Private room · Shared bathroom

$40.00 per night · St. Petersburg, Florida

Active

$40.00/night

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$40.00/night

Add dates to see full price

Hosted by Michael S

Verified Host

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Hola, Oi, Salut, Saluti! I’m a chef, tutor, teacher and writer—and homestay host. I studied education and psychology, worked with children, then started and ran my own catering business for 20 years in Boston. We catered at Harvard, MIT, weddings and many other events—up to 600 people! I started hosting international ESL students in my home in Boston in 2009. In October of 2022 I moved to St. Petersburg (next to Tampa,) Florida. I bought a home with a view of a lake, and watch the birds—and sometimes turtles—splash in the water. The dining room table faces the sunset, and there’s also a screened-in patio where we eat and can sit outside. Like most Florida homes, there is central air-conditioning. I enjoy hosting because it allows me to see my culture through the eyes of foreigners, and I know a lot about some of those cultures—especially Brazil, France and Italy—since I lived in those countries. I have taught ESL and cooking classes to children and adults, and have designed my own curriculum and program, so I often help my homestay guests with their English. I’m still exploring my new home in sunny St. Petersburg—restaurants, shops, markets, museums, parks, beaches. I look forward to your living in my home, and exploring with me. Get hungry!

Room overview

Private room

Full bed

Shared bathroom

What's included

Desk
Chair
Closet or wardrobe
Lamp
Window

About the household

It’s a large, spacious home with an open plan living room/dining room/kitchen with windows looking out onto a yard with flowering shrubs and a mango and avocado tree. There are 2 guests bedrooms in a separate wing, with a shared bathroom. (I have my own bathroom off my bedroom on the other side of the house.) Washer/dryer in utility room. I learned to cook in while living in France and Italy (and at Wesleyan, where I studied psychology.) After working as a teacher and child psychotherapist, I founded and ran a catering business for 20 years. After I sold the business I lived in Brazil to create a program teaching English through cooking. I speak Portuguese, French & Italian, and have taught English privately to Brazilian adults and to children. I’ve also created after-school programs to teach children math, science and language through cooking. I provide full dinner every night and self-serve breakfast. Dinners feature cuisines like Brazilian, Italian, French, Asian as well as down-home American—and sometimes vegetarian. I do NOT accept smokers, and ask guests to not use fragrances or aerosol spray as they make me cough and sneeze. Because I'm a chef and I'm providing restaurant-quality dinners, guests have limited kitchen access: self-serve breakfast (I provide) of coffee/tea/milk, cereal, bread or pastry and fruit. I prefer that guests do NOT buy their own food, and guests have limited refrigerator access. Freezer is not available, cooking isn’t allowed unless negotiated and approved. Here are some comments from past guests: “Thank you for introducing me to all kinds of new international food, and for the home-made cakes, cookies and puddings you made.” “I was so relieved that you spoke Portuguese. You really helped me a lot with my English—and with understanding American culture.” “I’ll never forget our trip to Yankee Candle, and swimming in the pond on hot summer nights. I’m still dreaming about your lime-coconut fish. Come to Brazil and cook it for me!” “I was so happy when you surprised me by cooking beef bulgogi on my birthday. I was feeling homesick for Korea and that made me feel better. Thanks you also for helping me learn to pronounce “R” and “L” in English.”

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Shared spaces & amenities

Wifi
Kitchen access
Washer
Dryer
Heating
Air conditioning
Free parking
Outdoor dining area

Shared activities

Meals together

Outdoor activities

Board games or indoor activities

Local outings

Meet the household

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House rules

• Please remove shoes in the house. Do not track water or mud on floor. • People outside your room should not hear your music, computer, phone, etc. Quiet hours are between 10 pm & 8 am. • Do not touch the thermostat, it is automatic. • Do not answer my phone—let the answering machine take any messages. • Please limit shower time. Do not wash clothes in the shower—it wastes water. Use the washing machine, or the plastic bucket. Hang clothes outside, on rack or use dryer. • Turn off lights when not in your room. • When you leave the house, make sure refrigerator is closed, water isn’t running in sink or toilet, lights are off, and door is closed and locked. • Breakfast is self-serve: coffee/tea/milk, cereal or bread/pastry, fruit. Please clean up after breakfast: put dishes in dishwasher, wipe counter & table. Do not leave dishes in sink or crumbs on table/counter: we will have ants or mice. • Do not bring food into your room—it attracts mice and ants. • Do not put hot pots or kettle on counter or table. Make tea/coffee on the stovetop. If you burn the surface and leave a mark, you will pay for the repair. • Clean up after yourself in the bathroom: do not leave hair in the sink or bathtub. • Guests clean their own rooms and wash their laundry, including sheets and towels. • Dinner is served when ready, between 7 & 8 pm. If you won’t be home for dinner, please tell me the night before. Please don’t call at 7:00 pm to say you are not coming home for dinner that night. If you’re not home by 7:00 and don’t call, I won’t save dinner. Dinner is eaten at night. I do not save dinner to be eaten for lunch the following day. • Guests help with dinner: set table, wash dishes, take out recycling & sweep floor. • Please sign up by Thursday night for weekend dinners so I can buy enough food. You have not paid for lunch on weekends—only dinner. • Please ask permission before bringing guests home. Sleepovers are not allowed. • Cell phones are not allowed at the dinner table. • If you need to reach me, call my home number (617-625-8278) and talk to the answering machine. If I don’t answer, call my cell 347-248-9055. If you need immediate medical attention or for emergencies, ask for help or call 911. • SMOKING IS NOT ALLOWED. DO NOT WEAR FRAGRANCES OR USE AEROSOL PRODUCTS: I’M VERY ALLERGIC AND THEY MAKE ME COUGH.

Host Services

Meals

2/day on weekdays, 3/day on weekends

School transportation

To and from school each weekday

Airport transportation

Pickup or dropoff service

Not available

Location

Other rooms offered by this host

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Private room • Shared bathroom

$40.00 per night

$40.00/night

Add dates to see full price

$40.00/night

Add dates to see full price