CURRENT MISSION

Living Learning Loving Serving

Why I'm Still Using Couchsurfing
If there's one hobby I can be truly proud of, it would have to be Couchsurfing. As a surfer or a host, I have had the exquisite pleasure of meeting and befriending complete strangers, staying in local homes instead of hotels or hostels, and helping out fellow travelers in need.

Couchsurfing, for those who are less familiar, is a mixture of cultural exchange, traveling on the cheap, and charity. It is one of the few ideas to emerge from the era of social networking that actually encourages people to do more, together, in person, than they would if they had not signed up. It builds bridges and confidence, improves social skills, and widens your horizons in incalculable ways. It gives back more than you could ever put into it.

It works based on a system of profiles and references, allowing hosts and guests some insight into who it is they will be sharing space with and what kind of experience they can expect. Completely free, it is the one way to stay connected - face-to-face - with people from around the world, without leaving your house.

Seriousness aside, this blog entry is going to be more lighthearted. For all the fun and joy Couchsurfing has brought into my life, there are numerous instances of weirdness that I just can't not share with everyone, and this week has reminded me just how awkward Couchsurfing can really be sometimes. I find myself wondering what compels me to keep doing it, until I meet another amazing person who reminds me how lucky I am to be a part of the community.

Let's start off with some of the horrors of Couchsurfing. The catch. The salt in your coffee. The bitter with the sweet. Whatever, the right analogy isn't coming to me at the moment. I think it's time to reveal just how messed up Couchsurfing can be sometimes, even if it's painful to admit. Don't worry, we'll get to the good stuff later.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

14 REASONS WHY COUCHSURFING IS THE BEST (ONLY) WAY TO TRAVEL
1. YOU’LL LEARN NEW THINGS
2. YOU’LL EXPERIENCE A NEW CULTURE FROM THE INSIDE
3. YOU’LL BREAK OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
4. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE TRUE MEANING OF GENEROSITY
5. YOU’LL MAKE NEW FRIENDS
6. YOU’LL DO AND TRY THINGS YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD
7. YOU’LL SEE THINGS THAT AREN’T IN GUIDEBOOKS (AND HEAR THE STORIES BEHIND THE FAMOUS SITES)
8. YOU WON’T BREAK THE BANK
9. IT’S INCREDIBLY SAFE
10. YOU SELECT WHO YOU WANT TO STAY WITH BASED ON SHARED INTERESTS, OR CRITERIA LIKE AGE AND GENDER
11. THE COMMUNITY IS OPEN TO EVERYONE
12. IT’S GREAT FOR THE SOLO TRAVELER
13. IT WILL HELP EASE THE TENSION BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR TRAVEL MATE(S)
14. YOU CAN TAKE A BREAK FROM PLANNING

Interests

TO SEE. good film. documentary film. dance.

TO HEAR. classical

TO WRITE. poems, novels and spiritual readings

TO TASTE. homemade foods and asian foods

TO FEEL. nature and love

• culture
• poetry
• documentaries
• dancing
• cooking
• wine
• coffee
• traveling
• blogging
• surfing
• solo travel

Music, Movies, and Books

A lot to enumerate... haha

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Love and Living life to the fullest...

Teach, Learn, Share

TIPS AND REMINDERS: Surfing does not obligate you to host. Hosting does not obligate you to surf. There are plenty of people in the Couchsurfing network who only surf, or only host. Fill out your whole profile! You are carefully choosing the people you’d most like to stay with, but they are also carefully choosing those who they will host. Hosts want to see who you are as much as you want to know about them. Upload at least 5 pictures, and try to be detailed about the kind of person you are and your interests. Carefully read the profiles of all the people you request. Nothing makes a potential host more annoyed than being able to tell that you did not read their profile. When you send them a request to stay at their place, be specific about why you found them interesting, and why you think you would get along. Send requests out to multiple hosts. In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You may not get accepted by your favorite host. Have a few back ups ready, and don’t feel bad asking a couple people at once in order to better your chances of being accepted by someone. However, if you are accepted by multiple hosts, be sure and respond to all of them, even if it’s just to say thank them for their offer, and let them know that you already found somewhere else to stay. You are an ambassador for your country. Remember that Couchsurfing is a reciprocal experience; your host is offering up his home because he wants to meet new people and learn more about other cultures. Treating your host’s house with the same (or more!) respect than you would your own is an expectation. Offer to do dishes, cook some dinner, fold up the bedding, etc. Gifts are never required, but it is kind to show up with some token of thanks, such as a bottle of wine, an interesting souvenir from your home county, some cookies, etc. One of the rudest things you can do is to be accepted as a surfer and then never show up. If you find out that you are no longer able to stay with someone who offered you a place, let them know sooner rather than later.

What I Can Share with Hosts

COUCHSURFING MIGHT NOT BE FOR YOU IF YOU: Have a high-stress personality and don’t like improvising. Are a germaphobe. Are obsessive about things like pillow or mattress firmness or softness. Have difficulty with social situations and meeting new people. Need a lot of privacy. Aren’t easily accepting of different lifestyles or belief systems. Feel you need constant access to the place you’re staying. (Many Couchsurfing hosts don’t give surfers keys. Understandable, I think, but maybe a problem for some people.) Desire more of a solo getaway or privacy with friends/significant others traveling with you.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia