I hosted travellers through Couchsurfing in my twenties and loved it, and now in my mid-40s I’m happily opening my home to guests again. This time around, there’s no sofa sleeping—guests enjoy a private room with an en-suite bathroom in a comfortable home. Hosting helps me stay connected with people from different cultures now that I’m retired. While I can’t offer airport pickups or tours, getting around Cape Town is easy with affordable Uber and public transport. You’re free to explore this amazing city independently, and I’ll be around as a welcoming, relaxed host—perhaps even for a shared dinner now and then.

I’ve never climbed a mountain or won a race, but I believe small actions can be just as meaningful. One of the things I’m most proud of is convincing a friend—who had no interest in Africa at all—to join me on safari in Kenya and Tanzania. The trip completely changed his perspective; I’d even say it changed his life. Since then, he and his wife have visited me in South Africa on several occasions, they have completely fallen in love with Cape Town, and they themselves are now in the process of buying a home here. We may even end up as neighbours on the same street. For me, helping someone discover a love for this continent they might never have experienced otherwise feels like a small but deeply meaningful act—one that quietly reshaped all of our paths and brought our futures closer together.