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WindowSwap Around the World

Plain English

 

Author: Vijayalaxmi Hegde

 
View of an orange sunset over a city-scape with high-rise buildings.

The view from Robin's window in San Francisco, USA.

 

Ever wonder how the setting sun would look from half way around the world? Without traveling to that place, of course. Or, do you simply want to see something different than what you are used to seeing from your window?

 

View through a window of a small bird on hanging bird-feeder. In the background: a blue sky, wooded landscape surrounding a blue lake.

The view from Andrew's window in Seattle, USA.

 

WindowSwap is the place you need to go to. It’s a website where you can enjoy the view from someone's window. Or upload the view from your window for anyone in the world to see.

 

A city-scape of high-rise buildings against a blue sky with some fluffy clouds.

The view from Suyeon's window in Seoul, South Korea.

 

WindowSwap reminded me of how excited I was when I first got on to Google Earth. Only, it's more personal: another human being is looking at the same thing that I am looking at. And that human being wants to share this view with me.

 

A window with a view on a garden. The pull blinds are half down. There's a mirror leaning against the wall on the right.

The view from Igor's window in Ryazan, Russia.

 

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View out on to a a field and trees with snow. Flowering potted plants are on the windowsill.

The view from Wayne's window in Sidney, Australia.

 

A few minutes from someone's life, somewhere in the world.


Better than travel in a sense, I’d say.

 

View of plants on a windowsill, a grey building in a neo-classical style in the foreground. On the horizon a castle with turrets on top of a hill.

The view from Mauro's window in Bellinzona, Switzerland.


Some of the views I saw were incredible. Like this one from Mauro Caccivio’s window in Bellinzona, Switzerland. There is a castle in the background, complete with turrets and all. Imagine how mundane it must to be the person who sees it just across their window everyday.

 

View of a flat city-scape with a large river.

The view from Mars' window in London, England.


Or, this view from a window in London. Was I looking at the Thames, sitting at my computer in the southern state of Karnataka in India?

 

View of a wooded hill with some houses. In the foreground a balcony with plants in pots.

The view from Janet's window in Seattle, USA.


The gardener in me jumps at this view of a lovely balcony garden in Janet’s home, Seattle, USA.

 

View through a window of a residential block. There are raindrops on the glass.

The view from Chloe's window in Taipei, China.


Rain looks lovely everywhere and makes me nostalgic – the one outside Chloe’s window in Taipei not being an exception.

 

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A over slated roofs with a old square tower of huge blue sky with some white fluffy clouds.

The view with blue sky from Michael's window in Cork, Ireland.

 

It’s when you look at the sky, the rain, even pets outside someone else’s window, that it is driven home to us yet again that we as human beings are part of the same earth. Everyone wants a little beauty in their lives, a little something out-of-the-ordinary.

 

A window overlooking a drive-way bordered by a lawn, a house and trees. A bird-feeder is in front of the window. A small brown dog is looking out of the window.

The view from Sarah's window in Paducah, USA.

 

And the creators of WindowSwap get that. Sonali Ranjit and Vaishnav Balasubramaniam work as creative directors at ad agencies in Singapore. They told The Hindu newspaper they were bored with the same view out of their window.

 

In the foreground a balcony with a table, chairs and a washstand with clothes drying. In the background white residential houses in front of wooded trees.

The view from Suzan's window in Fethiye, Turkey.

 

One day, they happened to see a photo of the view outside a friend’s balcony in Barcelona. Thus was born WindowSwap.


They started with video clips from friends. They now receive nearly 200 or more videos from 80+ countries daily.

 

View down to a cross-roads with traffic and a cafe on the corner.

The view from Vavin's window in Paris, France.

 

The upload guidelines recommend that the camera not be shaken while recording. However, Sonali says they were touched when inexperienced people took shaky videos and had someone help upload them.


The couple go through the videos for profanity, nudity, or any other disturbing content. Otherwise, the videos are un-edited.

 

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“On WindowSwap, you might spot six teen-age boys strolling along an Amsterdam canal. Or a white bird flying high across the pyramids of Giza, Egypt,” says The New Yorker.



There’s no telling where you’ll go today. Just get on board.


A half opened window with a view down to the garden.

The view from Margret's window in Robertsbridge, UK.

 

View of an orange sunset over a city-scape with high-rise buildings.

The view from Varum's window in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

 


Visit the WindowSwap website: www.window-swap.com

 

Photos: WindowSwap

*Quotes are edited to Plain English.*

 

Back to all Plain English articles.

 

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