Hi to all! It's been sometime since I've posted here, but everyone is always so helpful!

I am interested in travelling to Italy this summer. I am also considering renting a farmhouse in Tuscany for a considerable length of time that I want to use as a base for travelling around Tuscany and possibly taking a few classes at the Siena Conservatory.

I would like to try to find people (other travellers, most probably female who are also artists/musicians) with whom I can share this house while I travel about. I wondered if anyone could recommend the best way of making something like this happen? (online seems risky, other ad options possible? join a travel club?).

I guess I'm asking for safe ways to meet people who are interested in sharing a Tuscan house and who might want to share in this travelling experience.

Any suggestions (esp the female travellers out there)?
Thanks a million!
Patricia

You might find that your message/question is welcome on www.slowtrav.com

Best wishes,

Rex

Thanks Rex! I'll check the site out. It already looks interesting!

Are there any other possible options? Has anyone done this sort of thing?

Thanks much!
Patricia

Perhaps if you checked with the nearest university, you might find student artists/musicians, or even possibly their instructors, who would like to share the farmhouse in Tuscany with you this summer.

I guess I have done something vaguely similar, but not for the length of time you're talking about. I assembled a group of seven - - we incorporated a week in a villa (on Lake Garda) as part of a 13 day trip to Italy. Three were people who directly contacted me from reading about the idea here (one of those subsequently withdrew). Of the other two, one recruited one friend (which ended up being three). I am embarrassed to say that I do not remember how we arrived at having the seventh person join us. I met the one other person who contacted me, and four of the other five knew each other.

In general, I made all the reservations (except the air), did the driving, and functioned as leader (and "banker&quot. The other six stayed three additional nights in Rome after I went home.

I took a certain amount of heat here for talking this up; there were (some people with) suspicions that I was out to get my trip paid for by the others, or some other gain "under the table". None of this was true, but I did talk about it too much. I have not tried it again since,but I would like to, in 2005. A whole summer is not an option for me, any time soon.

So, this might not be a fertile place for you to find your travel buddy (or buddies). But then again ,it might.

Good luck!

I think the university idea sounds like a good one, likewise art schools. You might even contact the Siena Conservatory to see if they could suggest how to connect you with fellow students there.

Another idea might be to place a classified ad with Journeywoman:
http://journeywoman.com/

On Rick Steves' website, he has a message board for solo travelers looking for travel partner. Go to "graffit wall message board" and then "travel partners wanted".

Sorry it took so long to reply. I've been having trouble logging on here from my home computer.

agree Lesli, that Brimham's idea about contacting the university, and possibly other students there sounds good. Thanks for the idea Brimham! I'm not sure how to approach it though. Do you have any suggestions on how to go about posting ads with the students there? I don't really speak Italian.

I also like the idea of posting on journeywoman or other art schools. Thanks Lesli!

And yk, i'm definitely going to check out the graffiti wall! Thanks!

And thanks Rex for relating your story. I would like to do something like it, and am just trying to get ideas!

Thanks all!
Patricia

Oh, lol....I meant the nearest university to where you live. Hopefully you won't have a language issue that way, lol.

Might be a good idea to call the chair of the music or art department or something like that and get their advice on how to go about it. Make sure that whoever you approach about it understands CLEARLY that they have to pay their own way to Italy. All you are doing is asking them to share a house with you, and I'm assuming that includes paying part of the bills as well? Make sure they are perfectly clear about that, too, if it's the case.

Good luck, it sounds like you'll have a great summer!

Another thing....many universities seem to have sister programs at universities abroad. Perhaps the art and/or music departments at the university nearest you might have a liason with the same departments at a university in Italy. That might be a way of approaching italian music or art students about sharing the farmhouse in Tuscany, instead of students there in the States.

I'm not really sure if that makes sense. Hopefully you get what I'm trying to say? Been a long day here, whew.

You're welcome. I can provide you more info on how it went, if you wish. We had more lead time than you have (5 months - - from mid April to mid-September).

Brimham,

Thanks for the suggestions! I guess I misunderstood about asking in my own area and around at my university but it is a great idea! I also like the idea of there being a sister program or something that might allow me to have contact with professors and students at the sister school. I am going to find out more about this possible option!

Rex,
I would like to hear about your trip and scheduling of it.

Thanks again!!!
Patricia

E-mail me or let me know your e-mail address here.

Have your thoughts crystallized further on this? See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34487937