I do Airbnb my rooms. This is the 3rd time he’s done laundry (which is near the kitchen and living room) in less than a week, which already feels a bit much. But the bigger issue is the kitchen situation.
Every time I start cooking, he somehow shows up at the same time to “cook” too. Then he just… stays there. He talks a lot, tries to be social, and literally sits there watching me finish making my food. It makes me really uncomfortable to move around.
He’s not a bad person at all. He’s actually kind and hasn’t done anything objectively wrong. But I feel like I have zero privacy in my own home. I’m a woman, he’s an older man, and I just want 10 minutes alone in the kitchen without feeling watched or forced into conversation.
I don’t want to be rude or create tension, but I also don’t want to feel like I’m being “timed” out of my own space.
My other guest is the complete opposite. Very respectful, stays in his room most of the time, and only uses common areas briefly and considerately.
How do I set a boundary here without making it awkward? Is it reasonable to ask for a short window of privacy in the kitchen?