Couchsurfing is a web-based network of people who are looking for, and offering, beds for the night. At least, that's how it started. The website's 'about' section has this to say:
"Couchsurfing is a community of over 5 million members in 97,000 cities — and every country — around the world. Our website connects travellers and locals who meet offline to share cultures, hospitality and adventures – whether on the road or in their hometowns.
Our Mission is simple: Create inspiring experiences.
We envision a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter. Building meaningful connections across cultures enables us to respond to differences with curiosity, appreciation and respect. The appreciation of diversity spreads tolerance and creates a global community.
At the Couchsurfing headquarters in San Francisco, we’re working tirelessly to create the greatest possible online platform for our community to achieve its goals."
As it sounds, the website has become more than simply a place where people look for a place to stay. If you search for a location, you can find people holding conversations about meeting up, going to see things, or even just relaxing in the park of an afternoon - it's a platform for people to meet up and, like they say in their 'about' section, share adventures.
Of course, I will mainly be using it to try and find places to stay the night if I have no connections who are able to host me in a particular spot. It's quite a simple process; you search for the area of your choice, and then click to see a list of hosts. You can filter your search by various parameters, including gender and language (useful for me, being only able to ask for a beer in Spanish!) and see a list of people who might be hosting in the area. If you see one you like the look of, you send them a message asking if their couch is available. If they like the look of you, and they are available, then they will say yes, and that's it! The website leaves the pair of you to sort out the rest of the details between you, and once you have stayed you are invited to leave a review of the couch for other people to see, if they are looking at couch surfing in the same place.
It's quite an ingenious idea, really. It is a much safer way of couch surfing than simply arriving at a town and asking around, as you can see in advance what the person has to say about themselves, and what other people have to say about them. Of course, as you are essentially staying with strangers it is always better to err on the side of caution (such as telling someone else where you will be staying!) but, as the website is monitored and they can see who you have agreed to stay with, it is that much harder for anyone looking to take advantage of backpackers to get away with it through Couchsurfing. It's also based on mutual trust: you are unlikely to go and stay with someone who has no information about themselves, and conversely you are unlikely to get hosted if you don't tell anyone anything about you! And of course, in staying with a local you are guaranteed to find at least one friendly face everywhere you go! Some hosts will show you around a city, some will introduce you to their friends, or leave you to our own devices - whatever you prefer. And, of course, it suits those of us on a budget, since while people may ask for favours in return for putting you up, such as a meal or some help with the cleaning, Couchsurfing is (as far as I have seen) totally free!
Admittedly, this is all currently based on what I have read on their website and heard about from friends. But I will keep you updated on how I get on as I travel round, in case I stay with anyone through couch surfing, hopefully with the photos to prove it! It fits rather nicely with the Scouting theme of this trip, even though it has nothing officially to do with Scouting; the whole organisation is based on people who are willing to meet new people, share new experiences, be generous, and be honest and trustworthy. That last bit is basically even the first Scout Law in the UK, "A Scout is to be Trusted"! So even if it's not actually meeting up with foreign Scout troop and staying with them, it's still very much in the spirit of my purpose out in the Americas, and I am looking forward to meeting people to show me around, and to make friends with as I wander about the vast expanses of Mexico and the USA.
Speaking of showing me around, that reminds me... I really need to buy a travel guide, and I can't decide whether to get the Lonely Planet guides, the Rough Guides, or the Footprint guides. Why not like my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/getawoggleon) and let me know if you have a preference?
Until next time, amigos!
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