As a twenty-something with no tangible career at the moment, people I know often ask me "How can you afford to travel like you do?"
The answer is simple: CouchSurfing.
I first heard of the concept in 2008 when a friend of mine hosted someone from Germany. I have to admit, at first, I thought the whole thing was crazy. "You're just letting someone you don't know sleep on your couch?!" It's not like you spin a wheel and land on a random stranger to stay with! The CouchSurfing website is set up to keep you safe as long as you follow their guidelines. After giving it a whirl myself, I have become somewhat of a CouchSurfing addict.
"That's all well and good, but what exactly is CouchSurfing?", you ask?
“ CouchSurfing is an international non-profit network that connects travelers with locals in over 230 countries and territories around the world. Since 2004, members have been using our system to come together for cultural exchange, friendship, and learning experiences.” (About CouchSurfing, 2010)
Here is a basic overview of how CS works:
1. You create a profile. Yes, it's free! You can opt to donate $25 and get your location verified. Don't be a cheapskate. For the money CS saves you and invaluable experiences you will have because of it, this is a small price to pay to keep an amazing online community alive. You want to fill in your profile as much as possible. Would you want to host someone without knowing anything about them? That, and CS is about much more than a free place to stay. It's about meeting people and experiencing new cultures. When you are requesting a couch, you will want to look for people you have things in common with. If you do not mention specific information like this in a request, you are not likely to get hosted. The more complete your profile is, the better your experiences will be.
2. Get experience! Go forth and host and be hosted. You can use the CouchSearch feature to find a couch in locations you wish to travel, or you can choose to host people where you live. As you interact with other members of the CS community, you will leave each other references. This is a keystone of what makes this process work. You can look on other people's profiles and see if they have positive or negative references from others who have stayed with or hosted them. What's more, there is the Vouching system. Besides references, this is what I look for the most when CouchSearching, and it is taken very seriously by the community. Members vouch for other members who they have met face to face and consider to be trustworthy. Most importantly, members can only vouch after having been vouched for by three others. Besides these safety systems, always go with your gut. If you have a bad feeling about someone, don't stay with them.
Not only have I saved money by Couchsurfing, I have experienced cultures, tasted wonderful homemade foods, made lasting friendships, and I have had countless experiences thanks to my hosts that I could have never had staying in a hotel. I even spent last Christmas with one of my former hosts and her family!
Think you're ready to start surfing? Make sure you read the guidelines thoroughly before participating! There is also a very informative wiki. If you do your homework and feel that CS is right for you, you should have some unforgettable travel experiences ahead!
Join the Conversation