Born in Brisbane, Australia, Madolline Gourley has discovered a singular method to discover the world with out the hefty price of lodging. For virtually three months, she has travelled throughout Canada, visiting Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and different cities. Unlike most full-time travellers, Gourley hasn’t needed to pay any hire. Instead, she resides with cats.
Gourley, 34, has at all times liked cats, having grown up with a number of pets throughout her childhood and adolescent years. When she shouldn’t be housesitting, Gourley lives together with her dad and mom and her cat Gracie in Australia. “My mum likes to think she is the cat’s mum,” Gourley joked. “My mum enjoys when I’m gone because the cat is forced to love my mum.”
What Housesitters Do and Where to Find Gigs
Gourley housesits for individuals with cats that must be taken care of whereas they’re away on trip or enterprise journeys. She establishes connections with cat homeowners by housesitting providers like House Sitters Canada, Mind My House, or House Carers.
While some web site listings ask for somebody to look at the home, most sitters will likely be requested to feed and hang around with animals, generally a number of animals. “You have your domestic animals like cats and dogs,” says Gourley. “But there are people who have iguanas, people who have a complete farm that you have to look after—so horses, cows, chickens.”
Although Gourley mentioned that almost all animals are instantly trusting, she warned that some animals would possibly take a while to heat to their new carer. Gourley recalled an incident with a cat named Isabelle in Vancouver. “It was an older cat—I think she was 13 or 14. They did warn me that she took a while to warm up to you. They were correct,” she mentioned. “She was a bit hissy and didn’t really like me, but after the third or fourth day, she wanted to sit on my lap, and she would let me pet her.”
In distinction, two Toronto cats she stayed with throughout her second journey throughout Canada final yr have been at the reverse finish of the spectrum. “They were the most beautiful, lovely, funny, perfect cats. And they [the owners] actually invited me back to house sit for them this year.” Gourley will likely be taking care of Henry and Josie for all of July.
Financial Benefits of Housesitting
@Madolline by way of Instagram
Considering how expensive journey has change into in recent times, with even the most reasonably priced room-sharing locations in Toronto costing greater than $100 per night time, cats have change into Gourley’s saving grace. Rent costs can rapidly exceed $500 for travellers wanting to remain in a widely known lodge in a chief location, resembling the Sheraton in Vancouver.
“Travel isn’t as affordable as it used to be, so if you’re willing to house and cat sit for someone, you can see some great places. While you don’t get paid, it kind of is like a free vacation,” Gourley mentioned. According to a latest Globe and Mail article, a pair saved round $6,000 when utilizing a house-swapping programme, just like Gourley’s cat-sitting gigs however with out the four-legged firm.
Visa Complications
While housesitting is an effective way to save cash whereas residing rent-free, Gourley revealed that her profession has not come with out problems. As reported by Australia’s information.com, with no legitimate work visa, Gourley was questioned and deported by US border officers in 2022 and despatched straight again to Australia.
According to Gourley, US immigration doesn’t care if sitters are usually not being paid for their preparations made attainable by sitting web sites; the drawback lies with what the traveller is doing. From her expertise at the US border, Gourley discovered that feeding a cat constitutes “productive activity,” and to hold out any kind of productive exercise, the traveller wants a piece visa.
The Next Housesitting Adventure
Gourley has been lucky sufficient to acquire her EU passport in a bid to broaden her sitting actions to Europe. With an EU passport, she will be able to keep in Europe and cat-sit for individuals there. “I have just been successful in getting Croatian citizenship through my grandma,” she mentioned, noting that language obstacles could possibly be problematic. “I just speak English,” she mentioned. “It might be a bit difficult, I am aware.”
What About a “Real” Job?
To increase her revenue, whereas Gourley is already saving cash by not having to pay for lodging, she can also be wanting for distant work with a piece allow and saving for the occasional lull in her schedule. “By the time I head home, I’ll have spent six months in Canada without having to pay for a place to stay,” she mentioned. “I don’t have a permanent job back home, I don’t have a mortgage, so I guess I do have a lot of flexibility that isn’t afforded to a lot of people.”
“But at some point, I think I will have to settle down and get a permanent job and only cat-sit a few weeks a year when I have vacation through my permanent job,” she continued.
Gourley has additionally launched her personal journey weblog, One Cat at a Time, which she makes use of to replace her followers on her adventures throughout the globe and advises fellow house-sitters on immigration and visa necessities for completely different nations.
Gourley’s distinctive strategy to travelling the world by housesitting has allowed her to discover quite a few cities with out the burden of lodging prices. By caring for pets, primarily cats, she has found a method to dwell rent-free, get pleasure from new experiences, and join with individuals throughout completely different cultures. Despite the challenges, together with visa problems, Gourley’s journey showcases an progressive method to journey and dwell overseas. Her story is a testomony to the advantages of considering outdoors the field and pursuing unconventional paths to realize one’s desires.