Curated By: Business Desk
Last Updated: August 04, 2023, 11:52 IST
Fran Cassaniti from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Marco Ilagan from Chicago, Illinois, were travel enthusiasts in a long-distance relationship. Instead of relying on FaceTime calls like most long-distance couples, they enjoyed date nights in various locations worldwide, meeting up in places like India, Thailand and Brazil to be together.
Their journey began in 2016 when they first met and realised their shared passion for travelling the world. After a year of dating and another year of careful planning and saving, they took the bold step of quitting their corporate jobs, giving up their rented apartments and in January 2018, they embarked on their adventures together.
Fran Cassaniti and Marco Ilagan began their journey by flying to Marco Ilagan’s home country, the Philippines, and later travelled to Hawaii after six months. However, they soon realised that their frequent hotel and hostel moves every five days were not suitable for their goal of running a life-coaching business while living on the road. Fran said that they were seeking a way to continue travelling but with more stability and cost-saving opportunities for accommodation.
During this time, they came across a digital nomad couple on Instagram who had been house-sitting for two years, which inspired them to try it out as well. Fran Cassaniti and Marco Ilagan created an account on TrustedHousesitters.com and were delighted to be accepted for a house-sitting opportunity in Anchorage, Alaska, within just 15 days.
Their responsibility during the house sit involved taking care of a dog and a free-flying cockatiel named Tweetie. Despite initial nerves, the owners and their lovely pets made the experience enjoyable for them. The owners even left a car, two mountain bikes and hiking gear for Fran and Marco to explore and appreciate the breathtaking Alaskan scenery. Cassaniti fondly recalls that during breakfast, Tweetie would eagerly sit at his breakfast station, eagerly waiting for his treat of peanut butter with cookies.
Once Fran and Marco tried house-sitting, they were hooked, and it became their preferred way of living and travelling. They exclusively used TrustedHousesitters to book their house sits because of its wide selection of international opportunities and the convenience of having all their reviews in one place.
One memorable experience was spending four months in a beach retreat in Grenada, where they cared for two laid-back German Shepherds while the retired owners went sailing during the winter. Marco recalled it as their dream house, with a terrace offering breathtaking sunset views over the ocean. The garden was abundant with fruit trees, providing them with an endless supply of mangos and avocados for months. It was an idyllic and memorable time for the couple.
