What attracts you to a macaw? If I were in your shoes, I would get a medium bird like an amazon. Their speaking abililities are better, take up less space and are not as loud. Their beaks are not as intimidating either. A bird does not smell unless you do not change the paper in the cage for a very long time. If you want to do a trial run, look into fostering with a rescue. If things work out, you may adopt it. It is not ideal to do this, but it is done. Keep in mind that the bird may bond with one of you and hate the other. Then what will you do?