Santorini

The life of a global Housesitter can be wonderful, exciting, rewarding and terrifying.

Due to being low on money I was looking for any house sit that was long term, one that would give me some time to build my online presence, not have to spend too much money by moving around and time to rest a little as the last year had been amazing but tiring. So when I saw one in Santorini, the famous Greek Island I was pretty excited and applied immediately.

My previous study on Greek history had really built it up to be something incredible and after the first experience in 2020 I left feeling a little disappointed as it had not lived up to my expectations. Don’t get me wrong, the history and country was beautiful, I just thought it would be special to me. It wasn’t. Therefore I saw this house sit as the opportunist that I am to give the country a second chance.

I had no idea what was in stall for me. After using up nearly all of my remaining finances to get there and leave Mali Losinj, the most stunnung island in Croatia early, where I was happy and the lady was happy for me to stay another 2 weeks, the owner of the house in Oia messaged me the day before the sit and says she had delayed her plan to go to Austria for another 2 weeks. I had already booked a bus, then a flight, a hotel and a ferry to get to the island. I was going to have to go now. So frustrating.

Let’s start with the dogs and cats, I recall on the site it said 4 dogs and 8 cats, but when I arrived there are 8 dogs inside, but another 4 sometimes 5 wild dogs she also gives food and water to (who bark constantly) and then the 12 cats. Albeit 2 of the cats went to a new home and 3 dogs went to foster homes, but still I was in shock, it’s like a full time job and these animals are in the house. Cats sitting on the cooktop, on my plate at dinner, dogs in my bed, many of them. It was chaos. But I’ve decided I would rather do the animal sanctuary in the house than handle the owner, who liked to yell in German as well which was comforting, let’s call her N for Nazi. I actually think she may have been when I look back.

My first inkling that something might be off was when she raised her voice at me when I used the wrong sponge on the sink, but fuck there were 2 and they looked identical, apparently one was for decoration, are you fucking serious? Then the yelling moved to how I stacked the dishwasher, used plates, put glasses away, watered the plants, ate, moved when the dogs were eating in the kitchen, dressed, took a breath, blah blah blah. You get the idea.

It was at this point I thought it couldn’t get any worse as I had two weeks to go, I was wrong.

Her husband god bless him had dementia and liked to watch porn in his nappy but I can handle that, just not the kissing. He used to waddle over with the nappy hanging low to kiss me (always aiming for the lips). This was only interluded by him yelling at me because I wouldn’t buy him cigarettes, which she lost the plot over if I did.

All this I could handle but the final straw came when she left the chair out from dinner and the dog climbed up on the table and ate all the drugs in the drug box, again my fault. It was time to go, some people are damaging to your mental wellbeing and I was not planning on letting that happen. Advice, go to Santorini solo and book a nice hotel, it really is heaven.