Couch Surfing
01/07
When I hear the words "couch surfing" I think of a guy floating along in the middle of the ocean lying on an actual couch. But, the term "couch surfing" applies to travelers who have come together via the Internet to welcome vacationers from around the world into their home to sleep on their couch for a few days.
This group's mission is to create a better world by opening their homes, hearts, and lives in exchange for cultural knowledge and meaningful connections. If you are interested in traveling the world and meeting locals, this is a unique opportunity to be invited into someone's home. There you can learn about their culture, taste authentic food, and see the city from a native's point of view.
Many people who do this are not just looking for a free place to crash at night, but are hoping to learn about different cultures and in exchange, share their own understanding of the world.
I think I would consider couch surfing, if given the opportunity to thoroughly check out the person I would be staying with. That could be done via e-mail, telephone calls, and by asking others how their experience went. Once I knew the person was not a psycho killer, I think I would enjoy learning about their culture from a native's perspective and would be grateful to them if they could provide me with detailed directions to spots I wanted to visit. Note: One of my greatest fears is being lost in a foreign country where no one speaks English!
- Courtesy of Erica