houses, and we interviewed them at the end of the stay. So how did they cope?
George and Sandy Miller and their children, Helen (17) and Daniel (8) had a shock when they first saw the Keanes' three-bedroom terraced house in Gloucester. "It's so small!" said Sandy. Where will we all sleep?" But inside, the house was more welcoming. "It's bigger than it looks from the outside, and we were pleased to find that there were three bedrooms," said George. But the kids weren’t impressed. "Mum and Dad's room was OK, but our bedrooms were really small!" complained Daniel. The Millers found it difficult to live in a house with only one bathroom. At home, they have two bathrooms and three toilets! "And we have a study, where we keep the computer, and a playroom in the basement," said Helen. "In Gloucester, we had to all stay in the living room together or go to our bedrooms." So was there anything positive about the experience? "The house was beautifully decorated," said Sandy, "and it was very cozy. It was April when we stayed in the house, but the weather was terrible. We were very grateful for the carpets, the central heating, and a real fire in the living room." Another good point for George was the garden. "We were very surprised by the large, long garden at the back of the house. We couldn't really enjoy it because of the weather, but it was obvious that the Keanes had put a lot of work into it. It was well designed and full of beautiful plants and flowers. Actually, I think British people have a bit of an obsession with houses and gardens - there are so many TV programs about them!".