A Serendipitous SabbaticalHomes.com Connection
Barbara Kolber attended a literary festival in Cartagena, Colombia a few years ago, where she heard acclaimed author Monica Ali speak about her experiences with immigration and identity. Ali’s celebrated novel Brick Lane, which was later adapted into a feature film about life in the Bangladeshi community of London, left a strong impression on Kolber. She recalls Ali as “a modest and eloquent speaker” whose words stayed with her long after the event.
An Unexpected Message from an Acclaimed Author
To Kolber’s surprise, Ali later reached out in response to her SabbaticalHomes.com listing for her New York home. “Such a serendipitous coincidence,” Kolber said. “I’m looking forward to her upcoming novel Untold Story, about what might have happened if Princess Diana had lived. To me, she’s a bit of a celebrity.”
This unexpected exchange highlighted one of the most unique aspects of SabbaticalHomes and how it connects people from diverse academic and creative backgrounds around the world.
Global Tenants, Shared Stories
Kolber’s hosting experiences have been just as inspiring as her literary encounter. Over the years, she has welcomed an Irish poet, a sociologist from Amsterdam, another from Australia, and couples from Prague and Germany. Each guest brought a different story, perspective, and appreciation for her home, reminding her how truly global the SabbaticalHomes community is.
“You just never know what can happen from a SabbaticalHomes.com connection,” Kolber reflected. “This is such an inspired and valuable service.”
Celebrating Meaningful Connections Worldwide
At SabbaticalHomes.com, stories like Barbara Kolber’s capture the spirit of our mission to help academics, writers, and artists find trusted home exchanges and temporary housing that foster creativity, collaboration, and discovery.
We love hearing from our members and writing about their extraordinary adventures. Do you have a SabbaticalHomes story you’d like to share? We want to hear from you! Connect with us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.